FASHION Magazine

When it comes to crafting her own personal style, Edmonton’s Alyssa Lau is all about DIY. See her shopping picks » Alyssa Lau’s one-of-a-kind shredded shorts, studded denim jackets and floral head wreaths are showcased on Ordinary Peoples, the blog she launched in 2011 with her cousin Kurtis. The 20-year-old chemistry student with a flair […]

The post It girl, Alyssa Lau: We profile the Edmonton-based Style Panelist’s sartorial choices and shopping picks for fall appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

After 170 years of being located strictly in Quebec, Simons is ready to make a move west. In October the department store will open its doors in Alberta at the West Edmonton Mall.

Amongst the roller coasters and water parks in the giant mall, Simons will occupy 95,000 square feet (that’s a lot of feet!) and will sell international brands like Missoni and Balmain as well as its well-loved in-house brand.

Check out all the graphic artists’ sweaters! »

What with Holt Renfrew’s limited-edition designer collection and Fashion’s Night Out festivities, we’ve already carved out time to celebrate the high-end mecca’s 175th birthday in style. Now Holt’s has announced yet another addition to their Hot @ 175 festivities (and yet another reason to camp out in front of your nearest Holt’s location): the luxury retailer will be hitting the road in a mobile pop-up shop next month, with specially created sweaters on sale for the occasion by seven internationally celebrated graphic artists.

The fall collections may have already hit store floors but don’t fret; there’s still plenty of time for days on the beach and nights on the patio. And this weekend there’s also a big-city flea market, a Prairie folk festival, a big closing ceremony and some contemporary Spanish design to check out. Olé!

Find out what to do this weekend! »

Plippity-ploppity goes the rain, and pippity-poppity goes the shopping. This weekend, when we’re not watching designer-clad athletes dodge raindrops in London, we’re checking out temporary shops across the country. Popping up in unlikely locales, get your wardrobe fix everywhere from frescoed-in-spray-paint back alleys to restaurants best known for their house-music brunch service. But who wants house music when you have the latest band from Edmonton on your Rdio?

Find out what to do this weekend »

Spring visit to the Wildfox Couture (wildfoxcouture.com) showroom in downtown Los Angeles ignited visions of summertime festival fashion at the Calgary Stampede and the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. This L.A. brand is available at Calgary’s Coco+Violet Boutique (17-2500 Fourth St. SW, Calgary, 403-244-6234, cocoandviolet.com), one of only a few shops in Alberta to carry this celeb-adored label. The light knit, strategically shredded sweaters (right, $320) and cowgirl graphic tees balance pretty Coachella grunge with the perfect dose of home.

It’s official! Edmonton has made the J.Crew cut. West Edmonton Mall (8882 170th St. NW, Edmonton, 780-484-1590, wem.ca) welcomes this sought-after preppy label with a 5,657-square-foot retail space. Prepare to get your summer shop on: From nautical stripes to bright solid colours and statement-making accessories, this all-American brand headed by executive creative director Jenna Lyons has you covered from daytime stroll to sunset soirée.

Take your style notes from Prada this season and pair a sweet summer dress with bold, antique-style earrings. Edmonton’s Rachel Bingham lovingly handcrafts one-of-a-kind jewellery from antique and discarded materials sourced throughout the world for her line BangBang Bijoux (bangbangbijoux.com). Mixing vintage brass, Lucite and resin with re-polished beads, crystals and appliqués, these on-trend treasures tell a sparkly story (from $35).

This year, one of Edmonton’s local treasures celebrates the 10th anniversary of her ready-to-wear label, Suka Clothing (sukaclothing.ca). Alisha Schick is known for balancing feminine silhouettes with edgy geometric details, and her Spring 2012 show at Western Canada Fashion Week included an array of cool cosmic microprints. Here, the designer and fashion design instructor (she teaches at Edmonton’s MC College) talks secret fashion weapons and childhood fads.

What is your secret design weapon?
“My sketchbook is my most important tool. I sketch a full figure for key pieces and looks, and then elaborate. There is always a strong story behind each collection.”

View the winning collection »

Edmonton had never seen anything like it before. Over the course of two short days, fashion industry experts from New York and Toronto bulldozed into a city of over a million people and changed its fashion beat.

The Mercedes-Benz Start Up program, now in its second year, has again begun its search for the next big Canadian designer, and last night, asked five of the top designers (after a grueling day of interviews with the top 10), to show their collections at the semi-final runway show at David Morris Fine Cars, an Edmonton Mercedes-Benz dealership.

This is the time of year to revamp your lingerie collection. Treat yourself this Valentine’s Day with a trip to one of Alberta’s two new Victoria’s Secret locations (Kingsway Mall, 109 St. and Princess Elizabeth Ave., Edmonton, 780-479-4221; Southcentre Mall, 100 Anderson Rd. SE, Calgary, 403-278-4881; victoriassecret.com), both fully stocked with all the fine lingerie and satiny goodness you’ve been fantasizing about since the brand’s Canadian launch nearly two years ago.

The aptly named So Pretty Jewelry (sopretty.ca), by Edmonton gem Cara Cotter, delivers precious stones in Caribbean hues–just in time for your mid-winter tropical getaway. Her Gum Drop Seafoam Chyrsoprase & Gold Vermeil Locket ($165, shown) stole my heart. Available at the new So Pretty pop-up shop in Coup Garment Boutique (101-10137 104 St., Edmonton, 780-756-3032, coupboutique.com).