Kelly Holmes Creates Her Own Fashion Magazine 'Native Max'

In leafing through issues of Vogue and Seveenteen Magazine, Kelly Holmes realized the models were completely different than her and she could never relate to any of their experiences.

Holmes, a member of Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, set up her own fashion magazine which will help American men and women and non-Native Americans learn more about the culture.

"There's really no magazine, a Native-owned and operated, Native-designed magazine," she told reporters. "There's nothing like this magazine out there. The ones that do have stuff focused on younger people, they're really vulgar and very revealing."

"They want to be models, movie stars, artists. I think that's showing the regular side as opposed to that stereotype of just showing us in our dance regalia," Rhonda LeValdo, president of the Native American Journalists Association said.

Holmes is also looking for investors but has no luck. To continue the magazine she said she's already invested $1,000 of her own money. Holmes planned to have a print-only format of the magazine by early December, which will be issued to subscribers at $10 per copy which will keep the magazine running.

Angelica Gallegos, ad director and writer and a member of the Santa Ana Pueblo and Jicarilla Apache tribes is enjoying the work and is learning about the new Native American artists and musicians.

"I like how we want to involve a lot of people in the community and get ideas from them," she said. "I also like the aspect of getting to know different artists and Native people around the country and how they're contributing to their people in different ways."

Currently "Native Max" has less than 100 subscribers, but that hasn't discouraged Holmes. She hopes to make the magazine a success. She also hopes to add more value to the magazine by including fashion events which would take place across the country.

"There are Natives out there who are talented... I want it to be inspirational and to show to others, 'Hey, there is someone out there doing the same thing as me.'" she said.