April Fashion Events list
Apr. 7 Martinis and Manicures at Wear Else (2360 W. 4th Ave.). An exclusive spring shopping extravaganza featuring a fashion show, music by Zak Santiago and cocktails. There will be exclusive S|S 09 collection offers. Doors open 6:00pm - fashion show 7:30pm - cocktails & shopping 8:00 to 9:00pm. To attend this free event please RSVP to jesscia.cote@wearelse.com
Apr. 7 "Strut" at the Red Robinson Show Theatre (2080 United Blvd, Coquitlam). An evening of spring fashion for a cause. Event includes cocktails & appies, live entertainment by 'Tina' (Luisa Marshall), Silent & Mini-Live (oh-so-fabulous) Auctions, Diva Swag Bag† & Pamper Stations. Plus you could WIN a $1,500 diamond ring or Trip for 2! Purchase your tickets by March 15th at Coquitlam Centre Guest Services, online at coquitlamcentre.com, erhf.ca or ticketmaster.ca or charge by phone 604-280-4444 and be entered to WIN a $250 Gift Card from Coquitlam Centre
Apr. 11,18, 25 JC Studio Tea Room Style Fashion Show (46 West 6th Ave). Enjoy mimosas, and brunch while watching a tea room style fashion show of the Spring Collection by designer RozeMerie Cuevas. Personal wardrobe stylists are available to help you incorporate the latest trends into your wardrobe. Times available at 10 a.m. And 1 p.m. No charge but please phone 604-688-5222 to reserve your space.
Apr. 17 Showoff at the Roundhouse Community Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews). Premiere fashion event for those who love fashion, art and culture. Doors open at 6. Runway shows begin at 7 and feature streetwear, high-end denim, urban and contemporary fashions by designers such as Christopher Bates for Ultra. The evening will also feature live music, graffitti and local artists. Tix $25 are available through clubzone. For more information go to www.imogenpro.com.
Apr. 18-19 Nifty for Fifty at 1277 Art and Soul Gallery (Pacific Palasades Hotel on Robson).Designers such as Adhesif, Allison Wonderland, Carny Love, Chulo Pony, Devil May Wear, Erin Templeton, Kulus and Julie Hebb will be selling their designs all for under $50. Erin Templeton and Melissa Ferreira from Adhesif will be opening the vaults to their own personal collection of rare vintage pieces. Noon - 7 p.m. For more information phone 778-231-4930 or e-mail info@adhesifclothing.com.
Apr. 19 Swap-O-Rama-Rama at the Heritage Hall (3102 Main St.). Community clothing and craft swap event. Workshops starting at noon by Blim, the Mustache Press, Urban Source and Fibre Manipulator. Learn how to silk screen, make your own buttons, needle felt and craft with recycled materials including DIY craft and sewing stations. Admission is $6 plus 1 bag of clean clothing or craft supplies. For more information please visit our website at www.swaporamarama.blogspot.com or e-mail vanswaporamarama@gmail.com.
Apr. 21 Spring Designer Trunk Show at The Velvet Room Boutique (2248 W. 41st). Private shopping event showcasing the spring collections of local designers Naomi Evans, Christina Lazar-Schuler, Coral Moon Designs, Fiveleft & Street Cat Designs. One of a kind pieces - all Canadian made. 6-9 p.m. RSVP on-line www.thevelvetroomboutique.com or phone 604-264-8664.
Apr. 24, 25 Nicole Bridger Spring Studio Sales (1948 W. 44th Ave.) Here is a chance to drop into the studio, talk with the designer and pick up some of the fabulous new spring fashions. Time 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. To RSVP by phone call 604-217-2782 or by e-mail to info@nicolebridger.com.
Apr. 26 Portobello West fashion and art market at the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell Street). Find your style! Meet over 110 local artists and designers and shop for one-of-a-kind fashion and art. 12pm to 6pm. $2 admission (Children 12 and under free), free parking/shuttle. www.portobellowest.com.
