the it lists – fashion & trend blog

Toronto sewing studio Sew Be It Studio has launched their first clothing label for teens – ‘Sew Be It Girl’ and they didn’t need to go far from home to find their first designer.  That designer is 15 year old, Toronto teen Emma Lewis.

“Emma was one of the reasons that kind of helped us to inspire the idea because every time Emma makes a dress, everybody wants to buy it,” said Dilys Tong, co-owner of Sew Be It Girl.

Emma Lewis  is one of those young ladies that you know is destined for greatness.   She started taking sewing classes at age 10 where she quickly learned to draft patterns from scratch!  5 years later she has her own line?!?  Super impressive.

‘Sew Be It Studio’ is far from just a label – it’s focused on providing mentorship and guidance to budding teen designers along with all the different components of putting together a collection.

Perfect match made in… Canada

Model searches aren’t just for Tyra (and soon to be Naomi) a Vancouver retailer is doing a search of their own too!

Wear Else has launched a ‘New Face’ contest in search of a model to be featured in a Spring Advertising campaign, on their website and on any television appearances… and if that’s not enough to make you want to enter the winner will not only win a $2,500 shopping spree, but also Where Else VIP status (usually only for their most coveted clients!).

Simply email your picture until Dec. 15th  (or a friend’s if you can sneak one in when she’s not looking!) and a line or two why you think you, or she, should be THE NEW FACE OF WEAR ELSE to newface@wearelse.com!

10 Finalists will then be invited for a professional styling and photo shoot.  The finalists’ best picture will be posted on www.wearelse.com and Wear Else shoppers and fans will vote for the Winner!

Nine West and Goodwill pair up to do something good for your sole (and your soul).

For three weeks Canadian women are being asked to bring in their preloved loves (including shoes, boots, OR handbags) to Nine West, Easy Spirit, Nine West Shoe Studio, or Madison Shoes & Accessories, for $20 off any purchase over $100.

On top of that, if you head into your local Goodwill store and drop off a donation, you’ll receive a $20 Nine West savings card.

Wear Else is known to often go by WE which doubles for ‘Woman Empowerment’ – to team with the Dress for Success Vancouver Chapter made perfect sense. Dress for Success is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

NOW – November 18, three Wear Else locations will collect gently used Holiday Wear for Alumni of the Dress for Success program.  These women are about to attend their first holiday events at their place of employment and YOU can assist them in looking and feeling confident and beautiful by bringing in a gently worn holiday outfit.

Wear Else will, in turn, present you with a $50 Gift Card to spend on a new Holiday Look for yourself as a thank-you.

On November 18th, after all the Holiday Outfits are collected, the WE 4th Ave location will host a special Holiday Styling Event for Dress for Success Alumni where these lovely ladies will then choose one of the beautiful holiday outfits YOU have donated. An initiative we can all feel great about contributing too this holiday season!

This is that weird post I have to do once in awhile to kick a ‘just Canada post’ out from the back

Okay Vancouver girls – it’s true: Real fashionistas never pay retail. I was out of town for FreshOut’s first sale, but friends shared the great fashion deals they picked up.

This is NOT a sample sale. It’s a private shopping experience for women bringing the hottest, new L.A. inspired looks direct from manufacturers to you. No Retail Markups! You pay Industry Insider WHOLESALE PRICES! Everything $5 – $50!

I’ve been a long time fan of Mimi & Marge. A very big contingent of my jewels collection – and reaps tons of compliments. Just last weekend, I just pulled out an old classic that’s fresh again: a huge silver lily with a crystal centre. Luv it!

This sample sale is for SURE on this girls calendar to get there early – some for me, and get half of my Xmas list done in one shot.  The sale starts next Wednesday – Saturday (Nov 4 -7): 140, 1355 Parker Street, Vancouver.

Dean and Dan Caten the much loved Canadian twin brothers who create the high-end fashion label DSquared recently were honored by their fellow Canadians when they recently received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

The twins have always been open when speaking about their modest background, raised by a single father with 9 children and credit that to their success.  They stated that they started designing denim because they weren’t allowed to wear it growing up as their dad thought denim was for poor people -  and their success in the fashion industry is probably due to that very upbringing.

DSquared quickly caught on with the fashion world and soon made leaps and bounds to where it is based in Milan, and has moved way beyond denim.  Their following is huge amongst many celebrities who really gave the brand exposure and was not long until the rest of the world caught on.

DSquared’s next mission is close to home where they will be designing costumes for participants in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic opening ceremonies.  Can’t wait to see what those will look like!

