independent fashion designers Archives - Page 3 of 7

NYFW DAY 4 TREND REPORT

February 11, 2014/in Fashion Events /by Ana Cara

NYFW DAY 4 TREND REPORT

(Featuring Tracy Reese, Vivienne Tam, Moncler Grenoble & Jonathan Simkhai)
Day 4 of New York Fashion Week had a lot of stand out moments that may go down in Fashion history. Starting with Moncler Grenoble’s Fashion Week presentation held at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. The presentation was complete with singing, a 4-level structure and hydraulics. If you weren’t there to catch it live, watch it here! And how did our team fair on Day 4? Well even with some mishaps (missing charger, mic and a sick team member) we received full coverage per usual! We are also happy to report that Maryna is feeling well and back on the scene today for Day 5 coverage! Let’s check out the trends seen on the runway.

THE TRENDS

COLOR
Most of us know our complimentary colors; orange and blue, red and green, yellow and purple. Instinctively these color pairings go together. But what about orange and grey? A color combination not thought of often, but when Jonathan Simkhai puts them together you remember. Tracy Reese showed us that outerwear in bold, warm colors is the way to go for Fall! Her red bolero cape, and yellow overcoat are the perfect accessory to any look.

PRINTS
The forest or “in the woods” prints seem to be a popular choice for designers this season. Tess Giberson showed off a silhouetted forest Day 2 and Tracy Reese featured a forest at dawn print on a few of her looks. It truly was a gorgeous print and looked amazing coming down the runway. VivienneTam also had a unique variety of prints from animal prints (and not animal print like cheetah but prints with animals on them) to more mosaic patterns.

STYLE, CUT, & FIT
Who says you have to be covered up in tons of fabric just because it’s cold?? Definitely not Jonathan Simkhai. Jonathan went all out to show that sexy is in, even in the winter! A continuing trend across all 4 days of Fashion Week has been the asymmetric hemlines in tops and bottoms. Jonathan had a very cool asymmetric sweatshirt with a zipper. Vivienne Tam kept her hemlines for the most part at the knee. She also sent out these cool pant silhouettes that would almost be harem style except they weren’t wide at the hips. They were baggy down to the ankles where they contoured down to a tapered ankle.

FABRICS
If Jonathan was all about leather and alligator skin, than Vivienne tam was all about eyelet and embroidered fabrics.

ACCESSORIES
Vivienne Tam enhanced her looks with really fun & abstract printed tights!

Photo Credits: Jane Kratochvil (www.janekratochvil.com)

Written by Shalanda Turner, FashionMingle.net Style Editor

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

Growing the Team

November 18, 2013/in Fashion Bloggers /by Ana Cara

We would like to introduce Raylin, our newest member to the growing Luevo team. Raylin is a recent graduate who holds a Master of Arts in Communication and New Media from McMaster University in Hamilton. Raylin will be focusing on marketing and using her social media savvy on Luevo’s digital networks like Facebook, Twitter, Vine, and Pinterest to connect with fashionable and tech minded followers.

Identifying with her artistic side, Raylin has always had a passion for the arts, which developed from her experience as a writer and dancer to her interest in music, fashion and the visual arts. Through working in a fashion boutique in Port Credit, Raylin’s interest in fashion soon matured into her aspiration for working in an environment that combined fashion and her academic career.

Rather then approaching fashion narrowly through clothing, Raylin says that she admires the words from Madam Coco Chanel, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”. Raylin enjoys keeping up with the latest fashion news and trends, walking in the streets to find fashion inspiration and constantly looking at different places in the world for fashion influence. When in the streets of Toronto, she is a seeker for street art and says the colours and designs imbued in the streets inspire her.

While fashions may grow fainter, Raylin agrees that style is eternal. Her style is feminine and classic with contemporary aspects, admitting she is a fan of fashionista, Olivia Palermo. In terms of fashion designers, Raylin enjoys the styles of Montreal based, Ilan Elfassy founder of Soia & Kyo. Along with being a supporter for made in Canada fashion, Raylin says her Soia & Kyo jacket is the perfect blend between classic style and practicality for Canadian weather.

Fond of authentic things, Raylin is a passionate collector of unique accessories and is currently collecting handmade headbands. She is looking forward to attending Toronto’s upcoming One of a Kind Show to meet talented artisans. On Sundays, you can find her in a local coffee shop where she reads autobiographies, and writes about something that inspires her.

Born in Mississauga, she currently resides in Port Credit where she enjoys window shopping and walking along the Credit River surrounded by friendly people who have a community centric lifestyle.

You can follow Raylin’s tweets @LuevoFashion

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.

Menswear designer Christopher Bates

September 12, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

Toronto-based Christopher Bates is an intrepid designer achieving a meteoric rise in the fashion industry. The designer trained in Milan at legendary Istituto Marangoni and he is already a favorite designer among celebrities. The Christopher Bates line is the definition of clean lines, chic designs with a dash of 1950s styling. The line focuses on smart-casual wear, great for transitioning from day to night, or even work to wedding. With both ready-to-wear and bespoke are available, there is a piece for every stylish man to stand out in the crowd.

The garments were featured on the Globe & Mail for showcasing some of the boldest designs on the runway. Toronto Star writers admired the mixture of materials and bright colours and the Edito praised Christopher Bates for continuing their famous wow factor. Other editorials including Frank, Dress to Kill and Urbanebloc had raving reviews of the young designer and his collections.

You can find the Christopher Bates newest collection at Holt Renfrew and exclusive items on Luevo soon. Please sign up at www.luevo.com for early access!

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