>>PREVIEW
CALGARY FASHION WEEK
Runs until September 8
Check listings for venues
There will be private shopping nights, fine Swiss jewels and dirty martinis. There will be sexy fall fashions, inspiring designs and the most elegant of Calgary couture, paraded by top models just inches away from where you may happen to be standing.
Long after the last office worker has shut down for the day, there are now more reasons than ever to stay downtown at night. The city’s inaugural Downtown Calgary Fashion Week unfolds September 5 through 8 with a variety of events that showcase Calgary designers and will culminate with a glamorous gala event at Hotel Arts.
The four-day extravaganza will serve as a segue into the autumn season, introducing both men and women to the latest fall trends. If the event is successful enough, what is currently just a pilot project will become a permanent part of the downtown scene, says Larry Clausen, a board member of the Calgary Downtown Association, the initiator of the project.
"This is an opportunity to showcase local designers as well as to show Calgarians the spectrum of fashion opportunities in the city’s downtown core," he says.
"I was in Paris earlier in the spring and I noticed that you can buy the same things in Calgary, but for less. Here in the downtown core, there are more retailers compressed in a single area than in any other part of the city – 115,000 people come to work, shop and play every weekday.
"The amount of interest in these kinds of events is percolating. At 8 or 9 p.m., it’s still busy in the downtown area. We’re a growing-up city."
As Calgary continues to grow exponentially, some incredibly talented professionals have come to place their roots in the city, says couture designer Evalina Schmidtke, owner of Evalina Couture.
"I’ve built up a very good relationship with some talented people here – seamstresses with incredible skills who have amazing workmanship," says Schmidtke, who creates custom-made wedding gowns and evening wear, which will be showcased during Fall Fashion Week.
"That’s what couture is about – not volume, but about details, hand finishings and all those extra steps that make the garment beautiful. I’ve always known that if people are willing to make an effort, fashion can exist here."
Born in Lethbridge, raised in Calgary and B.C., Schmidtke has put Calgary on the map for many an international bride who has flown into the city for custom alterations. Her gowns can be found both locally and at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. She first opened the doors to her business in 1996 and launched her own label in 2001.
"If you can produce quality garments, you will be rewarded for it," she says. "The cost of manufacturing and producing goods can be hard for local designers when offshore production can create lower price points. But most shoppers are proud to buy locally made clothing – some look for brand names, but as everything becomes so globalized, others seek high quality and custom services.
"I really applaud the organizers for putting this together," she says. "Calgary has a vibrant group of designers and the city should know about them."
Ten of these designers will be showcasing their wares at the Gala at Hotel Arts, where celebrity judges working in conjunction with the Fashion Design Council of Canada will choose the best and send the winner on an all-expenses paid trip to L’Oreal Fashion Week in Toronto in October.
Having lived and worked in larger cities such as Montreal and New York, local designer Jodi Opsahl, who will be featured in the gala, says Calgary, while boasting incredible opportunity, is not without its challenges.
"You can’t do it without financing. Most designers work on the floors of their apartments with tons of fabric bolts collected in the corner. They are full of great ideas," says Opsahl, who is known for creating resort and loungewear, and whose designs have been spotted on none other than Sharon Stone.
"But the only way designers can grow and get their name out there is thanks to financing and exposure that allows them to put together a portfolio and take it to the next level."
Ospahl was recently forced to close her boutique, formerly located in the Hotel Arts, due to a lack of foot traffic in the area, which was not quite close enough to the busier areas of 17th Avenue and 4th Street.
In Calgary, the appeal of shopping lies in the location and the convenience of getting to it, she says, whereas in a larger city like Montreal, it’s about a sense of adventure – "You’d grab a coffee nearby, go check out the new store and make an afternoon of it."
Currently her wares can be found online (www.jodiom.ca), but opening a store again is not completely out of the question. But for now, she says, "Calgary is going to be a city to watch on the playing fields of fashion. And it’s great to be a part of it from the start."
For more information about Downtown Calgary Fashion Week (venues, dates and times) or participating designers, visit www.downtowncalgary.com. |
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