photo by Leigh Righton
In the past if I heard the words “Fashion Week” and “Vancouver” in the same sentence I would run for cover. Vancouver has been divided by the ego’s of BC Fashion Week and Vancouver Fashion Week for years. 2 events fighting for the same media, the same designers, the same buyers and absolutely refusing to join forces. In fact, one Fashion Week tried to sue the other and make it go away. How old are we really?
Year after year I have been approached to show my collections, and year after year I pretend to have never received those emails. I have attended LG Fashion Week in Toronto, and can very blatantly see the difference of a professional event, and serious Gong Show! To top the cake of embarrassing scandals and tantrum throwing fashion weeks, last years FRAUD wins the prize!
Taking my Fashion Week Virginity this year, I am proud to announce that I will be showing my Spring Summer 2011 Collection “dreamcatcher” and ECO Fashion Week Vancouver! Backed by a big name sponsor, and celebrity endorsement, ECO Fashion Week is off to a great start to its official launch. As all my clothes are constructed from reclaimed fabrics, this fashion week is just what I have been waiting for.
photo by Leigh Righton
kdon by kim cathers 
BRILLIANT Spirit!
What we need is a fashion week that puts us on the map. As a journalist who has long championed local fashion talent and businesses, I’m looking forward to Vancouver Eco Fashion Week with crossed fingers.
Guy Babineau,
You are on the MARK completely!
I’ve been involved in the local fashion industry on and off, directly and indirectly for almost 20 years now.
I have been saying for a number of those years that we really need to support ALL the amazing local talent we have here by nuturing it and begin building our own industry force or fashion government from there! Kim is a brilliant example of this!
It will take some time, however it can be done! We keep losing all of our GENIUS talent to the larger industry cities like Toronto, Los Angeles, New York and London because that’s where we’ve learned FASHION is supposed to be! However, it’s sitting beautifully right in front of us!
We are on the verge of something very special here with Eco Fashion Week Vancouver and I am so proud and excited to be a part of it!
I am looking forward to “investing” wholeheartedly in this blossoming talent as it grows into “our own” in the next couple to few years!
Thanks for the post Kim! I have placed it on my Facebook page. Vancouver fashion industry needs to come together and not tear each other apart. Vancouver is its own own worst enemy.
Unfortunately a large amount of peoples egos and attitudes have gotten in the way.A sense of entitlement prevails here. Too often in this city it is people who do not have the talent or creativity who rise above but instead those who know the right people.Let us change that and regard talent instead of clique culture.
The talented industry people leave Vancouver to pursue their career as the Vancouver attitude is one of complacency with the status quo. So many people are fearful of change here and anyone doing something different.
Vancouver tends not to celebrate successes. It is a glass ceiling city where success is only acceptable to a certain point and only by certain people. This attitude needs to change and I’m glad that you are one who agrees with this. We will continue to lose talented people and opportunities to other cities that promote fashion until individuals stand up to the typical Vancouver high school juvenile behaviour.
I am excited about this new fashion week