Going vogue
Don’t be fooled by the masthead. The latest glossy magazine to hit the streets, NM, is not about New Mexico – at least not entirely.

NM, aka Native Max, which launched this month, is a fashion magazine dedicated to Native fashion, culture and up-and-coming talent.

Calling itself the “No. 1 source for an authoritative perspective on the Native American community,” Native Max also goes beyond the clothes to spotlight art, entertainment, sports, fitness, and social issues.

“Native Max ignites conversation, promotes empowerment and celebrates aspiration. Native Max is the heart, the soul and the pulse of Native-America and Canada. It’s more than a magazine, it’s an evolution,” states the magazine’s web site.

Native Max was the brainchild of aspiring fashion designer and model Kelly Holmes, 21. Growing up on South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, Holmes spent hours leafing through Seventeen and Vogue. But she found it hard to relate to the models who looked nothing like her and the stories, which were vastly different from her own.

When Holmes, who now lives in Denver, faced job rejection because of her lack of experience, even in her own community, she decided to create an outlet for others like herself. “Native Max is like no other Native American magazine on the market. It has a different view and purpose that we believe is highly essential to the Native American community,” explains the web site. “Native Max promotes triumph by providing Native individuals, whom live on reservations and/or urban land, an outlet into the world and a platform to display their talents.”

The premiere issue, which is only available online, features a cover shot of Mariah Watchman, a member of Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla who was the first Native American to appear on “America’s Next Top Model.”

In addition to the cover story on Watchman, the issue includes a story on the “Bluebird Pinups,” a Navajo group that promotes self-esteem and positive values, and the “Save Wiyabe Project” which works to call attention to violence against Native American women.

The quarterly magazine plans to switch to print in December, with yearly subscriptions costing $48. For more information, go to www.nativemax.com.