Editor’s Note: If Toronto Fashion Week had real friends, they would tell her that the lighting was garish at the Allstream Centre, that the Allstream Centre was basically in Etobicoke. She would hold her while she cried for nights on end about how there is no support and no money for young talent in Toronto or Canada and that’s why she must keep whoring her self, for cheaper and cheaper as the years go on and she sinks further into the depths of “for real? this is the best you can do?” If Toronto Fashion Week had any real friends, maybe they would save her from herself.

In any case, Pinkie braved what she could and found something nice to say about almost everyone…

Its officially day three of Toronto’s LG Fashion Week, I know already.

I kept it pretty low key the first couple days, but no more!!

Today on the schedule is Orange by Angela Chen, Lundström Collection and Evan Biddell.

Vancouver native Angela Chen who first launched her line, Orange, in New York City but is hitting the home crowd for the first time and she didn’t disappoint. The show was cleverly named “Contrast” and you can see why, as the 23 looks stormed down the runway in shades of black and white. Colour wasn’t the only contrast though, Angela ingeniously contrasted the concrete chic with soft, natural organic elements. This season, Angela’s collection wasn’t about neon brights, or glitzy fabrics encrusted with the sort of gemstones you might see at jewellers like Seventy Seven Diamonds, but focused more on earthy fabrics and muted tones. She accomplished this statement with her use of fabric; wool suiting, silk organza, wool coating, and hand-knit wool and mohair yarn.

The is was a collection of fundamental pieces… the sheer silk organza blouse was delightful with just enough “ummmff” in the sleeves, basic skirts and shorts were draped with soft ripples which managed not to take over the garment. What caught my eye was her attention to detail on the back of the body from pleats, drapes and bows very tactful. My favourites would have to be those lovely oversized hand-knit sweaters that Angela knitted herself, the necklines cascaded, the sleeves ballooned. At times the knits resembled sweaters, capes, dresses, pullovers, shrugs of all lengths that demanded attention as they encased the runway as the fall ”must-haves”. The final pieces in the collection were the pièce de résistance sparkly hand-knit dresses with a sultry flow and swag. Angela, its official you found a new muse… me!!

For More Photos From The Orange Show, Click Here!

Lundstrom

We all know the Lundström name, so imagine the when we heard they were debuting a collection.

Let’s not forget though folks all ties have been cut with award-winning Canadian designer Linda Lundström, but a little bit of her was still evident. With that said you can imagine how packed the show was. The collection made its debut with 39 outfits with inviting ivories, creme camel and chocolate flooded,  and an slight attack of animal prints were also on the lose in the cobra jacquard and leopard-patterned silk.

Numerous shades of gray were on display in boiled wool, mohair and flannel skirts, a metallic boucle coat and skirt in silverish tone and a sheath dress in heather gray I had to catch my breath. Burst of colour were far and few, in shades of claret and turmeric, the pop for me was the claret mohair wrap ensemble layered over the gray pieces… had the entire crowd!! And paired with elbow high gray leather gloves can we say cherry on top.

A magnificent Balmoral plaid coat with a shawl collar sprawling off the shoulder and around the back, with partially inverted pleat that closes with a zipper, layered over a chocolate mohair cardi, with claret turtleneck anchored by delightful riding pants.

Of course the irrestible alpaca cuddle coats that snuggled you in shades of black, and walnut you, and the peacoat in midnight with captivating back seams. We shalt not forget the sequins, my BFF and my fave outfit happened to be the black sequined skirt topped with the white blouse with the cascading collar or maybe the black sequin tunic. They even put sequins on a mohair evening, I swear!! Everyone held their breathes for the LaParka outerwear and capes, relax they’re still here, but the new Collection has a lil more of luxury swag in cashmere, mohair, camel and alpaca. The grande finale was an exposed back bias-cut silk velvet gown in jet black blinged out in crystal ornamentation by Shay Lowe.

Will this be enough to carry on the Lundstrom name… We’ll just have to wait and see.

Evan Biddell

Evan Biddell was next on the runway with is collection that pushed the envelope and bursted it open.

The show began with a short whimiscal French-inspired film which introduced the audience to the cast of this production. The collection was titled “Prehistory” featuring Andy Warhols-inspired prints, black neoprene, leather and cork, yes I said cork and its looks divine.

