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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.

Photos courtesy Thai Go

It’s not everyday that we get the opportunity to see fashion shows on a mountain, so when Whistler Blackcomb offered us the chance, we went with it. As part of the World Ski and Snowboard Festival last week, Fashion Exposed presented Spring/Summer Collections from Eira and Plenty Humanwear to Volcom and TNA. Ski and snowboard gear were shown with bikinis and summer dresses, fitting the typical west coast backdrop of partial sun and cloud alongside a snow capped mountain. Complete with DJ Grandtheft on the decks, dancing models, a boisterous crowd and 4/20 smoke in the distance, the show took heed to the festival motto: “Party in April, sleep in May.”

See some show highlights from Fashion Exposed below. Check out more event coverage from WSSF on Whistler Is Awesome. Special thanks to Laura Gallant and Lauren Everest of Whistler Blackcomb.

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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.

Photos courtesy Beth Richards

Cross icons, arm bands, mesh panels and sleeves are not typical details found in swimwear, but contribute to a signature look that uniquely defines Beth Richards. Versatility is a key element to the collection, with separates and one piece suits that double as tops and layering pieces that transition into your everyday wardrobe. With a diverse background in design and a creative perspective that draws from photography and film to nineties supermodels, Beth has developed an aesthetic that is distinctly her own. It comes as no surprise then that the collection is quickly gaining momentum, garnering the attention of retailers from Germany to Istanbul, and even the premier online luxury site, Net-a-Porter.

I caught up with the designer to discuss her roots, her transition into creating swimwear and how she envisions the future of her line.

Valerie Tiu: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

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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.

Photos courtesy Mona Sultan

Vancouver’s Mona Sultan creates beautiful geometric scarves that are versatile and perfect for spring. Connecting her travels with a background in design, Mona’s aesthetic blends a range of influences from Man Ray to Guy Bourdin. A lover of architecture and antiques, Mona takes a thoughtful and strategic approach to her designs.

Mona discusses latest collection, her influences and Vancouver life. 

Valerie Tiu: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Mona Sultan: I grew up in Damascus, Syria. My father was a businessman and my mother was a stay at home mum who has a passion for sewing and painting. Growing up, creativity was not an option; it was a state of mind. Fabric, paint tubes and colours always surrounded me, and the sound of a sewing machine is one I got familiar with early on in life. Having a brother 14 years my senior, I felt like an only child and used to spend a good amount of time with my mother. She taught me all I know about fabric, cutting pattern and sewing, and she also gave me an understanding of quality and detail. I thank her for that!

I attended the French school of Damascus, and after that, went to Beirut to study Graphic Design at the Lebanese American University. After graduating, I freelanced in the field and later moved to Jordan and worked in film briefly before meeting my Canadian husband and moving to Vancouver. Life in Damascus gave me an immense appreciation for heritage and history. I developed a passion for old cities and anthropology.

VT: How do you translate your knowledge and experience in design into fashion?

MS: I use the same process in my work today as I did with Graphic Design. Of course, with fashion, I have to be attentive to the industry’s trends and colour forecasts, and everything around me is perceived with that in mind. Also, it is one thing to print on paper, a whole other thing to print on different types of fabric and keep in mind how it is going to look when worn. It really helps that I have an understanding of fabric and structure from years of helping my mother in her studio.

There is a quote by Coco Chanel that I really value, “Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.” I believe that this applies to design in general, my experience in design definitely gave me great knowledgeable of proportions!

VT: How do you describe your line?
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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.

Photos: courtesy James Muscles

Sara Gourlay and Stormey Rhiannon are the ladies behind FATE Vintage, a handpicked collection that uniquely expresses a style of their own. Described as “pretty grunge,” the pieces are current and wearable despite their vintage origin. Focusing on fabric and quality, creating a strategic picking process and designing reworks are just a few ways that Sara and Stormey demonstrate their careful approach. Over coffee and salted caramel donuts, we discuss the allure of vintage fashion and what we can expect from FATE in the future.

Best friends turned business partners, Sara and Stormey began FATE Vintage after having a few years of combined experience in the local fashion industry. Sara had previous stints with Dace and Gypsy Market, while Stormey worked as a jack-of-all-trades at Obakki. It comes as no surprise then, that the duo would join over a shared passion and sense of style.

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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.

Photos: courtesy Thai Go

Clothing swaps have been a great way for people to trade and recycle items they no longer have use for. Recently, a team of women banded together to incorporate community involvement and charity into the swapping mix. Style With A Purpose (SWAP) is a clothing event that supports local organizations by donating unclaimed apparel, accessories and footwear. These agencies include The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, Crabtree Corner and The Wish Drop-in Centre Society.

The SWAP took place last week at the old Boneta space, complete with a fashion show, DJ, a packed house and an abundance of clothing items. With the goal of 200 attendees and 200 work outfits for donation, the event successfully bought together a community of passionate women through contribution.

I caught up with the lead organizer, Jennifer Hart, before the event to discuss the SWAP initiative.

SWAP organizers and Jennifer Hart (Centre). …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

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.

Photos: courtesy Hey Jude 

Vintage shopping can be a long and tedious experience, but a new movement seeks to change all of that. Lauren Clark and Lyndsey Chow are the ladies behind Hey Jude, a collection of curated vintage pieces that have been carefully selected to reflect a style of their own. Combining seventies bohemian elements with modern looks, Hey Jude takes the guesswork out of sifting and picking by offering up pieces that are easy to incorporate into an everyday wardrobe.

With Hall and Oates appropriately playing in the background over coffee, Lauren and Lyndsay discuss their story and share their thoughts on vintage fashion.

Valerie Tiu: Tell us about the concept behind Hey Jude. How did you come up with the idea?

Lauren Clark: We started over two years ago. We were out vintage shopping with a bunch of friends. Lyndsay and I, when we go to vintage stores, we go crazy. Our friends who we were with didn’t know how to pick anything out or how to wear it.

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