With an increased awareness of both fashion trends and garment quality growing, local designers and boutiques are choosing to set up shop in the city in the hopes of cultivating a high fashion aesthetic that is uniquely Edmonton.
“Edmonton has kind of been this amazing incubator,” says Malorie Urbanovitch, a local designer who has gained national recognition for her self-named women’s wear and accessory line. Alberta’s capital city may seem like an unlikely place to launch a fashion label, but Urbanovitch cites the growing community support for upscale design in the city as her reason for remaining in Alberta. “I started working in the fashion industry as a stylist here in Edmonton in a time that I wasn’t really aware of anyone else doing it. At the time, the resources here felt limited, but in the last 10 years it has grown so much. I have just continued to see the growth and been there to experience it, so it has kept me here longer than I expected to be.”
Even though the demand for more high-end offerings in Edmonton has lead to a new wave of fashion consciousness, the city’s infamous weather can make staying on trend throughout the year challenging, even for the most adventurous fashion-philes.
The key to looking put together, regardless the forecast, is by cultivating a wardrobe of well-made classics that can act as a backdrop for the more trend-driven items of the season. Urbanovitch, who describes her brand as “defying trends,” promotes the concept of seasonless dressing, with a focus on investment pieces. Our long winters require our wardrobes to stand the test of time and function in a wide variety of temperatures. “There is a sense of practicality in everything that I make because I know, as an Edmontonian, that I am going to want to buy something that is warm and comfortable in the winter, but is also quite cool and comfortable in the summer. I think having that practicality in mind through every little design concept that I do is something that I gained from being in Edmonton,” says Urbanovitch.
Derek Jagodzinsky, owner and creator of the LUXX label in Edmonton, has successfully incorporated his Aboriginal heritage into his modern approach to women’s fashion. “My stuff is timeless,” states Jagodzinsky. “It is about modern shapes with a classic edge. I have been doing Native inspired stuff for the last few seasons. I feel like it is my dharma, that I am supposed to show my culture in a modern, new way.” When asked about his philosophy for staying stylish during Edmonton’s harsh climate shifts, the designer keeps it simple. “It’s all about layering. You can have a lot of really cool techy fabrics that are really thin, but you can layer them. If it is hot you can take some off, but I am all about layering so that each piece can fit into different wardrobes.”
As Edmonton’s storefronts continue to fill up with eager young designers and upscale boutiques, the city’s current fashion class seems determined to defy the antiquated notions of what fashion in Alberta used to be. The swath of new talent in Edmonton’s retail scene is sure to keep the city looking great, regardless of how much snow is on the ground. —Jyllian Park
Catch these designers and over 50 local and international designers as they showcase their latest and most innovative designs on the runway and highlight the season’s hottest trends at Western Canada Fashion Week. A variety of exciting competitions and challenges for designers, stylists, and hair and makeup artists to show off their skills also take place during this event.
Western Canada Fashion Week | March 24 – 31
ATB Financial Arts Barns | 10330-84 Ave. | 780-409-1910
