Vancouver Fashion

Words and photos by Nadia Chu.

When the sales are good, arrive early. Last Thursday, fans of lily + jae and One of a Few flocked to the charming Gastown boutique for the launch of lily + jae’s pop up shop and the store-wide sale on spring and fall merchandise. It was a scene of serious shopping and fun times. New pieces from lily + jae’s Autumn 2010 collection were displayed on the main level, while the floating mini shop within a shop housed samples from their past six seasons and vintage items that inspired the designer (a killer red leather skirt had to stay behind because it didn’t fit me).

I love when all the right ingredients come together for a really fun event. There was a lovely manicurist set up at the store entrance providing custom manicures, a hip looking DJ mixing music that kept the energy up, and several stylish young women serving refreshing white wine to keep the shoppers cool.

As for the goods, well, they were excellent. lily + jae’s Autumn 2010 collection is simple, fresh, and easy to wear. The cozy wool coats and plaid blazers will be perfect once the temperature really starts to dip in Vancouver. I particularly liked one display where all of the pieces in wine, burgundy, and brown were grouped together. The colour story and heavier fabrics instantly made me think of Fall, and despite how warm it may have been that evening, my thoughts flew to cooler temperatures and cozy clothes.

The merchandise in One of a Few never disappoints, and from the new fall pieces that I saw on the racks, you can expect to see slinky silhouettes, cozy knits, softly draped tops, and just a hint of leather for a little edge.

One of a Few will be home to lily + jae’s pop up shop until the end of December, so make sure you stop in when you’re doing your Fall shopping. Think of it as saving time by shopping at two places under one roof. Who doesn’t love that?

 

Words and photos by Nadia Chu.

Putting our money where our mouth is: shoppers come together to support eco-fashion boutique Body Politic.

Vancouverites like their fashion to be multi-functional. We want a trench coat to look good, but it also needs to keep us dry in our very wet climate. The scarf that lives around our necks for most of fall, winter, and early spring needs to liven up our outfit but keep the chill air out at the same time. Tanks, t-shirts and sweaters must all be wearable across seasons because of the need to dress in layers. Throw in the desire for sustainable fabrics and local manufacturing, and you have a city of women who want clothes that are fashionable, functional, and sustainable.

Ask and you shall receive. In 2008, Nicole Ritchie-Oseen opened her boutique Body Politic, and this charming shop just off Main Street on East 12th Avenue delivers exactly what the style conscious and environmentally minded Vancouver woman is looking for. Last Wednesday, Nicole hosted a lively event dubbed “Eco Shops for a Cause,” where 10% of the proceeds were donated to the David Suzuki Foundation. Friends, bloggers, media, and loyal shoppers filled the small boutique as they mingled and perused the racks. Nicole herself was dressed in a beautiful blue silk printed wrap dress and towering green patent Gucci sandals.

<<< Colette, Body Politic owner Nicole Ritchie-Oseen's aunt, in attendance wearing a Vivienne Westwood dress.

I am happy to report that the days of sustainable clothing resembling shapeless sacks are behind us. At Body Politic, the dresses are feminine and chic, and the separates are versatile and timeless. These are clothes that you want to keep in your wardrobe. Knowing who made your clothes, and how and where they are made changes how you see and experience fashion. Nicole has got this recipe figured out, and it is a straightforward message that anyone can understand: good design + sustainable fabrics + local manufacturing = fashion that is good for the consumer, good for small designers, and better for the environment.

Body Politic now has an online shop, so spread the word to your friends abroad who are interested in clothes and accessories that are stylish and sustainably produced.

 

Words by Maria.

Apparently, in the world of fashion work boots and cute Japanese characters make a nice pairing. Dr. Martens boots have been on the feet of a wide variety of people, but how about on the feet of Hello Kitty fans? The iconic boot now gets to sport a big pink bow on its side, the same that Hello Kitty perpetually wears perched on top of her head. That same bow also makes it’s way onto the Dr. Martens Mary Jane-style shoe, and a large group of the Sanrio characters congregate for the first time in an all-over print on the 1460 8-eye boot.

Both Dr. Martens and Sanrio have collaborated with plenty of other companies in the past, but such a combination I would have never predicted. It’s surprising, but in a good way, because even though their two aesthetics are on opposite sides of the spectrum, the fact that they are and they have come together makes the whole situation all the more appealing. I admit that as a kid anything Hello Kitty or Pochacco sent my young heart aflutter, so I may be prejudiced, but something about having my favourite childhood characters on a manly, rebellious work boot brings a contented smile to my face. Both Sanrio and Dr. Martens are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, so they certainly took the opportunity to celebrate together and give all their customers an unexpected surprise.

