iVillage.ca - 9 Canadian Jewelry Designers to Know

Necklace by Eliza Kozurno

Check out the article Wendy wrote for iVillage.ca "9 Canadian Jewelry Designers to Know".

For The Love of It: Candy Pants

Undies are about as intimate as a fashion accessory gets so when the young designer from Candy Pants, Jamie Metzger, rolled into the shop on her skateboard and glittery makeup, I was left speechless...that is until I actually saw her designs.  Jamie’s original approach to underwear is not only colourful and fun but best of all Jamie uses only eco fabrics.  Her line of underwear is locally made with flare, featuring ruffles and buttons and “cheeky” accents. Jamie is a 3rd year fashion student at Ryerson and has always been a strong advocate of green fashion so much so that she helped found Design Awear, an association created to help connect fashion students to the eco options available in the fashion industry. 

It is refreshing to see someone take on a serious staple such as undies and make it fun again.  While no one else might know that you are wearing a pair of hot pink ruffle bottom panties with orange trim, you certainly will!  And the softness and lightness of organic cotton is pretty darn nice too!

You can find a wide array of Candy Pants unmentionables at Shopgirls Gallery Boutique at 1342 Queen Street West.  On weekends, you can also meet the adorable Jamie live in person!  Visit www.shopgirls.ca for more information.  

Michelle Germain, owner/curator of Shopgirls Gallery Boutique, showcases over 80 Canadian artists and designers in her Parkdale shop.  This 1800 square-foot creative and retail space features one-of-a-kind and one-of-a-few designs from emerging Canadians and also boasts carrying the biggest selection of Yoga Jeans in Canada.

For the Love of It: La Krause

There is something ultra feminine, chic and especially confident, when a woman wears a headpiece. Be it a simple beret or something more daring like a fascinator, a headwear accessory will undoubtedly make a statement. Personally I can’t seem to get enough of feathers accessories. I love them so much that they have officially made my short list of staple textiles in my wardrobe!  

When I met Lori-Anne Krausewitz, I was literally blown away by her feather pieces. She was my feather goddess, and I became her biggest follower! Lori-Anne’s personal style is vintage eclectic and oh so glamorous and this same flavour is translated in each and every LaKrause one-of-a-kind head pieces. Lori-Ann uses feathers, netting, and fabrics accented by vintage buttons, fastenings, buckles and other found materials for her creations. She admits that her grandmother’s sense of style has greatly influenced her creative approach and retro spirit.  

While many feel that they require a special occasion to don a La Krause creation, I am of the mind that today is a perfect day for a fancy feather obsession... why not?  

You can find a wide array of LaKrause headpieces at Shopgirls Gallery Boutique at 1342 Queen Street West. On Wednesdays, you can also meet the uber classy and divine Lori-Ann live in person! Visit www.shopgirls.ca for more information.  

M.

Michelle Germain, owner/curator of Shopgirls Gallery Boutique, showcases over 80 Canadian artists and designers in her Parkdale shop.  This 1800 square-foot creative and retail space features one-of-a-kind and one-of-a-few designs from emerging Canadians and also boasts carrying the biggest selection of Yoga Jeans in Canada.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PART 2

Last time I wrote about how you can help the environment by purchasing high quality classic pieces, and reducing your clothing purchases. Often you will want to accent these classics by adding character pieces to your wardrobe. Here are some tips to help you choose character pieces that are also environmentally-conscious.

1) Buy high quality character pieces that genuinely suit your personality. When an item is a true expression of your personality you will love to wear it all the time, therefore reducing the number of character pieces you need in your wardrobe.

2) Reuse well-made pieces from past eras by shopping in vintage stores. Vintage shopping is an art form. If you're new to it, choose one item, like dresses or hats, to focus on in each store - it will make your shopping more manageable and time-effective.

3) Many Canadian designers use recycled materials to make creative new pieces. For example, Precocious uses recycled vintage sweaters to make cute shrugs, cardigans, and wraps; and The Brit Boutique designs clutches and belts from recycled leather products. Both of these designers can be purchased at Shop Girls one of my favourite boutiques on the Made in Canada Shopping Tour.