Vancouver Fashion Week Gives Glimpse Into Fall Trends
Most don’t know that Vancouver Fashion Week is the second largest show in North America. When we think fashion, our minds normally go straight to New York or Los Angeles. After our team’s impeccable experience with the cutting-edge, inclusive designers of Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) in April, our minds now travel to our neighbors in the north.
Trending Northwest was honored to be invited to attend the Fall/Winter show. Our team was blown away by the quality, diversity and accessibility of each piece. We connected with beautiful, creative minds and left the event inspired and changed for the better. From our perspective, it’s easy to see why Vancouver Fashion Week is second only to New York’s and is the fastest growing fashion week in the world.
VFW was launched in 2001 by Jamal Abdourahman and has since grown to include a Kid’s Fashion Week, two magazines and the Global Fashion Collective which produces shows at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Tokyo Fashion Week.
Here’s some of what we experienced upon arrival.
Diversity, Accessibility & Inclusion at Vancouver Fashion Week
The designers showcased Canadian natives, but also talent from across the globe. Our team loved seeing labels in their infancy stand toe-to-toe with well-established brands. There was a veritable feast of everything from street wear to haute couture and avant-garde.
Like Trending Northwest, VFW is founded by a team passionate about inclusion. This manifested itself in a wide range of styles, body types, skin colors, heights, genders, and even price ranges. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the beautiful pieces we saw traveling down the runway in all of their glory were available in just about any size and could fit into just about any budget.
If you’re wondering if the laudable principles and high standards extend beyond the flashing lights and sound bites, you can thank Jordy Jones, our resident journalist, for securing the inside scoop. Jones chatted with one of the models after the show to ask about the behind-the-scenes experience at Vancouver Fashion Week. Without hesitation, she shared that “the energy backstage” and the cast were “really supportive.”
Fall 2024 Fashion Trends
So, what fashion trends can we expect to see this fall and winter? What do the fashion gods have in store?
Well, we noticed some clear trends on the runways, but they weren’t what we expected. We ascertained that green is continuing to have a moment and that knitted and crocheted items are experiencing a renaissance. However, we were taken aback by some very bold, very socially-driven trends.
Gone are the days of a clear divide between the ready-to-wear and the high-fashion elite. Vancouver’s runways were full of beautiful contradictions that dismissed boundaries dividing gender and socioeconomic status and lifestyle.
Although diversity was the name of the game, and the designers each brought their unique style to the table, all seemed to find unity in their commitment to flexibility, accessibility and practicality as a means of avoiding fast fashion. If VFW is any indicator (and we believe it is), we see a future where consumers like us are not forced to support fast fashion, where the average person can curate a collection of high-quality pieces without mortgaging their futures.
We saw an abundance of beautiful, androgynous pieces and concluded that this is yet another way that inclusion is bringing practicality to the fashion world. Even in the haute couture lines, we saw pieces with wide application and accessible pricing.
Jean De La Croix, a Vancouver-based designer who debuted their first line titled “Art of Living,” perfectly embodied the themes, trends and spirit of the show. De La Croix explained to Blaine that this collection “was a juxtaposition between abstract geometry and wearable” and that “a lot of it was inspired by art and design.” Thus the line married abstract pieces with the realistic. De La Croix described their ideal client as a powerful, contemporary traveler, noting that, as a Mexican immigrant, making folks feel comfortable and powerful is of utmost importance.
Our new favorite Canadian influencer, Deniz Sinaki, summed up our team’s experience perfectly: “Fashion Week is really where people can express themselves–their true selves.”
It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Vancouver has earned its place as a fashion capital, and Trending Northwest cannot wait for the next show!
Bailey Bowerman
Bailey is a self-proclaimed recovering attorney and late bloomer. She loves words, rest, and hyping entrepreneurs and creatives. She lives in Idaho with her husband and is decidedly and unapologetically NOT outdoorsy.
