Fashionsign Magazine Launch

Saturday night Ivanka and I attended the Fashionsign Magazine launch party! It was fantastic. The whole party took up the top floor of Art Central, and in part was hosted by Stoneworx Gallery where they had pieces from the Dong Show, and a table full of the yummiest/most adorable cupcakes ever! We were able to mingle with some of the most fashionable people in Calgary, as the whole place was packed! We were also lucky enough to speak to Chantel Traub about her amazing collection, which she was showing in the fashion show later that night. Host of the evening, Sabrina May (Of Sabrina May Public Relations, and also of Fashionsign) looked stunning in one of Chantel's hand painted dresses. The fashion show featured looks from Art Central retailer Studio Intent and, as previously mentioned, Chantel Traub. You can buy your own digital copy of Fashonsign Magazine on their website, and hard copies will be available at a later date for order as well. If you pick one up make sure to keep your eyes open for our Facebook page photo, which was selected as a top 5 photo of Calgary and is featured in the issue! (Cue Chelsey squealing like a little girl)

Ivanka and Chantel Traub

Sabrina May

Studio Intent

Studio Intent

Studio Intent

Chantel Traub

Chantel Traub

Chantel Traub

Chantel Traub, this gown also appears on the cover of Fashionsign this month!

The Art Gallery Of Calgary Features Bass Bus

Friday night Jason and I went down to the Art Gallery of Calgary where the guys of Bass Bus were throwing the "Calgary Collects" Party. We were lucky enough to score VIP passes to the pre-party (Thank's Gareth!) which had great appetizers, art and music. All four levels of the gallery were open to the public for viewing of rarely before seen pieces, and in the back alley Bass Bus had parked, and set up a DJ booth. It was a fantastic mix, the sophisticated atmosphere of the Gallery mixed with the laid back beats of some great musicians. There was a lot to look at; be it the art, the bus itself (If you've never seen it you're really missing out!) or any of the other entertainers which included fire dancers. It was a fantastic night, and the guys are super approachable. They spent the whole night visiting with party-goers, and it's pretty obvious they're all super passionate about supporting local artists and providing them with reasonable ways to reach new audiences. They've got a ton of great plans for the future of the bus, and I really can't wait to see it all! 

Jason (Left) and our friend Chris (Right) 

The Dong Show

(Sorry  for the delay!)

Don't get your minds out of the gutter, you read right and it's probably along the lines of what you're thinking. Chelsey and myself went to Stoneworx in Art Central for a couple art shows, specifically - the Dong show. Five local artists got their heads together and came up with an interesting concept surrounding the male reproductive organ. The notion began with the realization that art in the form of a male's anotomy is very rare and hard to come by. You see a woman's figure portraied in very sensual and artistic ways, but not a man's. Each one of them created their own take of the penis using their medium of choice. There was every style of art; photographs, paintings, sculptures, and carvings. Luckily, we scored an interview with one of the artists, Lisa Heinricks. The meduim that she is most familiar with is Acrylic, and occasionally she'll use mixed mediums like in her "Freddy Flowers" compostition. You can find her work at Stoneworx, Jerry Thomas, and Harrison (in Vancouver). Stay tuned for updates on other shows coming up!

Exclusive Caitlin Power Interview

One thing you may not know about [insert]calgary's very own Ivanka? She interned for Cailtin Power! So, luckily for us, she got a fabulous interview with one of Calgary's most talked about, up an coming designers. Check out her exclusive interview below! 

IT:Which designers do you look up to the most?

CP: I look up to Canadian designer Denis Gagnon. His business went bankrupt a few years back, and has now rebuilt a very strong company. He is an inspiration to never give up, and to know that it is ok to go backwards to get ahead.

IT: Where does your inspiration come from for this collection?

CP: The inspiration from the FW2011 collection is Victorian Goth. It is a very dark, edgy collection and needs a confident women to fill the clothing.

IT: Briefly describe what a day in the life of Caitlin Power would be like preparing for the first show of the season.

CP: Extremely busy and chaotic! If it's a couple days before the show, I won't have had much sleep, and working 14-16 hour days just to make sure everything is finished! At that time I'm usually still sewing garments, and waiting for outfits to come together. I would love to get to a time where the week before a show I can relax and work on small details...one can only dream!

IT: If you could have dinner with someone dead or alive who would it be and why?


CP: Alexander McQueen. It would be life changing just to be blessed with his presence!

IT: Any words of wisdom for aspiring designers, or artists in general?

