The story of the United States of America is not a straightforward tale; but rather, a complicated narrative with many conflicting voices that's fraught with tension and turmoil. This is nowhere more evident than with the Native Americans; the country's indigenous residents who were overrun and marginalized by America's founding settlers. While much has changed in the last 200+ years, Native American representation -- or, in this case, underrepresentation -- is still a pressing problem. Cultural representation is vital, as it essentially provides a platform and voice to an entire group of people. This platform is what pushes a culture into society's consciousness; it raises awareness and starts a dialogue to ultimately affect big, meaningful change. Representation, for a group that's been historically marginalized, is so important.

And this is where Beyond Buckskin Boutique enters the conversation. Beyond Buckskin's mission is to create a substantial movement of Native American representation in the fashion industry, and to bring greater recognition to Native-made fashion. This North Dakota-based business is creating a much-needed platform wherein emerging and established artists can bring their work to new audiences. It's a daunting task, but something Beyond Buckskin Owner Jessica R. Metcalfe is proudly taking on.

Beyond Buckskin is a business dedicated to promoting and selling Native American-made fashion, clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Both an online retailer and brick-and-mortar business, the retail store is located in Belcourt, North Dakota, on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation.

So much more than just a retailer, Beyond Buckskin empowers Native American artists and designers, advancing the quality of Native American fashion through education while providing a far-reaching platform for societal participation.

Inspired by relevant historical and contemporary Native American clothing design and art, Beyond Buckskin promotes cultural appreciation, social relationships, authenticity, and creativity. Seen here is Mattie Tom, an Apache warrior, and the inspiration for one of the boutique's recent jewelry collections.

Beyond Buckskin began in 2009 as a blog, where Metcalfe interviewed and featured various Native American designers from

throughout the U.S. and Canada.

During this interview, Metcalfe took the fashion industry to task. "I also critiqued major companies that stole

Native American designs and sold them as their own," she explains. "Through growing this

online dialogue space, I realized that there was also a need to develop a

corresponding space to purchase the Native-made clothing we were talking about."

This was Metcalfe's "aha moment," when the idea for Beyond Buckskin Boutique was born.

Both the online boutique and retail store are based in Metcalfe's home state of North Dakota, which is incredibly important to the owner.

"I made an active and conscious decision to base [the business] out of my rural home community here in North Dakota," she explains. "Since it was online at the beginning, it could have been based anywhere, and I probably

would have benefitted from hosting it in a city or more central location, or closer to the fashion meccas of Los Angeles or New York."

But Beyond Buckskin isn’t just an ordinary fashion business.

"It’s a Native American art and fashion business looking to challenge how we think about buying and wearing clothing," says Metcalfe.

And because of that, Metcalfe knew she needed to lead by example, and base her business in the heart of her North Dakota homeland. But make no mistake about it: Beyond Buckskin is global, international, and impactful.

And the impact is both immediate and far-reaching. "The dozens of artists that I work with come from throughout the U.S. and Canada, and our customers and supporters come

from here, but also abroad, and we continue to ship to places all over the world."

You may be asking yourself, "Can fashion really spark change?" And the answer to that is a resounding "Yes."

Because when you're talking about representing, there's really nothing more impactful than how we present or represent, ourselves. That's fashion -- it's every day, everywhere, essential, and ubiquitous.

Metcalfe says that through the items we wear on a daily basis, she hopes to impact change steadily, through small and intimate ways.

And this is precisely what this grassroots, BIOPIC-owned boutique in North Dakota is doing.

Learn more and support this incredible North Dakota company by visiting Beyond Buckskin Boutique's website, and be sure to follow Beyond Buckskin on Facebook and Instagram, too.

Of course, Beyond Buckskin is one of many amazing businesses in North Dakota that's doing great things in the state. If you have another business you'd like to see profiled on Only In North Dakota, please nominate them for a chance to be featured. And be sure to follow Only In North Dakota on Facebook and Instagram stay to in the know on the state's events, restaurants, local businesses, and hidden gems!