Tatiana Read is a curator of connections, social, ambitious and organized. In other words, she’s a total PR pro.  Words can’t describe how grateful I am to her for introducing me to so many new clients and working her network to make cool projects happen.  In 2009 she started her own firm, Knot PR. Tat has mad momentum and it seems like she gets busier all the time – so I really appreciate that she took a moment to answer my questions.

Can you describe a typical day as PR entrepreneur?

This is a great question and something that I’m sure aspiring PR practitioners are curious about. I’ve done my best to outline the daily happenings of yours truly.

7:30AM Check the blackberry for any must-respond-to emails – European inquiries/contacts are a few hours ahead.

8:00AM Starbucks. Americano w/ cream + yogurt parfait. To go.

8:15AM In-office: sending previous night’s drafted emails ‘first-thing.’ I receive/send up to 200 individual emails daily (I prefer sending emails in the morning when people are fresh vs. late at night or EOD (end of day).

Media monitoring: review google alerts in detail, read dailies (online and in print) and get scans / obtain copies. Review bit.ly links and google analytics for websites.

8:15-30AM Review meetings and day’s task list, confirm day’s appointments (I sometimes have up to four a day).

Log-in to HootSuite; check activity on twitter accounts, review twitter fashion lists for the day’s buzz, review general news/trending/favourite twitter people (some examples: @lisatant @OscarPRGirl @dkny @raymondgirard @mashable @scobleizer)

8:30-9:00AM Touch base with clients by phone if needed, follow-up with email and deliver action items as appropriate. Liaise with any vendors (e.g. for upcoming client event, designers, web guys, etc) on special client projects first-thing.

9:00-11:15AM If a Knot press release is going out we aim to have it out by 10:30 – at this point we’re uploading finalized documents, finalizing hi-res drops and flickr galleries, reviewing media lists. (By ‘we’ I mean me and my new coordinator, the amazing Ryan Cheung)

All same-day couriers must be filed by noon – so we’re usually putting a sample request or two together by this time.

Mail! Who doesn’t like receiving mail? Review new magazines, invitations, bills!

11:15-12:00PM Late-morning coffee with friend/industry colleague/media/fellow entrepreneur

Skype UK-based Knot Market Consultant Sarah Joynt

Call Knot advisory team member to discuss a percolating business idea / strategy (I regularly call up professionals from non-fashion or pr backgrounds to get their point of view and learn from their experiences, business practice)

12:00-12:30PM Lunch! I eat at my desk usually – I prefer booking meetings around lunch (but do enjoy a nice lunch meeting) as it makes you focus on task at hand vs. dining experience distractions.

Catch up on twitter chatter.

12:30-6:00PM Get lots of work done – copywriting, researching, knowledge management, brainstorming, media relations, strategic planning.

Also work on Knot admin/management tasks: pay bills, invoicing (freshbooks!), website (launching March 2010), communications industry trends/research

6:00PM Committee meetings – I am personally involved in a few extra-curriculars, including the upcoming Reel Artist Film Festival, The Canadian Art Foundation’s Young Patron Group (New Contemporaries), The Textile Museum’s Style Advisory Council, Hope House Fundraiser

OR

Attend event – launches, cultural / networking events – all opportunities to touch base with colleagues and make new friends.

7:30PM Occasionally I go back to work post-event or have a secondary event.

9:00PM Draft event follow-up emails to new contacts (always, always get their business cards!). Review night-time emails and draft important responses/follow-up for next morning. Remotely review/draft important files via Dropbox.

10:00PM Touch-base with friends over phone, read a book (currently reading Corked) watch mind-numbingly bad tv (rarely)

How did your life change when you went from being an employee at a PR firm to owner of your own business?

The joy of PR (to me) has always been rooted in helping businesses grow. I am a natural entrepreneur (a competitive middle child) and running my own business has better equipped me to understand the challenges and goals of my clients.

To answer your question: my life changed overnight. As an entrepreneur, every second of every day counts – there’s no end to what you can do for your business and nobody cares more about your business than you do. Whereas client targets are more tacit and quantifiable, my business goals are lofty and seem endless. I am used to working long hours (I have had up to 3 jobs at a time and remember a stretch of 8 months with but a single day off) but being a PR entrepreneur is a lifestyle choice, truly. I have always been attracted to knowledge management and the ‘bigger picture’ as it’s energizing, motivating and highly rewarding to see ideas come to life.

You were one of the first PR professionals in Toronto to make a real effort to reach out to fashion bloggers. How do you think fashion PR has to adapt to the growing influence of online voices?

I grew up amidst ‘online voices’ and I think my first experiences on the web (think: gopher and Eliza) resonate with what’s happening today (and make me apt to understand the ‘blogosphere’ and web 2.0). At 15, in 1996 and pre-Style.com, I had a website which I programmed myself (it’s still out there on Web Archive – I may admit to a Prada mention, shoes specifically). It was my first foray into an exotic and alluring community of talented early-adopters. In particular I remember Jeffrey Zeldman being an influence – he’s now spearheading designing with web standards (I think I even got him to critique my site! *Embarrassing* but part of the allure of the online community: access).

As soon as I got started in fashion PR I recognized that fashion bloggers were important voices (the notion that it’s a passing fad strikes me as misinformed). Now we have twitter (micro-blogging!) and facebook to contend with. What does this mean to PR practitioners and specifically, the fashion PR people? It means engaging these voices/platforms and starting your own conversations, being responsive and open to new technologies. It also means lots of learning.

What advice would you offer to those who have an ambition to start their own fashion PR firm?

I’m new at this but here are some highlights of what I’ve learned so far: you must want to work hard, keep learning everyday, be organized (personally and professionally), meet people and learn from them. It’s not for everyone.

Can you describe the proudest moment in your career so far?