Biddell contorted fabrics and silhouettes Iike the exaggrated thighs FYI the harem pants and tuxedo leggings, backs scalloped and draped all at once, the futuristic shapes.

The crowd was on its heels for the gold kimono with massively elongated shoulders, hoods where structured and bomber jacket, shorts and several shirt dresses. The insane leather fringes hung long, draped on the front and back of models, even at times tucked in, I must find a way to pull this off!!

Today on the schedule for Day 4: Jessica Biffi, Pink Tartan, Joe Fresh

Jessica Biffi

Day 4 kicked off with an initimate LGFW VIP media event for Jessica Biffi’s “plus” line ‘Bold Biffi for MXM’ collection which will be available exclusively at 40 Penningtons stores across Canada. Don’t get it twisted fashionistas just cause it was dubbed a “plus” doesn’t me there is anything lacking in the style department. The pieces are designed make a woman feel confident, Biffi says. “It’s all about making women feel good,” she says. “I’m all about power dressing. That’s what I keep in mind when designing: will a woman feel powerful in it?” The collection has amazing wardrobe pieces which are perfect for mixing n matching… the skinny jean, tunic, shrug, coat you know staples. I must say you can tell its Biffi she has her colour all over… she referred to the hues as “primary colours” infused with lovely gem tones in purple and blue.

The outfit that totally did me was the red trench coat over a yellow draped tunic or the pleated tube in white with the black shrug and the dark skinnies, like outfit right there done. What made the event that much better was you actually were able to get a few words in with her and really see how much this means to her, especially assisting plus women with feeling like the can be fashionable.

I would like to thank Jessica from the bottom of our Pink Mafia heart’s for answering our 20 Questions, your the bestest!!

Pink Tartan

One of the most awaited shows @ LGFW is Pink Tartan and you know why when you enter the room. Literally a sea of fashion elite crammed in like sardines in a can. When the show began we all knew why.

The collection had the usual fall colour palette grays, blacks, beiges, whites and the colour pop her was a red which was in dresses .The designs were aviation inspired but to the tenth power… lets just say Amelia Earheart would have a field day. A basic silhouette of A-line dresses and skirts, tailored blouses where still present amidst the chic eye-catching-details like touches of laces, zippers, billowly bows long sleeve turtlenecks and collars of real fur.  The signature finishing to each look was leather aviator caps which I loved… especially the silverly sequin one (we’ll just have to wait and see if this trend takes off). What I really want to know is where I can get my hands on those bubble jackets… especially that charcoal gray bubble jacket with massive hood. The apple of my eye was the model carrying bouquet of white flowers the graceful mini cream dress with a puff skirt, with capped sleeves rained with pearls.

Joe Fresh

Last up to bat was Joe Fresh, which is what I came for, but if you thought Pink Tartan was crammed then this was busting at the seams. Many of the fashion elite have a little beef with consumer brands like Joe Fresh, but it is what it is fashion can be accessible to all. Designer Joesph Mimran’s collection, took some of the essential looks for fur, sequins and capes and transformed them in accessible pieces in this rough economy. A relaxed military chic embodied the collection in neutral tones dolled up in velvet, metallics and zippers. As always the one thing I truly love about Joe Fresh is the outwear, that camo parka, fur peacoat and mohair trench, enough said!! Did anyone else notice the shoes… oxfords, lether stud boots, dessert boots. I can’t wait… and neither can my pocketbook. Off to Loblaws we go!!

Happy Fashion Week!!!

xoxo

Pinkie

2009 was a year of upset for Pink Mafia. As the Tiger Woods scandal broke, the harsh reality hit. It was the year we had been out played, out macked and out sexed by a golfer. SHOCKING. Tiger doesn’t really run in our social circle, or our desired social circle, or even our make believe social circle so obviously we don’t pay much any attention to him. But once his tally of mistresses hit 14 we were nothing but impressed with his stamina. Maybe we should take up golf?

Anyways the point is, we wanted to share the above photo with you. Tiger is on the new cover of Vanity Fair and well the image totally creeps us out.  But none the less we are thinking about letting him join our social circle. The man has game people! In more ways than one. BOO YEAH.

