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Ragazza Bazaar by Nancy Contreras

May 27, 2014/in Designer Interviews /by Luevo Team

Nancy Contreras started Ragazza Bazaar as an online boutique which featured a handful of ready to wear pieces made overseas. With the help of social media and blog promotions, the brand has blossomed and grown to what it is today. Ragazza Bazaar is all about glamour, chic, and edge. Each piece has it’s own unique flare and style, much like every girl that’s out there. Nancy definitely makes sure there is something for everyone, and her designs always have a little twist in them, whether it involves a funky colour, a wild material, or a bold pattern. If you are a glamorous fashionista who loves to take risks, or even if you are someone more conservative looking to spice things up, Ragazza Bazaar certainly has you covered. Nancy says, “I hope to be a brand of choice for all woman, a brand that they can relate to and wear. My designs are created to flatter every curve, whether small or large. Every woman deserves to feel beautiful, confident, and comfortable.”

What goals have you accomplished that you are most proud of thus far, when it comes to Ragazza Bazaar?

My website. It represents more than just a Fashion Collection, it displays my creative personality. Every photo, every word, and every page is designed and created by me. I feel proud when others take notice, whether it’s online or in person. I have had many awesome experiences and met many talented people. Every one has been a stage for me professionally. I am very flattered by the amazing people that have responded to my work.

The Pieces available on the Luevo website are from your Girl Next Door collection. What inspired the pieces in this collection? What makes them unique? What is your process of inspiration?

At one of the fashion shows that I was featured at, I met Annabelle, one of the runway models that walked for my collection. She was so sweet and agreed to fit all the designs for a test shoot. I grew very fond of the photos and invited her to pose for my website. We did a couple of shoots and posted the photos online. The photos made a splash on social media and soon I began to receive messages from local models and photographers that wanted to work with me. Since then, I have featured a handful of models and each of them inspired the”look” making every design unique to their style, hence “The Girl Next Door Collection.”

The use of different textures and patterns seems to be a common theme in your designs. How important is it to you to diversify your designs within each collection to provide a greater variety?

Investing in your look and representing your style can come highly expensive. I design my pieces so that you can wear them year round by easily combining them with your favourite closet classics.

Describe the RB girl. Who is she to you? What does she represent?

The RB Girl is confident, bold, and daring. She is the girl next door. She represents our flirty side and sophisticated taste, a love for fashion, and the drive for success.

With the fashion world continuously evolving and changing, what trends do you foresee will take over this summer? What are some of your favourite trends happening right now?

Based on what I have seen so far, it looks like one piece swimwear will feature lots of cut outs and high waisted bikinis will be a hit. I am quickly falling for the “print on print” combos and the “Chanel Grunge” look.

If you had less than a minute to put together a quick summer outfit for a night out on the town, what are the first pieces that come to mind? Why?

A black halter bodysuit/leotard, wide leg maxi pants or trousers, and strappy stilettos because it’s a chic and easy look that anyone can rock!

Who would you like to see wearing your clothes, whether they are celebrities, friends, family, etc? Why?

I would like to see the everyday girl wear my clothing. I want women to feel confident and focus on developing themselves as successful entities without insecurities about how they look getting in the way. Wearing clothes that are flattering and comfortable make you feel confident and that is a great start to anybody’s day!

For more on Nancy and Ragazza Bazaar visit www.ragazzabazaar.com and follow her on twitter @ragazzabazaar.

This Article was written by Angie. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @Unngie.

Maybe By Catalfo

April 15, 2014/in Designer Interviews /by Luevo Team

Maybe By Catalfo was created by Sarah Catalfo, an emerging Canadian designer, who’s fun and playful designs are a thorough reflection of her personality. This sweet and spunky girl is no stranger to the fashion world and her story is an inspiring one! It’s the kind of story that makes you want to take a chance on yourself. Those are the ones that turn out to be the most rewarding after all. I had the great opportunity to meet Sarah and learn more about her story and her brand “Maybe by Catalfo”.

