ALTRN8V is in the name.

It’s Alter-Native — a brand born from the intersection of Indigenous identity and alternative culture. Designed by Courtney Little Axe, who represents the Northern Cheyenne, Absentee Shawnee, and Seminole Nations, the brand reflects only one part of her inspiration. The rest comes from something deeper: a lifetime of creativity, music, family tradition, and the desire to represent her community in ways the world hasn’t fully seen yet.

Courtney has always been a visionary. From a young age she wanted more — not just for herself, but for her community and how Indigenous people are seen on a global stage.

Music played a major role in shaping that vision. Courtney grew up loving alternative rock, a genre that rarely appears in conversations about Native culture. Too often, Indigenous identity is reduced to a narrow set of stereotypes — powwow drums or flute music — when the reality is far more diverse. Many Native people grew up listening to the same rock and alternative bands as everyone else, yet that influence rarely showed up in fashion made for or by Indigenous designers.

Courtney recognized that gap early. She noticed that mainstream fashion retailers — even major stores like Walmart — didn’t reflect that alternative Native aesthetic she and many others connected with. That realization planted a seed: if the fashion industry didn’t represent it, she would create it herself.

Sewing and making garments was already part of her foundation. In many Native communities, the act of creating — sewing, beading, crafting regalia — is a cultural tradition passed down through generations. In Courtney’s own family, her grandmothers taught her how to sew and create from a young age. By her teenage years, she was already designing and sewing garments for powwow competitions, developing both technical skill and a deep respect for handmade craft.

ALTRN8V grew from that foundation.

The brand exists to recognize a modern generation of Indigenous people who embrace alternative aesthetics — not just in fashion, but in music, attitude, and identity. Courtney saw an opportunity to merge two powerful influences: the rebellious energy of alternative rock and the generational craftsmanship of Indigenous artistry.

Today, ALTRN8V garments carry that fusion forward.

Courtney has gone on to create striking looks that have appeared on international stages, including Milan, Paris, and New York — with Tokyo on the horizon. Her work commands attention while remaining rooted in heritage, craft, and storytelling.

But ALTRN8V has become something bigger than clothing.

It represents a shift in how Indigenous identity is seen in modern fashion. Through bold silhouettes, striking designs, and unapologetic creativity, the brand challenges outdated narratives and expands the global image of Indigenous people today.

ALTRN8V speaks to the rebels, the resistant, and the visionaries.

To those who refuse to be defined by stereotypes.
To those who understand that culture evolves while remaining rooted in tradition.

It is fashion, yes — but it is also storytelling.

A reminder that Indigenous people are not relics of the past.

We are still here.