Pop quiz: You’re a young lady, at a hotel party, enjoying some beers. Ron Jeremy saunters up to you, grey-black mane dangling like a greasy mop at his shoulders…he caresses your little hand between his two beefy paws and requests, like a gentleman, if he can go down on you. What do you say? TOO LATE. He already made you explode like a chinese water fountain. Just from being there. Just with those two stoney eyes locked into your own, in those two seconds between “Hello” and “I’m Ron.”

How does he do it? Men have always wondered how this super-average guy managed to get a Guinness World Record for doing the most porn stars, ever. It’s a mystery. Correction. It used to be. But I discovered the secret.

And that’s about the best – or only –  insight I got out of the Hedgehog, during the worst interview I ever did. It’s not all my fault though – one of the guys at Street Carnage, this guy,  fucked me and told me to ask Ron about the concept of ‘the Other’…and to tell him some guy said hi. Which I did. I didn’t realize it was all part of some elaborate plot to make me look like an idiot.

The only thing you’ll find interesting is at the end, when Ron gives away that secret to making girls explode in two seconds without taking their pants off.

I just want to say: Ron Jeremy was an alright guy. He played the harmonica really, really well, and he was insanely horny all night long. Which is crazy because you’d think he’d be sick of it by now.

Once you read all about Evan Biddel you will be craving more. We have the solution for you! Head down to Ultra for the officially Evan Biddel after party. It’s only $15 a pop and you’ll even get a showing of his pieces.

Tucked away in a sleepy alleyway somewhere off of Queen West one could stumble upon designer Evan Biddell’s front stoop and most likely not even know it. After a few minutes of searching alleyways and buzzing disgruntled tenants, we found the designer’s loft-turned-studio and were invited in. The laid-back Evan Biddell was surrounded by his personal team who appeared to be discussing his upcoming show in LG Fashion Week. While Biddell’s crew wrapped up the meeting, the photographer Arkan and I had a chance to poke around. The main floor of the studio was chock-full of oversized drafting tables, sewing machines, sketches of and fabric swatches in every colour under the rainbow. Thrown in the mix were a few couches, a coffee table and a fantastic candy apple 50s refrigerator. Biddell quickly shooed the others away and took a few minutes to sit down with Pink Mafia to discuss all things fashionable.

B: Do you have any specific people that inspire you – designers, artists, friends?

E: Yeah, I am really into robots right now. I think they are cool. I have been seeing a pop up in street art and I think it is a result of all of us growing up in the 90s with Transformers. Also living in a city where people get up and do the same thing is almost robotic. It’s as if you don’t have to think about what you’re doing anymore because you have done it so much. We’re on autopilot.

B: Is that what we are going to see in your FW10 collection?

E: The attitude is still going to be strong Biddell; I can’t really take the Biddell out entirely. I am playing with a lot of shapes and geometry. I drew the silhouette from the logo from Transformers. The make-up is inspired by that.

B: Any colours in particular you are focusing in on?

E: They are going to be laser sharp punches of colours, a circuit board of colour if you will.

B: Why do you continue to stay and work in Toronto?

E: I am here because I am in Canada and I had a lot of exposure across the country. As we know, fashion happens in Toronto for Canada. So right now Toronto is the place to be for me and where I am at in my career. I definitely have a lot more exploring to do.

B: What do you think you would be doing if you hadn’t won Project Runway Canada?

E: I was living out west so I would probably still be in Vancouver. I was working in a costume department for film so I might still be doing bits of that.

B: We’re you designing clothing for film?

E: Yeah, I was building clothes. I was a “custom builder”, sounds like carpentry instead of fashion. But Project Runway gave me a career out here and now I’ve got to work!

B: I’ve seen from your collection that sustainability is important to you as a designer.

E: Yeah, I’ve got elements. I have been exploring those fabrics and I feel like in the past two years I’ve almost used all the sustainable fabrics I’ve been able to find. There are about three options out there and I’ve used two and a half of them. Not to say that I’ve exhausted them but fashion is ADD and you have to keep it fresh. I have an appreciation for the fabrics; sustainable fabrics are great to wear every day. They make great pajamas, great sheets but its casual, it’s not as high end as I want to go. For this season if I’m going to be doing robots, I need a stiffer material. I am using this nylon I found with bright colours. I do have a line of sustainable basics coming out and that’s where I think it’s more important to be using those fabrics anyway.