Validation is important to me as I work in a service-based industry. I take pride in doing the job well; whether it’s running my business and getting an office within 6 months or having a client tell me “job well done.” Also seeing a good idea come to life is thrilling.

Photo Credit: Raymund Galsim

Tricia Campbell Hall is a stylist, I can’t remember when I met her because I often see her when I go out to events, and she’s always friendly and fun to talk to.  Later I became aware of her blog, and found out more about what she does, including this lovely reveal of the design and development of her wedding dress. Tricia loves to find unknown designers and support them in the early stages of their career.

Tricia is having a busy month – she’s jetting her way to fashion week in NYC in a few days to check out Rad Hourani‘s show among others… looking forward to reading what she posts about the trip.

In the meantime, she kindly answered a few of my questions about her career.

You’re a stylist who-blogs – why did you decide to start a blog, and how does the blog complement your career?

i decided to start a blog as a way to share with people the work that i do and it gives me the opportunity to share the behind the scenes process, pictures and stories of the end result.

blogging provides an additional platform to support canadian designers who i love wholeheartedly.

it also helps to put a personality to my name because i type like how i talk. i take my work very seriously but i don’t take myself too seriously and i think my writing style shows it. it allows me to give additional exposure to the designers, clients, photographers, models and hair/makeup artists that i get to work with because i provide credits from each shoot. posting in a manner that allows the reader to feel like they were present, be it for a shoot or even an event i attended, along with providing pictures i took myself or that the event photographer took makes my blog approachable and easier to read (at least i hope so).

You’ve applied your skills to many different types of styling – off-figure, photography, styling celebrity clients for shoots, and fashion shows. What type of styling is the most challenging? What type is your favourite?

the most challenging type of styling i think is off-figure, mainly because it’s the most misunderstood and underrated. those carefree and loosely stacked polos shots that you see in a j.crew catalogue actually took a lot of time to be pressed and steamed just right, folded a specific way, organized in a particular colour order and lit to perfection for that end result. each one of those shots can take a couple of hours to produce and not all clients are aware of the time it requires to achieve that look they request. an editorial fashion shoot for five looks (hair + makeup included) will easily go by much faster than a high end off-figure shoot for five product shots.

as much as i enjoy off-figure my favourite type of styling would have to be fashion, be it for a creative shoot that i do on my own time or for a magazine. i really love creating beautiful images with clothing and accessories, a great model, a great photographer and a great hair + makeup artist on board. i was very much a visual arts geek back in high school and i still love visual arts to this day. to me (fashion) styling is an art form.

Can you describe a typical day as a freelance stylist?

because it’s not a monday to friday 9-5 type of career your days can be really inconsistent and unpredictable. one day i’m chillin at home watching oprah and the next day i’m running around the city pulling clothing for a magazine shoot all because of a phone call from my agent.

there are different levels of crazy depending on the job. the more laid back sort of days (in regards to preparation) would be ones in a production studio for a commercial catalogue client-often times all styling materials are provided and you just have to show up, no full styling kit required (i’ll just roll with a downsized version). because it’s catalogue the product (clothing, shoes, accessories, etc) is provided for you and with it being in a production studio there’s usually a set time as to when your day is done.

the most crazy would be a call for a magazine shoot, some in as little as 2 days. you have to always make sure your contact list is up to date because at the 11th hour you have no time to waste. calling and emailing designers, showrooms and stores, making appointments to pick up the clothing and even have some itemscouriered to you because you don’t always have time to pick up the items yourself. though there is a specific call time for you to begin on the day of the shoot, it doesn’t end until you get all the desired shots and that can sometimes mean that your day can run late.

What fashion professionals do you admire, and how do they inspire you?

i really admire nicola formichetti‘s work, where he’s at in his career and what he’s accomplished. he’s fashion editor, creative director, contributing fashion editor, he styles ad campaigns, videos and celebrities; having all that on his plate and doing all jobs well reminds me that there’s nothing that can’t be done, that you don’t have to be one “type” of stylist only.

Can you describe the proudest moment in your career so far?

a satisfied client is something that i’m always proud of, but i will tell you about the happiest moment of my career: being hired as an in-house off-figure stylist back in july of 2004 after being let go from a sucky retail job at the end of 2003; that’s where my career as a stylist began.

The first time I saw Joelle Litt was when she was walking the runway, modeling for Ula Zukowska, with a swatch of black lace embellishing her gorgeous jaw.  Joelle is a stunning example of a human being, with long limbs and longer neck – but what makes her stand out as a model to me is a certain quality of awareness and maturity. She is a model that I have an ambition to draw, and if my dreams come true she will be posing in my studio very soon.

Besides being a model, Joelle is a writer – I used to be a regular reader of her old blog, Mad Glam (RIP), and now she writes for Women’s Post and is also building a portfolio as a stylist.  I asked her a few questions about having multiple careers in the fashion industry.

How has your modeling experience helped you as a fashion writer and stylist?

Being a model allowed me to become a part of the industry at a very young age. You get the opportunity to work with people in every single aspect of the fashion industry; working with designers, stylists, photographers, hair & make-up artists, show producers, and the list continues. A smart model will take from that experience and grow…and make contacts. As a fashion writer, I see things from a different perspective…and as a stylist…I have basically been assisting stylists for years (as a model) and was always learning tips and tricks. So there was no need for me to assist anyone when I woke up one day in October and thought, ‘I am going to be a stylist.”

You have visibly and vocally contributed your talents to the fashion community in Toronto. Why does local fashion matter to you?

Local fashion is important, not just in Toronto. Wherever I am I try to get involved in the local fashion scene. I like to be able to meet and talk to people face to face. If I have the opportunity to understand someone’s character on a personal level than I will take it, especially someone who’s work I adore. And the sense that there is a ‘community,’ is a great thing. The more that the fashion community of Toronto comes together in a combined effort, with all of its talents, the greater the fashion community of Toronto is.