The limited edition boots, packaged in tissue paper and a box specially designed for the occasion, will be available for purchase on September 1st at select Dr. Martens stores, Sanrio stores, and at Little Burgundy. We’re out of luck here in Vancouver with no Sanrio or Little Burgundy store locations in sight, but as long as you have access to the Internet, you can get your hands on one of these babies.

 

Words by Janice Liu. Photos by Minh Tang. (Above, left to right: Chaufa Nguyen, event planner, Lisa Pham, owner, Amy Nguyen, event planner, and Tracy Nguyen, owner).

Whenever I travel, I always try to find quaint little places that only the locals know. However, as a Vancouverite myself, it’s always a nice surprise when you stumble across something different and intriguing when you thought you knew the city like the back of your hand. Romeo + Juliet Clothing located in Cambie Steet, between 18th and 19th Avenue was just that special little surprise.

The store opened in late January of this year and chose August 5th to celebrate its half-year mark. Upon approaching the entrance of the boutique, it was clear immediately that there were festivities going on: live mannequins donning the latest styles available at the boutique faced the wide front window, which shone brightly onto the bustling street outside. Champagne flowed around the cozy space and bright summer colours and enticing fall pieces attracted the attention of the attendees; so much that, conversations were quickly interrupted by an “oh my gosh!” and a “do you have that in this size?”.

Owners Tracy Nguyen and Lisa Pham specialize in the popularity factor in all the pieces they select for the store. Both men’s and women’s lines Romeo + Juliet carry come from places like Los Angeles and New York, and even from the land down under, Australia. This boutique is definitely a little gem worth checking out.

Visit Romeo + Juliet at 3457 Cambie Street, Vancouver.

 

Words by Maria. Photos by Getty Images.

This summer, word has been spreading about a stand-alone joe fresh store opening at the end September. Now that we’re just under 2 months away from that moment I thought it would be a good time for a reminder. The brand-new store will be opening in a 14,000 square foot space at 540 Granville Street, right in the same neighbourhood as other shopping destinations such as the very differently-geared Holt Renfrew. The stand-alone store will be carrying a larger variety in sizes as well as styles, many of which will not be available at joe fresh’s current home, Superstore.

Always on the very wearable side of the most current trends and sold at very comfortable prices, joe fresh is very irresistible. I’ve got my fair share of joe fresh items, ranging from cardigans and tops to sunglasses and even nail polish. I always get wide-eyed looks when I answer the question “where did you get that?” with “at Superstore!” after receiving a compliment on something I’m wearing. It’s taken a while for some people to catch on to the idea that, yes, you can get some really nice clothing at the same place you get your cheese and milk, but perhaps now that the collection is moving to its own space, sans-chicken, more numbers will start to take notice.

In all honesty, the setup at Superstore is not ideal for clothes shopping at all, starting with the fact that to try something on you have to ring a doorbell so that five minutes later one of the perpetually busy employees can let you into one of the changing rooms. A more dedicated staff and inviting shopping environment are definitely two things I’m looking forward to with the new store opening. Now, with all this buzz will it be necessary to line up early come opening day? Probably not, but now that we don’t have to shop for our favourite joe fresh pieces right next to the cereal isle, it might be a good idea to grab them while they’re hot.

Words by Nadia. Photo provided by Holt Renfrew.

Naomi Campbell. Kate Moss. Twiggy. Lily Donaldson. In the world of fashion, there is nothing quite like a British beauty, and just as these models are distinctly British, there is no brand more British than Burberry. Last Tuesday, Holt Renfrew hosted the launch of Burberry Beauty, a sophisticated natural hued line of cosmetics that brings the look of the London girl to the world. Soft tones of nude, blush and plum inspired by the classic Burberry trench coat help to achieve the look of natural elegance envisioned by Burberry designer Christopher Bailey.

One of the Burberry Beauty makeup artists shared with me an excellent tip that assured me this collection will transition easily from season to season: to achieve the look of a light stain of colour, use your finger to dab the lipstick and apply it to your lips. Come fall, you can go for more depth and opacity by using a lip brush with the same lipstick. This may only help your British supermodel aspirations in a small way, but with this collection, you can now don the look of a London beauty whenever you please.

A delightful celebration for the new collection of Dior timepieces held at Holt Renfrew confirmed once more just how classy the iconic fashion house really is.

