Maison Eläma is a luxury retail line created by sisters Rim and Rita Elias. Once a CPA and a chemist-marketer, the siblings quit their corporate jobs to pursue fashion design.
Handcrafted in Canada, the Eläma brand aims to make fur an everyday accessory rather than an exorbitant collector’s item. “There is a gap between runway furs that are $20K – $40K, and grandma furs that we inherit but can’t associate with. So we created the middle ground fur that is more every day, and yet meets the standards of elegance and sophistication associated with fur,” says Rim.
Eläma exclusively uses ethically sourced furs. Envisioning “a society that focuses more on craftsmanship and less on fast fashion,” the Elias sisters intend for their sustainable pieces to be passed on and enjoyed from generation to generation. Continue reading Emerging Fashion Fridays | Maison Eläma→
Zvelle is a high-quality shoe brand that effortlessly takes the wearer from day to night. Born in Iran, Zvelle’s founder Elle AyoubZadeh resided in Dubai, New Zealand, and Australia before moving to Canada in 2007 to work in international finance. She previously co-founded a luxury retailer in downtown Toronto which featured leading designers from around the world.
Photo via Zvelle
Zvelle’s feminine shoes are handcrafted in Brazil and made from ethically sourced nappa leather and kid suede. Inspired by architecture, Elle meticulously oversees all aspects of design and production. “I’m passionate about supporting professional women. It makes me happy to give her options, so she feels confident and can concentrate on doing what makes her great. That’s why I decided to start Zvelle,” she says. Her timeless, versatile creations allow the wearer to easily dress for a full day of events.
Photo via Zvelle
To promote accessibility, Zvelle is available exclusively online, and conveniently offers free shipping and returns in Canada and the USA. The brand has also undertaken a highly charitable effort through a partnership with Women’s College Hospital, to which Zvelle will donate $10 per pair in 2016. Those wishing to participate may use the code Zvelle4WCH when making a puchase on zvelle.com. The use of this code allows the shopper $25 off and a $10 donation back to the hospital.
For further information about Zvelle, visit the brand’s website, and follow their social pages below.
Established in 2015, Toronto-based menswear brand DALLA effortlessly blends classic and contemporary design. Aiming to change the way men think about fashion, DALLA is characterized by tailored fits and finely sourced materials.
After accumulating enough financial backing to pursue a career in fashion, founder Hussein Shiraz opened his boutique studio in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Shiraz’s bold, stylish designs have since been featured on red carpets worldwide, including The Academy Awards and The Golden Globes. They have also been worn by celebrities such as The Weeknd.
Image via DALLA
Of his work, Shiraz says, “I create confidence, poise and attraction. I do this by designing tailor-fitted clothing that speaks to the gentlemen inside all of us men. When I’m suiting a client, I can physically see their shoulders broadening, their back standing tall and chin up. My clothing is not just about the look, it’s about the feel. In short, I design clothing for men that exudes an air of wealth and power.”
This year will undoubtedly be an exciting one for DALLA. Not only will the line’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection show at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week, but its flagship store is set to open downtown in May.
Based in Calgary, Alberta, luxury womenswear line House of Nonie is acclaimed for its modern, tasteful pieces created by designer Nina Kharey.
With both parents employed in the clothing and textile industry, Nina has fashion design in her blood. “My mother sewed everything,” she recounts. Nina fondly remembers her father bringing home a box of scraped sweaters. Instead of pretending to model them on a runway, she envisioned herself as the designer.
Photo via House of Nonie
However, Nina’s dreams were not immediately realized. Due to her brother’s increasingly violent lifestyle, the Kharey family was riddled with conflict and discord. Nina was determined to succeed in school and make her parents proud and happy, as she felt they deserved to be.
Pursuing an Engineering degree at the University of Calgary, Nina found herself in a field of study far removed from the glamour of the fashion world. Nonetheless, fate had different plans for her.
Photo via House of Nonie
Halfway through her studies, Nina was confronted with the shocking tragedy of losing her brother to gang violence. In the wake of this horrific event, Nina decided to become a spokesperson for the Calgary Police Services, regularly speaking out against the disturbing truths of organized crime. It was during this trying period that Nina decided to revisit her lifelong passion.
In 2009, she began sketching, and, after giving birth to her daughter in 2012, she decided to fully devote herself to her dreams. Two years later, Holt Refrew’s Fashion Director, Barbara Atkin, took Nina on as a protégé. This once in a lifetime opportunity allowed Nina to refine her craft and develop House of Nonie, a collection that speaks to her talent and hard work.
Created by George Sully and Henry Wong, Canadian footwear and accessories brand Sully Wong has earned accolades for its sleek, minimalist designs which are a fusion of North American and Asian styles.