B: So you haven’t attended any formal fashion school. How did you get to where you are today without school? Do you think it’s helped you or hindered you in any way?

E: It’s definitely hindered me now. We just finished our first production and in the factory it was hard trying to communicate technical ideas and speak the language. It’s a little bit tricky when you don’t know where to notch the pattern. There’s some terminology that I don’t know because I never went to school. As for as creativity goes, I know that I don’t make the most commercial clothes. I wasn’t taught a way to make clothes, so it’s a little bit more creative the way I do it. Say if someone taught me how to make a proper pair of pants, then that’s how I would be making pants rather than the way I make them now. I don’t think it’s been one or the other to the extreme.

B: Run me through a day in the life of Evan Biddell.

E: Lately it’s been waking up, brushing the teeth, getting my Starbucks and jumping on the TTC to the factory. I overlook production which means making sure my samples are being cut and seeing what’s coming back from the factory as far as sewing goes. Then I tag the clothes, stick stickers on the hangtags and pin them to the clothes. We just shipped our first order last week to Kuwait and we are going to be shipping our next order over to Queen Street West; Pho Pa has bought it. Then I come home to my studio that I live in. Right now I am working on my fall collection so I do my work until late in the night until two and then hit the hay.

B: Do you take a break after fashion week?

E: Yes. I usually work really hard for a couple months and then I take a couple of months off.

B: Do you follow trends? Do you believe in following trends?

E: I think trends are okay. I think it would be boring to be a little too trendy. I definitely pay attention to what’s going on out there, I think that’s what trends are. You need to know what the other guys are doing. For example shoulder pads are hot right now, so if I was to do shoulder pads next year when everyone had done them this year then I would be shooting myself in the foot. So it is good to know what’s happening. Same thing goes for doing something a little too early. I did the drop crotch and then all of a sudden it was everywhere, so then I thought maybe I should do it again. Last season I kind of had it across the board and now this season I only have a couple. I still think it’s cool and I am not just doing it for the trend, but I don’t want to exhaust it because people are getting sick of seeing it. I still think it’s relative to my brand entirely; it wasn’t just a seasonal thing.

B: Why do you like designing clothes for the female form?

E: That’s just the name of the game.

B: You would never venture into menswear?

E: No because I think you can have more fun with girl’s clothes.

B: Are there any designers you look up to?

E: Obviously Nicolas Ghesquière and Alexander McQueen, all those heavy hitters. I like Jeremy Scott, he’s got some balls.

B : My last question…are you planning on wearing a mask for the upcoming show ?

E : Possibly. Possibly a helmet. Right on.

Since I was interviewing them the day of their show, finding time to meet with the masterminds behind the sought-after label Greta Constantine proved to be quite a tricky feat. At first I was to meet with them at The Courthouse where the show was to be held, t-minus three hours before the models took to the runway. But then last minute I was directed to a tiny two-story salon on Scollard. Thank god for staying on my toes.

I walked into a salon with no sign and was immediately hit with an overwhelming waft of strong hold hairspray, designer perfume and pizza (clearly the Pizza Pizza delivery boy had recently been summoned due to the pizza boxes stacked high on the receptionist desk). I immediately thought to myself, “So models DO eat”. Right! I looked around and concluded that I was definitely in the right place. The joint was crawling with leggy done-up waifs with Blackberry’s in hand looking less than impressed, PR reps ready to swoop in at any sign of trouble and beyond frazzled stylists, makeup artists and assistants trying get through every model. I head upstairs to find Kirk Pickersgill relaxing under a hairdryer surrounded by his posse. He wears a slight smirk on his face and is taking in the whole scene. Pretty calm for a guy whose about to show his collection in three hours. I introduce myself and he apologizes that his partner Stephen won’t be able to make it (at this moment he is still at the studio sewing). We sit side by side and briefly discuss the upcoming show, the duo’s goal to break into the New York fashion scene and how women are inspirational to them as designers.

B: Tell me about the meaning behind the name.

K: ‘Greta’ is derived from my business partner Stephen Wong’s mother’s name and ‘Constantine’ is my grandfather’s name on my mother’s side.