We’ll forgive Topshop this time. They do ship anywhere in Canada, and since they are on the other side of the Atlantic, we suppose Toronto would be its first stop. We have Jackie O’Brien, owner of boutique Jonathan+Olivia, to thank for the exciting news–although we won’t miss to mention that Vancouver once was home to the shop, only for its doors to be closed down here and opened up nice and wide at its Toronto location. So wide in fact, that it has successfully enticed UK big name Topshop to come inside. The Jonathan+Olivia space is being expanded to accommodate the newcomer–literally knocking down a wall to make room. The Topshop section officially opens to the public on Saturday, June 19th, guaranteeing early-rising Torontonians to see large flocks of fashion lovers congregated outside the Ossington Avenue shop.

Corresponding from Toronto, Jessica Weingarten of Marvelous Things, will be interviewing O’Brien and visiting the shop once it opens. Expect more details in her feature on this unexpected partnership, Topshop having had talks with The Bay in Toronto about forming one such an alliance.

Words and photos by Maria.

Anna is in the kitchen peeking into the oven. It smells like something is baking in there and that something is sweet. “I’m baking pies for everyone!” she exclaims. “Do you want to try some? They’re almost ready.” The smell is enticing, but what I’m more interested in is what’s a-bakin’ in the next two rooms, because it smells even sweeter. Anna’s friend, known as Skinny Pete, has let her and other vintage pickers like herself turn his home into a makeshift boutique, and their pickings look delectable. A table set up in the corner of what might have been the dining room is filled with jewellery and accessories–one powder case still containing the fragile powder like a relic from a time long-forgotten. There are band t-shirts and coats next to the kitchen entrance, shoes on the adjoining wall, and dresses and bins with many, many accessories in the living room.

And Anna, is on a venture. She’s planning to start her own shop, to be named Duchesse, but having sporadic “guerilla” vintage sales is as good as it gets for now. “We’re looking to open something up by the summer” she explains. “Main Street does not need any more vintage stores so we’re looking to be somewhere completely different.” It’s fascinating to see the process of an idea in the making, and the next step is to have the sales be more known about and have them on a regular basis, making them, perhaps, less guerilla-like. But that’s not a bad thing, since the increased word-of-mouth action is likely to result in buzz for her business venture and the sales to come prior to its opening.

In the bins stacked in the living room I find a colourful scarf with an interesting flower motif in a style somewhere between Japonisme and the glory of the ’80s. I snatch it for a toonie and get on my merry way, but not before making sure I am kept up-to-date with the developments of Duchesse–because that’s a pie I will gladly sink my teeth into.

 

Words by Kathy Nguyen.

It has always been a thrill for me to walk into a retail space and admire all the things that are beautifully designed, well crafted, and are beyond the line of exceptional quality. Holt Renfrew is Canada’s home to the world’s most famous luxury brands and I was incredibly glad to be there.

If you haven’t had the chance to step into Holt Renfrew recently you should know that there are plenty of stimulating things to look at. I’m talking about brand new, limited edition items designed by the likes of Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, and DSquard2. My favourite pick is hands down Alexander McQueen’s signature skull scarf with a Canadian twist printed with maple leafs. All items are fashionable enough and instill Canadian pride are available at just the right time for the Olympics.

Getting the chance to preview Spring 2010’s upcoming must-haves was exciting, but what amped up my experience even more was being able to hear it from Holt Renfrew’s VP of Fashion Direction, Barbara Atkin. She delivered a notable presentation on what we can all look forward to this Spring season in fashion.

Things to Note:

-Be prepared to see looks inspired by exotic world cultures, organic yet slightly rugged urban travelers, corporate suits with a simple elegant feel, and the eclectic prep school chic.

-Women’s wear must-haves include the essential shirt, going shorter on hemlines with shorts and dresses, wearing that perfecto jacket with functionality, feminine dresses with fluid soft silhouettes, and visible lingerie. In the case of visible lingerie, we stay away from wearing it out right as the main focus in public but wear it more as a piece to advance a layered look with different dimensions.

-Women’s accessories include the return of the clog, a peep show in leather goods featuring cut out shapes, feminine jewelry with refined details, and accessories with exotic appeal in patterns and textures.

-Women’s beauty include stand out lips with pinks and coral shades, white eyeliner, the dramatic brow, and a play on eye shadows texturing different colors together (think of the rainbow).

-Men’s wear must-haves include the chino pant with a relaxed or slim look, the novelty print shirt in liberty florals, the classic trench coat with a shorter hemline, a summer suit with a neutral tone (you’ll be definite stand out!), and a blazer worn casually or for those dressy occasions.

-Men’s accessories include a pocket square for that touch of class, the messenger bag, a driver shoe perfect for the weekends (worn without socks!), a luxury watch and the refined lace up shoe for the work days.