Having been both a participant and an observer of the fashion scene in Toronto, what is your sense of how fashion in the city is evolving?

It’s evolving. The fashion scene is much more than just fashion week….but I need to talk about that for just a minute. When I first started doing fashion week in Toronto, back in the days of Matinee, my taxi driver would always ask, “What exactly is going on here?” And now, all I have to say is ‘to the tent!’ and they know exactly where to go…(most of the time).

The fashion scene in Toronto is much more accessible to the public. People know more and more about it, and people are in to it.

The industry is a little bit more accessible now too for people starting out…which is why alot more talent is developing, from what I can see.

What are your favourite blogs and fashion publications?

Should I lie or be honest? I don’t have any regulars that I follow…I pick up what catches my eye, and I am constantly looking for what is out there that I haven’t yet come across.

But I must say, Final Fashion just keeps getting better and better

What fashion professionals do you admire, and how have they inspired you?

I think I meet new people everyday that inspire me. This industry allows me to meet so many new people all the time – -and I love that.

But there are a few people that I have admired from the very beginning; like Pat McDonagh. I find her so inspiring because she has been a part of the industry for so long and shows no signs of stopping. She lives fashion. I hope that my career will be as long-lived. I can’t really see myself ever retiring a career as a writer.

I find the way fashion illustrator, Frederick Watson, sees the world to be so very inspiring. The world is so pretty through his eyes.

Photo credit: Richard Dubois

I became aware of Ryan Taylor through the magic of Twitter – besides being an incredibly active philanthropist and organizer of successful fundraisers such as HoHoTo, he is an entrepreneur who is transforming a storefront in Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighborhood.  His company, the Fair Trade Jewellery Company, is dedicated to creating customized jewellery using materials that are sourced fairly. Ryan is an enthusiastic and passionate individual who is keen on sharing ideas, space, and galvanizing the community around him.  You can learn more in this video. I asked him some questions about his vision for a jewellery company with a difference.

You use a CNC machine and software to design and prototype your customized jewellery. How does your equipment affect the way you design?

I have two answers .

1. For our collections and my personal design process it doesn’t affect me at all. Computers and rapid prototyping are no different than a hammer, torch, or file, each a tool in my bench.

What it does do is affect the way clients engage the design process. Traditionally water colours are/were used to illustrate a concept, then wax models produced by hand. People still employ this process today, the challenge is who pays for this time? Visually translating from paper to physical model is difficult for some people which means the process is often repeated (at a considerable cost) until the client is happy. For our clients we don’t charge for the custom work because these tools help me reduce both time and labour. The entire process can be completed during a single consultation, or over a few emails. The wax model is an exact replica of the photo realistic renderings which significantly reduces any confusion, and even if there is a change remaking it isn’t a problem.

It’s worth noting that there are a lot of faux-cad suites on counters in Jewellery stores, these are generally fool proof stock computer models sales people are trained on to give the illusion of ‘custom design’ and improve margins. Others may offer CAD but it’s simply a process of emailing a doodle to China, which can become expensive if multiple changes are needed. True custom (CAD/CAM) allows for infinite design possibilities and the ability to add special details like a finger print, illustrations or complex architectural detail – the options are endless. It’s my job to guide people through this exiting process, and resolve any technical restrictions.

Despite using a machine for much of the modelling process, jewellery is still finished by hand. Here the new world tools meets the old, it’s one of the reasons I love what I do.

2. A common goal amongst designers who use CAD/CAM

This would depend entirely on the mandate of the company or the project. The ‘holy grail’ for most designers, in any field, is to really create something so perfect a human hand couldn’t reproduce it. But the most common goals would be: improving production capabilities, and cost.

Building the point of difference of your business on the notion of a higher standard of ethics is certainly admirable. Is building a truly “fair” for-profit business achievable or just aspirational?

Totally achievable. Because we’re already doing it. The biggest risk we face isn’t consumer demand, or the supply chain but the Jewellery industry itself. Getting up the nose, and facing off with the PR agencyies of multinational corporations is not a matter of if but when. The industry itself needs new thought leaders, they (will) see us as a threat to the status quo. What they should understand is; we don’t want to take the establishment down we want to reform it, preserve it, save it from itself, and by doing so also change the communities and regions affected by it.

Have you ever encountered a moral grey area where two ethical priorities (say, labour versus environment) compete? What would you do in such a situation?

Not yet. If I can’t deliver I’m honest with the client. This type of conversation often happens around coloured stones because there isn’t a body that independently certifies the supply chain(s). And there may never be, but clients are always receptive to education about the product, and bit of transparency.

Another question clients ask that I’ve always been reluctant to accept is the idea of ‘recycled metal’. How this idea could be marketed without question really illustrates how desperate the industry is to preserve their commodity model and how lazy the green movement has become. Jewellers, Goldsmiths, Manufacturers have been recycling fine metal for centuries, there isn’t a landfill for old jewellery. Branding it and selling back to consumers as some sort of ‘green strategy’ is quite brilliant in some ways. When I began searching for ‘recycled’ options I called one refinery because they advertised ‘eco metal’: I asked “Are you 3rd party certified”, answer: “Yes”, “Great who certifies you?”, reply “We do”. This interaction sums up the current industry pretty well, another case of foxes guarding the hen house.

That’s not to say a solution didn’t exist, we found one. To fulfill requests for Platinum (currently limited supply from our partners in Colombia) and Palladium (not available) we found found a parter who is certified by: SCS http://www.scscertified.com/ this allows us to offer a post consumer 3rd party verified product with a minimum of 88% (18% post-consumer 70% pre-consumer) recycled content without any moral dilemma.

