Niio Perkins

Cornwall, Ontario

Beadwork, Traditional/Contemporary Fashion

NIIO PERKINS, Kanien’kehá:ka Bear Clan, is an award-winning artist whose spectacular beadwork is treasured throughout North America. Her modern aesthetic fuses traditional symbols with organic shapes and vibrant colorways, creating unique pieces inspired by the beauty of her Haudenosaunee culture.

A student of the Iroquois raised beadwork technique since childhood, Niio has honed her craft into a much-celebrated art form. Her distinctive creations are prized by Indigenous art and fashion enthusiasts.

Niio Perkins has been a strong presence in Indigenous art fashion and media for over a decade. Her heirloom jewelry creations and traditional and contemporary clothing designs have garnered rave reviews at Santa Fe Indian Market, Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto, National Museum of the American Indian – NYC, as well as top honors at several Indian markets. Her work has been featured in Elle Canada, Native Max magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, CBC News, and Native Peoples magazine.

In recent years, Niio Perkins has produced custom designs for notable Canadian fashion retailers La Maison Simons and Hudson’s Bay Company. She is the proud creator of the Element Collection for Manitobah Mukluks, which features her signature giving tree design.

“My designs are powerful expressions of our identities and desires at a particular moment,” says Niio. “I am grateful to be a part of someone’s experience as they honor themselves and others in such a personal way.”