Primark - Spring 2011

I can no longer say it's a Spring "preview" as some of these pieces are hitting shop floors this week. Needless to say, I am in Vancouver shedding a few tears as I will be missing one of my favourite hobbies: shopping at my beloved Primark!

For the last two/three years while I was living in London, Primark was my saviour. With a population of over 7,000,000 people in Greater London, mass market high-street apparel has a way of looking unique and somewhat unidentifiable [as Primark]. Women across the country may wear the same dress but the styling possibilities are endless!

Many of you often ask where I buy my dresses. If they are not homemade, from vintage/charity shops, or eBay, chances are good they are from Primark. Since I have relocated back to Vancouver, I still save all my money and do big shops when I am in London instead. Prices at Primark (or what we lovingly call 'Primarni') are comparable to the lower end prices of Forever21. Forever21 was once a fun, go-to destination for disposable clothes but has now become over-priced and of poor quality. At least with Primark, you get what you pay for, with a load of European flavour thrown in for free!

You may recognize Jade McSorley as the second runner up in Season 5 of Britain's Next Top Model (Click on her name to see her Models1 portfolio). She was my favourite from the get go yet she was criticized and later eliminated because of her slim frame. McSorley is no longer a "New Face" of Models1 and is now featured amongst models such as Agyness Deyn and Alessandra Ambrosio.

PRIMARK SPRING 2011

(All photos courtesy of Primark)

 

I'm in love with the tan faux leather and flower print bag

First delivery is Mid-January with the second and third deliveries in February and March respectively. I may have to put an order in!

My Beautiful Shoes from Upper Street

My creation - Coy Zebra

     At 2am last night, I clicked Buy and therefore committed to the very first shoe I have ever designed!
  
     Courtesy of Keynoir London, I was given the chance to have my shoe design handmade by Upper Street; every girl's dream right? The task was arduous as half the fun of shoe shopping is getting to slip into a brand new stiletto and having my breath taken away. The other half is being able to feel the shoe and study the fine craftsmanship.

     It was difficult to know what fabrics and colours complimented each other. I did not want to go overboard, but I also wanted something whimsical and not available on the high street! Alas, I was up to the task and here is the creation that is due to arrive in 4-6 weeks!

     The body of the shoe is a black satin, with hot pink satin accents. The heel and base are a zebra animal skin of some sort, as is the strap. These will go perfectly with my dress-predominant wardrobe. (Who am I kidding I pretty much ONLY wear dresses so I can wear fabulous shoes!)

My competition entry

     This is another design I did for Upper Street's Facebook competition. I never expected to be shortlisted to their Top 20 designs! The shoes were inspired by the Fall 2010 trends as shown on the European catwalks. Animal prints are back, as are rich metallics. I suppose these two trends have never faded into obscurity but instead are more featured this upcoming season. I have always considered both of these trends to be timeless staples!

     I hate voting competitions as I do not like getting my friends involved in my hobby of comping but if anyone feels inclined to, you can vote for my design here until August 31st, 2010 :)

VOTE HERE

EP!C Weekend Ending in Overdose of Junk Food ...

On Friday, Mauri and I took a leisurely stroll to the New Vancouver Convention Centre to check out the EP!C Sustainabilty Expo. During the Olympics, this building was closed off to the public and it was our first time inside. What an amazing building!

This is what greeted us from above as we walked in:



Specifically, we aimed to check out the Fashion Marketplace as Anita was involved in its organisation. It was also an opportunity to see if Vancouver's sustainable fashion industry has grown since my last exposure to it during my final year at Kwantlen. At that time, designers were beginning to explore the eco-market more in-depth, coinciding with an increase in the availability of eco fabrics such as bamboo, soy and organic cottons. Despite only highlighting a handful of designers, the Fashion Marketplace runway show brought to light the existence of eco-friendly wearables to a primarly non-fashion crowd. Education is the first step to making an informed choice.

Dahlia Drive - An eclectic Vancouver based label designed by Wendy Van Riesen.

Arte Filum (my favourite piece from the show) - A Fairtrade company focused on connecting the art and culture of south America with the rest of the world.

