All posts filed under: Fashion

What kind of customer do you design for?

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I can’t even stress how relieving it is that Lagerfeld put into words what was only sounds in my mind. “I never want to think about customer…I just do collection, then it’s up to them to run with it. Wherever they run, whatever direction they take, I hope it’s the right direction, but I don’t believe it’s a good thing to say I design for this kind of person. There was once a French designer who said my dress is only bought by clever women…she went out of business. Never say, THIS is for you and THIS is NOT for you, I think it’s very pretentious.” – Karl Lagerfeld Designers always describe their “customer” as being fearless, beautiful, professional or confident. It’s repetitive…and a tad annoying. I think designs are in the eyes of the beholder. A collection will mean different things to different people. Like Lagerfeld said, let the customer figure it out and let them “run with it.”

Fabricland adventure

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First off, I noticed I was the youngest person in the store. If you’re a single male over the age of 65 lookin’ for a crafty woman, this place should be your destination. It’s also the friendliest place I’ve ever been to. Everyone was incredibly helpful and nice, even the older ladies who didn’t even work there and gave me a smile when they passed by! Oh crafters, you’re just so gosh darn friendly. Now you’re wondering, why was I in a fabric store? As you may or may not know, I’m going to start designing this summer. Why? Because the job I have now doesn’t pay nearly enough to get me through school. So, I thought I may as well create my own business on the side. It’s perfect, I’ll be doing something I love, plus I’ll hopefully make a bit of moola to start my “Jessica needs to leave her small town” fund. My mom gave me this book by Mary Gehlhar a few years ago, it’s been a HUGE help in giving me tips and tricks on …

Victoria’s a Secret baseball fan…get it

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How cute are these… I may consider becoming a b-ball fan now. What do you guys think? Smart move on Victoria’s Secret eh? Catering to the girl (like me) who has no idea what’s going on in the game, but at least she looks cute! 🙂 Want to see more adorable Jay’s apparel? Click HERE! V-neck Tee – $32.50 Baseball hat – $26.50 Baseball Tee – $39.50 (WANT THIS ONE THE MOST) Cropped pant – $44.50 Zip hoodie – $68.00

Bringing the unexpected to eyewear

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With a line of family members having practiced in the field of optometry, a young visionary from London was influenced to explore a more innovative, creative side to optics. Jason Kirk and his wife Karen, are the duo behind the eyewear brand Kirk Originals. With a warm smile, and wearing “Joni” glasses from his Sculpture collection, Kirk sat down with me at Toronto’s Karir boutique to open my own eyes to his latest projects. The Kinetic, Saturn, Sculpture, Kirk Heroes and sunglasses collections are all part of his latest designs, derived from a list of things he and Karen love. “It’s just stuff we remember throughout our lives that have made us smile,” Kirk says. On that list: furniture, cars, places they’ve been to, pictures, paintings, sculptures, art, films and toys. There’s plenty of variety when it comes to a pair of Kirk Originals. Every colour combination imaginable has been carefully mingled together alongside creative designs you can’t find anywhere else. The array of colours is influenced by a box of glasses his grandfather made in the 1950s and ‘60s. With his family …

A grown up treasure hunt

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Walking down Queen Street West, you’ll witness an array of boutiques and fabric shops destined to attract the effortless fashion forward innovators of tomorrow. Ask any of these leather purse carrying, skinny jean-wearing youngsters we call “trendsetters” where they shop now a days, answers will likely be the same. Thrift stores. Shocking? Perhaps. But the moth smelling, itchy fabrics hanging in abundance at stores such as Value Village and Goodwill are the secret to the vintage styles trending around the city. It’s time to embrace the fact – what is old is new again. “I’m the type of person who hasn’t been into brands so I wanted to look for other ways to style and make art without spending so much money,” freelance stylist and thrift shopper enthusiast Patrice America said. She looked at me with excitement; eyes wide open as we sat at the back of her reclaimed vintage fabric store “Preloved” on Queen Street West. With the store showcasing an array of colourful, old-fashioned sweaters and cardigans in one dim-lit room, America was dressed conservatively, yet …

One of TIME’s most influential people

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YAY! Sarah Burton (head designer for Alexander McQueen) has been recognized as one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in 2012! Love her, envy her, wish I could be her. Also included on the list were one of my favourite comedians Louis C.K., actress Kristen Wiig, the inventor of Spanx Sara Blakely, and of course, President Barack Obama…oh and Tim Tebow…no comment. XO Jessica