It's Friday It's Friday

What a week! All I can say is TGIF. I have been so busy lately I haven't even had time even open my new September issues and just sit and enjoy this awesome weather we've been having in Vancouver. This past Tuesday I volunteered at the Mercedes-Benz Start Up Program Fashion Show.  It was one of the biggest event's I've ever gotten a chance to be a part of. I was backstage the entire show. There was 5 of us Dressers, meaning it was our job to ensure 18 models were changed into their 2-3 looks for the whole show...if something doesn't go out, it's our fault. I was responsible for dressing 8/10 models. It was quite a show though, I loved the 5 Canadian designers participating in the show. Though all the designers we're incredible, I must admit one stood out especially to me. Adame Taubenfligel is the designer of Triachry this brand specializes in denim, but the inspiration and creation of the brand was so cool and fresh to me. Adam told me backstage at the show while we were chatting that the company is very much a family business. His brother designs custom motorcycles which then Adam then draws up inspiration for his clothes, and his sister is the fit model,stylist, and face of the company. Made for a the edgier fashion conscious young men and women, the looks were very sophisticated touched with the biker-glam. His collections showed off a darker denim for fall with a few coloured denim as well that combined his recognizable T stitched to the back pockets of the jeans. I fell in love with this leather jacket he designed, which the model I was dressing wore. His designs to me were so fun and modern and I have high hopes for this up-and-coming designer. Best of luck to him and Cassie Dee (who's trendy designs I also just adored), the two winners of the night heading to Toronto!

                  Happy Friday Everyone! JC

Photo from Mecedes-Benz Facebook- I dressed this model..isnt that leather jacket beautiful!

Photo credited from the Triarchy website

Shoot for the Moon

So since I moved to Vancouver I'll admit I have done quite a bit of shopping. One day I spotted this jewelry line by Andrea Waines on Granville Island. Waines is a local Vancouver artist, who designs bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.. I knew instantly I had to have something from her collection. After taking what seemed like an hour to decide, I chose this bracelet that says; "shoot for the moon, even if you miss it, you will land among, the stars"

 Andrea Waines , specializes in unique hand stamped silver jewellery. I love wearing pieces that are original, and I've never seen something quite like her work. The jewellery reminds of a secret, what I mean by that is, the words are sooo tiny only you know what it says unless someone asks to see it. The messages are so inspiring, so it's like a reminder for yourself..a secret reminder of what you believe or an inspiration to get back up if you've fallen down. They're words for you to live by if you choose to, or maybe you already do. For me, the one I bought, I wear it on my wrist as a reminder to "never give up on what you want in this life"--words that my Dad taught me. That even if things don't turn out exactly how you thought they would, they have the possibility to end up better then you could of ever imagined. JC

Wilfred~ Be Free

 

Aritzia Aritzia Aritzia Aritzia.  I have vowed countless times to stop doing ALL of my shopping at the nothing but famous store we all know we love. For those of you who haven't heard of Aritzia, they are a Clothing retailer for women that started in Vancouver BC. What started out as one little store in 1984, turned into 12 in Vancouver alone and 51 across North America. Aritzia's most recent store opening is in New York City and has been nothing but a hit among the New York fashion-ers. Even if you don't shop there, if you go in to their store, you secretly want something. I know I do. I cave evvvveeeerrrryyyy time. I say to myself..oh but if I just get this shirt it would look sooo good with the shorts I bought last week, and ohh but no one has this yet, if I get it first my friends can't get it (even though most of my friends and I have the same clothes..we literally just end up being lucky if we're wearing a different outfit, and laugh if we're wearing the same shirt only in a different colour). That's the catch though. We buy stuff from Aritzia, even though we know everyone else is going to have it. In Edmonton, the clothing wasn't as common due to the lack of stores but here in Vancouver..I can't walk a block without seeing at least one piece of clothing from there. Be in Wilfred, Le fou, TNA, Wilfred Free, A Moveable Feast, Community, T. babton etc...  Even The Satorialist spotted the trendy looks and snapped this girl in the very same shorts I'm wearing in my post (only in a different colour of course). People notice the outfits that come out of this store, they're good quality, flattering and trendy, and we girls want the exact same look for ourselves. But what is it about this oh-so-popular store that makes women elbow, push and shove their way through crowds to get that one particular item? What kind of spell are we under that causes us to wait in line for 15 20 minutes to try on clothes leaving with more then half of what we came in with and more then 3/4 of our pay check gone? Is is the quality? The popularity? The trends? The colors? The theme of the stores? I can't quite put my finger on it, but I justify it the same way I do my everyday morning Venti extra-hot-half water-half soy-semi sweet -chai latte that comes to $7.48.. it's just too damn good to pass up. Why put yourself through the anxiety and end up craving it for the rest of the day if you don't get it? Yep. Artizia you got me. JC

