2 OF THE EXCITING , BOLD , WOMEN WHO SHOWED AT VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK

jandrewspeaks

2 OF THE EXCITING,BOLD WOMEN WHO SHOWED AT VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK.

Seven nights of talented spectacle made up this years Vancouver Fashion Week F/W 2019 edition. I made a huge commitment when I decided to attend every night of this bi-annual event. In fact this was my first experience at Vancouver Fashion Week and I am delighted to report I was very impressed.

VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK

GIRL POWER

Local and international designers showcased their F/W 2019 collections at David Lam Hall on East Pender in downtown Vancouver. Moreover the venue and production values added to a professional environment to showcase the designers extraordinary talents .

Fashion does not exist in a vacuum and we have recently been experiencing a rebirth of an international feminist movement. In fact I am a feminist and am lucky enough to live in a country with a Prime Minister who is a self proclaimed feminist. All this is adding to a great environment of girl power.

Therefore my attention was drawn to the high number of exceptionally talented young women showing at VFW. Once upon a time, not too long ago women were almost never designers. The fabulous advancements in the past 50 years belong to all the women we celebrate at this 2019 fashion week. Clothing can be a powerful tool to advance change, attitudes, and opinions. However this is not the forum for a political debate but rather a place to celebrate the fabulous talents of the 2 exciting bold women I have chosen to highlight.

PROFANITY

BY LillzKillz

LillzKillz (Lillea Goian) a self proclaimed eccentric, caters to other eccentrics looking to express themselves . LillzKillz has shown her fantastic creations at Tokyo and New York fashion weeks. Her unconventional clothes have an exciting energy rarely captured. Her past collections featured black and white checkers, neon colors and over-sized silhouettes.

The collection presented on Tuesday March 19th was called Profaniski, and was influenced by the young designers experiences with winter sports in her hometown of Nelson B.C. Somehow Goian transports us to a fantastical mountain party.

Profanity branded over-sized hoodies , snowboards, and a cross-dressing orange tulle clad man made for a show that pushed the envelope. Huge fun-fur coats made in white give a playful joy. An acid yellow vinyl demands all your attention. All the creations are gender neutral. Goian says she designs for people who are outside the box. Lillea could not be contained in a box herself, as she came out at the end of the she showed an exuberant energy that is reflected in all her creations.

CRAZYYABAI

Ming Lim

Ming Lim is an up-and-coming 17-year old high school senior who debuted her first collection at VFW last season. Lim is back to showcase her outstanding talents again with her new line that is inspired by sophrosyne, or the idea of self-peace. My first question was what exactly is sophrosyne? I couldn't tell you exactly what sophrosyne is, although I know from my University days it was a Greek concept . Therefore let us all be educated by this York school senior and the Oxford English Dictionary:

Word Origin and History for sophrosyne. n. the quality of wise moderation; Greek, "prudence, moderation in desires, discretion, temperance," from sophron "of sound mind, prudent, temperate" (see Sophronia).

Since I am more of a visual person , what I saw was a fascinating look at a historic procession. However this is where your own interpretation is most important . Created from a large variety of fabrications like clear vinyl, paint, plastic strapping and tulle to name a few we saw garments of epic scale. Lim's creativity seems to have no bounds , as a solemn figure reminiscent of Ann Boleyn going to the executioner with a painted vinyl cape of operatic proportions engulfs the runway. Furthermore to think this was created by a high school senior gives me goose-bumps. This young woman is someone to keep on our eyes on.

VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK

I chose two young women designers for this post, to not only illustrate how women are making huge strides in fashion but also two women who are artists . Fashion as art is a luxury not all designers can afford. This is why events like Vancouver Fashion Week are so important. We all love to see great fashion that we can buy, sell and enjoy but often our commercial interests can over ride the expression and development of the artist. Therefore the opportunity provided by a Fashion Week allows enough opportunity for all types of sartorial expression to be viewed and experienced. I loved seeing these two women present their artistic expression and equally loved the great fashion that I will cover in future posts.

WHAT'S HOT ??

Spring is here , almost everywhere the long winter has come to an end . I have given up waiting and am starting to wear my sneakers. What's hot this year are Dad sneakers . Those chunky sneakers are being worn with skirts , dresses and of course pants. However there are of course great designer takes on this footwear. The platform sneaker trend is winding down, while the dad sneaker holds on strong and takes its place for 2019. Styles from Balenciaga and Gucci are leading the trend.