Line- Issue 1 December 2012 by Line Magazine

FASHION • TRENDS • STYLE IN ATLANTIC CANADA

Inspiring local fashion. To advertise in the next issue of LINE magazine, contact us at sales@linemagazine.ca or visit www.linemagazine.ca for more information

Table of Contents December 2012

17 FEATURES 4 [Phase} Emerging Designer’s Showcase

6 Fashion VS Finance

10 Mills | A History of Style and Change

11 J&R Grimsmo

15 Splurge

22 26 Bhavana Yoga Emporium

27 Behind the Mask

COLUMNS 11 Designers/Shops/Bloggers

12 Where We’ve Been

31 Fashion Tweets

Veronica MacIsaac Accessories

Et CETERA

2 2 28 29

Stella & Dot

22 Orphanage Clothing DECEMBER 2012

Lettter from the Publisher Lettter from the Fashion Editor Credits Where to Buy

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Letter from the Publisher Fashion is alive and well in Halifax.More and more local shops and designers are popping up, but there still seems to be a bit of a divide between the local fashion industry and the fashion consumer. That line is about to become a lot thinner. As someone who knows, owns and wears Halifax designers, and does her best to shop local, I want everyone to know what’s out there in our city.

she created her own line of jewelry and Michael Kors was a child actor appearing in a variety of commercials, including one for Lucky Charms. Just like all designers and shop owners in HRM and surrounding communities, everyone has to start somewhere. We are lucky to have so many starting in Halifax.

Yes, I love to dress in “labeled” fashions! It’s hard to not want to. But even Louis Vuitton didn’t start out as a famous designer right away. Coco Chanel started as a cabaret singer. Manolo Blahnik was a writer for Vogue Italia before starting to focus on designing shoes. Vivienne Westwood was working as a primary school teacher when

Line Magazine will spotlight designers, photographers, models and shop owners, who are the fabric of the Halifax fashion community. We are the resource for all who want to be fashionably conscious of their local options.

AMANDA KINCAID PUBLISHER & OWNER

Issue one is also the start of what I hope will become the go to place for fashion, trends and style in the Atlantic Provinces. We started in Halifax and hope to expand in the coming issues. We also hope to become a guide to the who’s who in the industry.

Line Magazine: Inspiring local fashion

Letter from the Fashion Editor Trained in Los Angeles shooting beauty and glamour photography, Brent decided to pursue his first love - fashion photography - three years ago. His first fashion shoot was done for Halifax based tartan designer Veronica MacIsaac’s fall/winter 2009 line.

Brent McCombs Fashion Editor & Photographer

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Since then, photography has taken Brent literally to the ends of the earth. From New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal to Argentina, China, Iceland, Norway, Ireland and Antarctica. With a portfolio recently published on Vogue Italia’s website, Brent’s clients include

designers from across North America. In love with the landscape and people of Atlantic Canada, Brent has chosen to always return to Halifax, and in September 2012, along with his studio partner, opened Shadow House Studios, which is the largest photography studio east of Montreal in the country. Brent has been a strong supporter of and advocate for the Atlantic Canadian Fashion Community, working with numerous established and emerging designers, and acting as lead photographer for Atlantic Fashion Week.

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[PHASE] emerging designer showcase

Congratulations to the first graduating class of the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program at Halifaxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centre for Arts and Technology. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia played host to the gala showcase finale and featured the designs of Eman Mustafa, Ashley Reading, Whadah AlAbdujader and Mitchell Stuart Gilroy.

Designers (from left to right) Eman Mustafa, Ashley Reading, Wadha Al-Abduljader and Mitchell Stuart Gilroy.

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Fashion

Finance

This is the ever present dilemma faced by most shoppers. Killer dress over rent, perfectly fitted suit over the grocery bill. When endless rooting through discount racks and waiting for end of season sales wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t due, try these tips to help win the fight for your closet.

Layaway

Pre Paid Credit Cards

A concept first developed in the 1930s as a way of allowing customers to make purchases during the Great Depression, layaway has come in and out of favour over the years. In the current economic climate, the concept is making a comeback.

