indie fashion Archives

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.

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!

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.

Featuring Alex Koutny

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

Based in New York City, Alexander Koutny designs stunning garments with clean cut lines, drapey designs and raw cut hems. The clothing he creates are both sophisticated and edgy, smart and definitely make great topics for bloggers and fashion editors around the world. The Alex Koutny pieces are great for a layered look in the fall or wearing solo in the spring, making these garments not only fashionable but versatile and seasonless. The designer uses high quality fabrics such silk crepe de chine, silk organza, and poly with stretch mesh for an airy summer look or textured fall feel. His pieces are developed out of a study of the interaction between urban function and an alternative style of the present .

There is no doubt that Alex Koutny is paving the way for a new era of chic and timeless look and we are excited to be part of his journey. Sign-up today to get a peek into the latest Alex Koutny collection and be the first in line to pre-order their products.

Introducing Lois Laine

August 26, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

Lois Laine – instant favourite clothing – creates playfully chic clothing for the modern superwoman. Lois Van Koughnet is the designer behind the independent label and her design couples architectural elements with feminine subtlety to transform comfortable clothing into timeless pieces. She has spent years studying pattern drafting and after an inspirational trip to India she began her self-titled eco-friendly line in 2011. The Lois Laine garments are made of quality eco-sensitive and natural fabrics including organic cotton, silk, wool, bamboo, hemp, recycled polyester, and production bolt ends. This designer has the unique talent of bridging the casual and dressy allowing the garments to be worn in multiple settings. All her pieces make a statement but at the same time have a certain degree of subtlety.

Lois has had great success selling at some of the largest events in Toronto, most recently at The One of a Kind Show and the Green Living Show . You can find some of her designs in the Notion Style boutique in Toronto and with her eco-label she is a member of Fashion Takes Action .

We are very excited to have Lois as one of our designers and she is now working on a new collection that will be available for pre-ordering on Luevo. Sign-up today to have exclusive access to her timeless pieces here.

Featuring Joanna Morgan Designs

August 23, 2013/in Designer Interviews /by Ana Cara

Joanna Morgan of Joanna Morgan Designs is an independent jewellery designer, passionate about creativity, beauty and objects with personality. After a career in banking and finance, Joanna decided to follow her dreams and launched her first collection in 2010.

Focusing on creating a unique, versatile, timeless and stylish jewellery was her ultimate goal, pieces that can be worn everyday and part of a modern wardrobe. Each piece is handmade and produced in small quantities using silver, brass or gold fill, semi-precious and precious stones. All pieces are completed in the USA and are truly the icing to any outfit.

Recently, Joanna won the 2013“Seamless in Seattle” Best Accessories designer competition. If you can, make sure you pick up a copy of the September issue of the Seattle Magazine and read the interview with the designer and enjoy a gorgeous layout with jewellery from her Talisman Collection.

Joanna will soon launch new designs on Luevo, make sure you request your exclusive invitation here so you can be the first to see these!

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