You’ve alluded to a change of direction for FTJCo in 2010. How has your vision for the business changed since you began?

The vision remains the same. We’ve responded to feedback already by getting sample product in showcases, scaling our production ability, improving availability, and did a bit of a flip-flop on how we offer custom. These are all boring operational refinements though.

My greatest disappointment was not being able to offer the 10-15% of retail as an investment back into the communities of the Choco. I believe this to be temporary set back, as we generate more business and refine our financial model I hope 2010 is the year we achieve this goal.

What have you learned from the process of “soft-launching” a business?

1. People entering a “jewellery store” are always on the defensive. And understandably so. I despise going into Jewellery stores.
2. No one knows what an atelier is.
3. Education not sales.
4. Honestly above profits.
5. Admit you were wrong.
6. At whatever the cost “Make it Right”
7. Love your community(s)

What designers and entrepreneurs do you admire, and how do they inspire you?

For a designer I only have one answer. Goldschmiedemeister Karl Vigelius. My mentor and friend. His work is elegant, technically brilliant, and he has shared the world with me. 50+ years experience, formally trained in Germany – he is a rare find. We spend every Tuesday together it is the highlight of every week.

Entrepreneur. Steve Jobs. I can identify with him on so many levels, I even haz a Woz :)

Briony Smith is the best kind of fashion writer to meet at an event – she is always wearing an outrageous outfit and a smile. She has the winning combination as far as I am concerned – she is observant, opinionated and optimistic.  I asked her a few questions about her career and craft.

Photo Credit: Kinetic Form

One thing I admire about you is your style – you wear bright colours, unusual items with a sense of humour.  How would you describe your sense of style?  Where do you find your striking fashion items?

It’s all about confidence and trusting your wilder instincts: stay away from safe. My sense of style is “not-safe!” (And, okay, okay: throw “sometimes sexy” in there as well: I do have a well-known penchant for anything short, slinky, or sheer. Blame it on the formative influence of nineties-era Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, and Gucci.)

Life’s too short to look like everyone else, so even my everyday pieces are a bit outrageous! I get recognized all the time for my glasses (pale-pink Rapp cateyes, or Cutler & Gross gray round frames) and the massive 1940s amethyst cocktail ring I wear every day.

I always incorporate at least a few eye-catching, unique pieces per outfit, whether it’s a colourful scarf, a chunky necklace, a print dress, a big-ass pair of heels, or some texture, like sequins, cashmere, or silk. (And I wear some form of vintage every day.)

As an example, I think that one of my most outrageous ensembles (pictured here) was also one of my best. On paper, pairing just a bra with a lacey vintage bolero, paperbag-waisted capris, red leather mules, long silver earrings, and a vintage hat sounds a bit crazy, but when it works, it works.

I try and avoid shopping at chain stores anymore, preferring instead to buy from independent designers (especially Canadian!), and vintage pieces. Some of my best treasures came from sources as diverse as a Nashville vintage store, high-end boutiques, the Hamilton Value Village, sample sales, hand-me-downs, roadside garage sales, my late mother’s jewelrybox, clothing swaps…

You post about fashion on blogTO – perhaps the most challenging audience for fashion news in the city.  How do you deal with all the disparaging comments?

The majority of the nasties are just writing a knee-jerk response without reading carefully what I’m saying. I always make sure to point out the good parts about stores and fashion shows, rather than harping on about what I hate about them, but people still often accuse me of being a snobby jerk. I kind-of am, but, ironically, I’m careful not to rage as much as I might like on stores or shows that aren’t my style—they might be someone else’s!

What fashion writers do you admire and find inspiration from?  What qualities does a good fashion writer have?

Probably my favourite fashion writer is Andre Leon Talley of Vogue. I’m in complete awe of his fashion knowledge: he reels off past collections and trends in his show coverage so breezily. He’s also lived such a glam life, traveling, interviewing, and hanging out with the best fashion minds of our time (and wearing ridiculous outfits—the man swathes himself in massive capes, for god’s sake).

But the best part is his humbleness and passion: even though he’s been doing this for decades, his enthusiasm is unwavering. That to me is the single-most important quality a fashion writer needs: excitement! So many fashion industry people are so jaded (and, frankly, cranky), despite the fact that they get to write about clothes and, essentially, art for a living.

Would you ever consider starting your own fashion blog?  Why or why not?

I have been pondering this for quite some time, and have a whole concept worked out, even! I’ve just hesitated taking the plunge because, as a freelance writer in the current climate, it seems a little reckless to embark on yet another unpaid venture. The Internet is also glutted with so-called fashion blogs, so I’d want to make sure that my voice was loud enough to be heard over the din. I think the focus is unique enough, and my passion strong enough, to get it going, but what form it will take remains to be seen!

Describe the proudest moment in your career so far.

It’s often the firsts in my career that have stuck with me, the ones where I remember grinning and tearing up a little, or squealing and jumping up and down, as I held the new issue in my hand, including: my first published article (a pair of movie reviews in my university paper), my first magazine piece (a tiny sidebar in Seattle magazine), my first article in a fashion magazine (an interview with Jay Manuel in ELLE Canada), and my first few fashion stories (covering Fashion Week for blogTO, and writing about film fashion for ELLE Canada).

Really, there is so much talent in the world, and I just feel lucky to write about it!

Rea McNamara is a magpie both in style and in practice – someone who collects the discarded, the colourful, the rare, and assembles her findings into stories, experiences and communities.  I asked her about her multi-faceted perspective on the culture of style.

(If you are in Toronto, you can meet Rea (and me, and a bunch of other fascinating folks) at the Hi-Style Holladaze party tonight.)

I would like to describe you as a glorious generalist – someone who is curious about many aspects of culture. Is there a common thread in your careers as a stylist, writer and DJ? Why have you chosen the path of the polymath as opposed to focusing on one specific calling?

