Vancouver Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2018

The fall season is here, and so is fashion week season! As per usual, I had to catch at least a day of shows at Vancouver Fashion Week - after all, I'll never give up a change to dress up and see some incredible runway shows.

I had almost entirely forgot about this highlighter dress that I thrifted from Value Village months ago. And then I thought: what better time to wear it? I joke that this dress is the epitome of eco-friendly fashion, because it's actually from H&M's Conscious Collection (their eco-friendly capsule collection), but I didn't purchase it from the store, I bought it second hand from Value Village: doesn't get much more eco-friendly than that!

Keep reading below to see some of my favourite designers from Day 3 at fashion week.

[Photo by @simbaimages]

Atelier Guarin

If there is one collection that I could imagine myself wearing almost in its entirety, it would be Atelier Guarin's. The flared pants, ruffled sleeves and skirts, knee high boots with mini dresses...all of it! I'm especially in love with the pants and the mini dress you see below.

Autum Jules Designs

I always love being introduced to local, emerging fashion designers in Vancouver. Autum's collection is inspired by her indigenous Tinglit culture, from the traditional beadwork and moccasin boots, to the beautiful sequin dress you see below, which imitates the glistening of running water and Jules' deep connection to the earth. The collection covered a wide range of styles, from more traditional, to leather-clad and glittery glam.

Hunsel

These shoes are such a brilliant idea! Hunsel makes high end sneakers that you can completely customize. The front panel of the shoes can be switched out for whatever pattern you feel like. This is a really eco-friendly concept too: rather than buying 10 pairs of sneakers, all you need is one!

JAAJ

As much as I love seeing pieces on the runway that I would want to wear tomorrow, I also enjoy seeing some inspiring couture collections. And JAAJ certainly fit the bill! I was particularly drawn to the combination of leather and burlap: what an interesting combination, certainly something we don't see every day.

Madame Katjina

I really loved Madam Katjina's collection. Definitely lots of 'badass woman' vibes here. I've always been a bit fan of mixing leather with more feminine details like lace. And what I also really enjoyed seeing was the addition of embroidery! Right on trend. What was also eye-catching was the puffy collars seen on some of the pieces. A unique feature I haven't really seen before.

Mouton Blanc

This was definitely a very moody collection, and I totally loved it! Why? Because of the combination of dark, edginess and traditional business wear. You can see the work wear shapes are there: the loosely tailored pants, the button up top, the lapels...and yet Mouton Blanc puts a serious twist on all that with its goth-like style.

[Runway Photos by Getty Images for VFW Management]

In case your wondering which talented humans were creating all those amazing runway hairstyles, the team at REDKEN was behind the scenes! They were even on-hand to do hair touch-ups in between shows, so I took them up on it and had some fun waves added to my 'do. I wish I could have someone do my hair like this everyday!

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

4 Fall/Winter Trends Spotted at Vancouver Fashion Week

Vancouver Fashion Week gave us all kinds of fall/winter inspiration, and while it seems a long ways away right now (hello, Spring...finally!), it's always exciting to see a sneak peek of what to expect for the future season. Keep reading to see what my favourite looks and trends were from VFW this past week.

Sheer Dresses

These have been trending for quite a long time now, and while I'm personally getting a little tired of seeing celebrities in crystal encrusted sheer body-hugging dresses, this one from Wilbur was something unique. I appreciated that the sheerness was offset by having a more flowing skirt (rather than the aforementioned skin tight variety).The pop of colour underneath was a nice touch too, especially in a beautiful emerald green.

Jacquard Fabric

Jacquards in matching sets were front and centre at KEEM's runway show. This is a texture and print I've always loved for fall/winter - I think it has a a very regal feel and always looks fantastic, especially for winter parties. Jacquard is also usually associated with a more structured fit, making them great statement pieces.

Here's a big plus: KEEM is also an eco-friendly brand! The designs are created in natural fibres, certified organic cotton and 100% faux fur ethical luxury.

Leather Love

Leather was definitely a hot item on the runway, and Vancouver local Kirsten Ley created some incredible pieces by molding leather into unique shapes. The accented shoulders on this jacket were definitely eye-catching, and looked especially great in the oxblood red shade.

Coveted Capes

I was pretty excited to see many capes grace the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week this season. They are always a favourite of mine for fall and winter! This one by Moskal is a new favourite. The colour is definitely unexpected for the season, which is refreshing. Overall, the styling of this cape is spot on, from the glasses to the turtleneck, whose muted purple is a perfect pairing. And we can't forget those matching pants: it's a perfect set!

[Images provided by Arun Nevader/WireImage]

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Hetki Designs at Vancouver Fashion Week

Fashion Week is always a fun and exciting part of my September calendar, but this season was a bit more special than usual. This time, I had the opportunity to see Kate Schreiner's collection, Hetki Designs on the runway.

You may remember Kate from this post I wrote about her design collection here - she was actually a student of my mom's, back in elementary school, has been a follower of Vancouver Vogue here for years, and I had the opportunity to see her grad fashion show earlier this year. I was really drawn to her grad collection, as she focused heavily on slow fashion: designs that were meant to be eco-conscious, something I work towards here on Vancouver Vogue as well. So it was pretty awesome to have the chance to now see her designs on the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week with a full audience. Her eco-conscious designs are made with classic cuts that have just a hint of trendiness: items that are meant to stand the test of time and be worn for years, not months.

Inspired by Kate's slow fashion mantra, I wore a fully thrifted outfit to the show, including a set of funky Zara overalls I found recently at Salvation Army. One of the buckles was actually missing, so I ended up doing some quick fixes before I could wear it, but it was worth the bit of extra effort. The shirt and shoes were both thrifted from Value Village.