The red carpet clashed with vibrant colors at the annual JetSet VIFF party. A crowd of actors, directors, producers, and film-istas celebrated VIFF’s opening weekend at Canvas Lounge in Gastown. If you say red carpet, Vancouverites will dress to impress.  Side note: I never get why there’s always someone that ends up wearing jeans at gala events in this city!!??!!?  I’ve been to four JetSet parties and this was by far the best.

If I could hand out an award for best outfit, it goes to the 10-year-old actor Quinn Lord. This cutie wore an ivory colored three-button suit with a red bow-tie. And finished it off with a pair of blue converse…I could just pinch his cheeks.  He’s been on the festival circuit, promoting Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus at TIFF and VIFF.

Quinn also got his new buddies to autograph his suit collar (that’s Emmanuelle Vaugier’s signature on his lapel). Not sure who but probably stars of the movie…wonder how much the suit is worth?  Could Quinn be the next Justin Timberlake of style? I’m a fan!

P.S. Speaking of Emmanuel here’s a pic of her (in local Blushing Designs) getting interviewed by The It Lists’ Leila.

The Opening Gala event for VIFF 2009 was held at the Rocky Mountain Station. Sadly, after the Toronto version of the film festival (TIFF) everything here seems anti-climatic. But still it was a good welcome home and back into the social circuit.

A few weeks of parties and films – the only one I want to still catch is “The September Issue” – the documentary on the making of Vogue’s record breaking 2007 issue.

But still it was a fun night out, even though it meant running after my girlfriend who was taking care of Connie Neilsen – water, party feet inserts for sore tootsies, or water ever to make the actress content.

Canadian fashion-belt designer Suzi Rohr was approached by none other than industry leader Swarovski to design a custom one-of-a-kind belt for the Swarovski New York Showroom.  A huge honor for our Canadian gal Suzi, as the Swarovski name speaks for itself – a world leader in precision cut gemstones and crystal.

Suzi’s belts are recognized by buyers from all over the world for her incredible range of colors, designs and fabrics that create a ‘fantasy around your waist’ that somehow remains comfortable. Props to Suzi (and Canadian fashion)! to have the likes of Swarovski recognize this.

The belt Suzi created could easily be described as a piece of jewelery – made up entirely of rhinestones and self adjusts at the waist or hip.  Suzi Rohr is sold at most major Canadian and U.S. department stores and usually encorporates Swarovski crystals into the majority of her pieces.

We have a glitch on our site. And frankly, it hurts my little head to figure out. Whenever we have a Canada new tip that gets ‘featured’ well it then needs one post behind it to kick its little butt out onto the ‘Canada page’.

So this is my ‘band aid’ random post to do just that! Thanks for dealing with our technical difficulties…enjoy our ‘Canada’ and local Vancouver news.  http://www.theitlists.com/category/specific-to-canada/

Wear Else is doing big things in the Vancouver Fashion Industy.  For the first time ever Flare magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Lisa Tant is combining her Fall 2009 trend report with a Vancouver retailer for “Runway to Real-way” – an insider’s look and Fall Fashion Show. Learn what are the hottest Fall trends to hit the runways and see not only where to buy them but how to make them work for you!

Mark September 1 off on your calendars and bring a couple girlfriends to enjoy a night of fashion, cocktails and great door prizes as Wear Else gears up for an exciting Fall Fashion Season!

You MUST RSVP event@wearelse.com.
Space is limited (honestly!)
Please mention ‘The It Lists’ when replying.

See you there!

I think I seriously need to step my blog game up. Canada’s leading specialty retailer – Holt Renfrew, is payomg homage to the social media junkies who loyally give them free marketing on a daily basis… the bloggers!

Holt Renfrew creative director, John Gerhardt released a statement calling bloggers “the fashion world’s new celebrities” and goes on to say Holt’s is honored to celebrate online style leaders.

The six choosen bloggers are:

• The Satorialist (Scott Schuman)
• Sea of Shoes (Jane Aldridge)
• I Want I Got (Anita Clarke)
• Jak and Jil (Tommy Ton)
• Bryan Boy
• Garance Dor

The Holt’s windows are up right now so make your way down and check them out.  They really did an amazing job with these.  I’ll even go as far as to say they are some of the best windows I have ever seen in Vancouver to-date.

I wonder what the Crystal window would look like?  Perhaps me sitting in the midst of a pile of designer swag holding an empty wallet… and smiling.