The desire to directly connect next generation fashion designers with clientele, retail buyers and press – that is what fuelled Sarah Power to start INLAND.
A two-day fashion retail event to be held each spring and fall season, INLAND makes new brands available to the public pop-up style. The common thread of the designers: they are all made in Canada.
The fall 2015 INLAND edition, held at Toronto’s swanky Glass Factory, featured over 40 contemporary designers, specializing in everything from jewelry and apparel to phone accessories and handbags.
Five designers from this season’s INLAND, with their unique cuts, drapery and furs caught the eye of many during the weekend-long pop-up shop. Here is a look at why they have all the makings of becoming a household name.
Travis Taddeo // Location: Montreal // The line in one word: Minimalistic
“I just like clean lines, I like something simple, but something that just stands out. It’s got to be clean, but it has to be a step above what everybody else has.” – Designer Travis Taddeo
Embodiment of the brand: “The Travis Taddeo person values originality, they’re young in mindset, but always down to try new things and have a sense of adventure. They like to have a lot of fun.”
Through bold colours, cuts and lines Taddeo takes simplistic chic to a new level. Jersey is his material of choice and to manipulate the light fabric into whatever he sets his mind to, the Montreal-based designer experiments with shapes to enhance dramatic neck and back cut outs. It’s perfect for a person who values mixing in monochrome colours of black, white and red into their wardrobe.
TMR Collection // Location: Toronto // The line in one word: Timeless
“I’m all about slow fashion as opposed to fast fashion because I want the piece to last a long time.” – Designer Tara Rivas
Embodiment of the brand: Tara Rivas herself
Always having a passion for design, creator and designer Tara Rivas started her line a few years ago. Playing with everyday essentials, such as tank tops, blazers and little black dresses, is the driving force behind the 23-year-old’s work, as the vision for the brand is to have women feeling comfortable, yet chic. The collection’s statement piece, the Hazelton coat, takes a more modern approach to the classic trench coat with its use of black mesh material. It is one example of how Rivas is steadily breaking ground by reinventing classic styles for today’s fashionistas.
JOLIE // Location: Toronto // Line in one word: Practical
“The consistent thing is being convenient and practical.” – Designer Ivy Chen
Embodiment of the brand: “Girl on the go, she’s busy, she’s smart. Just anybody who doesn’t want to carry a lot of bags and wants to be stylish and practical.”
Being a lawyer herself, Ivy Chen was tired of carrying multiple bags traveling between the office and home, or on trips out of town, and wanted to have not only stylish baggage, but practical and multi-use bags as well. Now adding another professional hat to her roster, Chen is the designer of a one-of-a-kind luxury leather goods line for the woman on the go. Whether it’s with the suitcases and wallets or the satchels and cross body bags, Chen incorporates colour and quality into her line.
Amanda Maria // Location: London, Ont. // Line in one word: Comfortable
“We don’t jeopardize style for comfort and vice versa.” – Designer Amanda Maria
Embodiment of the brand: “Someone who wants to be comfortable, wants to be edgy, but not too out there. Cares about their appearance for sure, and minimalist, but classy.”
Amanda Maria prides herself in creating a line built on comfort and style. Not wanting the woman on the go to be uncomfortable in her day-to-day life, Maria uses soft cottons and spandex for the chic apparel. Maria has shown her self-titled, one-year-old line in fashion shows in places like the Virgin Islands, Dallas, Texas, New York, Burlington and Toronto. Showing no signs of slowing down, the brand’s fast pace growth is reflective of the lifestyle of its ideal consumer.
Hatitude // Location: Toronto // Line in one word: Show-stopping
“I love the way hats make a woman feel, but also how they add style to an outfit and [how they give] the person wearing it a lot of confidence and attitude.” – Designer Amparo Findlay
Embodiment of the brand: “A woman who feels confident in her sense of style and is quite fashionable and requires a hat for every occasion.”
Hatitude caters to women looking for signature and show-stopping chapeaus. Designer Amparo Findlay creates one-of-a-kind hats that will without a doubt stop anyone in his or her tracks. Whether you opt for a classic fascinator, as seen on many royals, or today’s fashionable winter fedora, Hatitude has a hat to suit your personality. The use of colours like black, burnt orange, Bordeaux and olive greens gives Hatitude its signature and timeless feel. Being able to match unique hats to a variety of colours makes it easier to quickly spruce up any outfit.
Photos By. Isa Ransome © Urbanology Magazine
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