Overalls - Zara (thrifted via Salvation Army) | Shirt - Talula (via Value Village) | Shoes - Call It Spring (via Value Village) | Purse - Just Fab

Photo by Ed Ng Photography

Photography by Dale Rollings

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Vancouver Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016: Day 5

Day 5 was an exciting day at Vancouver Fashion Week. There was a great mix of new and old VFW designers: designers I'm always excited to see, plus a sprinkling of new ones I've never seen before, and pleasantly surprised! Plus, it was a beautiful warm Spring day out, which made for some lovely photos in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden before we headed in to see the fashion week shows at the Chinese Cultural Centre.

I long to wear this skirt from Kassinka more - now that Spring is finally here, I'm pulling out the pastels and starting to incorporate into more of my looks. I admit, for years I strayed away from pastels because of my perpetual paleness (oh don't pretend you hadn't noticed!). But I've since learned to embrace the paleness and enjoy the shades of the season. It feels so nice and fresh to be wearing crisp whites and pastels after months of my black and grey outfit obsession!

Keep reading below to see two of my jaw-dropping favourite collections seen at Day 5 of Vancouver Fashion Week:

Designer: Dominique Ansari

Oh man. This collection. Every piece. I've always been a sucker for elegant gowns and lace, so it should come as no surprise that I fell in love with this collection by Dominique Ansari. My favourite of them all, this crimson red peplum gown, looked absolutely stunning, especially the sheer naked-dress top. The naked dress has obviously be a huge trend this year, but I loved how this dress only featured a sheer top, balanced out nicely by the full-length skirt with a nude-coloured lining. Beautiful! Now excuse me while I go day dream of all the fancy parties I'd wear her gowns to, if given the chance...

Photo by Harry Leonard

Designer: Noe Bernacelli

Noe Bernacelli's collections have been a favourite of mine at Vancouver Fashion Week in the past. His gowns are stunning couture masterpieces, designed with the most immaculate attention to detail. This season's collection was a bit different than usual. It strayed somewhat from the gowns we had seen in the past, including less classic-elegant details like neon hair parts and baseball caps! I found the coat/pant outfits to be very reminicent of Chanel style, but the elegance is somewhat offset by the baseball cap, giving the look a fresh new twist.

I also couldn't write this review without also talking about the amazing 'epaulettes' the model is rocking in the second photo. The fringe gave the dress such beautiful movement - obviously not a dress for the faint of heart, but just look at that incredible detailing! Truly unique.

Photos by Dale Rollings

Vest - Forever 21 | Crop Top - Forever 21 | Necklace - Olive + Piper | Skirt - Kassinka | Bracelet - Nobis & Grey | Shoes - Sole Society | Purse - Vintage

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Vancouver Fashion Week FW2016: Day 2

Well folks, this is officially my 13th season covering Vancouver Fashion Week! Pretty crazy. Day 2 of the Fall/Winter 2016 runway shows brought all kinds of fabulous new designers into the spotlight, including my personal favourites Lesley Hampton, Saint Jesus by M. Jesus Ponce, and Street and Saddle. Keep on reading below to see a few runway shots and my thoughts on each of their collections!

Fashion Week is always a great opportunity to step up your fashion game. Lately, fashion weeks have become notorious for the "circus" they create - bloggers dressed up in ridiculous outfits just in order to be photographed. I think that just becomes silly, but I must admit fashion week creates a wonderful opportunity to dress up more than you would on a normal day - because let's be honest, in Vancouver, there are only so many opportunities to wear these wonderfully comfy floral wide leg pants (from Target!) without getting weird looks. It's the one week twice a year where anything goes, and you're among equally fashionably flamboyant friends! Hence my chance to wear these wide leg floral pants, my favourite cape blazer, and a giant statement necklace. Oh and an avant garde pastel purple lipstick from NYX lipstick that I've been dying to wear. What better time than fashion week?

Designer: Lesley Hampton

I'm fully aware I'm attracted to shiny things. Sequins are a no brainer, so this collection from Lesley Hampton definitely caught my eye with its mirrored scales. I loved the shape of this dress in particular, how the scales really accentuated her curves and how the black inserts gave the arms and waist more definition. The exposed zipper also gave the dress a nice edgy touch. By the way, if you've ever wondered how to rock black lipstick, this is a perfect example. A killer outfit from top to bottom!

Photo by Ed Ng Photography

Designer: Saint Jesus by M. Jesus Ponce

I was a big fan of the sheer skirt when it became a big trend last year, plus I've always loved the retro vibe of high waisted bottoms. So naturally, Saint Jesus caught my eye. The geometric detailing on the sheer skirt is what made it really unique. It's certainly not a design for the faint of heart, but something that makes a fierce fashion statement!

Photo by Dale Rollings

Designer: Street and Saddle

Equestrian style has been a staple part of my fall wardrobe for a few seasons now. I adore the preppy look associated with Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, and now I think I have some new inspiration thanks to Street and Saddle! I love how it even incorporated one of my favourite styles: the cape! I loved the riding pants and other equestrian-inspired pieces of this collection as well, but this cape jacket/dress (complete with a wrangler belt to cinch) was by far my favourite. Especially with the added touch of the pearl necklace, the look is so classic but with a modern twist thanks to the cape slits and structured neckline.

Photo by Dale Rollings

Blazer - Lavish Alice (via Asos) | Shirt - Meiling Couture | Earrings & Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Pants - Merona (via Target) | Heels - Aldo (thrifted)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta