PRL x TÓPA 4 Winds Beaded Belt

Introducing Polo Ralph Lauren x TÓPA, the newest collaboration of the Ralph Lauren Artist in Residence programme, reflecting our evolved design approach with the artisans and communities that inspire us. This collection features the artistry of wife-and-husband duo Jocy and Trae Little Sky—founders of the clothing brand TÓPA and proud members of the Oceti Sakowin (People of Seven Council Fires); Jocy is of Dakota and Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations (MHA/Dakota), and Trae is Oglala Lakota and Stoney Nakoda. Their creations merge modern silhouettes with distinctive Indigenous cultural elements to honour and preserve ancestral traditions while reflecting the beauty and vibrancy of their Northern Plains heritage. The name TÓPA, meaning “four” in the languages of the Oceti Sakowin, symbolises the four directions, four seasons, four stages of life, and four meaningful colours. Crafted with full-grain leather and finished with hand-whipstitched edges, this unisex belt is hand-beaded with a geometric pattern inspired by the vibrational energy of the land’s trails and the movement of clouds above. Its mirrored design signifies our celestial connections, reflecting strength and balance in the symmetrical placement of each motif, including the four-pointed stars at the centre and at each end of the strap. An integral element of the artistic and cultural expression of the Northern Plains, beading upholds an ethos in which time-intensive handwork expresses love, affection and appreciation.