Apr. 29 Absolute Style 2009 Grad Fashion Show at University of the Fraser Valley (33844 King Rd., Abbotsford). Showcase of graduating fashion design student collections including recent competitors at the Telios Competition in Montreal. Showtimes at 2:30 and 7 with tickets $10 for the matinee and $18 for the evening show. For information or tickets please contact Corinne Richardson at 604-864-4669 or e-mail corinne.richardson@ufv.ca.
May 1-3 Make It Fashion, Design and Art Market at The Round House (181 Roundhouse Mews ). Make It fuses indie shopping with live music to create a dynamic, upbeat experience. Find one-of-a-kind treasures from over 60 of Canada's brightest urban artisans and designers. A silent auction is included that will benevit the BC Cancer Foundation. For more information go to the website at www.makeitproductions.com.
May 3 Got Craft at the Royal Canadian Legion (2205 Commercial Dr.) - Because mall is a four letter word. Come and check out over 40 vendors showcasing the best of Vancouver. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.. No charge for admission. For more information go to www.gotcraft.ca.
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A March Teeming With Fashion
March was a busy fashion month that encompassed everything from eco fashion to a student grad fashion show. In order of appearance, here are a few highlights.
Ethical Threads
by Marilyn Wilson
Organized by the Students In Free Enterprise chapter at BCIT, the 2nd annual Ethical Threads (part of Spring Living Fair 2009) was held at the Heritage Hall on Main. This event gets better every year. I love the warm atmosphere and easy manner of all the vendors. Booths sported a wide range of local products including clothing, accessories, fabrics and more. The prices were also very affordable.
As always, Ora Handbags had a wide selection of recycled leather handbags and backpacks that anyone would be happy to own. I loved the leather cuffs by Catalyst Reaction and the new recycled clothing line by Easily Bruised Designs . Purchases for the day included an adjustable leather wrist/arm band with pockets by Marley Huel that is perfect for any event where you want both hands free and a vibrant red purse woven out of strips of juice box material produced by a women's co-op in the Philippines sold by Miranda's Hats.
Several Eco fashion shows produced by Tashe E were run during the event. The first showcased casual wear including the classic lines of Flora and Fauna and the always unusual clothing by Maha Devi. Next was a dramatic show by Denise Brillon of Artifaax featuring her bamboo wear and unique first nations jewellery. The final offering was Eco fashions for more upscale moments including Red Jade (available at Hum).
Be sure to check out this event next March (www.springlivingfair.ca).
Vancouver Fashion Week
Another season of Vancouver Fashion Week has come and gone - this year proving that Vancouver definitely has what it takes to put on a spectacular show of exceptional talent. Since its debut in 2000, Vancouver Fashion Week has become a much sought-after event for Canadian and International designers. This year's shows were held at Storyum (151 West Cordova), where winter wear, eco, local, Canadian, international and street wear designers had models strut, sway, back flip and break dance their designs down the runways.
Thursday
by Marilyn Wilson
Thursday was the first night of fashion shows for VFW in the lower mainland (they had a show in Whistler on Tuesday). While the evening began late, I did enjoy the new venue although the acoustics were tricky. The space in Storyeum allowed for an unusually long runway with only a couple rows of seating making the viewing easier for all involved. The four designers featured were all strikingly different in style.
First down the runway was Papillon Eastern's ready to wear line. On the local scene for over 30 years, their large collection had a strong mix of dresses and separates in the casual to mid-range. In sharp contrast Maanakis featured glittering evening gowns. This Lebanese designer has taken Eastern fashion into the next generation using dramatic colors, floating chiffon, shiny satin and lots of sparkle. Extravagent draping and pleating details hinted at the traditional sari. "Inspiration for Simple Beauty" is an apt description of Porscia Yeganeh's sleek line of office and leisure wear . A graduate of the local Kwantlen Fashion Design Program , her garments were beautifully tailored and appealing to a wide range of women. The embroidered Porscia logo has become a trademark detail that could be seen throughout the collection. Frost Sportiva finished the fashion portion of the evening with a line of stylish ski wear that is sure to be a hit on the slopes. The evening at Storyeum ended with a showcase of inventive work from the hair and make-up competition.