To be honest, I’m not so sure if I chose the path or the path chose me. Up until very recently, I felt like a Jack of All Trades — bouncing from writing stories to styling shoots to organizing party nights to playing in bands and deejaying to coordinating art programs.

But I’ve been very lucky to have people in my life who’ve encouraged me to be stubbornly true to my passions, and not be so caught up with expectations. By letting impulse and sheer accident guide my work, I’ve been able to understand what my process is and the ideas that drive it.

The common thread is probably the desire to create an immersive experience. Ultimately, I’m a storyteller, but I don’t think stories are solely told via words. Sometimes it’s an image or a sample. Most of the time, it’s the image and the sample and the word. That’s why it’s so difficult for me to limit myself within a particular form or genre. I’ve always been fascinated by the things that exist between boundaries.

Your new gig is writing about social media for a paper-paper. You’ve been called out for not being much of a social media guru – not having a lot of twitter followers or being an insider in the social media networking scene. How do you justify your take on the subject as an outsider?

I don’t know about you, but I’m so over this popular idea of social media being all about the Twitter followers and AdWords ROI. (No wonder why Camille Paglia called Twitter ‘so high school’.) I’m more interested in looking at social media in relation to the on/offline statuses of emerging/pre-existing niches and subcultures.

That’s why my column’s covering Gleek re-doing vids, Tavi, and ONTD: I want to examine social media from a truly open perspective. I’m very conscious about this column being read on the subway, or readers following the meta-fragments via the Posterous. Often, I might even write two different versions of the column (a good example of this is my print and online takes on the popular Tumblr oversharer jaimeleigh), because people forget how fast online moves, and how important it is to dissect it in such a way that it’s fully understood via different platforms.

But I don’t necessarily see myself as totally an ‘outsider’. In 2008, I was a resident in the CFC Media Lab doing their TELUS Interactive Art and Entertainment Program, so I’ve been fairly immersed in new media before. I’ve also been observing and studying online fandom culture (specifically fan fiction and slash) for a number of years, and guest lectured on the subject at York University.

You are also working with Art Starts, a grass-roots community initiative exploring the unique style of some of Toronto’s suburbs. What have you discovered about the style scene outside of the downtown core?

Art Starts is an amazing Toronto non-profit committed to arts-based community development. It’s an organization that uses the arts as a medium for engaging residents, creating a shared sense of identity, identifying challenges and collectively working to overcome them in particularly underserved neighbourhoods.

The Style Council puts into practice the ideas I have about fashion community-building, and where style exists. I think it’s so limiting to think about style simply emerging from the runway or on Queen West — it should also be recognized that it can be determined on the streets of Eglinton West West, and in communities like Jane & Finch or Little India.

So for the past ten weeks, I’ve been working with ten amazingly talented writers, photographers and stylists to document the collective fashion senses of the Dufferin-Eglinton and Oakwood-Vaughan communities. The participants — many of whom are in high school or in university/college — are a mix of area residents and outsiders, and are for the most part interested in fashion and/or media careers. They received workshops in styling, writing and photography, and were responsible for creating a double-paged spread in what we’re calling a community ‘Stylebook’. As a result, these participants have filed interviews, essays and fashion editorials that explores the impact of what we choose to wear as an expression of ourselves and our communities.

My goal is to work with Art Starts to develop a funding strategy so that run the Style Council can run in other underserved communities. I love this idea of every community getting their own Stylebook — and in the process, creating a city-wide support network for past and present participants.

One of the subjects you explore that fascinates me is the forgotten recent history of the fashion scene in Toronto – specifically the eighties. What have you learned about how fashion in the city has changed over the past 30 years?

I’m by no means a true fashion historian — my work pales in comparison to David Livingstone and Alexandra Palmer. But I’m def interested in the 1980s era, because the community was really on the cusp of being an international contender. You talk to anyone who was there — Linda Lundstrom, Wayne Clark, Comrags’ Judy Cornish and Joyce Gunhouse, Brenda Bent, etc. — and they’ll tell you how much opportunity there was. Judy and Joyce would just leave the key in the door of their studio when the buyers came. It wasn’t a big thing to see a sequined Wayne Clark number of Dynasty. There was actually a garment industry on Spadina. You had the Festival of Canadian Fashion, which really sold to a mass audience Canadian fashion.

What really drove this era was this democratic idea of fashion: The Bemelman’s crowd co-existed and often crossed over with the Century 66/Peter Pan crowd. Someone like Sandy Stagg — who in the 1970s, owned Amelia Earhart, one of the first Toronto vintage shops — did fashion, but was closely involved with General Idea and ran Peter Pan, which was the it-spot on Queen W. in the 1980s for the arts scene. Fashion was intimately involved with art, music and design, which really drove the innovation.

So it’s sad that this is forgotten by the present local fashion community. It prevents us from connecting the dots between the works of Toronto designers in the past with the present. We’re robbed of context. New York City and Paris are considered fashion leaders in part because their histories and traditions are so visible. It’s a historical reference that helps critics to properly assess the collections (ie. the Dior New Look, or the Ralph Lauren Great Gatsby thing). We’re losing something vital if we continue to disregard past designers and labels like Marilyn Brooks, Zapata, Bent Boys, etc.

Do you have any insight on where the fashion scene in Toronto might be going in the next decade?

I’m optimistic that we will start to make the connections. Individuals like FAT’s Vanja Vasic, Toronto Craft Alert’s Jennifer Anisef, Fuller Woman Expo’s Georgia Greenwood, 69 Vintage’s Irene Stickney and Kealan Sullivan are leaders in their particular style subcultures who I believe have the right to just as much influence as Robin Kay, Joe Mimran and Barbara Atkin. But it’s up to us to dig deep and not appropriate these subcultures ruthlessly into the mainstream, but truly absorb the value of their politics and ideas.

