Fashion

New to the Mount Pleasant neighborhood this year, the Square Community Market is a 2 day art, fashion and music showcase highlighting some of the up-and-coming talent Vancouver has to offer in the Arts community while raising money for two worthwhile arts and culture charities.

Despite what many believe, there is a lot of money in Vancouver. Visit Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen, Louis Vuitton (the largest one in Canada) and you’ll find they are full of shoppers ready to plunk down thousands of dollars to get the latest high end fashions. This reputation hasn’t gone unnoticed and has convinced the world’s biggest outlet mall developer McArthurGlen to come to Vancouver. The plan is to build a 340,000 square foot outlet mall that will have the world’s leading fashion brands all in one place.

Happy Thursday readers! Last night was the official kick off of shows for Vancouver Fashion Week. The Chinese Cultural Center was hot and buzzin’ the moment I arrived, there were plenty of media bulbs flashing and numerous interviews taking place.

For me, fashion must be practical. The beautiful pieces that go down the runways in Milan are incredible but they are just that. Definitely drool-worthy but too couture for my taste. That’s why I get so excited when a retailer finally ‘gets’ it and are able to put forward pieces that are functional, thoughtful and made out of great quality.

So who attended the opening gala at Vancouver Fashion Week — and, what were they wearing? 

First off, thank you to Vancitybuzz for sending a doe-eyed rookie like me to Vancouver Fashion Week’s Opening Gala at the Opus Hotel last night. Fellow writer Jenica and I arrived to see a mini line already forming (we weren’t even fashionably late!).