Beaded Reeboks on the Way

A sport shoe manufacturer has joined forces with an American Indian designer to produce a line of beaded footwear and apparel.

Melody Lightfeather, president of American Indian Designer Collection, signed a contract with the president of Reebok International Ltd. recently to produce the Reebok-Lightfeather Collection.

The collection will be hand-beaded and sewn by more than 100 American Indian families living on and off-reserve in the southwestern United States. The designers will reflect a number of traditional American Indian designers. Each product will be an original, taking from two to eight weeks to complete.

The beaded Reebok was Lightfeather's idea. The award-winning artist wanted to produce a wearable art form which blends both comfort and culture.

Reebok has donated $10,000 to the Native American Arts Foundation, Inc., to establish an educational program for American Indian entrepreneurs. The program will help Natives market their crafts, develop co-operative ventures and cottage industries and encourage economic development and self-sufficiency among American Indians on reserves.

The collection debuts in mid-July in Reebok stores in California, Boston and New York City. It will also be available by mail order.