B: How do your roles differ in Greta Constantine?

K: Stephen is more technical. He does the drafting of the patterns and the draping. His hand is more into the technical part of it. But from the design part of it, we both work hand in hand one hundred percent.

B: I know you were recently in New York. What was it like being there for Fashion Week?

K: To be honest it was exactly like being in Toronto, it was just a different city. We were afraid to do something in New York because we always thought of it as the mecca of fashion. When we got there we realized it’s almost easier than doing it in Toronto.

B: What was the reason for going?

K: Recognition basically. We wanted to get the name out there, market ourselves on an international level.

B: Why did you two decide to set yourselves aside from Toronto Fashion Week and put on your own show?

K: Honestly, or what we tell people?

B: Honestly.

K: We just feel that if you design a collection for six months, I think it’s only right that it should take on a full attitude, the full aspect of it. I don’t see showing under a tent after another person and before another person would be able to express the way the collection should be expressed. We also don’t agree with a lot of the politics involved in the Toronto Fashion Week.

B: Do you hope to break into New York?

K: Absolutely.

B: Did you two go to the same school?

K: We didn’t go to school.

B: So you are self-taught. Do you think that’s helped or hindered you two in anyway?

K: I think it’s helped us because now we deal with a lot of students and we notice a difference between what we learned working in the industry as opposed to going to school. I am not saying, “Don’t go to school” but I think you learn a lot more hands-on.

B: Did you work for a designer before Greta Constantine?

K: I worked with Dsquared and Neil Barrett.

B: What can we expect to see in the collection tonight?

K: Expect to see three different types of women. We got frustrated to the point that with every collection and show the women started looking the same. All the girls have their own personality and look. We decided to separate them in three so you are going to see three types of makeup, hair, personalities and styles. It’s as if you will see three shows in one.

B: What is the inspiration behind the collection?

K: It’s called Women so it focuses on different types of women. It’s kind of like Sex and the City and how each woman is beautifully different.

B: Are you focusing on particular fabrics or colours?

K: We are introducing new fabrics. We used to mainly work in jersey, now we are experimenting with goldens, leathers and fur.

B: When it comes to designing are you two always on the same page?

K: Absolutely. We finish each other’s sentences. It’s strange because we think the same.

B: What is key to your partnership?

K: Non-communication. Just kidding. Stephen and I work separately, I work in the daytime and he works in the evening. We call ourselves Ladyhawk. The key to a good working relationship is communication and respect.

B: What are the future aspirations for Greta Constantine?

K: Like most houses, we become bigger internationally. Develop lines of accessories, perfume, children’s wear and house wares. The most important part will be staying true to ourselves and our brand.

B: What is Greta Constantine’s style motto?

K: Our motto is to follow our instinct.

A few hours later I am at The Courthouse along with hundreds of others without seats to the Greta Constantine show. Rather than being clear, my runway vantage point was more like looking through a smudged peephole. What I did see -flashy gold metallic trench coats, chic fur shrugs and structured leather bombers – was a fresh twist on the usual jersey draped designs the designers are famous for. The impeccably tailored and ultra-feminine looks really captured the idea that the duo painstakingly pays attention to the female form. In a blink of an eye, the show wrapped up and the awestruck crowd was shuffled out into the chilly street. I was left with little doubt that this designer duo will continue to impress international fashion critics and make it big in the upcoming seasons!

After talking with the lovely ladies at Pink Mafia I have decided to begin writing about the “Who’s Who” in the current fashion industry. For the past few years I have expressed a strong desire to work within the industry but like many, found it difficult to learn about the many positions that exist in the fashion world. In my upcoming articles I hope to cover stylists, designers, fashion directors and any other influential players in fashion to keep you all informed on the many different positions out there.

For my very first article I decided to interview well-known shopkeeper Kealan Sullivan, proprietor of the popular 69 Vintage. And new kid on the Bloor block Buy the Pound. 69 Vintage, located at 1100 Queen Street West, is what I like to call a one stop shop for all your vintage needs. From 20s beaded flapper dresses to 90s neon windbreakers, one is bound to find a unique piece of clothing they will covet for life. And side note to those who can’t stand the smell of their local Value Village, Kealan takes pride in the fact that each item of clothing is washed ensuring you don’t go home smelling like Grandma’s closet. Also before the items hit the racks, the team takes time to fix broken zippers, sew on missing buttons and patch up any holes. Regardless of the extra mending and tailoring, the prices remain reasonable ensuring you won’t be dipping into your weekly booze budget.

