Today me and my man went to check out a bi-annual arts and craft fair put on by one of the city's coolest inhabitants, Raymond E. Biesinger. I'd dressed up in the best pants I've ever owned, my new mono jodhpurs (right; and no, they were not in my budget), and my hier apparel Husk Vest (left), thinking I'd be right at home with my perfectly paired handmade pieces. However, I left with the giant question of 'What the cuss is wrong with Edmonton's fashion scene?' I'm not saying anything against the talent of the clothing designers who were selling their wares at the fair. I am simply perplexed as to why the bulk (ie. 99%) of the locally produced clothing here consists of screen printed t-shirts and vintage clothing recycled into tops and a couple of skirts. Where is the originality? The avant garde pieces? Modern pieces? Knitwear? New fabrics? Pants? Perhaps an arts and craft fair is not the place for such vendors, especially as the place was full of scenesters who shop solely at American Apparel and vintage shops, and who get around town on their fixed gear or cruiser bikes. Sigh. At any rate, it's no surprise that I'm surprised to discover that a designer whose work I completely love is Canadian. I know that fellow Canadians have talent (my favorite band is local!), but I guess the ones with fashion design talent just gravitate away from my city. Perhaps I'll just have to move back to Vancouver, where I can regularly peruse the wares of mono and Mandula to my heart's content. In the mean time, I guess I have even more motivation to get to work and fill the gaping hole that exists in my city's fashion industry.
By the way, Heather of mono sure knows how to get me - the jodhpurs came packaged in a lovely little Tyvek bag with a beautiful grey ribbon drawstring, further tempting me to get the Scarf Dress...
