BACK to NEWS RELEASES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BC DESIGNERS EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO FASHION-FORWARD MOUNTAIN FOLK
Whistler’s TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival announces finalists in 2008 Designer Search & EXPOSE contest
WHISTLER, BC, March 26 2008 – Just in its second year, Whistler’s Designer Search & EXPOSE contest is gaining steam, lending strength to the argument that the West Coast is evolving into a hub of indie-style and leaving its fleece-clad heritage in the dust.
From lingerie to urban sass to hoodie couture, form and function seamlessly meld for fashion-forward mountain folk, and nowhere is it more apparent than with this year’s finalists for the Designer Search & EXPOSE.
As chosen by a panel made up of Carolyn Simmons, Clothing Designer for Volcom; Deanne Gale, Snowboard Soft Goods Buyer for Whistler Blackcomb; Andrea Murray, Clothing Inventor for Lululemon Athletica; Anne Morris, Academic Director of Fashion Design & Merchandising at the Art Institute of Vancouver and Mark Little, Lead Merchant for Abercrombie & Fitch Boys and Hollister Dudes Vintage Shorts, Pants and Surfwear, the finalists are:
Elroy Apparel <http://whistler.mtv.ca/arts_designer_elroy.php> Designer Leanne McElroy was born and raised in Vancouver, and has been creating her own garments from the age of 13. She was awarded Designer of the Year on taking Helen Lefeaux’ Fashion Design program before traveling the world and honing her own style – sophisticated street wear for the contemporary health conscious woman, who wants organic options that go beyond yoga and loungewear. Elroy Apparel’s Spring 2008 collection was also featured as part of BC Fashion Week’s Generation Next showcase. The panel found the designs to be “chic”, “fashion-forward” and “unique.” www.elroyapparel.com
Lily & Jae Growing up in Whistler, BC, Jude Feller would have played dress up all the time, but there was skiing to be done. She showed her first collection in highschool, graduated from Helen Lefeaux with a degree in fashion design in 1999, and went on to intern in the design department with Aritzia, before becoming a costumer for film and television. Her line of young women’s contemporary street wear is designed for the kind of girl who can hang with the boys on the hill, and then blow them away when she puts on her heels, and includes soft hoodies, flirty dresses, flattering coats, and expertly tailored high-waisted trousers, all independently designed and manufactured in Vancouver. Lily & Jae clothes have been seen on stars Lily Allen, Ashlee Simpson, Sarah Polley and Amy Smart. The panel said “great silhouettes and use of texture.” www.lilyandjae.com
Twice Shy <http://whistler.mtv.ca/arts_designer_twice.php> Designer Jen MacCormack is a flower-child at heart who taught herself graphic design with the support of Whistler icon, Toad Hall Studio, during five years of resort life and leisure. A stint in Montreal reminded her how much she loved the mountains, and she set up base in her hometown of Vancouver where she operates Twice Shy and Fig Design, providing fashion conscious people with a modern earth-friendly choice, answering her own fashion dilemma of wanting cool urban clothes made from organically grown and sustainable fabrics. Twice Shy were also finalists in the 2007 Designer Search & Expose. The panel said “edgy”, “organic” and “fun.”
Samples of the finalists designs can be viewed at http://whistler.mtv.ca/arts_designer_search.php
The winner will be announced April 1, and invited to storm the runway at the Schick Xtreme 3 Fashion Exposed, Friday April 18, sharing the slopeside spotlight with 18 leading lifestyle brands, including Burton, Quiksilver, Orage, Nikita, TNA, 686, Westbeach, Roxy, Helly Hansen, DC, Oakley, Bonfire, DNA, Rossignol, Gore-tex, Salomon, and Peak Performance.
Fashion EXPOSED, at the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival, is designed to take 1800 spectators, over 400 journalists, and a national television audience on a vivid journey into tomorrow's trends in street, lifestyle & action fashion.
Tiffany Ho, of Third Floor Designs, 2007’s inaugural Designer Search and EXPOSE winner, said that having their BC-based lingerie brand showcased at Fashion Exposed was a “fantastic experience. Not only did we receive media exposure before and after the event including MTV, InFamous, and Pique, we also gained a huge affirmation of our products by seeing it on the runway against long standing and respected brands. After the event we were able to leverage this exposure towards building brand recognition internationally.”
-30-
The TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival is produced by Watermark Communications, a Whistler marketing & communication company, and presented in partnership with Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb. Founded by W1’s Doug Perry thirteen years ago, and now the largest annual winter sports and music festival in North America, the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival is a high-octane 10 day and night showcase of the best of snowsports, music, arts and mountain life. Featuring major professional ski and snowboarding competitions, the largest free outdoor concert series in Canada, the legendary Pro Photographer and Filmmaker Showdowns, and many more unique art and cultural showcases, the Festival is the ultimate winter wrap party. For information on the 2008 TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival, April 11-20, visit whistler2008.com
Lisa Richardson
Director of Communications
Watermark Communications Inc
10-1006 Lynham Road
Whistler BC V0N 1B1
Producers of the
TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival
April 11-20 2008
www.whistler2008.com <http://www.whistler2008.com>
p: 604 938 3399 ext 34
f: 604 938 3398
lrichardson@watermarkinc.ca
|