Just like the name implies, you set your limit based on a pre payment. These cards are a great way to shop without getting out of control. There are two types of prepaid cards, anonymous and registered. Anonymous card card are purchased at retail stores. There is no application, but they usually have activation and usage fees. Once they are used, no interest charges apply unless you decided to keep the card active. These cards also do not affect your credit score.

Unlike credit cards, a major advantage of layaway is that there are no interests fees associated with it. The trade off is that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to take the item home with you until final payment is made. Some shops allow customers to develop their own payment plans. Layaway has become a desirable option for customers and merchants alike. Always read store policies before entering into a layaway agreement. Some payment plans require customers to adhere to a specific payment schedule or add an additional charge to use their layaway program.

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Registered cards must be applied for and are offered through finical institutions as regular cards. An initial limit is set and must be paid on the card before it can be used. Unlike anonymous cards, registered cards must be paid back and carry regular interest charges. Since registered cards go through financial institutions, they can be used almost anywhere. Most anonymous cards cannot be used for online purchases.

Online Daily Interest Accounts Most people have switched to online banking and banks are now offering online daily or high interest saving accounts. Unlike normal savings accounts, they cannot be accessed through your bank card, putting an end to impulse or overspending. You can transfer money into or out of the account at anytime without penalty. However, the more money in the account, the higher the interest. These accounts are usually free to set up and do not involve transactions fees. Check with your bank about minimal investments and balances. Most banks also require that you have an existing account or credit line with them to take advantage of these interest accounts.

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DESIGNERS

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J E R E B R O OKS

DREAM BOAT LU C Y

S E B A S TI AN CO UTUR E

N O M SG AD DED

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Designers | Shops | Bloggers

FASHION DESIGNERS

FASHION BLOGGERS

Veronica MacIsaac

Fashion Roadkill Short Presents Boho Bisous House of Winchester Fashion East Fashionable People, Questionable Things Curvy Geekery Classic Noise The Fashionable Bureaucrat

Veronica MacIsaac Apparel

Kim Munson Orphanage Clothing

Jere Brooks Jere Brooks

Louanna and Hilary Murphy Dreamboat Lucy

Lisa Drader-Murphy Turbine Pamela McInnis Cranky

John Michael Brewer Drunk Gurl Collection

Katrina Tuttle Katrina Tuttle

Mo Handahu Clutch Culture

Mitchell Stuart Gilroy No Added MSG

Overman Eman Mustafa Sebastian Couture Connie Zafiris

WHERE TO SHOP Twisted Muse Sweet Pea Mills Duggers D2 HIM Foreign Affair Turbine Wildflower Clothing Crimson & Clover Debut All Dressed Up KAS Biscuit General Store Winsby Shoes Vogue Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wear House of Moda Envy Pseudio Renaissance Clothing Company Unicorn Ladies Fashion & Shoes Pink Mascara Accessories Boutique Joliette Frida

Zafira Apparel

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Mills

A History of Style & Change

As Mills prepares to enter the next chapter of its history, we take a look back at Halifax’s oldest retail store. Opened in 1919 by brothers Hugh and Willet Mills, the original name on the store front read “Mills Brothers”. During the early 1900’s, style was being heavily influenced by international fashion. The two European brothers were quick to fill that need, right here in Halifax. They brought in top lines not available locally at the time, beginning the legacy of being the city’s high end fashion store, as it has become known to this day. Today Mills continues to carry quality European lines like Hugo Boss from Germany, Jaeger from the United Kingdom and Armani Collezioni from Italy. Paired with major American lines BCBG and Nicole Miller, it is also the only store this side of Montreal to carry the MICHAEL Michael Kors collection. Constantly bringing in new lines and continuing to offer cosmetics and lingerie, Mills has seen many changes in its 93 year history. Mills has gone from a multi level department store carrying housewears, men’s wear and a gift shop, to housing just three major departments; Ladies wear, cosmetics and lingerie now occupy just a level and a half. Sharing room with businesses like Twisted Muse, Casa Dante hair studio

