FASHION Magazine

The night before Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in a lace-sleeved McQueen confection, Vancouver-based brand Obakki (44 Water St., 604-669-9727, obakki.com) wed church and lace (cobwebby knits and diaphanous silks too), adorning St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church with a runway to debut its Fall 2011 collection. As pieces hit the shop floor this month, snag your own lacy number, the Amelia dress ($440, shown). Wear it now with bare, bronzed legs, and with tights when the weather turns cool.

Want a taste of the Big Apple right here at home? South Granville boutique Violet (3012 Granville St., 604-569-1514, violetboutique.ca) is the first to bring three handsome New York–based labels to Vancouver: Erin Fetherston, Whit and, my current obsession, Suno. This pattern-happy line, produced in Kenya, showcases the nation’s artistry and encourages social and economic change. August deliveries bring fall items to the store, including a beautiful floral button-down blouse ($415, shown above, centre) and a graphically gorgeous tie coat ($1,465, shown).

From celebrity stylists to models, this chic group of Canadian expats is painting the big apple red (and white).

See these women and read about their fashion careers, their favourite New York haunts, and what they miss the most about Canada »

Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada and Michael Kors are just three of the many designers who championed flat platforms (a.k.a flatforms) this season, offering height without the ouch factor. Get on board with Aldo’s (aldoshoes.com) design, the Ganzer sandal (shown, $90)—a perfect way to test drive the trend.

Couple Kleah Graham and Josh Michnik boxed up their downtown Victoria boutique, Charlie & Lee, and brought it to Vancouver’s Chinatown (223 Union St., 604-558-3030, charlieandlee.com). With this move come a few new things. Joining the racks are lines like Wren, Shakuhachi, Lonely Hearts and Primary New York (designed by their long-time friend, Canadian expat Cleo Schroeder). They’ve devoted a small backroom, dubbed The Studio, to high-end menswear from lines like Rag & Bone, IRO and Suit. The two even launched their own line, C&L Unbranded, as a means of reselling vintage finds and collaborating with artists and craftspeople. 

First we shared our favourite picks for the ultimate summer in Toronto. Now, we’re heading west with our western editor, Joy Pecknold’s top picks for how (and in what!) to spend the summer months in Vancouver.

Shop the guide now! »

Learning to surf isn’t pretty, but after a toss in the tide, I like to layer on Karenjess jewellery (karenjess.com) to at least appear effortlessly beach chic. Cast from real shells found at beaches dear to designer Karen Hendry—including her hometown of Vancouver and Tofino, B.C., the site of my first surf lesson—she debuted with silver necklaces and this season branched into both bangles and bronze. At Sitka (1864 W. Fourth Ave., 604-568-9935, sitkasurfboards.com).

Now that Anthropologie, my go-to clothier for summer fete frocks, has a storefront in South Granville (2912 Granville St., 604-734-2529, anthropologie.com), I’m using the dollars I would’ve spent road-tripping to its Seattle location to nab more natty dresses. Be the belle of the garden party in a bold coral shift dress from India’s Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna (shown, $290).

With four weddings on my summer schedule, I’m checking bathroom linens off every registry and tossing in cheeky, Vancouver-made Grandiose Lab soaps. Nothing says “Till death do us part” like an all-natural, grapefruit-scented skull ($16, $38 with coffin) or a set of teeth ($7).

If you were anywhere near a television during the Vancouver Olympics, you’ll be familiar with the names Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. You’ll remember their killer moves, their gold medal for ice dancing, and most importantly, their undeniable chemistry. While the two haven’t dated since they were teens, there must’ve been millions of viewers across the country plotting their futures together. So it seems fitting that the two teamed up for the launch of The Body Shop’s new Body Butter Duos ($16 each, at The Body Shop locations across Canada), given that they’re constantly connected in our minds (and dreams). The newly available body butter duo offers the same old goodness but split into two, offering both normal- and dry-skin coverage. (They’re majorly delicious. We love macadamia.)

While at the launch last month, we had the chance to go über-fan on the dancing duo and quiz them on things that may or may not have had anything to do with how soft their skin is.

Read our interview after the jump:

The triumphant restoration of the 64-years-young, Tiki-inspired Waldorf Hotel (1489 E. Hastings St., 604-253-7141, waldorfhotel.com) makes it suitable for the Rat Pack, but luckily, it’s playing to the fashion pack too. At lobby level, the gift shop has gone “Surfin’ Safari” for summer with the likes of Cuchè swimsuits, Brixton straw hats, Red Flag Design sailcloth bags, and Alexandra Cassaniti sunglasses and neoprene leggings.

Didn’t get the memo? Mussed up hair aside, wearing your sweatpants in public is probably the most direct way to send easy breezy vibes. For Vancouverites, the best place to get said trendy basics is the Times Profile Shop (231 Cambie St., 604-681-3546), which is showcasing the full, spring/summer collection from Alternative Apparel for just a few more weeks.