Growing up in Orillia, Ontario, Sarah always felt the need to be different and stand out. She explained to me that the Fashion scene in her town was pretty one dimensional and no one really took risks or expressed themselves through fashion in the way that she felt the need to. Fashion was more than just putting clothes on. It was a way of life, a way to express herself. She was the type of girl that would rock of pair of great stilettos and red crinoline to third period Math, without even batting an eye. Very Pretty in Pink-esque if you will! Being a risk taker from a very young age, taking the risk to pursue a career in the fashion industry was second nature to her. “I wasn’t sure about fashion as it was a risky industry to get into. I went to school for Fashion Management and got hired as an assistant buyer. I learned a great deal there but I wasn’t being fulfilled. I had to go back to my roots and at least try my hand at designing.”

Designing has always been a passion of Sarah’s. She began designing right in the comfort of her own home as most designers do. Printing out blank Archie comics and creating fun designs for Betty and Veronica, was one of her favourite things to do as a youth. Her actual career in design however, really started when the time came to find a dress for her 10^thgrade semi formal. She decided she wanted something unique that no one else would have. As any girl would, she evoked the help of her mother, who had always been an amazing seamstress, and the end result turned out exactly the way she wanted. Her mother, who worked a full time job and still found the time to make that beautiful dress for her daughter then said, “Alright, now next time you’re making your own!”

Sarah loved the idea; to be able to wear something that was genuinely hers lit a spark in her heart and the rest was history. “After that I started working at Fabricland, so I learned a lot of old lady tricks and learned a lot about fabric that I was never taught in school. Looking back it was a great move. To this day, I have to be around fabrics to get inspired.” As the years progressed, Sarah created dresses for herself and even went on to work on a freelance basis, creating dresses for others who took a liking to her unique designs. She has even designed for the famous Canadian artist Lights, who wore a Maybe by Catalfo dress to the 2009 Juno Awards!

The Maybe Story

What is the story behind the sweet and simple name “Maybe”?

It really started as a school project. The assignment was to create your own line, with all the details that a real line would need. It was a very creative project. I knew I wanted to make dresses but I thought about naming it “Catalfo” since no one has that name. But I came across the word “Maybe” and it really struck a chord and grew on me. It reminded me of classic foot pop like “maybe ill go out with you”, “maybe ill go to the school dance”, that kind of cutesy feel. It has now evolved from that, into a more sophisticated feel, catering to everyone from young girls to young women.

As such a young designer I’m sure it hasn’t been an easy road. What obstacles have you had to face and overcome to get where you are today?

Everything from being at work and feeling like, “is this what I’m supposed to be doing? Why am I doing this?”. A huge obstacle was getting caught in a full time job, how do you adjust a stable life to that of an entrepreneur? Making that transition was hard but it fell into place. I take it as: whatever happened was meant to be and it was a huge blessing that I was able to make that transition. I saw people who were older and stuck in jobs that they hated. I didn’t want that to be me. There will always be challenges when starting a business, obstacles don’t discourage me. It doesn’t mean you’re not doing well, if anything it means you’re doing things right.

The Choose Your Charity Program is a very admirable thing to take part in. What made you want to take part in such a philanthropic endeavor?

I didn’t want to start promoting Maybe without looking at the bigger picture. To be able to impact something bigger and put it towards these efforts that are for a good cause is important to me. Success is not about how much we make. Essentially, I want to make more dresses so that I’m able to make bigger donations. I want the Maybe girls to feel like they were helping the world. It’s great to work with local charities for fashion. It always keeps you aware and appreciative of all the things you have. At the end of the year I look back and I realize how all these little efforts made a big difference and it puts things into perspective. Clients and customers have things that are dear to their hearts and if they care about it, we want to show that we care too.

The Luevo Collection

All of your dresses are very unique and portray a completely different style. What inspirations did you draw on to create this collection available on the Luevo website?

What really inspired me was the fabrics, it’s always the fabrics that inspire me and inspire the dresses I make. Each fabric could be for a different girl, each colour could be for a different girl. The collection is something so diverse that you could wear every one for a different life event. The day to day outfits you can make from them are countless. I wanted party wear but also something easy to wear. I’m always looking for a reason to dress up and it’s better to be given a reason and to have fun with what you wear!

