Oakridge Style

Jessie Carlson

Our fair city may not be New York, Paris or London, but Vancouver does have a fashion week that showcases some of the most creative local minds. Vancouver Fashion Week came to a close this Sunday, after six days of fashion, music, make-up, parties, hair and tons of photographers.

I saw a number of shows, including Red Jade, Lav and Kush, and Kersh.

If the runways of the event were any indication, next spring, we can expect to see a huge focus on natural and organic materials, short dresses and bright colours. Think yellows paired with grey, and bright floral patterns.

VFW was held in a huge warehouse in Gastown – and it was packed! It was hard to move but so much fun. I swear I saw some of Oakridge Centre’s most stylish people there. In fact, I know I did.

The colours were bright and the styles simple, easy and comfortable. Perfect for our laid-back west coast lifestyle. I can’t say for sure, but I have a feeling we will be seeing some of the best pieces at Oakridge come Spring/Summer 2010. I know that the Bay carries Kersh. Check out their fabulous cardigans!

I am told the week was a huge success and, in my opinion, it most certainly was.

As all those who adore fashion images know, photography genius Irving Penn passed away in early October. Now the question is, who will replace the master?

Irving Penn got his start at Harper’s Bazaar, as an illustrator and a designer. Eventually, he became the longest-running lens master at Condé Nast, photographing 150 covers and myriad feature photos for VOGUE. Penn also created 11 art books, and was featured in Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. So who can live up to Penn’s well-deserved reputation?

Here’s a rundown on the world’s top fashion photographers.

1. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
Known for: super-glossy, digitally mastered images; often portray women as powerful figures
Work with: W magazine, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Givenchy

2. Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Known for: warmer, bohemian-style images
Work with: W magazine, Balenciaga, Gucci, Stella McCartney

3. Nick Knight
Known for: risk-taking campaigns
Works with: Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen

4. Craig McDean
Known for: muscular, often color-saturated images
Works with: W magazine, VOGUE, Oscar de la Renta, Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein

5. Scott Schuman
Known for: crisp, detailed, images
Works with: “The Sartorialist”-his famous blog, where he captures everyday fashion highs-and GQ magazine

Get the Look
Find your photography solutions at KidsPhoto.

LET’S HEAR IT
What photographer do you admire? Are they on the list? Do you adore any female photogs?

When Stella McCartney signed on to do her one-off collection for H&M, we were excited, but we weren’t surprised. The UK-based runway-imitation chain is hot for designer collaborations.

But when McCartney announced she’d do a one-off kids’ collection for Gap we were enthralled. Since naming Patrick Robinson head of design, Gap’s been rapidly rising back to a place of prominence in classic, must-have fashion at great prices.

McCartney carries the torch for urbane, British cool-meets eco-friendly chic, and leads the way in animal- and human-friendly clothes, lifestyle items, and skin products. Her fur- and leather-free goods don’t sacrifice style for sustainability and have garnered fans like Kate Hudson, Madonna, Liv Tyler, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Now, it’s the kids of her fans who’ll be sporting her clothes-plus our nieces, nephews and every other kid we adore. Her hoodies, jackets, tops and pants are perfect, and many are meant to be worn by both boys and girls.

Get the Look
Find McCartney’s kids’ line at select GapKids.

LET’S HEAR IT
Is sustainable fashion important to you?

We were really starting to worry. All this talk of major couture fashion houses undergoing hard times and even going broke had us wondering what the true fashion artisans would do. The specialized embroiderers, tailors, hatmakers and seamstresses are the biggest losers in the worldwide decline in luxury goods sales. The number of small French businesses serving the high-end fashion industry has shrunk to 115 in 2007 from 468 in 2000, says the French national statistics agency INSEE.

Luckily, the French government is stepping in. (Imagine living in a country where the government really cares about fashion!) Apparently, France’s Prime Minister Francois Fillon will meet with government advisors, luxury-goods execs, and artisans to talk about what the government can do to help.

We’ve got our fingers crossed they come up with a viable solution.

LET’S HEAR IT
Do you care about couture? Should the artisans be getting assistance?

Yes, these famous faces, seen stalking down the runway in everything completely gorgeous–or is it that they are, and so the looks seem that way?–are really, truly Canadian. Watch for them on the hottest magazine covers and in the world’s fashion capitals.

Top Famous Canadian Faces

1. Heather Marks
Birthplace: Calgary, Alberta
Claim to fame: debuted at the spring Givenchy couture show in Paris

2. Jessica Stam
Birthplace: Kincardine, Ontario
Claim to fame: uber photog Steven Meisel’s muse

3.Coco Rocha
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Claim to fame: Doing an Irish jig down the runway at Jean Paul Gaultier

4.Linda Evangelista
Birthplace: St. Catharines, Ontario
Claim to fame: Chopping her hair into a crop, causing cancellations from all important runway shows that season, and then shooting her to fame as the face of Versace

5.Lisa Cant
Birthplace: Alberta
Claim to fame: Walked Fall shows for Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Marc Jacobs, Nina Ricci, Dolce & Gabbana, and many others in February 2004

6.Daria
Birthplace: Poland, but moved to Mississauga, Ontario at age 3
Claim to fame: Holds the record for opening and closing the most shows in one season

LET”S HEAR IT
Which face is your fave?