FASHION Magazine

The word “designer” permeates Kara Chomistek’s world from head to heels. This cool 24-year-old biomedical engineer designs orthopedic equipment and her own namesake clothing line. In her spare time, she dances with a semi-professional salsa troupe, in addition to teaching cha-cha, tango and jive. She is also the co-founder and president of PARK (Promoting Artists, Redefining Kulture), a non-profit organization launched in 2008 that promotes local designers and artists through designer forums, industry mixers, and fashion and art shows. When attending evening affairs, this glam go-getter slips into spotlight-stealing labels, including Lanvin, Miu Miu, Valentino and local designer Paul Hardy. “Fashion allows me to achieve balance in my life,” she says. “It’s another medium for me to use my creativity. Similar to art, I like to wear unique or unusual pieces that can spark a conversation.”

See her shopping picks »

Editor: Sarah Casselman

Manjy Sidoo’s magnum opus may be motherhood (she has two teenage boys with her hubby David, a former CFL player), but her philanthropic endeavours are a close second. She’s a director at the Sidoo Family Foundation and a board member of the Vancouver Opera (VO), which she joined 10 years ago for the Chanel Gala 2002 fundraiser. Today, she’s a regular participant in VO events (and one of the best-dressed, in her sweeping Oscar de la Renta gowns), such as Purseuasion Designer Bag Auction and Luncheon, and Overture, an onstage dinner she’s co-chairing this year. This intersection of art and fashion inspires her involvement. “Fashion is all around us. It’s hard for me not to have a heightened awareness of my aesthetic surrounding,” she says. “If I see a beautiful dress or antique or piece of art, I have a visceral reaction.”

View Manjy Sidoo’s picks »