Describe the “Maybe Girl”, who is she to you?

The Maybe girl doesn’t care if she gets attention as long as its the right attention. The Maybe girl is reminiscent of the young me; flirty, fun, not afraid to take a risk or have fun with fashion. When I was in school, my friends and I would go to American Apparel, get something great and go out just to be able to show off that new outfit! That’s what the Maybe Girl embodies. She’s carefree, she doesn’t take life too seriously, and that’s why she likes to have fun with what she wears because as long as she feels beautiful in what she’s wearing, that’s all that matters.

What is your favourite dress on the Luevo website right now?

I don’t have a favourite! I would need them all in my wardrobe. Date night, party, day to night, they are all necessities.

Sarah Catalfo’s story is one that embodies perseverance. It’s okay to take a risk if it’s for something you truly believe in and what’s more important than believing in yourself? You could end up with everything you want and more, as long as you’re willing to work for it.

You can follow the funky Sarah Catalfo on Twitter @Maybebycatalfo and visit her website at www.maybebycatalfo.com. The Maybe By Catalfo Fall/Winter 2014 collection is available for preorder here!

This article was written by Angie. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @Unngie

Interview with AEON Attire

December 8, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

Well known in the urban scene for their talent in professional breakdancing, these B-boys, Weiming Yuan, Wei Dong Yuan, and Patrick Lum are the creative minds behind the newly yet rapidly growing fashion label, AEON Attire. Making waves on the global fashion map, AEON Attire is already located in 30 boutiques across Canada and the USA. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Wei Dong Yuan to talk about their story and journey in fashion.

How did your interest in fashion and design come about?
From the beginning, I was always interested in fashion. I was interested in the aspect of how you can change a person’s perspective and how they express themselves in a unique way. As professional break-dancers, I think there are a lot of overlap between dancing and fashion, which are both self-expressive.

How did AEON Attire form?
My brother and I met Patrick in the breakdancing scene, and we were in a crew for a couple of years. After doing professional performances, we wanted to take it to the next level, which was creating a company for fashion accessories and products. Through street performances and private events we used our dancing to make money and put our dream into reality. For our first street performance, we took out a boom box, rolled out linoleum flooring and put out a bucket that read “free smiles”. Not having an educational background in fashion we purchased sewing machines and taught ourselves everything we needed to know by watching YouTube videos and asking our friends.

In a few words how would you define the AEON brand?
Fashion, function and timeless. Not only do we want our accessories to be fashionable, but we also want them to be functional to serve a purpose that will make them valuable. Our accessories also have a timeless aspect; the word AEON is a Latin term that actually refers to a lifespan and eternity, which essentially refers to timeless.

Do you have a specific lifestyle and consumer in mind when you design?
In the beginning, the AEON Taper was an inspiration that came out of the dance community. We saw that dancers were aiming for a more slimming fit on their pants when they danced; it wasn’t an in- style to dance with baggy pants. We wanted to solve this problem and we knew that dancers are always looking to express themselves in new and unique ways. In both ways we wanted our product to function, like taper the pant leg to be slimmer, but also to function as a form of expression.

In terms of our others accessories – Beanies, 5-Panel Hats, Circle Scarves, Sunnies, gloves, belts – we do have a clear target market. Our target consumer we envision exists as a hybrid a hybrid between a styling of Club Monaco and Urban Outfitters. Something that isn’t too outrageous and something not pretentious, we design for a fashion that can be relatable to someone. We want our consumers to stand out yet also fit in.

Why does AEON focus on accessories? Will you expand?
Beginning as a small company, we wanted to create items that could be worn by anybody and transcend the boundaries of sizing for the most part. We felt that accessories were something that we could really make an impact in, and eventually dominate that market. While, we do have tank tops, currently we are looking to expand in the accessories market. Accessories are a great way to accessorize, and we feel the details are what make life worth living.

What is next for AEON Attire?
Currently, we have been focusing on our Touchpoint Glove campaign, and we are lucky to have such support. While, we are going to be expanding our Beanies, Circle Scarves and 5-Panel Hats, our main focus after the glove campaign will be watches.

