Shisomiso - Calgary, AB
With several years experience in retail and marketing, coupled with extensive travels to Asia, Victoria Lee began her own business importing fabrics from India. Developing a keen sense of style and vision, she has come together with her friend, Irene Rasetti, to form Shisomiso.
Irene Rasetti ventured to Milan, Italy where she received a diploma in fashion design after studying at L’Istituto Marangoni. She went on to work for various design studios such as Gianfranco Ferre` and Gianni Versace, designing both men’s and women’s wear. After seven years, she has returned home to be closer to her family and start her own business with friend Victoria Lee.
Amber Leigh - Calgary, AB
Originally from Winnipeg and spending the last 10 years travelling and living around Canada, Amber Hebert now calls Calgary home. Designing clothes grew out of a love of drawing with the sewing machine as a medium, which she first started doing while in the drawing program at ACAD.
Bionic - Toronto, ON
In 1998 Toronto designer Mark Foreman started making a name for himself with jersey wrap dresses and cotton shirt-dresses. His bold, colourful prints and great fits captured the attention of women everywhere, and Bionic was born. Bionic is 100% Canadian and believes it's vital to both the economy and the integrity of their product to be "Built In Canada."
Black Denim - Montreal, QC
Bossio - St. Albert, AB
Christina Bossio is the designer behind Bossio Clothing. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, she studied Fashion Design at the Domus Academy in Milan, Italy. She has worked in both New York and Milan, before starting her own line here in Canada.
Broken Doll Clothing - Calgary, AB
Leah Bohnet is a 22 year old fashion designer born and raised in Calgary Alberta. Her passion for design started in high school where she was able to test her creations on fellow students and friends. She decided to further pursue a dream in fashion by attending college where she received her diploma in fashion design and Merchandise. After graduation, Leah was more than determined to keep going and growing to become a successful fashion designer. In the spring of 2005 Broken Doll Clothing, a funky, unique, label was created.
Bueno Style - Vancouver, BC
Christi York is a freelance graphic designer, accessory designer and big believer in organic food and locally made products. Her career began in the snowboarding industry and while her graphic career is still going strong BuenoStyle, her sideline passion started as a way to work with her hands, is taking off. BuenoStyle is all about re-using vintage, old stock, and discontinued pieces and re-creating them into lovely new wearables. Often, a piece is 100% vintage components, even down to the ear-wires and jump rings. Occasionally, new pieces (charms/chain) are combined with vintage. Buenostyle is committed to eco-friendly practices and packaging.
Cabin Fever - Calgary, AB
Karen Klassen is a graduate of Alberta College of Art + Design. She loves to draw, paint, sew, and think about what she’s going to create next. Karen is the recipient of numerous awards, including Black Book’s AR100 Top 10 Illustrated – Annual Reports ’06, Applied Arts Design Annual ’06 (for Annual Report Illustration), Ride Sonwboard Graphics ’05, Applied Arts ’04 and ’02.
Chelsey Freyta - Nelson, BC
Chelsey Freyta is a Canadian illustrator and designer who grew up in a small art town nestled in the mountains of British Columbia. Spending her childhood days hiking and nights sculpting clay animals in her mom’s studio, she developed her love for creating. Since completing her dual degree in illustration and graphic design at the Alberta College of Art and Design, she has moved from commercial design to her passion of illustration. Chelsey’s extraordinary pieces reveal an intricate environment that totters between the whimsical and the disturbed. The fashion accessories are all designed and handcrafted by Chelsey and her partner Matt in Canada.
Colleen Cyca - Calgary, AB
Colleen is largely a self-taught jewellery artist. Her Chemical Engineering degree provides the problem solving skills and technical abilities needed in making jewellery. She has also worked as a professional makeup artist for over 6 years. Through Chinook College Continuing Education and the Alberta College of Art + Design, both in Calgary, Alberta, Colleen has learned some basic metalworking skills as well as more specialized techniques to add to her bag of tricks.
