ThinkContra

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Melissa for a feature in ThinkContra , a Toronto-based online magazine highlighting Canadian and International design talent. It went live yesterday on their site.

Click here for the full interview. Thanks Melissa!

 A few excerpts:


"My accessory line, Love at First Blush, is for lingerie and fashion lovers. The muse I design for is a fashionable and iconic woman who loves a bit of romance, glamour and rock and roll."

In Full Bloom

via: fashiongonerogue

I've been religiously watching America's Next Top Model for the past few weeks to get my fashion fix. Now with the winner chosen, it's back to looking at fashion editorials. I love this overlay effect in this stunning editorial from Vogue Italia.

Photographer: Solve Sundsbo
Model: Jessica Stam

Creative Spaces: In Her Studio

Most of my friends in the fashion industry have such creative spaces and closets full of... well, clothes. I've started a new series that looks at the inner workings of my friend's closet spaces and also, creative spaces. Let me know how you like the series!

Going to fashion school with JI, I have always admired her illustrations for it's quirky factor. We've been friends since our very first year down to our graduating collections together. Sometimes we had to pull all-nighters in the lab to finish our collections, but we would always finish on time.

Her medium of choice is ink, marker and watercolor. Be sure to check out her illustration blog here.

Words from JI:  "My inspirations come from everything around me. I can be inspired by the great artists like Egon Schiele and Frida Kahlo or just simply mesmerized by the mess in my room."

"I am also influenced by androgyny and  gender roles.  More specifically, I am inspired by women’s roles in society and their self empowering energy."

"It may sound very cliché, but I wanted to be in  fashion as long as I can remember.  It was the only option I gave myself."

Discovery and Exploration

 

Zena Holloway/ Weheartit/ Flickr

  The mysteries of the ocean are beautiful, yet menacing.

This is why I love Fashion

Last week I wrote up some answers to a few interview questions I did for an online magazine. It was a very self reflective exercise which allowed me to question my own motives.

I design because I am passionate about fashion, but the heart of it really comes down to one thing; All of this is to share my vision with others, to reproduce the imagery I envision and to hopefully inspire others.

The vision I created for my graduating collection, entitled Sacré Coeur, was inspired by the Church in Paris, representing the contrast between light and dark, the sacred and the sinful. With the use of distressed leathers, and the airiest silk chiffon, I wanted to create a sense of drama between the fabrics. The raw edges of the fabric and the couture refinement of the embellishment also add to the contrasting elements.

This is what I love to do. This is why I love fashion.


Photographer: David Hou
Stylist: Lotus Leaf

A Trip to my Favorite Leather Store

A trip to my leather supplier is like walking into a bright large candy store. There's over 1000 square feet of printed, metallic, patent, and colored skins in every different animal you can think of. Sometimes it feels a little claustrophobic as the aisles are tight and I fear that a huge roll of cowhide will fall onto me.

I picked out a few different leather skins, but I was very tempted to buy more.

I've included the Selby's video of Mitch Alfus, one of New York's leather kings, as I thought it was fitting for this post. It's simply touching and wonderfully documented. If you have ten minutes to spare, you should watch it.

In Her Closet: JI's Vintage

I've been busy in Toronto this past weekend visiting my designer friend, JI, and doing loads of vintage shopping.

My friend allowed me to take some photographs of her fashionable and colorful home. Her room is like taking a trip to your favourite vintage boutique and loving every piece you find. JI has a quirky sense of style and has a huge collection of shoes, clutches, jewellery and vintage hats, all on display like a showroom.

Singer sewing machine, Collection of new and vintage jewellery

Topshop harness, vintage dress, BCBG heels

Vivienne Westwood heels, Assorted Vintage and Designer Shoes

Assorted Vintage Jewellery

Collection of Vintage Hats

Extreme and Experimental Dressing: Viktor and Rolf

Still obsessed over these Spring 2010 Viktor and Rolf dresses. Their ingenuity never ceases to amaze.

Isabel Lucas for Viktor and Rolf

 via Fashiongonerogue

Creative to the Core: Fashion Stylist Cristina Acevedo

During the course of my career, I have been very fortunate to have met fashion stylists who have used my work in many photo shoots. Sometimes we get lucky and the editorials get published.

Last week, I met international fashion stylist and Montrealer, Cristina Acevedo, who borrowed a few pieces from my collection for a full-on creative photo shoot. Having seen her work before in Zink Magazine, I naturally agreed. Her work is impressive and evokes a beautiful distinct narrative. Below are a few editorial shots of her work. You can see more of her work on her site.

PS. She showed me a few snippets of the creative shoot in process and it's stunning even with no retouching.

photos courtesy of Cristina Acevedo

Inside an Artist's sketchbook: The Creative Process

How designs come to fruition really start with the sketchbook. I come up with about ten or twenty sketches before I can decide on one idea. But it doesn't really stop there, as ideas change or need to be modified as I make up a sample. Sometimes sketches aren't physically possible to recreate, but the challenge to find a solution is the most rewarding part of the process.

A look inside any designer's sketchbook (if they allow to show you), is a private exploration of their thoughts, ideas and a glimpse of the illusive creative process. I stumbled upon Camila Do Rosario's illustrations; a page in her sketchbook is just as lovely as her final works of art.

via: Camila Do Rosario, TrendLand