VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK

OCTOBER 7-13, 2019

SPRING/SUMMER 2020

Vancouver Fashion Week is the second largest and most diverse fashion week in North America. I am awed by this fact, and encourage others to take pause and realize what a tremendous accomplishment this is. However, those who have never attended this event may wonder why Vancouver Fashion Week. Well let me explain a little about this unique fashion week.

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 Since, the first year back in 2001 till today the focus has always been on cultivating talent. Therefore, it is often the launching pad for many young Canadian designers. However, what may differ from many other Fashion Weeks, is that Vancouver opens the door to the world. Through a mandate to encourage diversity  Vancouver Fashion Week presents a truly multicultural and International experience. Since, multiculturalism is a Canadian value, Vancouver Fashion Week is a great reflection of our society.

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Under the guidance of it's founder and CEO Jamal Abdourahman, Vancouver Fashion Week has grown at an exponential rate. Jamal and his staff travel the globe to bring the best of both young and established designers. While, all the time keeping the local fashion industry as a focus.

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See why to visit Vancouver Fashion Week. First and foremost you will see some amazing fashion. Second, you will be supporting young talented designers. However, if you are considering visiting Vancouver for fashion week one of the best reasons is to experience a truly diverse and open event. For those working in the fashion industry, this is a fabulous opportunity to meet other movers and shakers in the Vancouver and the International fashion scene.

Darling's, personally I have had some great experiences at Vancouver Fashion Week. Furthermore I've made some great industry connections and wonderful friendships.

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Since, fashion weeks are all about the fashion this is the most exciting reason to join us at Vancouver Fashion Week. In fact, I've been in contact with the team at Vancouver Fashion Week and they have shared some of the exciting designers showing for S/S 2020.

While,Vancouver Fashion Week is all about presenting new designers it is also about the fabulous returning designers that have thrilled us in the past. Certainly two of my personal favorites are back to arouse, challenge and inspire. First is the amazing work of Evan Clayton ( link to my post from F/W 2019). What will this local fashion powerhouse offer us this season !

Evan Clayton F/W 2019    http://evanclayton.ca/ 

Second, is the show that stole the show last season Haus Zuk .(last seasons review). In fact, this first time showing of this young graduate from Blanche Macdonald Centre brought the house down. Certainly, Peter Zuk of Haus Zuk  presented  an exciting exhibition that amazed with queer imagery and non-binary fashion. I'm super excited to see where his creativity has lead him.

Haus Zuk F/W 2019 @hauszuk

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Armed with my list of designers who are new to Vancouver Fashion Week , I've been busy doing some research. Therefore, I've chosen a few of them to get you excited about whats coming.

ELLEN WISE COUTURE

Ellen Wise Couture is the eponymous label of custom designer and couturier Ellen Wise. From the bucolic setting of her Woodside studio above the San Francisco Bay Area, Ellen brings fresh vision to the timeless art of haute couture.  Devoted to bringing to life one-of-a-kind custom garments, Wise has become a godsend for professional women in need of bespoke ensembles that transition seamlessly from day to evening, or exquisite formal gowns for social affairs, galas and weddings. Often termed ‘Slow Fashion’, each piece is handcrafted from the highest quality natural fiber fabrics and is an ageless creation of unmistakable grace and elegance. Taken from Vancouver Fashion Week website.

I love evening wear and from what I have seen of Ellen Wise , we are all in for a treat. In my opinion these are the garments that are made for life's special moments. Here's a link to Ellen Wise check it out !!

PAINTERS

Won Jeon, the founder of PAINTERS, studied Fashion Design at Seoul Mode Fashion Institute (2012-2014) and Womenswear at  London College of Fashion (2014-2018). He worked at 2 designers labels called ZEQUUN (Seoul) and Faustine Steinmetz (London). After those experiences, He started his label in Seoul called ‘PAINTERS’. PAINTERS is focused on developing a specific identity and aesthetic in Women's wear. Through their collections they propose a different form of beauty. PAINTERS is trying to creating new shapes that do not effected by others taste or trend. Not only following beautiful faces, garments or proportion like lots of ad, PAINTERS aimed, to make a new impact that different people could be accepted within their own level of  individual’s tastes and identity. Therefore, PAINTERS is trying to propose people with different beauty and shapes to suggest different ideas of form.  Taken from Vancouver Fashion Week site.

Certainly, my desired for creative designers and unique voices in the fashion world is excited by Painters. Therefore, I am anticipating we will see some interesting things from Painters.

DIANA RIKASARI

Diana Rikasari is a fashion designer from Indonesia – currently based in Switzerland – who is also a renown book author focusing on the topic of ‘mindfulness’. Her inspirations are derived from life and her surroundings where she tends to inject humor and wit in her deliverables to create a fun, memorable and most importantly, meaningful piece of work. Either through her fashion designs or writings, Diana always tries to embed a message hoping that they can move and inspire others to do good, feel good. Taken from Vancouver Fashion Week website.

Since, I'm always a fan of fun in fashion and one of my many mantra's is "don't take fashion so seriously" , I love what I have seen of Diana Rikasari. In fact this label is fun, witty and bright. Take a look at Diana Rikasari and ready yourself for a great show.

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See why Vancouver Fashion Week is the place to be for amazing street style. While, we are all there to see the fashion shows, we are also there to see and be seen. In fact, fabulous street style is what makes a fashion week great. Certainly Vancouver Fashion Week has some great street style. The creativity of  Vancouverites , is boundless and inspirational. The cool west coast style of Vancouver flirts with multicultural influences, hipster swank and high-end chic.  The outlandish extravagance that so often comes with fashion week is what makes me tick. Here are some great looks from the last Vancouver Fashion Week.

WHAT'S HOT....

Darling's a lot of planning can go into your outfits for Vancouver Fashion Week. However, often it is that one special piece that inspires your look. Certainly I'm already well into planning my looks for each night. Here are a few great pieces to inspire your great street style.

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Loeffler Randall

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DKNY

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   Whether you're a committed fashionista or casual fashion lover, Vancouver Fashion Week is the place to be. While many industry insiders and fashion aficionado's will attend all seven nights others can choose a night or two. What I want to encourage is to get involved and enjoy. Those of you who are from Vancouver may feel a change in the air. Vancouver is growing and becoming more cosmopolitan. Therefore, with this change we have the opportunity to become a world fashion center. Involvement leads to interest, support, investment and opportunities.

Certainly I hope to see many of you at Vancouver Fashion Week, if you're there search me out. Watch this place to read reviews of Vancouver Fashion Weeks.

CIAO FOR NOW J.ANDREW