Dear Pony - Nelson, BC
Dear pony is the creation of Tracy Fillion, inspired by childrens books and ladies from the early 1900's. Tracy obsessively enjoys creating wearable, comfortable, unique pieces primarily using organic, natural and sustainable fibres. Caught up in momentary inspiration she creates garments that she imagines at a picnic on the beach or horseback riding to a wedding in central park.
Dru's Design - West Vancouver, BC
Meghan Dru Irish, the owner and designer of two active labels, dru's design and Identity Apparel, was educated with a BBA, a diploma in Fashion Design and Retail Marketing. Started in 2006, dru's is a boutique women's line based on clean lines and interesting silhouettes. All clothing is designed and made locally. The cuts are modern and the main purpose of the clothing is to flatter.
Eve Gravel - Montreal, QC
Gifted with uncommon creativity and great vision, it is hardly surprising that Eve Gravel is now considered to be one of Quebec's most promising, young fashion designers. At just 27 years of age, she heads Eve Gravel, the self-named label which has been attracting attention for eight seasons now, thanks to a decidedly personal style that combines freshness, daring and flawless cuts.
Flight Path - Vancouver, BC
Naomi Joy Yamamoto attended the Fibre Program at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with Distinction in 2005. Inspired by her love of textiles, design and traveling, Naomi created Flight Path Designs in 2007 as a way to merge these three passions. Her work utilizes a combination of found imagery from her travels, vintage textiles and leather to create a line of belts, handbags and other accessories. Naomi currently resides in Vancouver where she maintains her studio practice.
Gentle Fawn - Vancouver, BC
What started out as an afternoon of innocent thrift shopping turned into a brand new clothing line and changed the lives of designers Daniel and Carla Hogg. Founded in 2003, Gentle Fawn Clothing is inspired by a rare collection of antique ceramic fawns. Today, the original fawn remains as the symbol of the company’s creative beginnings and its design inspiration. "A little bit of nature in the big city."
Guido & Mary - Montreal, QC
Horn of Plenty - Nelson, BC
Simply put, Cathy Terepocki’s admiration of vintage objects has transcended into her art practice. Whether the medium is glass or clay, most of Cathy’s work features the incorporation and recontextualization of found images or patterns. In the past few years Cathy has been exploring both historical and contemporary print-making techniques as a means of transferring images onto the surface of clay. Each piece, be it wearable art or functional ceramic pieces, is hand-crafted and unique. Cathy Graduated from Alberta College of Art & Design and now has a studio practice in Nelson, BC.
House of Spy - Toronto, ON
Wendy Wong's bold use of colours and prints make for a sweet, playful, quirky lin. The edgy feminine shapes have garnered this brand a loyal following among hip young women everywhere.
I Clothing - Toronto, ON
As a whole, I Clothing pushes the boundries of the masses, while maintaining a high standard of comfort and quality in their clothing. I Clothing continues to excel in creating pieces with detailed tailoring and clean lines, fusing these qualities with fine luxury textiles, sophisticated cuts and a raw edge. I Clothing is geared towards the young sophisticate, who wants to stand as an individual.
Industry - Montreal, QC
Jack & Marjorie - Toronto, ON
Jack&marjorie uses military surplus materials such as wool blankets, ground sheets, parachutes and webbing, and combines them with more feminine elements including vintage lace, silk, brocade and buttons to create unique yet functional handbags and accessories.
Kersh - Vancouver, BC
Lily & Jae - Vancouver, BC
After graduating from Helen Lefaux School of Fashion Design in 1999, Judith began her career on movie sets in the Costume Department. She started a small line called “lovejudy” on the side, but continued working in film to pay the bills. Realizing that her passion lay in designing clothes, she eventually stepped away from the film industry to focus on designing her line and in April of 2006, lily & jae was born. This sweet and sassy line is designed and manufactured in Vancouver, Canada.
Loranne Kettlewell Jewellery - Ottawa, ON
Loranne Kettlewell seizes hold of classic design, taking decades one by one and mixing them to create unique combinations. Through the use of 14kt gold fill, sterling silver, Swarovski crystals and fresh water pearls, her hand made creations bridge the gap between fashion accessories and fine jewelry. Specially selected elements such as Italian glass and wooden beads, adds to her exceptional collections.