The Toronto-based brand focuses on quality craftsmanship and materials, and has been featured in noteworthy publications such as HYPEBEAST, Complex, and StyleDemocracy.
Photo via Sully Wong
Originating as a tribute sneaker collection, Sully Wong has produced a variety of homages, with inspirations ranging from the history of Hip-Hop to the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. From these beginnings, the sought after SWJ line was born and has progressed to its current SWJ 5 MID version.
In addition to its core collection, Sully Wong has collaborated with popular designers and brands, among them Vitaly, Karim Rashid, Amanda Lew Kee, and P. Diddy’s CIROC.
Photo via Sully Wong
Sully Wong is available in Canada and internationally, with showrooms and retail outlets in Toronto, Japan, New York, Los Angeles, and Korea.
For more information, visit the brand’s website, and follow their social pages below:
Recognized for her classic yet edgy creations, Toronto-based womenswear designer Paria Shirvani manufactures all garments from her label in Canada.
A graduate of Ryerson University’s fashion program, Paria has worked alongside Arthur Mendonca, Joe Fresh, Costello Tagliapetra, and Joeffer Caoc. She presented her debut solo collection, “Zephyr”, in Spring 2013 during Toronto’s World Master Card Fashion Week. The line won high praise from FLARE Magazine, who described it as “a collection of deft draping and tailoring.” Later that year, Paria made the final round of Toronto Fashion Incubator’s reputable New Labels Competition. Next season, the chic, downtown aesthetic of her Spring 2014 collection earned her a feature in FASHION Magazine as “One to Watch.”
Photo via Paria Shirvani
The work of someone who truly loves the creative process, Paria’s designs are minimalist, polished, and modern while incorporating traditional details.
To learn more about Paria Shirvani, visit her website, and follow her social pages below.
Based in Montreal, UNTTLD is the collaborative effort of designers José Manuel St-Jacques and Simon Bélanger. A graduate of Cégep Marie Victorin’s Fashion Design program, José furthered his knowledge of textiles and techniques in the Fibre Program at Concordia University. A student of LaSalle College’s Fashion Design program, Simon earned a Master’s degree from Milan’s prestigious Domus Academy.
Photo via UNTTLD
In April 2011, after winning $100,000 in Quebec’s La Collection competition, the pair launched UNTTLD. Supported by some of the industry’s most celebrated names, José and Simon have a constantly evolving design aesthetic. Their timeless pieces are created using only the highest quality fabrics.
This past October, the pair won the Mercedes-Benz Start Up contest for emerging designers, receiving a fully produced runway show, an editorial spread in Fashion Magazine, and a $30,000 bursary. With their talent and creativity, we can be sure that there is much more to come from UNTTLD. For further information, visit the brand’s website, and follow their social pages below.
Founded in Edmonton, Alberta, So Pretty Cara Cotter is a modern jewelry line celebrating all things beautiful. Born out of Cara’s love for fine metals and semiprecious stones, So Pretty Cara Cotter offers one-of-a-kind jewelry in four metal finishes: gold, rose gold, gunmetal, and sterling.
Cara’s whimsically feminine design aesthetic combines modern and organic elements to create breathtaking silver and 18K gold vermeil pieces. To Cara, beauty is about much more than one’s outer appearance. It manifests itself more clearly through traits such as wit, bravery, and poise. After Cara completes a design, it is given a name to symbolize all that is “pretty” in the world.
So Pretty Cara Cotter is meticulously handcrafted in Jaipur, India, a city with a rich history in semi precious stones. It takes several days to carefully set each handmade metal smith piece. The final product is intended to be layered and stacked with ease, relaying a message of true effortless beauty.
With six stunning collections to choose from, So Pretty Cara Cotter fills the gap between fine and costume jewelry, providing accessible luxury for the modern woman.
Montreal-based designer Brit Watcher’s pieces offer a token of feminine individuality, strength, and confidence for each wearer. Integral to her vision is the concept of duality and the passage of energy through time and space. This energy, represented by moods and feelings, is transformed into shapes, colour blocking, and the use of lines in textile. A strong dialogue between simplicity and chaos is created, thus producing a display of shapely, complex, unconventionally tailored garments.
Brit has had a wealth of design experience. Following her graduation from Vancouver’s La Salle University, she acted as a stylist in Thailand before relocating to Arnhem where she worked with Dutch designer Pauline Van Dongen. It was under Van Dongen’s tutelage that Brit began to refine her approach to garment construction and the practice of conceptual exploration. Brit’s pieces are reflections of experiencing life through fantasy, and, simultaneously, the core conflicts of the physical world. Continue reading EMERGING FASHION FRIDAYS | BRIT WACHER→
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