What do you recommend for emerging aspiring designers?
When we started we didn’t know anything, not even the fundamentals of how to turn an idea into reality. We were just brave enough to go out and do it. Rather then waiting, just go out and do it but of course have a team that you can rely on, as Drake says, “it’s hard to do these things alone”.

Check out AEON Attire and follow this creative talent at @AEONAttire

Article written by Raylin Grace aka the Red Curl Owl with Luevo. You can follow Raylin at@raylingm

Mercedes-Benz Start Up Competition 2013

November 5, 2013/in Fashion Events /by Ana Cara

Mercedes-Benz Start Up is an annual competition for start-up fashion designers hosted at World Master Card Fashion Week and it is focusing on talented fashion designers across Canada. With the promise of ongoing mentorship, a solo catwalk during fashion week next season and editorial support in FASHION, one of Canada’s leading magazines, the grand prize is highly sought after. It was obvious there was no shortage of talented participants for the competition, as each of the eight lines presented were exceptional in their design and execution. At the end of the show, the grand prize was awarded to two winners instead of one for the first time in the competition’s history.

The first winner, Malorie Urbanovich, is an Edmonton based designer who showcased not only beautiful easy to wear pieces, but nostalgic 90s throwbacks. Malorie Urbanovich has given us permission once again to find love layering simple silk dresses with boxy plush cardigans and sweaters. The outfits were reflective of design as a whole in architecture and interior design, with a minimalist, comfortable and unpretentious feeling. Any of her pieces would be a timeliness addition to any wardrobe for Spring 2014.

The second winner, Celine Raizonville, hails from Montreal with her urban chic line Matiere Noire. During the show, Celine presented soft, feminine boxy pieces from her Spring 2014 line in soft solids and bold horizontal striping. The neutral colour palette of black, white and oatmeal often had a punch of plum, a colour usually reserved for darker fall colours. The colours were a refreshing change for a Spring collection. Her collection was rounded out with quirky visors and a youthful socks-with-heels look.
For all of the reasons listed, it is clear why a deadlock took place between the judges. Each line encompasses a perfect balance of fresh style paired with favourite attributes from fashion past. Any piece from either collection not only support Canadian fashion, but independent fashion designers as a whole.

Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani, Fashion Magazine

Article written by guest-blogger @Bhreigh

Sid Neigum’s collection at WMCFW

November 2, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

It was an absolute honour and pleasure to be invited at Sid Neigum‘s fashion show as part of Toronto’s recent WMCFW festivities. The collection surpassed my expectations, simple but elegant and it still had the shock factor, this time found in the choice of boots!

I really enjoyed the geometry of Sid’s designs, as well as the peek-a-boo cut-outs and the overall clean look. I noticed a very limited palette of colours, but that made the collection even more so elegant. And of course, everyone was buzzing about those boots as if the models were walking out of a sci-fi movie. Surprisingly, but there were no casualties among the gracious models as they paraded down the runway. Speaking of the models, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful they all looked! With their angel-like faces, perfect and simplistic make up they were picture-perfect!

Everyone came out to see Sid’s latest collection, including celebrities such as model Stacey McKenzie. Overall, I think it was a great mix of people, and I really enjoyed the vibe of excitement and anticipation.

I hope you enjoy our exclusive photography of the show. Remember if you want to use these you need to get permission from framestopper.ca.

Memoirs of Melissa Nepton – WMCFW S/S2014

October 27, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

It’s fashion week season and last week it was finally Toronto’s turn. We were so happy to be invited to Melissa Nepton’s show and I couldn’t ask for a better viewing seat! Armed with our passes we were sat in our front row seats. At that point I realized that I’ve never been on that side of the curtain before. Yes, I’ve been to runway events before, but I’ve always participated either as a model or as an organizer. Throughout the event, I couldn’t help picturing myself walking the runway in Melissa’s outfits and I was submerged into the concept behind her collection. You see, a show is not just about the designs, it is about the designer’s choice in models, in make-up and styling, it is about the music and the lighting, as it all comes together in those minutes on the runway.

