Lloyd Kiva New

Lloyd Kiva New (1916 -2002) was born February 18, 1916 in Oklahoma, of Cherokee and Scotch-Irish heritage. Kiva New graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1938 and later served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He worked with Southwest Indian Arts Project at the University of Arizona and was a co-founder of the Institute of American Indian Arts. Before Lloyd Kiva New co-founded the Institute of American Indian Arts, he was a successful Scottsdale fashion designer in the 1940s and 1950s. With his business, New tapped an entirely new market for Native artists, and his garments and accessories were recognized on a scale never seen before in Native clothing design. New became the first Native American to show at an international fashion show in 1951 with his participation in the Atlantic City International Fashion Show. In 1952 his clothing was featured in the Los Angeles Times as the trend to follow, and Miss Arizona Lynn Freyse wore a Kiva creation for the 1957 Miss America Pageant. Because of his accomplishments, New created more opportunities for Native people in the exciting world of fashion design. Kiva New served as IAIA president from 1967 to 1978, and in many other important roles at the school until he passed away in February 2002.