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and House of Moda was the idea of previous owner Mickey MacDonald. MacDonald became part of the Mills history when he purchased it in 2007. He started the change of Mills being owned by someone outside the extended Mills family. He soon started to section off space to rent commercially under the “Shops of Mills” banner. During renovations, a fire in the upper levels threatened to end the Mills legacy. After reconstruction and a huge fire sale, new shops started to occupy the upper spaces. Although ownership of the building where Mills has been located for over one hundred years is still under MacDonald’s Micco Companies, the Mills retail company is undergoing another major change: it has again been sold- this time to four fashionable, professional women. Three of the new owners are partners in the Halifax office of Stewart McKelvey, Atlantic Canada’s largest law firm. New ownership will also mean another stylish change for Mills – a move! The store will relocate to Spring Garden Place in the current Roots and Thornbloom locations early next year. So if you haven’t been to Mills before, it’s your last chance to take a walk through the original location, but your first chance to experience the ever changing and always fashionable legacy that is Mills.

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J & R Grimsmo The first time I walked into the store, I felt as if I had walked into a swanky boutique in Toronto or New York. I was drawn in by the unique displays, antique fixtures, hard wood floors and elegant layout. Once inside I was treated to some of the most creative and stunning jewelry I had ever seen. Moving to the clothing racks, my eyes were immediately drawn to a beautiful green full length cocktail dress. But this was not the only item I would be drawn to. Between the old fashion desk with homemade paper decorations hanging above and a western themed diorama, there was a treasure chest of unique finds. Classic yet relaxed clothing draped between every rack and including Canadian designers such as Melissa Nepton and Dace. Don’t worry about putting together an outfit here. Every mannequin is perfectly styled, taking DECEMBER 2012

the guess work out of what to wear tomorrow! This may be due in part to the owners or proprietors as it states on what they have named “acquaintance card” rather than business card. Jessy Lacourciere and Rachael Grant are the talent behind the shop, or as the logo states “clothing, confection and bespoke” and they have left no detail to the ordinary. One source of their creativity may stem from working on TV and Film costumes for years, but their dedication to their business shines through with every step you take. So whether you’re an avid sailor who loves all things nautical, or just looking to expand the casual chic side of your closet, J & R Grimsmo should be at or near the top of your downtown shopping itinerary. Visit J & R Grimsmo located at 1533 Barrington St Halifax. Follow them on Facebook- facebook.com/ jandrgrimsmo

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Where We’ve Been CONNI ZAFIRIS Former Veronica MacIsaac intern, Conni recently sold her designs to fashion Boutique “Dressed to Kill” in Miami. Connie is currently attending school in Quebec. Shop her designs at www.etsy.com/shop/zafiraapparel

VERONICA MACISAAC “From Scotland with Love” 2012 NYC Starting at “Dressed to Kilt” in 2011, Veronica was the first fashion designer asked back a second year, as well as being the only Canadian designer in the newly named “From Scotland with Love” fashion show both years in NYC. Celebrity models included Fantastic 4’s Ioan Gruffudd and Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford. www.veronicamacisaac.com

MITCHELL STUART GILROY Last February, Mitchell travelled to Montreal to participate in Telio’s Canada’s Breakthrough Designers Competition. He won the Technical Merit for his transformable dress, and placed in the Top 5 nationally. More information on Mitchell’s line No MGS Added, can be found at Noaddedmsg.com

SARAH AINSLEY HARRISON Miss Universe 2012 competition Finished Top 12 out of 62 national delegates, and she’s competing again 2013. “The best part of the experience was getting to know and learning from such a diverse and incredible group of women.” Follow Sarah on Twitter @ SarahAinsleyH 12

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{ } YOUR AD HERE

To advertise in the next issue of LINE magazine, contact us at sales@linemagazine.ca or visit www.linemagazine.ca for more information DECEMBER 2012