The first model walks out and Melissa just stole my heart. Inspired from the Japanese culture and Nipponic fashion trends, her pieces reminded me of Kirigami, the Japanese art of paper-cutting. Cut-out dresses and tops are made for the confident woman that has nothing to hide. I also noticed a lot of playful geometrical patterns that bring out the inner child in the beholder. The models wore Kabuki inspired make-up and shoes that brought a pop of colour to the runway. It seems that the black and white trend will continue into next year’s spring and summer seasons, but be generous when applying that blush ladies!

Melissa created the perfectly balanced collection. Her wearable pieces are both minimalistic and bold with clean-cut lines and découpes. A glimpse of the designer at the end of the show and months of hard work were over just like that, but I am happy to have participated at one of the best shows that Toronto Fashion Week offered.

Melissa Nepton is one of the most promising Canadian fashion talents and she has proven it by winning The Target Emerging Designer Award earlier this year. You can shop Melissa’s current collection in over 60 boutiques across Ontario and Quebec and also on her own online store at https://melissanepton.com.

We hope that you enjoy our pictures! Please note that these images are the property of http://www.framestopper.com and you can’t use them without their permission.

LA Fashion Week: Bri Seeley Raises Runway Pre-Orders

October 2, 2013/1 Comment/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

After moving from Seattle to Los Angeles, fashion designer Bri Seeley knew that she had to do something different to make her brand stand out. And with that, an idea was born— give the fashion world’s loyal followers exactly what they want: the chance to own it first.

“It just makes sense. If someone sees something on the runway, they should be able to buy it immediately,” says Seeley. “Fashion weeks weren’t created for normal people, they were created for buyers. But nowadays, they’ve become a chic and hip thing for people to do.”

Harnessing the buzz from LA Fashion Week, Seeley will be teaming up with Luevo to launch a 30-day campaign to raise pre-orders for her spring/summer 2014 collection. During the runway show, photos of Seeley’s entire collection will be shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with a direct link to purchase any item from the collection exclusively on Luevo.

While larger brands like Top Shop and BCBG have incorporated pre-ordering systems into their shows, Seeley is one of the few independent designers to do so. After launching a successful crowdfunding campaign last year for her Style Fashion Week show, she realized how effective it could be.

“Last time I raised more than I had anticipated. I was giving out handwritten thank you notes to anyone who gave me money. This time it’s better— they get product with it,” says Seeley. “If I could sell out my whole collection before I go onto manufacturing, that would be an ideal world.”

With her spring/summer “Silence Collection” ready to hit the runway during Phoenix Fashion Week on Oct. 4 and LA Fashion Week on Oct. 10, Seeley is preparing to unveil a new line up of covet-worthy pieces reflective of her modern feminine design aesthetic.

“I didn’t move to LA to be like every other fashion designer here,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of people come up to me say, ‘We don’t understand why we can’t buy your stuff as soon as you put it on the runway.’ This is a good way to give people that opportunity. It’s instant gratification.”

Article written by Julia Eskins.

Julia Eskins is a Toronto-based writer and features editor at FAJO Magazine. You can follow her on Twitter at @juliaeskins

Montreal Fashion Week: Five Emerging Designers

September 24, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

Montreal Fashion Week: Five Emerging Designers

Fresh off the four-day whirlwind of Montréal Fashion Week, it’s impossible to shake the anticipation for spring/summer 2014’s best pieces and trends. Even more so, it’s always exciting to see what Canada’s emerging designers have to offer – and what better launching pad than the MFW runway? From Sept. 3 to Sept. 6, over 20 designers unveiled their collections. We’ve picked five emerging designers that stood out among the rest this season.

Caroline Constas

Montréal-born, New York City-based designer Caroline Constas proves that a jet set lifestyle can be a major inspiration. After enrolling at Parsons The New School for Design and debuting her line in 2012, Constas experienced a meteoric rise to success. Her spring/summer 2014 collection is inspired by her travels to Greece and France. Using European fabrics and detailed finishes, Constas delivers impeccably tailored separates that beg to be worn on a Mediterranean jaunt.