This is why I get the sense — especially from my community work, and my own personal interest in Caribbean designers like Meiling and The Cloth — that we are going to see more diverse perspectives emerging. I hope that we just let go of trying to make Toronto be like New York and Paris, and maybe try to see it as something like Belgium, or even Trinidad & Tobago. These contexts that we privilege so much — Paris chic, New York sportswear — are old. We need to wake up and take on a more globalized view, and assess the relations between mass-producing fast fashions in Bangladesh with the rise of haute couture in Dubai. Or, you know, @-replying to a Lisa Tant tweet discussing the latest Flare shoot in Barbados by asking whether or not local designers were pulled. If Toronto recognizes and even empowers these diverse stylish possibilities, that might actually make us a world contender.

Photo credit:  Alyssa Katherine Faoro.

Sarah Lazarovic is one of the people I met thanks to curiousity.  I had heard about her garage-based gallery, the Montrose Portrait Gallery, somehow on the internet, and I went there by myself, not knowing anyone who would be there, under the pretense of writing a post about it for blogTO.  It was a good example of why it is a good thing to seek out the unfamiliar – I instantly liked Sarah, her plucky and prolific approach to projects, and her group of brainy, creative friends.  I asked her a few questions about her various pursuits.

Last year (was it last year? I can’t seem to access the D&S archives) you made a pledge on your fashion blog, Dress and Suit, to limit the amount of clothing you buy. Did the experience change the way you shop and the way you dress?

(Sorry D & S is quasi-defunct, I switched it to Posterous for email posting, and lost most of the archives. Plus the hubby and I realized we weren’t really interested in fashion, and didn’t want to blog w/no focus)

It was a couple of years ago now, but I’m thinking of doing it again. I’m not a person who is ever on trend, but at a certain point, if you haven’t grown taller or wider in ten years, you have every possible item of clothing you could ever need. Including Capri pants. The challenge was good for me because it made me aware of how casually and absentmindedly I had shopped. I wasn’t the kind of person who ever went shopping. I’d just walk by a store, pop in and pick up a dress. Or I’d accompany my sister shopping, she’d find nothing, and I’d come home with three frocks. I did buy mostly vintage stuff, but I also bought stuff at sweatshoppy fast fashion emporiums, and I wanted to stop that regardless.

Before I decided to do the year of no shopping, I realized there were a few things I was always looking for but never able to find. I kept buying things that came short of what I wanted in a coat. So I had a seamstress make a cashmere winter coat based on some sketches I drew and I bought a proper pair of winter boots. After that I didn’t need anything else. I started wearing things I’d neglected for years. I had the heels mended on pairs of vintage Gucci and Ferragamo pumps my grandma had given me. I fixed things that had been languishing untended in my closet for years. And I wore old dresses and remembered why I loved them. It really wasn’t hard at all to work with what I had and not want for new duds.

Since then I’ve allowed myself to shop. But I think I’m going to not shop again come January 1, because if I make the commitment I’ll do it. Otherwise, clothes just seem to swan dive out of store windows and into my closet.

You’ve lived in many places, but you chose to make a home in Toronto – and you draw a lot of inspiration from the city for your art. What is it about Toronto in particular that intrigues you?

Hmm. Toronto has a strange pull because it’s a place that reveals itself slowly. I’m not a native Torontonian, only been here for about seven years, so my art projects are a way of getting to know the city and Canada. I didn’t grow up with the Polkaroo and Maestro Fresh Wes, and I still don’t know all my Toronto neighbourhoods or who was mayor before Mel Lastman or what an Avro Arrow is, so I guess all my projects are at least tangentially about exploring, archiving and getting to know my newish surroundings. When I first moved here I worked as journalist for TOist, The Globe, Elle, etc… which immersed me in the city right away. I was always researching artists, restaurants, new shops, etc…a hired flaneur of sorts. Which helped me get to know the city on the quick. And buoyed me to continue investigating the city through art.

And sappy as it may be, I just love Toronto. I did love living in New York and London and I’ll always love Montreal, but Toronto is just such an easy, low-key place to live. It’s still relatively affordable, which makes for a city where artists and young creatives can live downtown. The people are great. And it’s much easier to mount art projects here. I am a bit of a nerd cheerleader when it comes to Toronto. I love showing people around. I grew up in geriatric Florida, so for me Toronto is a fantastically vibrant place. I love everything about it. Except for the weather and the paucity of good sandwich shops.

It appears you have co-directed the ultimate hogtown hipster rom-com, No Heart Feelings. It is described as a collaborative, improvisational process – can you explain further? What would the usual shooting day be like?

A few friends and I got talking about two years ago . We were all on the same page about the kind of feature we wanted to make and knew we couldn’t realize such an undertaking without each other. So we workshopped a loose treatment, cast friends and acquaintances, and shot mostly over the summer of 2008 and intermittently in 2009. Geoff, my co-director, and I shot, while Ryan, our other co-director, would boom and get coffee for our actors. Usually, we worked with a crew of four to five people, shooting whenever we could get our actors together for an hour or three. The actors would be given bullet points of things that needed to come across in the scene as well as a few good lines/ideas to put forth if it felt natural. The rest was up to them. The result is a film that’s almost painfully real at times. Having just come off a rigorously shot short with a crew of thirty, I found shooting with a bare bones crew and non-actors extremely liberating, and infinitely less stressful.

It was also a great exercise in compromise. Working autonomously most of the time, editing with two other people was a really good experience for me. And having grown up on the cusp of the analog/digital switchover, the fact that we’re able to shoot and create features with tiny crews and budgets will never cease to amaze me. I dropped out of film school at Florida State because I chafed at the restrictions of film. So much time, money, waste. It’s absolutely amazing that we can work so freely these days. Get a few friends together and you can really make anything you want. Okay, now I’m nerd filmmaker!

