Vancouver First Pick Handmade returns to Heritage Hall

While most Vancouver fashion lovers know there are people out there hand-making clothing and accessories, it can be difficult to find them, even if you're actively seeking them out.

By nature, small businesses don't have the resources to capture massive amounts of attention in the same way big brands do so when the opportunity arises to discover new names and see handmade designers gathered all in one place, it's a special thing.

For the last five years, Janna Hurtzig, owner of Winterluxe Recycled Cashmere, has been organizing the First Pick Handmade pop-up market. The weekend-long event is dedicated to handmade fashions, accessories, beauty, and art crafted in Vancouver.

Hurtzig has over 16 years of experience working at craft shows as both a seller and organizer and she curates the vendors at First Pick to encourage people to shop high-quality, low-quantity.

“We are really aware of the globalization challenges with fast fashion, like shipping and manufacturing delays, union-based concerns and even the need for labour and specialized skills,” she says in a press release. “Events like First Pick Handmade encourage consumers to be very thoughtful about their purchases, get to know the people who created their garments or elements for their home, and help to maintain a thriving, unique and independent design scene in Vancouver that is sustainable and eco friendly through small runs that don’t create needless waste.”

First Pick Handmade takes place in the palatial 3,300 square-foot Heritage Hall on Main Street from September 24 to 25. This year, there will be a focus on body inclusivity including a wide range of sizing and gender-neutral designs. Newcomers Givers and Takers Clothing, Oge Ajibe, and Lydia Cecilia Art will be present for the first time alongside other clothing brands like Jessica Redditt Designs, Kate & Frances, Street and Saddle, Supernova by Blackhole Clothing, and Uni Design.

There will also be jewellery and accessory designers such as Black SØLV, Flo Design Co., Joanna Lovett Sterling, Roberto Fioravanti, and Zula Jewelry. Plus Conscious Skin Care.