Even easier on the pockets is the not even year old Buy the Pound, located at 1234 Bloor Street West. The basement store is a goldmine of vintage duds which are fairly priced at fifteen dollars per pound of clothing. Unlike the old Goodwill By the Pound, clothing hunters don’t need to be equipped with latex gloves and doctor’s masks to find what they are looking for. Actually very little digging is involved as the majority of the clothing is organized into categories on racks. This store is reserved for the more laidback vintage shopper who could care less about a hole in their 60s minidress.

Late Monday afternoon I met the bright-eyed, fiery Kealan Sullivan dressed in a Canadian fur trapper topper, army button up, ripped jeans and combat-style boots.

We met in her cozy store 69 Vintage to discuss everything from the recession to Mark-Kate and Ashley Olsen to being referred to as the godmother of the Toronto vintage clothing scene. So without further ado…

B: When did you open the store? Because I was here five or six years ago and it was totally different.

K: We opened the store in 2004. It was very sparse, very cold, twice the size. It was myself and two guys who now own The Social who opened together. I had a vision for the store and they had a vision for the store. They wanted 80s chic and sparse and I wanted to build a store that was going to bring everyone in and have something for everyone, which I have successfully done. I still do get the edgy cool kids come in but I also have their parents come in. At the time we met I was trying to open a store in Kensington. They had a successful online business, they were selling mainly t-shirts and they were wholesaling. One of the guys started dating my roommate and the rest is history. I started working with them doing eBay which lasted 48 hours before I was like, “This is so not me”. I knew I wanted a store and they wanted a store but they didn’t run one. They didn’t want to be Retail Guys. So it was actually perfect and then I bought them out because they were so immersed in The Social.

B: How long were you collecting this stuff for?

K: With the focus of having a business and reselling it, about three years. But I was also collecting certain things forever. Except jewelry, I sold through my whole collection of jewelry which took me about four years to build it and it took me about 6 months to sell it, which I regret. I had suitcases and suitcases full.

At this point a customer comes in to return a dress she borrowed for a staff party at the Drake. They chit chat while I peruse the store for hidden gems. Just before Kealan returns she says to the girl in a jokingly manner “Thanks for bringing back the dress”!

B: So you rent out the clothes?

K: I do it mostly for artists. It’s different, if they want the dress for an event, I don’t generally rent like that. I rent for photo shoots.

B: Do you get magazines and stylists calling you to pull samples for photo shoots?

K: Yeah, I’ve done really well with the stylists, that’s the coolest part of the business. Again I don’t charge as much as other places do and I am not as strict. If it is an artist starting out I am a lot more generous as they don’t have a budget. Also lots of musicians have come to me and been like “We’re doing this shoot and we don’t have anything” and I’m like “Just bring it back tomorrow”. I love this stuff and I want it to be worn. Just because someone isn’t buying something doesn’t mean they don’t love it. Not everyone can afford a beaded lace full length dress for only a day, so then I try to use my best judgment.

B: Why did you pick to have the store down here?

K: Actually to be honest I was terrified of having the store here but it was the only logical/affordable place to do it because east of the park was outrageous, and east of Bathurst was even more ridiculous and east of Spadina was obviously not to be even touched. So five years ago this area was still pretty rugged.

B: I came down here five years ago and I remember thinking I had never been to this area before.

K: I had never really been here either. I had never been past Ossington especially for shopping. I used to sit outside in the car and stare at this building and watch people in the neighbourhood and I would bawl. To make matters worse we took the lease over in December and the store opened in May. I kept thinking “This is the biggest mistake of our lives”. The Drake hadn’t opened yet, there was obviously no Starbucks. There was nothing. There was Friendly’s Burgers and art gallery after art gallery. Luckily we had done our research. We knew what was happening in the neighbourhood, we just had to make sure we could hold on that long for customers to catch up.

B: Once it opened, were people coming right away or did it take time?