As for subject, we were all tired of the way Toronto was depicted in films. Toronto filmmakers would boast of making movies in which Toronto played itself, but it was usually more like Toronto playing Toronto playing New York. These films would always try to make the city look chic and cosmopolitan, instead of leafy and neighbourhoody and a little bit jolie laide. We wanted to make a film set in the Toronto that we knew.

I am always impressed with how prolific your projects are and the frequency that you do them at. The daily portrait project was the result of painting every day, but only for a limited time per portrait. Did you see your technique develop over that period of time? What did you learn?

I learned that my skills at capturing likenesses needed daily practice, like anything else. I do think I got better, quicker and more agile with my brush over the course of the year, but since then my skills have totally atrophied. I painted Lil Wayne for my brother-in-law last week, but it ended up looking like Whoopi Goldberg. Then I did another one, and he came out beautifully (for Lil Wayne, anyway). The idea is that I need to warm up. I’d never go running or take a ballet class without stretching. It’s no wonder that I need to warm up before I sit down to draw, even if I do most of my illustration work digitally these days.

It’s nothing revolutionary, of course, this one-a-day stuff, the Internet has just made it easier to document process. And it’s a great way of holding oneself accountable to personal challenges put forth in moments of grand overextension.

We met at the Montrose Portrait Gallery in your garage. Are there any future plans for the gallery?

The roof is caving in! Luckily, I got approval to renovate it at the Committee of Adjustments this week – to raise the ceiling, add windows and put a green roof on top, and INSULATE! Of course, this’ll take a while. So yes, the MPGC will be shuttered (like the NPG) as per usual this winter, but will no doubt rise again soonish! Thanks for participating, I have to get you your piece back to you!

Michelle Reagan is a Fashion Communications student at Ryerson, but she’s already a total pro – working PR for Toronto Alternative Fashion Week, AIME Luxury, and Catherine Malandrino in New York City.  She’s got all the qualities you would expect in a PR star – watch her go far!  Besides that, she’s a stellar human being, positive and supportive.  I asked her a few questions about work and school.

You just spent the summer in NYC interning for Catherine Malandrino. Do you have any tips for fashion students on getting a New York internship?

Start well in advance. Most companies start looking for summer interns as early as the New Year. Research different companies, see what others are saying about them and determine where you think would be a good fit. Find the best person to talk to – if that means picking up a phone and calling reception, don’t be afraid to do so. Finally, don’t give up – it can be frustrating when people don’t respond but eventually someone will and then that’s where you’re meant to be. If you get multiple responses, you are in the best possible situation – you have options! Get as much experience as you can beforehand so you’re prepared. Internships, especially ones in New York, are challenging and will push you to your limits – you need to be ready, have a thick skin and be able to work through the toughest situations with a smile on your face.

Once you have your internship, make the most of it! You never know what can happen or whom you’ll meet. Don’t be afraid to break out of your comfort zone – you might be surprised at how much you’re capable of and what doors will open as a result.

What did you do in your job at Malandrino? What did you learn?

I think a more realistic question is what didn’t I do?! From creating the run of show for an out-of-town event at midnight to modeling shoes for the production team (also at midnight, it’s a popular time to work before events!) to booking 34 models for our Spring 2010 presentation, you name it, I did it!

Officially though, I did In House PR and worked with the Director of PR & Marketing. That meant fulfilling editorial requests, tracking samples, doing pulls in the showroom with editors and stylists, tracking press coverage and working on events. It also meant trying on the most unbelievable pieces (thigh high purple suede boots and an ostrich feather/sequined skirt were fast favorites), going on photo shoots and working with some of the most amazing, creative, talented and hilarious people I’ve ever met.

If I listed all the things I learned this summer it would be an extremely long list! During the time leading up to Fashion Week I learned what my limits truly were and pushed myself emotionally, mentally and physically harder than ever before. I learned how to deal with desperate situations (like when a confirmed model gets pulled from your show the day before) quickly, efficiently and with minimal freaking out. I think above everything I learned that I truly love this industry and wouldn’t want to do anything else.

You’ve worked in fashion PR both in Toronto and New York. Do you have any comments on the differences between the cities in terms of the fashion PR biz?

While New York is the fashion capital of North America and has an undeniable presence on an international level, I think there are more similarities between the cities than people realize.

The world of fashion PR is intense, challenging and stressful at the worst of times, regardless of where you are. It’s also exhilarating, stimulating and rarely boring. I think you can succeed in whichever city you’re in – the amount you put into anything will always determine what you get out of it.

New York has an energy that is uniquely it’s own. The people working in fashion PR in New York reflect that energy: they’re fast-paced, powerful and at the top of their game all the time. While Toronto may seem more relaxed at times or “nicer”, it’s still dynamic and expectations are set with just as high standards of perfection.

I think whether you’re in Toronto or New York, it’s a ruthless industry and you have to decide whether you really want to be in it. You need to have passion because that’s what keeps you going when it gets crazy and sanity, wits and common sense seem to go out the window. You can’t go halfway with this – it’s either all or nothing.

My summer at Malandrino was an incredible whirlwind of an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. While I love New York, Toronto will always hold a very special place in my heart and I’m happy to be home!

Why is it important to complete your fashion degree?

Completing your fashion degree gives you legitimacy and proves you are well educated about the industry. School offers you a safe place to explore your potential and allows you to make mistakes. It grants you the time to taste the industry, figure out your strengths and then nurture them to the best of your ability. You have teachers who are experts in all aspects of the industry, available to help and willing to answer your questions (however silly they may seem). Most importantly, the friends you make in school will be your allies in the industry. They will guide, help, inspire and entertain you for years to come after graduation.

