Design contest open to Indigenous students at the University will showcase their talent and creativity, help build community
The McGill Campus Store and the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) have teamed up for a design contest to create McGill’s first item of Indigenous-inspired apparel.
The contest, dubbed “Threads of Belonging,” is open to Indigenous McGill students. The winning design will be determined by votes from the McGill community. It will be printed on hooded sweatshirts from Decolonial Clothing that will be available for purchase in the McGill Campus Store.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for Indigenous students to shape how Indigenous belonging, creativity and representation are expressed on our campus,” said Brittanny Janvier, Director of the OII. “We hope the contest sparks reflection on what it means to belong at McGill while showcasing the incredible talent of Indigenous students.”
The contest’s theme is “the Indigenous experience at McGill.”
Details are available on the OII website. The entry deadline is Nov. 1.
Elevating Indigenous voices
The contest is the result of an ongoing collaboration between the OII and McGill Student Housing and Hospitality Services (SHHS), which oversees the McGill Campus Store.
The store has begun stocking products directly sourced from Indigenous vendors – a project in which the OII was instrumental – and Director Jason Kack was eager to expand the boutique’s offerings by featuring apparel with an Indigenous design.
“We’ve been looking for more ways to incorporate Indigenous products that would be a bit more on the creative side and somehow involving the community,” said Kack. “That discussion led to this contest.”
The initiative aligns with McGill’s broader efforts to elevate Indigenous voices and perspectives across the University.
“It gives Indigenous students the opportunity to contribute to McGill’s visual culture in a meaningful and lasting way,” said Janvier.
Submitted designs will be reviewed by a selection committee that includes an Indigenous student, OII staff and an Indigenous faculty member. The committee will narrow the pool to a handful of finalists, which will then be voted upon by McGill students, faculty, staff and community members.
“Our hope is that it’s not only a design contest, but also a community conversation about belonging at McGill,” said Janvier. “We want to showcase Indigenous creativity and build community.”
Hooded sweatshirts with the winning design are expected to be available for purchase at the McGill Campus Store in late winter 2027.