CP: What I've learned lately is to just believe in myself and my designs. I've had a lot of feedback from buyers about "toning down" the pieces to make them more wearable. I'm still listening to their feedback, but not letting it have too much influence on the designs. I don't want to loose myself as a designer just to satisfy a buyer. Be confident in you work, make sure you love what you do, and don't listen too much to outside critiques.



Thanks Caitlin!

PARKLUXE

What a perfect night in the Winter Garden at the PARKLUXE show! The Jamieson Place venue was unreal with crazy blown glass sculptures and an entire wall of live greenery! The VIP lounge was fully stocked with champagne, beer, sushi and tons of other goodies-they definitely didn't hold back! Anne B. was the first to kick off the night with her fabulous collection of accessories, my favourite was this huge beaded necklace (that you'll find below). Next up was Lara Presber with her fall looks (unfortunately, I only got one good picture from it). One of my favourite designs for the night was an outerwear piece by Bridget Bergman, she had the most amazing coats, I want to buy them ALL!! You can check her stuff out at Under the Bridge Fashions just off Edmonton trail. Last but definitely not least was Caitlin Power's Fall collection which was very true to her style and reminiscent of last fall. Her consistence when it comes to flawless construct never ceases to amaze me!

Parkluxe-Success!

Myself and Lindsay at the beginning of the night

The VIP lounge

Anne B. Accessories

Anne B. Accessories

[I need this!]

Lara Preseber

Lara Presber

Rupi (The Diva Lounge), Ashley (Lions Lace Lattes), Myself and Karolina (Karolinas-Style)

My new friend Vincent!

Bridget Bergman (I'm making room in my closet for this coat!)

Caitlin Power

Caitlin Power

Caitlin Power

Eleven : Eleven Boutique Art Show, Market and Interview!

For the month of July Eleven : Eleven Boutique has been hosting a Summer Art Show, and on the past few weekends an Artist's Market featuring MaNoKin-Design, Pout Clothing, Abigail Gingerale Jewlery and the debut of Art For A Start. Today I stopped by the boutique to meet Lana, the owner, and check out all of the amazing art and the great sales going on this month! MaNoKin had a really great showing and, as with most of her collections, there were so many pieces I wanted! There was a great showing of art as well, and the artists and designers were on hand to discuss their work and meet any possible buyers, fans or fashion lovers. Last week we also did an interview with Lana, and I've been anxiously awaiting the day we can finally post it! After reading it over you can totally see how passionate she is about art, her work and the environment. She truly comes off as articulate, and insightful. I'm so happy to have our first blog feature on her! Hope you enjoy it!

[I]C: You are so supportive of local artists and designers. What do you love most about the arts culture in Calgary?

Lana: The arts culture in Calgary is just like any other city. It flourishes only when people give it room to grow. Art and creativity are the tools all societies need to move forward in new ways and to lead, in terms of innovation and problem solving. Art is the ability to look at problems, issues, from a different perspective. To truly create a sustainable city artists need to be free to do their job of expressing, bringing to light things that may normally be passed over in day to day life, asking questions and encouraging our society to think in new ways. I think Calgary designers are burning with a desire to do just that. Shake things up a bit.


[I]C: Not only are you an entrepreneur helping local artists get noticed, but you're also one yourself! Where do you draw inspiration from? And what's your favorite medium to work with?

Lana:  I draw inspiration mostly from the range of emotions and desires from within myself. At this point, when I create art, I'm mostly trying to teach myself about who I am. So, really, I'm inspired by the events that happen in my life, and my reactions to them. Also by people, I think people are beautiful. I mostly work in Acrylic and mixed media collages.

[I]C: You're passionate about sustainability, and designers using organic or recycled fabrics. What tips would you give to new designers looking to make their line more environmentally friendly?

Lana: There are so many ways to take environmental concerns seriously. Pesticides are a huge concern...so choose to use only organic cottons, and do the research behind how fabrics are made and grown. It is absolutely up to us to shape the future of what is acceptable and what is not. If you think your choices don't matter...well that's how we ended up in this mess. Also, it would be great to see more Canadian made fabrics being used, which would cut down on the fuel needed for the transportation of fabrics. This is for all you artists out there: how often do you invest in a locally made piece of clothing? How often do you invest in other artists' works of art? Ask yourself honestly, and if the truth is not very often, that is something to at least think about. Change starts with you. We all need to support each other.

[I]C: What tips would you give anyone else looking to reduce their carbon footprint?

