Shaneen Robinson
APTN National News
Indigenous fashion designers are expressing their outrage after a fashion company that came under fire last year over a racially-charged clothing line has been awarded a big design contract.
D-Squared2 initially dubbed their fall/winter line “DSquaw” and now have been awarded a contract by the Hudson’s Bay Company to create athletic wear for Team Canada for upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
The Milan-based label was founded in 1995 by the Caten brothers, who were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2009.
The award-winning duo has past experience designing sportswear, having been enlisted by Italian soccer giant Juventus to create their official team uniforms.
The Catens were headline talent costume designers for the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and took part in the torch relay.
Dsquared2 has also outfitted its share of A-list stars, most recently Beyonce, who wore a custom creation by the label during her buzzed-about Super Bowl halftime performance.
The Dsquared2-designed opening ceremony outfit and the full Team Canada collection is slated to be unveiled in April.
-With files from The Canadian Press