Vancouver fashion will always have a casual flair as people have a need for functional clothing with all the outdoor activities this city offers. Although I respect this need for functionality, I hope to see more designers bridging the gap between function and fashion. I am a firm believer yoga pants belong in a yoga studio (or at least worn en route to yoga). Even if the rain pours down relentlessly, Fashionistas should be given more upbeat options than a hooded waterproof parka. I'm just sayin ...

On a side note, we came across this interesting building one block up from the Vancouver Convention Centre. I can't remember which hotel it is. I commend the design for being somewhat bold amidst all the characterless high rises going up around the Lower Mainland. What I can't decide is whether I prefer this phrase repeated on the building or if a poem or prose would look better. I suppose it can be a bit tricky picking exactly what is said, maybe it was better to stick with one idea. Who knows?


Oh I should mention how junk food factored into this weekend that started oh-so-healthily at the EP!C Fair. Mauri and I tried everything from Hemp chocolate milk to gluten-free children's snack bars. We concluded that all health foods have this funky aftertaste that just screams "I am made from the Earth!". I enjoyed the hemp milk but wouldn't buy it if it came down to that and regular full fat chocolate milk. You just can't mess with the original! Another product I was skeptical about was beeswax treated reusable food storage bags. The vendor assured us our food wouldn't get the wax smell and that a quick wash was all it needed between uses. It's not so much the idea I'm against. It's the fact that I really like my Tupperware!

On the opposite side of the spectrum, I spent all of Sunday working on the set of a short 3D film called Defending Maldito doing wardrobe. I passed the time, as you do whenever you're on set, by eating. A quick tally of what I consumed in a bit over 12 hours: 3 cans of Coke, 2 bags of Cheetos (NOT called Whats Its!), a pot of instant noodles, many glasses of mocha flavoured protein shake, 3 cups of coffee, loads of veggies and dip, sushi and 3 slices of pizza. Not too bad! This is why I work behind the scenes :)

Obakki Fall/Winter 2010/11 Presentation - May 27, 2010

My first foray back into the Vancouver fashion scene came in the form of a fashion show on Thursday night at Obakki . I always have a camera with me, as I often find beauty and excitement in everyday things. (That and the fact I am one of a handful left without an iPhone or any phone capable of photos ...) On my way to Carlie's today, I specifically removed the camera from my bag, thinking, "I'm not going to go anywhere interesting today". I was blatantly wrong!

So not only was I electronically not prepared, I was physically not prepared. I didn't hear about the show until just before, so despite my better judgement (didn't want to go sans heels!), we arrived at an Obakki teeming with Vancouver's fashionistas. It was a bit intimidating to be back on the scene so soon. Wearing flats and a Primarni special (you Brits will know what I mean!) was not the look I wanted when meeting fashionistas for the first time. So today, I took a step back and played observer.

Despite it being a fairly balmy night, the inside of Obakki evoked a feeling of being caught outside on a hot Vancouver day wearing a merino jumper. Trust me, I've done it. The perfect fix? Lavender Dry Soda. Comes in 6 other flavours, and as pointed out by Carlie, each flavour is 70 calories or less. Totally west-coast appropriate then!

Highlights of Obakki's Fall/Winter 2010/11 presentation (images from the LookBook):



Look 1: Draped asymmetrical sweater dress (100% wool); Wool Scarf (75% alpaca, 13% wool, 12% nylon) - Ombre effect on the sweater is stunning and effortlessly chic.

Look 2: A-line double breasted trench coat (85% viscose, 14% fleece wool, 1% elastodiene); Single seam tee (50% cotton, 50% nylon); Draped trouser with cuff (88% viscose, 12% silk) - Didn't get a chance to feel this trench but am curious to see how the fleece wool and elastodiene feels. Elastodiene adds a subtle sheen.

Look 3: Button front cropped capelet (100% sequined silk), Single seam tee (as before); Cuffed trouser (98% cotton, 2% elastodiene)



Look 4: Short sleeve button front shirt (100% cotton), Denim style pant with suede detailing (stretch leather) - The most classy substitution for leggings.

Look 5: Funnel neck sweater (75% alpaca, 13% wool, 12% nylon); Cropped pant with quilted panel (stretch leather)

Look 6: Maxi dress (100% cotton with stretch leather) - A shorter version was also shown.

Obakki infuses a classy elegance into relaxed Westcoast style dressing. A breath of fresh air without having to hike The Chief ...