Lily Gladstone rocks earrings made by Montana Indigenous artist at Golden Globes
When Lily Gladstone made history Sunday evening, becoming the first Native American to win best actress in a motion picture drama, Indigenous people nationwide celebrated while simultaneously trying to figure out who beaded her black-and-white earrings.
The answer is Lenise Omeasoo, Montana-based Ermineskin Cree and Blackfeet artist.
When Gladstone reached out a few weeks ago, Omeasoo said she knew she had the perfect earrings to match her style.
The earrings, like many of Omeasoo’s pieces, can be worn in several ways — as a rectangular stud or with a dangling butterfly attachment. At the Golden Globe Awards, Gladstone wore the top post of the earring set, showing a black-and-white mirrored Blackfeet design framed by pink and gold glass beads.
Omeasoo said she was honored Gladstone wore her work, adding that the earrings perfectly complemented Gladstone’s Bulgari diamond necklace and white Valentino dress.
“I’m incredibly proud of my fellow Blackfeet sister,” Omeasoo said.
Since Gladstone’s historic win, Omeasoo said she’s received overwhelming support for her company, Antelope Women Designs.
“The amount of followers and fans that are sharing the work makes me feel very inspired,” she said. “I plan to take this energy and create something with it.”
Gladstone was raised in Montana on the Blackfeet Nation reservation before moving to Seattle in middle school.
In her publicity for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Gladstone has intentionally uplifted the work of local Native artists.
On the cover of “British Vogue” last September, Gladstone wore a large Apsáalooke-style breast plate with vintage brass beads and pink conch pearls by Crow artist Elias Jade NotAfraid. Another photo in the spread shows Blackfeet artist John Pepion’s “Butterfly Dreams” blanket. The blanket, made of cotton, is inspired by butterfly images often painted on tipis or found in the beadwork of Blackfeet people.
Find Lenise Omeasoo’s work on Facebook at AntelopeWomenDesigns or Instagram at Antelope_Women_Designs.