Lana: It's really amazingly simple to start to change the way we consume. Concerning the clothing...try to skip the dryer and conserve energy. This also allows your clothes to last longer. By choosing to buy clothing that is made with love, and a little more expensive, you can consume less clothing over the years, throw less away, spend less money long term and feel wonderful about the pieces you buy. It all starts with you and me and all of us choosing to care about the history behind the things we buy. Cheaper is not better for the economy and does not foster sustainability.

[I]C: You opened in 2008 and seemed to have accomplished so much already between the gallery and the boutique. What are your goals for Eleven : Eleven and Resolution in the next 5 years?

Lana: My goal is to become more authentic and true to who I am, and to my vision. What form that is going to take...well...I'm busy creating that at the moment :)

A Folk Fest Love Affair

Last night Ivanka and I (along with our 2 younger sisters) got into our hippy best and made our way down to Prince's Island Park for the opening night of Folk Fest. First and foremost, we scanned the food vendors. Everything smelled amazing, and there was so much variety! Ivanka picked up some Jamaican patties, and I got a taco dog. It was just as insane as it sounds. Soon after we spread ourselves out under the trees. The weather was perfect for the evening, and we each took turns exploring the grounds. There was a lot of different vendors, from henna, to Cinder and Sage, to Prairie Fairies (they had adorable little tutus and sparkling wings for children). It was also our first time going to Very Hush Hush, which was such a cool idea! The little shop is set up in and around an old Airstream trailer. We settled in to watch Joel Plaskett, and City and Color. Both were amazing, as was the atmosphere. Everyone was so laid back, lounging on the grass or dancing to the music, laughing and enjoying the sunshine. As Dallas Green mentioned a few times, it was great to be in the presence of so many people together just for the simple love of music!

Visit our Facebook page for even more photos from the night!

Eleven Eleven Boutique's Art Show and Creative Market

There's about a million exciting things happening this month at Eleven Eleven Boutique, which is making it a little hard to know where to start with this post! First off, the store is having a Group Show, featuring 8 amazing local artists, all month long. Then, the last three weekends of July, they are having an Artists Market. The Market will host local clothing and jewelry designers, artists and more! MaNoKin Design will also be showing and selling their Fall/Winter 2011 collection at the market. Make sure you stop in to get some sure to be amazing deals and then check back here later for photos! For more information on the event you can go here!

Pulse, A Gallery Opening

Triangle Gallery is having the opening of their newest exhibit, Pulse: Alberta Society of Artists at 80 Years. The exhibit is split into two parts, the first of which is highlighting prints and paintings from Alberta artists from before the Second World War. All of the "past" artists have greatly influenced Alberta art to date! The second half features 11 contemporary Alberta artists and features photography, installation, sculpture and more. The exhibit runs from July 7th to August 24th, but if you're interested in meeting some of the artists or looking for something to do the opening reception runs from 7:30 to 10pm on Thursday night! For more information or to view a sampling of what is to be shown you can check out their Website.

Free This Long Weekend? Check out BassBus!

I stumbled upon this event a few weeks back and sadly can't attend as I've got family in town. This is definitely something worth checking out if you've got some spare time this weekend, and it seems like a such great idea! They will be having a market at the Arrata Opera House on July 2nd and there's tonnes of great local designers, jewelers, artists and musicians lined up with tickets only $20 in advance and $25 at the door. It's their first event and they're raising money and awareness for future events to support local artists! Photos of the bus look amazing(you can view them on their Facebook page. Link is below!) as they've got it covered in some really stunning art and graffiti. You can check out their Facebook page HERE or read a feature the Art Gallery of Calgary did here.

MaNoKin Runway

Today I packed up my camera and went into Calgary. After checking out the Market Collective and wandering around downtown Ivanka and I went to the MaNoKin Design show, Cirque Du Manique. The venue was amazing and had seating for everyone, so my feet managed to come home blister free! There were cupcakes, a popcorn machine, and a fortune teller (who told us "not to settle"). All of the servers wore circus-y outfits and the food was great! The waitresses were always coming around with different finger foods to try. So yummy! The show was really well put together in my opinion, and there were so many things I would have loved to take home. Everything seemed so wearable, whether it be a night on the town or to the office. I loved almost everything that came out! I snapped a ton of photos but, being the first show I've taken photos of, not all of them turned out to be winners. I've only got a small sampling of what was shown, and sadly I missed a lot of the more amazing pieces. All in all the show was great, and I'm so happy I got to go!