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Vancouver is home to a thriving fashion industry made up of individuals committed to its growth and success. Get to know these personalities in The Inseam and discover what makes the Vancouver Fashion scene so awesome. |
Photo: courtesy Rebecca Rawlinson
The most unique creations in the fashion industry come from the places that you least expect. Citing mummies, movies and brick walls as sources of inspiration, Deanna Palkowski is one of the few people in Vancouver who understands that style is created through the unconventional.
Deanna is one of Vancouver’s top fashion stylists. Represented by Lizbell Agency, Deanna’s work has been showcased in publications such as String Magazine, The Pet Fan Club, Vancouver Fashion eZine, and Moda. She also heads up her own blog called Minting Die, which showcases pretty pictures and her portfolio.
I sat down with Deanna to discuss styling, shopping and the local fashion scene.
Valerie Tiu: Did you always know that you wanted to work in fashion?
Deanna Palkowski: Yes, pretty much. My grandmother was a designer in Hungary and fashion was always in the family, so I’ve always had that in my backbone. I always knew that I wanted to work in fashion; I just didn’t know what I wanted to do with it. I tried the designing thing, and it wasn’t for me. But I eventually found my niche.
VT: How did you get your start in the industry and when did you start styling for fashion?
DP: I started interning. I was interested in fashion styling when I was in high school, when I was about seventeen. At that time, more stylists were coming out, so I started assisting. It kept on growing and eventually I started doing it on my own. I was very persistent.
VT: Did you go to school for fashion?
DP: No, I just interned and assisted.
VT: That’s cool. It’s interesting to see how people in the industry start out and evolve on their own.
DP: Yeah, people are always surprised to learn that I didn’t go to school. I did it the old school way. I just like learning on hand. I’m really good with doing things myself, so I knew that if I went to school, I would get bored. It was just better for me to learn that way.
VT: Can you elaborate on what a fashion stylist does?
DP: Basically, we dress people. For editorial aspects, you get together with the editor and you figure out what trends or themes we want to portray. We figure out what brands to cover in it, discuss sourcing; basically what new clothes are coming out and what is the newest thing. Then we put it together to make a story that is cohesive and accessible for everyone to buy. At the end of the day, the stylists are selling clothes. We are really just great retail people, but we do it in print.
Once you progress with styling, people can become editors, and different roles start to happen. I wanted to do art and fashion direction, which is more about planning the shoot. We sit down and have meetings, so it just gets more involved. Then there is the more commercial work, which is about the clothes and making people look good.
VT: Where do you get your inspiration?
DP: The most random places. It’s about making connections. I ask my grandmother what she likes and that leads to other ideas. I just try to look at everything with an open mind. I get inspiration from a piece of fabric - anything is inspiring.
I research things from thirty years ago because it’s all coming back. I find ideas from culture and art. You can’t look at other fashion things to create fashion. You have to look at fabric, a brick wall - that is inspiring. The craziest people in fashion are the most brilliant.
VT: Is it challenging to come up with something new for every photo shoot?
DP: Cohesiveness is the most challenging part of an editorial. To create a full story, it has to flow. I think that it gets lost sometimes. A story should be cohesive – [combining] the photography, the styling, hair and makeup. That’s the hardest part.
VT: What has been your favourite piece of work to date?
DP: My favourite was the one I did for Moda Magazine, called “Cinnamon Girl.” It was a ten page editorial for the Europe edition, so that made me happy. It was an awesome concept, we got really great designers and everything worked out.
VT: Do you have any words of wisdom for people who are aspiring to work in fashion?
DP: Work really hard. People think that fashion is so easy, but it’s tough.
VT: Since you are an expert at shopping, can you tell us where are the best places to shop in Vancouver?
DP: Doda, this antique store is one of the best. There’s this old wizard guy who works there, and they’ve got cool jewellery. For clothing, I really like Oak + Fort – they have a great selection with good pricing. They have great transitional pieces that you can wear with everything. Charlie and Lee is really good too. I like vintage shops and Gastown stores, like One of a Few. Gypsy Market is great.
VT: What makes Vancouver so special? What keeps you here?
DP: My family keeps me here. Plus it’s a great place to build your portfolio. Connections are so easy to make here because it is such a small fashion industry. There are so many people that are talented too, so it’s a nice way to establish yourself. It’s a great place to get inspiration from.