K: At first it was a wave of curiosity. May and June were good, July was still promising, August was terrifying as summer sucks for retail. Then September and October got busy again so after that we had the confidence that everything was going to be fine. At first it was scary because we hadn’t built a nest egg, you don’t really have the client base, you don’t have a reputation, so really you are no one. The thing that was cool is that really this was the first store like this in city.

B: Do you kind of feel like you are the godmother of the Toronto vintage scene?

K: Well it wasn’t a new concept. I had been to lovely stores in other parts of the world.

B: But here in the city…

K: But here in the city it was a risk. The attitude five years ago was very different. Most people wouldn’t notice how differently girls dress now, but I do. When I first opened nobody wore plaid, nobody wore tights, and nobody wore tights with a shirt [referring to my ensemble]. A lot has changed in terms of the way people dress. It’s hilarious to see. Years ago I was interviewed by Much Music as a style icon and I predicted it’s going to be plaid plaid plaid and wearing an element of every decade. That’s what it’s really about right now. If you can do the 20s dress with the 80s stilettos and the 50s bomber fur and really take all the best elements and make them work, that’s cool.

B: So your new store Buy the Pound…what’s the deal?

K: So there I am selling the stuff that I could maybe sell in here but at 69 Vintage I don’t want to see things with flaws but these days girls don’t give a fuck if there is a hole or a run, they think that’s cool.

B: Quick rundown of Buy the Pound.

K: I fully saw the need in that. I was so tempted to buy things and sell them cheap in my store. I started with the ten dollar bin and then the ten dollar rack and then it was getting a little crowded. I thought that this could be a concept. Even though the items can be slightly damaged or they’re not in demand or they’re oddly sized, if I can negotiate reasonable prices for the items then I can sell them for cheap in the store. Fifteen bucks a pound is actually really good, if you weigh a dress it doesn’t even weigh a pound. Every month now I have been adding more sewing machines there. We just started a whole program teaching people how to sew, how to cut stuff and so on. You can go buy a dress and be like “Can you help me this shorten the dress and fix the waist line”. It’s gives people something to do there.

B: Wow, what a great idea.

K: For Buy the Pound I can buy much crazier styles and I can see what people are into. I’ve been surprised.

B: So you find the clientele is different here as it would be there?

K: There’s a lot of cross over, a lot more than I would have thought. But I don’t work there so I don’t really know. Irene who works there would know. When I hired her in September I explained to her that I opened this because it’s smart but I needed someone with a personality to take it on because I’m here [69 Vintage] all the time. I’ve been here for five years and if I am not here, people are like, “You’re not in your store”. What people don’t get sometimes is that I am working buying clothes while everyone else is working and shopping in the store. Buy the Pound is a year old in April and it’s needed that year of settling itself in. More and more people are calling me about it. I could have done two things. I could have put a lot of money into promoting that place or I could have just given it the whole year to establish itself. You never know how effective advertising can be anyways. This spring I am probably going to put a much bigger promotional push because every kind of company needs. You know, I didn’t anticipate the recession but that store is doing quite well because of it.

B: I think people are foregoing buying the expensive stuff and instead buying classic items that will last. Like we mentioned before style is becoming more and more recycled.

K: For sure. We have entered the era, and I am going to thank Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, where girls feel they can pile on whatever. That’s very independent. I say to girls, “Don’t worry, if you want to be a diva, be a fucking diva. If you want to dress like a slut, dress like a slut. If you want to look like your boyfriend, then so be it”. There are no rules anymore.

At this point my tape recorder craps out and I am left to ask Kealan the one question I have been waiting to ask her.

B: When you are out vintage hunting, how do you decide what to keep for yourself and what to sell at the stores?

K: When I am out shopping and I see something, it’s not a question of should I keep it for myself or should I sell it. It just either is or it isn’t.

Meeting with Kealan was a wicked experience. It’s evident from the non-stop phone calls and customers coming in during the interview that the girl has a million things on her plate. She manages to take them on with passion and little fear. She is truly in her element welcoming new and old customers into the store and giving style advice like it were food for thought. Now to those who haven’t yet ventured out to the west end to check out these two vintage gems, please take my advice and go, you never know what you’ll end up with.