Pedram Karimi

Pedram Karimi first caught the fashion world’s attention when he won second place in Telio’s Breakthrough Designer Competition during Montréal Fashion Week in 2011. Fast forward two years later and you’ll find him still garnering praise for modern designs reflective of his diverse background. This season, Karimi opened Montréal Fashion Week with the launch of his fusion line, PEDRAM. Inspired by the playful characteristics of youth, the collection features Karimi’s talent for creating fluidity, movement and volume.

Mélissa Nepton

Since being crowned the winner of the Target Emerging Designer Award in February, all eyes are on Mélissa Nepton’s next move. While her exclusive line for Target Quebec drew inspiration from the 1960’s, Nepton’s signature spring/summer 2014 collection turns the focus on Japanese culture. Exploring both traditional and contemporary elements of Tokyo, Nepton’s “Pikuseru” collection delivers pixelated prints and a playful approach to Japanese-inspired silhouettes.

UNTTLD

Praised for bringing a modern twist to the femme fatal, Montréal -based designers Simon Bélanger and José Manuel St-Jacques can be counted on for daring dresses and structured staples. After interning and working with renowned Canadian designer Denis Gagnon, the duo went on to form their brand in 2011. This season, UNTTLD uses mesh, strategic draping and a black and white print that was created from blown-up images of cigarette butts.

Martin Lim

Following the launch of their label in 2010 and Mercedes-Benz Start-up Competition win in 2011, design duo Danielle Martin and Pao Lim have continued to capture the hearts of strong striding city girls everywhere. The Central Saint Martins graduates refined their design skills while working with renowned international designers like Christian Lacroix. It’s no surprise that their latest spring/summer collection delivers the goods while blending seaside elegance with urban comfort.

Article written by Julia Eskins.

Julia Eskins is a Toronto-based writer and features editor at FAJO Magazine. You can follow her on Twitter at @juliaeskins

Introducing Bri Seeley – L.A. Based Fashion Designer

September 13, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

It is our pleasure to introduce to you Bri Seeley, independent fashion designer based in Los Angeles. Bri Seeley Designs brings you contemporary vintage fashion, modern apparel with a touch of classic and elegance. Bri started designing since she was in high school and she is formally trained in United States and in Italy, where she got her Master’s diploma in Fashion Design from the renowned Accademia Italiana.

From Minnesota to Italy, from Seattle to Los Angeles, Bri Seeley is one emerging designer to follow! In 2012 she won Emerging Designer of the Year at Phoenix Fashion Week. This year, you can see Bri’s newest collection gracing the runways of Phoenix Fashion week and in Los Angeles – at her runway debut on October 10th. The runway event will kick off a 30-day campaign to raise pre-orders for the entire collection exclusively on Luevo.

In our brief interview with Bri we asked her a couple of questions:

Luevo: What inspires you?

Bri: Femininity

Luevo: If you could go anywhere in the world,where would that be?

Bri: I would go to Bali.

Luevo: What is your personal style?

Bri: My personal style is simple, feminine elegance.

Bri Seeley’s new “Silence collection” will soon be available for pre-ordering on Luevo. If you want to attend the fashion show on October 10th in Los Angeles please get your tickets here. If you can’t attend, don’t worry, you can still pre-order any product from her new collection, make sure you are signed up on Luevo.

Little Men™ by Alastair & Euan, children apparel

September 10, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

Little Men™ is exactly what it sounds like – garments designed for young boys with a sense of style. No longer are kids confined to graphic t-shirts and khaki shorts, there are now more options than ever. Young boys aged 2-12 can be appropriately dressed for summer weddings, garden parties and for a dinner out.

Sofia Trokey is a mother of three and the designer behind the Little Men™ brand. The fabrics she uses are cool and lightweight, typically made from cotton. They are perfect for active boys, as the cotton used is comfortable, fashionable and not restricting for a young lifestyle. The designer is inspired by Liberty London, enhancing a confident attitude by creating clothes with classic styles that are funky, fun and playful.

Little Men is at the forefront of children apparel, offering garments that are like no other. To see more from this Los Angeles based designer, sign-up on Luevo.