Lace top: Wilfred Aritzia

Hat: Wilfred Aritzia

White Shirt: Oak and Fort

Shorts: Le Fou Aritzia

Shoes: Kara

Photos by Blake 

Fall -ing Feather

For my communications course I was asked to write about a street trend. I decided to share it with you all for good humour. Now don't get me wrong I do love the trend right now but if you read it I put in a few trend pointers. Is there one trend which anyone just can't stand?

Birds of a Feather.

It’s a sight to see...Women storming fly fishing shops to get their hands on “hackles.” Why hackles? Rumor has it these rooster feather fishing supplies make the best hair extensions. By now you’ve heard of hair feathering. Incase you didn’t, celebrities like Disney’s Pocahontas once rocked them in the early 90s. Now the hip trend has reached an almost ridiculous popularity. Even though I love them, I worry the originality is lost ....

The first person I ever saw wearing the hair accessory was my yoga instructor. My first initial thought was “this must be a yoga guru thing.” I didn’t get it, but I accepted it as her boho yogie style and that was that. As weeks went by I noticed other girls in my class had the trend, even the dude with the dreads next to me had something that looked like a feather coming from his head. I haven’t invested in the hair pieces, yet I cant help but notice their, what-seems-to-be consistent popularity. There is such a variety of bold and natural colors, that they really are a genius way to spice up your hair style. They are an adaptable trend which is why celebs like the painful in fashion (among other things) Ke$ha, to the sweet Jennifer Love Hewitt, have been seen rocking the trend. They are surprisingly easy to maintain as well, you can wash, curl, and even straighten them without issues.

But what I’m asking now is, “where did this trend come from?” Some say the 70s, but I say Steven Tyler. Beaming in his recent spotlight as a judge of American Idol,  Tyler, brought his own uniqueness to the show including, the feather pieces...long long LONG before it was a trend. Regardless of who or what started the craze thousands of women have purchased and worn the feathers all around the globe. 

Not everyone is thrilled with the fad. Animal rights activists like PETA have taken a stand against it claiming it is animal cruelty. It’s not new that fashion tends to create controversy among animal rights activists, but now too we can add fly-fishermen to the list. They are enrage by the dramatic price increase and lack of supplies. 

The world has gone crazy it seems over this 2011 spring/summer trend, making it inevitable that the feather hair extension have risen and conquered the hair market. But ...sadly I have a feeling once winter comes around, and rain starts to drown the city streets of Vancouver, one might think twice about adding a wet bird - I mean feather- to their hair accessories. JC

photos by Blake Vanderhyden 

Morning Forecast

Prior to taking my design awareness class, I never really thought about trend forecasting. We had a guest lecturer today who literally sells fashion trends for upcoming seasons...and guess what..I got a sneak peak on what will be "in fashion" for  spring/summer 2012, we'll have to wait and see if the Fashion Forecast is right. JC

watch: vintage

photos by Blake  Vanderhyden

Just the vest.

So this past Saturday I had a photo shoot which Blake Vanderheyden. He truly is an inspiring person, at only 18 he has already graduated college and is well on his way to fortune with his increasing notoriety due to his inspiring photography and videos. 

For this shoot, I decided to use this Jean Vest and paired it with my floral H&M dress from Spain.  I am busy applying for internships. Fingers crossed. JC

dress: H&M

vest: Levi's

photography by Blake Vanderhyden