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DECEMBER 2012

Splurge Behind her soft voice, sparkling eyes and Splurge moved to Park Lane before ending up in its current smile that almost hugs you, there’s a story. location on Brenton St. Hers starts when she was in diapers “As a baby my mother tells the story about me coming down the stairs on my bum, cause I couldn’t walk yet. But she said she went around the corner because she could hear a thump and I had my arms up and I had all her jewelery on my little arms.” Sarah deWolf owner of Splurge Handbags, is a single mother and Halifax business owner who has managed to turn her passion into profit. After high school Sarah found herself in Indonesia working in a garment factory producing garments for export. Previously she was working at a store in Halifax who produced most of their garments there. It would be 12 years before she would return home to deliver her son. After a short two year break, she was right back into to the fashion industry “At first I was actually sort of retired, but I just love to shop and there weren’t very many boutiques back in the early 2000’s” Her solution; open her own boutique! In October 2002 Splurge Handbags open its doors at its original location in Spring Garden Place. Later DECEMBER 2012

Sarah works at the store Monday through Thursday and loves it “For me it doesn’t feel like work. It’s really fun. I enjoy it and I would rather be here than home.” But Sarah knows the importance of being home for her son, 2 cats, a dog and two exchange students. she takes the weekends off and has opted to do her buying online rather than attend buying shows. “I’m a single mom, I own my own business, I don’t have a partner. So for me to be away, I have a lot of responsibility.” A responsibility her son is helping to share. According to Sarah, he has inherited her eye for fashion and helps with buying and pricing of jewelry. She hopes he will someday take Splurge to another level. For now Sarah is happy to provide her customers with unique and original fashions “Everyone should be able to express their individuality and their personality through the pieces that they choose.” To chose your own pieces, visit Splurge at 1480 Brenton Street. Follow Splurge on Twitter @SplurgeHandbags or on Facebook Splurge Handbag Ltd.

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Veronica MacIsaacâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collections have graced the runways of Atlantic and Ottawa Fashion Weeks, From Scotland with Love in New York, and recently found this iconic photo featured in Vogue Italia. Like her clothing line, Veronica was born in Halifax. She is the sole designer, seamstress, and salesperson for Veronica MacIsaac Apparel. She is constantly setting up fashion shows and expanding her collections. Her recent accessories line comes in a variety of tartans and colors. This winter Veronica will be working on a menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection due out this spring. DECEMBER 2012

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The accessories market is a $20 billion dollar a year industry and one company is taking that industry by storm. Stella and Dot is a direct sales business that in a few short years went from a one women show, to an Inc. 500 company. If you haven’t heard of it, chances are you have at least seen one of its hundreds of stylish pieces. Stella and Dot has been seen on celebrities from Katy Perry to Kim Kardashian. Talk show host Kathy Lee Gifford and her guests are wearing it. Magazines have also picked up on the line. Stella and Dot has been featured in numerous publications such as Vogue, Elle and InStyle. For those who have already discovered these stylish jems, chances are you’ve gotten compliments on it. Women everywhere are discovering the fashion forward line and falling in love with it. Stella and Dot Stylist Nirah Villenue knows that feeling. Her love affair started during an episode of the Bachelorette, “A few years ago I fell in love with a pair of earrings that a contestant was wearing and spent an ungodly amount of time searching for them online. I found out they were from Stella and Dot!” Two and a half years later she is the only Director for the company in the Maritimes.

Stella & Dot Do you have the

jewels for the job?

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“I can’t talk enough about being a stylist! I honestly have never been happier in a job,” Villenue says excidedly. “I don’t know of any other job that is this much fun. It is entrepreneurial, fashion forward, creative, flexible, exciting. I could go on and on!” Villenue’s passion for the company can be contagious when you speak to her. “The company itself is fantastic.I have never worked for a company so focused on making their stylists happy. The other women that I have met during my time here have been amazing; lots are now very good friends. And there is such a great community of women helping women at S&D. That is something I haven’t experienced before either,” recounts Villenue of past employers. Whether you simply want to purchase your favourite accessories, earn extra cash or take on a new career path, Stella and Dot has found a way to inspire and empower women all over the globe. Hosting a trunk show can earn you hundreds of dollars in free jewellery depending on sales. Go a step further and become a stylist to earn hundreds to thousands of dollars in commission.This year the company broke into the European market making it not only a global brand, but creating endless possibilities for the company and its stylists. DECEMBER 2012

Models: Hannah McNeil (above) and Ashley Wolochuk (previous page and far right) DECEMBER 2012

