When it comes to fashion, the power and imagination of teens is indomitable.
Not only are youth at the forefront of the thrifting movement and doing Y2K better than we ever did, but they're also the deciders.
Perhaps age and buying power excludes them from being considered tastemakers or trendsetters but they are certainly the ones who dictate what's cool, what's worth attention, and they do so with cut throat certainty.
It can be intimidating to contend with teenagers and as a culture we find ways to minimize the things they're are passionate about because we feel adrift from it. It's not for us.
A group of Vancouver high school friends have carved out their own space in the world of fashion just for young people.
Fourteen-year-olds Aru Thiagarajah and Leah Park started In the Coeur with their older sisters 16-year-olds Lindsay Park and Ara Thiagarajah "to express the core of youth in the eyes of four young adults."
"In The Coeur being teenager-led enables our generation to gain more recognition in the world of business and fashion," says Aru.
The foursome met in 2015 and quickly discovered their shared love of style. They didn't feel like there was anything in the market that reflected their tastes and with the encouragement of their parents they started working on creating the clothing that they wanted to wear, the fashion brand has been in development since February and a capsule collection of hoodies, sweat suits, and graphic Ts released last month.
"Although our generation has lots of social media representation, we don’t often have young adults as business leaders," shares Aru. "We believe the importance of a teenage-led brand is to emphasize the fact that you can do anything if you have a true passion for it, no matter what age."
For now, In The Coeur is e-commerce based and only ships to North America though they have aspirations to ship worldwide soon. Their pieces are very reflective of the minimal comfort-forward slouchy style that teens can pull off effortlessly.
Part of their mandate is also to inspire other young adults to start their own businesses while enriching their closets.
