Sistine Lewis first learned to make an O’odham ribbon skirt in the spring of 2023. Now, she’s showcasing her work, Hyosik Creations.

Inspired by her O’odham given name, “Hyosik,” meaning flower, Lewis designs traditional ribbon skirts and, more recently, men’s ribbon shirts.

Her journey into seam stressing began in April 2023, when she sewed her first ribbon skirt with the guidance of family friend Kathleen Tom-Garcia. Before then, Lewis’s grandmother, Carmen Moore would create her traditional outfits. Today, Lewis honors her grandmother’s teachings by incorporating her water and basket designs into her work.

“It feels like I’m following in her footsteps, and I know that later on in life, I will have a piece of her teaching with me,” said Lewis.

In March 2024, Lewis officially launched Hyosik Creations, offering ribbon skirts adorned with floral fabrics, holiday-themed patterns, and custom styles.

“My designs reflect what my generation loves while staying true to our roots,” said Lewis. “For example, I incorporate glitter, metallic rickrack, and other contemporary elements into traditional Piipaash and O’odham skirts to make them more vibrant and appealing to today’s audience.”

Last fall, at Arizona State University’s Indigenous Student Fashion Show, Lewis debuted as a student designer. She shared a modern O’odham two-piece outfit, along with a men’s ribbon shirt . The women’s ensemble featured a “coquette”-style blouse with puffed sleeves, a cropped fit, and ribbon lacing up the back, a contemporary take on the traditional “peasant-style” O’odham muslin tops. The plaid cotton ribbon skirt, layered in earthy hues and adorned with bañ (coyote) tracks, paid tribute to traditional O’odham skirts.

The show, organized entirely by ASU students, highlighted designs from other student seamstresses, including Kaitlyn Yazzie (Navajo), Madison Billy (Hopi), and Tonana Ben (Navajo). As the only O’odham designer, Lewis felt a deep connection to the event.

“ASU is on our ancestral land, and showcasing my work here allowed me to honor our ancestors through the pieces I made,” Lewis said. “By having more O’odham-inspired outfits and designers in fashion shows like this, we can share a part of our culture with audiences from different backgrounds.”

Beyond her creative pursuits and studies as a Criminology major, Lewis is committed to giving back to her community. Earlier this year, she hosted a ribbon skirt workshop in collaboration with the Salt River Tribal Library, teaching community members how to make their own skirts. She hopes to expand these workshops to other tribal communities in the future.

To support Sistine Lewis’s work, you can find Hyosik Creations at local community pop-ups or on Instagram: @hyosik.creations for updates.