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Orphanage Clothing Taking inspiration from smokey southern rock’n roll and dark gothic fairy tales, designer Kim Munson of Orphanage Clothing fuses two very diverse aesthetics into an edgy, fashion forward, urban chic line which has propelled her to the top of Atlantic Canadian fashion. With her most recent creations, Kim has evolved Orphanage beyond it’s origins and into a sort of ‘waste couture’ brand, constructing new gowns and suits that look stunning in ballrooms, at cocktail parties and gallery openings. With this expansion has come the opportunity to work with musicians like Hawksley Workman and on major commercial projects. 22

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All Orphanage designs are cut from post-consumer, deconstructed clothing, sourced from second hand stores. “I believe there to be a lot of waste in this world. It is important to use what we have. For this reason, I love to make clothing from garments that have already existed. They have been made and worn, and have a story unto themselves. I take these garments and renew their stories.” Kim designs, drafts, cuts and sews every garment in the Orphanage line from her studio in downtown Halifax. The re-use of materials results in renewed life for old garments, and completely original, unique designs in each Orphanage piece. DECEMBER 2012

Model: Jason Chemij

Model: Emma Gosen

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Model: Kyla Nicolle

Model: Teghan Gosley

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D E C E M B El Ri n2e0 1 2

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Yoga

Models: Stephanie Bullock Lin Lin Ngu Instructor Kim Nicholson

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Behind the Masks Pushing boundaries and defying convention is a way of life for Andrea LaGassie, the designer behind Halifax based leather accessory design company Necrobilia. LaGassie says that her leather masks (featured in our cover photo -ed.) appeal to a wider audience than she’d have imagined when she began making them from scratch in 2010. “Some people buy them as art pieces, others use them as fetish wear, and recently a couple commissioned a pair of puzzle-piece masks to wear at their wedding,” says LaGassie.

“I decided to learn more about leatherwork. I took a class at Tandy Leather Factory. I realized I could do a lot more - from curing to tooling and dying techniques, I started doing it all,” she says. With her knowledge of the local alternative community, LaGassie believed she had access to a market, so she began building pieces and testing the waters at trade and craft shows like the Gothic Little Christmas Show and HalCon, and the line also sold out of the gothic boutique Morrigan LeFay’s before that shop closed.

LaGassie has always been into making garments and accessories. Design work is a strong part of her family history. “My mother was a professional seamstress and a craftsperson,” she says, “and I just learned from her.”

In the future, LaGassie would like to explore whether another local boutique would pick up her line, and she’s looking to expand her line and perhaps get some recognition as a craftsperson.

From metal work to jewelry, belly dance costumes and beadwork, LaGassie has explored numerous areas for her creativity, but in 2009, when she was searching without success for a particular style of mask, she decided she could probably make what she was looking for easier than finding it elsewhere. “I was looking for a high quality leather catwoman style mask. But none of the ones I could find were very good, so I found a pattern online, sourced the leather from Tandy leather and starting building.”

“It’s my creative outlet, but sure, I’d like to be a bit better known for being a talented craftsperson. I’m moving forward with my coffin and heart shaped purse designs.” LaGassie also mentions that she is working on a large new project. She’s encountered some technical challenges, but while she’s not ready to reveal the details of the project to the world yet, she does say with a twinkle in her eye that if it turns out as hoped, “It will be big.” Find Necrobilia online at www.necrobilia.ca

The reaction to the first mask was immediate and overwhelming. DECEMBER 2012

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Coming Soon Leviathan

Thank you Special thanks to Brent McCombs of AlterEgo Photography for taking all of the photography shown in this issue.

Special Thanks Hair

Vlad Snytkin, Orphanage Clothing, pages 24-25

Cody Fryday, Nuance Hair Studio Stella and Dot, pages 20-21

Stylist

Jonathan Neil Salon

Makeup Artists

Amanda Wood, Amanda Wood Makeup Artistry Stella and Dot, pages 20-21 Splurge, page 15 Yoga, page 28

Elle Munster, Maritime Beauty Sales Associate Orphanage Clothing, pages 24-25