Vancouver Fashion Week Has Grown!
Vancouver Fashion Week opened its Fall/Winter edition with an opening gala last night at the Chinese Cultural Center and runs with nightly shows until March 24th. The center was filled to capacity with patrons said to be waiting to get in right up until the last set of heels left the runway during the designer sneak peek segment. The event was official opened by a Vancouver City representative who read a proclamation, and a rep from the Prime Minister's office of Canada also spoke, stating that "Vancouver Fashion Week is now the largest fashion week in Canada (yes even bigger than Toronto) and it is the second largest in North America". I am still verifying these statistics but with over 60 designers this year, and to see last night's crowd, it may very well be true. Now in its 13th year, they have certainly progressed with such sponsors as Pantene, Covergirl and Olay coming on board this year, along with the returning Niche Magazine.
The gala event included performances by Les Noces Gitanes who put on a rousing Latin musical performance culminating with their flamenco-style dancer coming off the stage to perform down the runway. Selections from the grand piano were performed by Clare Young & Scott Meek, and Alina Kozlovskaja.
Tonight’s designers are Susana Bettencourt, Nina Tan, Alano Edzerza, Green Embassy, Jin and Jacqueline, Pitour, Shelley Klassen, and Gabriel Lage.
The bi-annual event is attended by over 20,000 guests, and has designers invited from more than 30 countries around the world. Vancouver Fashion Week partners with the Make A Wish Foundation and last evening one lucky young recipient was strutting her stuff in a new gown while sitting front row. VFW also supports the growth and development of LaSalle College, Vancouver's fashion school.
The full fashion lineup for VFW Fall/Winter 2014 Collections include: Pierre Renaux (Paris), Gabriel Lage (Argentina), Green Embassy (Australia), Pitour (Austria), Susana Bettencourt (Portugal), Yuhsi Takahashi (Japan), mayamay (Slovakia), Martins Paulo (Brazil), Takaokami (Denmark), Evan Clayton (Vancouver), Nina Tan (Vancouver), Noe Bernacelli (Peru), Hong Kiyoung (Korea), Firan & Rose (UK), Ophelia Song (China), Birgit Badke (Kelowna), Lisa Loveday (Thunder Bay), Erikó (Colombia), Fever (UK), Angel Eye (UK), Soojin Lee (Korea), Sonya Jang (Ottawa), Jesper Annerstedt (Sweden), Rachel Liu (China), Yicheng Chen (China), Sophie Karen (USA), Shravan Kumar (India), Evolét (Peru), JFG Designs (Vancouver), Jin and Jacqueline (Vancouver), Shelley Klassen for Blushing Boutique (Vancouver), Ipek Tohumcu (Turkey), Kym Couture Kollection (USA), José Zafra (Peru), Nadia + Zehra (UK), Gardé del Avante (Toronto), Grandi’s Atelier (Vancouver), Calotype (USA), Wellgroomed Designs Inc. (Canada), Mario Young (UK), Connally McDougall (Victoria), NotEqual (Brazil), Papillon (Vancouver) and Make-up is supplied by COVERGIRL, Pantene and Olay.
For the full schedule of the fashion week, visit their website.
All runway shows will be livestreamed so watch if you are unable to attend.