Mackage - Montreal, QC
The line is well-know to fashionistas in Canada and US for its strength in outerwear and its wonderfully cut leathers. Mackage has no age. It is made for the fashion-forward, slender woman. The line is renowned for creating silhouettes that are sexy, sleek and sought after.
Maggie Finlayson - Calgary, AB
Maggie Finlayson has recently completed a three-year diploma program in clay at Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College. She has been the recipient of a B.C. Arts Council Scholarship; and was selected in 2006 as a finalist for an international student award. Her ceramic and mixed media work has been exhibited in Canada and the United States. Informed by a previous degree in philosophy and world religion, her work investigates ideas of self and belonging.
Majolie - Montreal, QC
Majolie knitwear is now worn and coveted by fashion-forward men and women from coast to coast.Each collection fuses textile design and fashion design. Latulippe takes her inspiration from her raw materials : natural, richly coloured and high-quality yarns such as merino wool, viscose and cotton. She tranforms these materials into the bold, original knits that have become her signature and the mark of the people who wear them.
Me(el) - Montreal, QC
Mia Melon - Vancouver, BC
Behind the alter ego that is Mia Melon, is designer Polly Green and business partner Steven Liesch. Polly, a fashion graduate of Kwantlen’s Design program, launched her career in England, where she worked for renowned design duo Gharani Strok. Upon returning to Canada, she worked freelance for various local fashion companies, eventually partnering with Steven to start their own line. Together they launched Mia Melon, which debuted in Spring 2007. The collection is whimsical and feminine with a slight dark side, much like the muse behind the name.
Nokomis - Edmonton, AB
Nokomis is an ojibwa word meaning 'grandmother'. Designed in Edmonton, Alberta, the line consists of pretty frocks for girls who read books. The Nokomis girls are inspired by libraries, bicycle rides, kittens, and dance parties.
Paperbag Clothing - Calgary, AB
Kathie Armstrong earned a fashion design degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Her work experience includes showroom assistant for BCBG (Los Angeles), purchasing agent for Holt Renfrew private labels (Toronto), product developer for lululemon (Vancouver) and other various designers. Kathie has gone solo with Paperbag and launched her first collection in spring 2008.
Patina Designs - Burnaby, BC
Born in Toronto, Denise moved to Vancouver at age 12 and went on to study Fine Arts in Vancouver and Florence, Italy. Art, design, travel, language and other cultures have always been a huge part of her life and continue to influence and inspire her work. In 2003 Patina Designs was launched from a box of reclaimed leather. The playful, buttery soft leather accessories are accented with hand silkscreened images and utilize techniques employed in Denise’s artwork.
Pink Martini - Toronto, ON
Preloved - Toronto, ON
Preloved was founded by Julia Grieve on May 1st, 1995. Her career as an international model developed her understanding of fit and a knack for eyeing hot trends. Inspired to start her own line, Julia’s first step was to hire Peter Friesen as head designer and set up shop on fashionable Queen Street West in downtown Toronto. Preloved has always taken great pride in creating affordable one-of-a-kind designer pieces for both women and men.
Pretty Raccoon - Toronto, ON
PrettyRaccoon Clothing is located in Toronto. It was started (with love) in January 2005 by Andrea Winkler as a part-time hobby, eventually growing into a full-time enterprise selling one-of-a-kind clothing all over the world.
Roxanne Nesbitt - Edmonton, AB
Roxanne Nesbitt is an artist, designer and based in Edmonton. Her work focuses on reusing and recycling materials to make unique handmade journals and accessories.
Toodlebunny Designs - North Vancouver, BC
Toodlebunny Designs is a unique handcrafted collection by Vancouver-based jewellery designer Trudy Wynans. Launched in the spring of 2006, it is an imaginative collection with feminine yet edgy pieces. Trudy draws her inspiration from nature's flora and fauna, evidenced by the use of birds, leaves, and tusks that have become the signature of her designs.
Valerie Dumaine - Montreal, QC
Valerie Dumail's line projects an image of confidence, with clean line and elegant lines, embelished by a careful finished touch. Inspired by the past, the designer is a master when it comes to mix and match styles, creating refined and bold garments.