Friday
by Alicia-Rae Light
A night in Shanghai - Helen Lee
Shanghai's Helen Lee received with Chinese and International awards for her collections of Asian-inspired fashions prior to her Canadian debut at this years Spring fashion week. Her collection featured a fusion of Chinese symbolism with a modern touch of glamour. Her slightly monochrome colour palette with neutral grays, black and beige made the colourful detailing stand out along with her eclectic mix of materials and textures including silk, cotton, knitting, sequins, and sheer fabrics. A tight-fitting gold dress with a large ruffle detail on the left shoulder stood out, and a black men's blazer with a satin trim paired with a button-down shirt with left justified buttons.
Saturday
by Alicia-Rae Light
VFW went global on Saturday with designers showcasing vintage and contemporary styles from all over the world
Joseph Domingo - San Francisco
With roots in architectural design, it is no wonder that Joseph Domingo's line was so structurally sound with intricate detailing of each garment in his collection. Fitting to each of the model's frames, his line featured ready to wear cocktail dresses
Malene Grotrain - Vancouver
The standout garments of her collection were: A white and black a-line cocktail dress with white crinoline, her signature piece the bustier created out of black velvet with sketched outlines of flowers in white with a flowing black silk skirt. The teal blue ball gown was the greatest highlight of the evening. Her haute couture gowns and perfectly tailored lines were more than deserving of the first and only standing ovation ever from a VFW audience.
Clothilde - Los Angeles
Models walked gorgeous summer dresses down the runway to musical classics such as "Good Morning Starshine."
Sunday
by Alicia-Rae Light
KILLA -Vancouver
Vancouver-based designer, KILLA, featured rugged models that took over the runway, as their models break danced, flipped and did the worm down the runway in hip-hop apparel. A fusion of technology and design, the QOI Systems system interactive garment solution was implemented into the hoodies so that wearers can control iPods, cell phones and other MP3 players from a specialized pad on the sleeve - Vancouver's first "e-garment" line. The women's fashions included an adorable black mini halter dress, white cotton skinnies with one single white button and silver star detail on the back pockets. There were also black leather skinny jeans with a black cargo top. The men's denim all had the KILLA signature symbol adorned on the back pockets including a gorgeous pair of grey matte jeans with yellow and red threading and while skulls.
The Show
by Marilyn Wilson
This annual showcase of Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Fashion Design program was held at the River Rock Casino and featured 27 designers this year. Producers Sharon Greeno and Michael Pope along with Creative Director Viktoria Langton put together a stunning set, up beat music and choreography that had variety and suited the collections.
There were so many strong designers this year that it is difficult to single out a few for mention. Kwantlen has always encouraged the students to find niche markets and the collections reflected this philosophy, but the students all took it to the next level. I saw beautiful construction, excellent palette choices and garments that would sell well in upscale boutiques. One growing segment was men's wear and 7 designers showcased collections that ranged from street wear to suits. Children and tweens were the focus of 4 collections. Women's Wear still represented the largest segment and included lingerie, coats, bridal, evening wear, professional wear, trail gear, dance and ethnic inspired apparel.
Christine Tai opened the show with bold, colourful garments aimed at the strong, mature woman. Eleni Rounis's three luxury evening dresses were stunning and impeccably tailored. Kathryn Becker showcased rider's wear reminiscent of the English countryside. The very wearable weatherproof jackets by Ming Itakura stood out as exceptional and the casual Plains Indian inspired jacket with asymmetrical hem and leather ties by Lisa Taner was truly unique. I loved the tailoring and fabric choices in Phaedra Godchild's menswear line and the leather motorcycle jacket by Leith Irvine was a standout piece. Young boy's lines by Carolyn Chow and Niki Chung as well as Tween lines by Rachel Zaharik and Julie Strobl were definate hits with the audience.
For more information on Kwantlen's Fashion Design program go to www.kwantlen.ca/fashion.
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