Olivia Tagalik’s textile art blends traditional techniques with contemporary statement designs. Based in Kangiqliniq (Rankin Inlet), NU, Tagalik’s intricate handmade garments and accessories and printed works form the basis of Inuit Creative Expressions, a business that Tagalik set up in 2010.
Tagalik made her first handmade garment at thirteen years old for a school project—an amauti based on her grandmother’s pattern—and found the process so tedious that it almost put her off sewing completely. "I was never going to make anything else again," she says. [1] But over time, Tagalik’s reluctance to sew gave way to her fascination with the way that creating textile art from scratch gave her full creative ownership over the final product and connected her to Inuit traditions and culture. First envisioned as a photography and graphic design service for her local community in partnership with her sister, Inuit Creative Expressions soon became focused on handmade goods that Tagalik personally crafted from materials such as sealskin and fur, as well as specialty-printed linens, bags and other textile goods that Tagalik designs.
Tagalik’s vision and drive for Inuit Creative Expressions comes directly from the innovation and creativity of Inuit across Nunavut. "Our culture in general is an inspiration to me," she says. "This community is rich with talent and tradition.” Amongst all of her work, it is perhaps Tagalik’s collars that stand out the most. Each one elaborately and painstakingly crafted by hand using sealskin, Tagalik first started making collars because of their potential to transform an outfit. When attending social events, she had always wished that she could add a statement piece that would command attention while showcasing her culture, and so started on the work of creating them herself. She looks for opportunities to introduce contrast and modernity in her work, such as adding chains and metallic detailing to her collars, always striving to produce an item that will be entirely unique for its wearer. "The collars are a perfect canvas for combining traditional patterns with modern aesthetics, allowing me to showcase the beauty of Inuit artistry," she says.
And quite a few people have likely seen a Tagalik original collar—she was one of several artists whose work was featured in the costume design for the Netflix series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2023), and in 2020 produced five individual designs for Canada Goose’s Project Atigi.
Tagalik hopes one day to help support the artistic infrastructure in her local community by setting up a collaborative studio to share space and resources with other artists—something that is currently lacking in the North at large. For young artists trying to make a name for themselves, she warns against putting boundaries on what you want to create and to avoid getting caught up in a mindset of what you “should” make or what your work “should” look like. "If you’re making what you really want to create,” Tagalik says, “then people will appreciate it no matter what."