Can you describe your favourite fashion experience in your career so far?

Watching the Malandrino presentation come to life is at the top of my list. To be part of a team that is giving their all to something and then seeing it in front of you can only be described as a surreal experience. Even now, a little over a month later, I can’t talk or even think about it without having a smile on my face.

Before I left for New York I had the opportunity to be the publicist for Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week (FAT for short), which took place at the end of April. After the final fashion show on the last day the team met at the bar, had celebratory shots and yelled congratulatory toasts to each other. It was a moment I’ll never forget – exhaustion was forgotten and sheer pride and joy took over as we realized what we had just accomplished.

I don’t think it’s possible for me to pick one favorite experience so far. Every moment, no matter how big or small, is unique and I’m grateful that I’m able to be a part of something I love so much. I have been very blessed to have an incredible group of friends who make every experience in this industry a favorite – for that, and for them, I am truly thankful!

Carolyn Rohaly introduced me to Crystal Rickard back when we were working on Rags and Mags, and of course, I was instantly enchanted – look at that smile.  Somehow, Crystal is even more sweet and friendly in person than she looks.  She is the store manager at Pam Chorley’s Fashion Crimes – Queen Street West’s dress destination. Full disclosure – was instrumental in encouraging me to develop my sponsorship program – of which Fashion Crimes was the first participant.

I asked her a few questions about her career and her other interests.

You are the manager of Fashion Crimes. What does it take to keep a lively, popular fashion boutique running smoothly?

The responsibilities of keeping this multi-faceted machine running smoothly involve non-stop attention to every detail, crazy organization, and super-star flexibility. The nature of the boutique and label pose new unexpected opportunities and challenges every day. I strive to handle these situations with an open-mind and a resourceful manner. Exuding a touch of grace is a quality to keep in mind too – it is Fashion after all!

One of the coolest things about Fashion Crimes is your terrific team of girls in dresses, they are always so helpful and friendly and always seem to be having a great time.. Where do you find them? Do you have any tips for those who would love to work at FC?

I love these stylists. They are incredibly original and always inspired. I am living a dream come true by being able to work with these people every day!

I have occasionally recruited staff through industry referrals or job postings; however most of our staff start by hand-delivering applications. A strong individual style perspective, loads of personality and a sincere eagerness to work hard and learn the ropes will get you in the door here… I will always make room for the right styling consultant, even if we aren’t necessarily looking for new staff.

What is it like working on Toronto’s hippest retail drag, Queen Street West?

Queen Street West is a major tourist destination of Toronto, so there is always lots of interesting people and a great energy. Over the course of the last 6 years that I have been working here there have been SO many changes in terms of local business – I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams that an H&M would end up on Queen West!

The culture of the street has evolved with all of these changes, so I do occasionally miss the neighbors who are no longer here, (Barney’s, The Stem, Chocky’s, Pages, The 360, Le Select Bistro, VICE Mag, Urban Mode, – just to name a few!). With the changes, however, Fashion Crimes stands out more and more as the unique establishment that it is against the “Mall” stores. These massive corporate retailers are here to advertise, so they essentially lure wanderers who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to discover a locally-owned designer boutique. All-in-all, though, my favourite part of being on Queen West is the opportunity to brag about working for the boutique that started it all – as FC was the first fashion store to take-up shop on Queen West back in the day.

You get to dress a lot of ladies for special occasions – sometimes famous ladies. What is the trick to matching the right dress to the right lady at the right time?

The journey to find the right dress begins with tapping into the personality of the woman who will be wearing it. Upon compiling the selection, it is important to keep in mind Pam’s freshest pieces, the stylists’ assessment of the designs that will flatter the client’s body-type, and her comfort level. It is also fun to encourage the client to be daring and try something that on the hanger they wouldn’t normally choose for themselves. I can’t describe how incredibly fulfilling it is as a stylist to witness the excitement of someone who has discovered her dream dress… the look of total confidence and enthusiasm makes for such a beautiful woman.

Besides your day job, you’re a creator in your own right with your own studio. What sort of projects do you like to work on?

SO many fun ideas and projects come from my studio environment! I get to venture in there everyday, as the space serves as a closet to my abundance of dresses and studio all at once. Unfortunately I am unable to devote the time that I would like to for various creative projects due to the heavy workload at the store. It is extremely therapeutic to express my artistic ideas though when I get the chance or in the very least to make patterns. I LOVE pattern drafting. Some of my projects lately have included wedding dresses, garter belts and most recently creating an outfit that I designed for myself the night before my friends wedding. You never know when the creative force will strike!

Adriana Fulop is a fashion designer and entrepreneur.  I can’t remember when I met her, but it seems like she is all over Toronto and the internet, collaborating with other artists and designers and sharing the success.  Currently she is the co-designer for cyber-gothic label Plastik Wrap, she is organizing the Bazaar of the Bizarre – a Hallowe’en designer market, and she collaborates on Bitchcraft with Gabrielle Neveu of Trap Door.

Somehow she found time to answer a few of my questions.  Thanks Adriana!

Plastik Wrap was featured in a book by one of my favourite authors, Valerie Steele, called Gothic: Dark Glamour. As a contemporary designer, what does the term “gothic” mean to you?

Gothic has mixed meanings… of course one cant help but think of the grand gothic architecture throughout Europe especially growing up in Slovakia, with its many castles and ruins.. For me its more of a feeling of somber tones, love of darker shades (not necessary only black) weird quirky music, ambient moods….I would usually not label myself Gothic but cant say that I am not influenced by it.

I am really glad that Mrs. Steele described the Gothic style in such a wide range. Hopefully people realize that its not all just crushed velvet, crosses, cemeteries and melancholy music.

Does being a designer with a “subcultural” client base mean that you don’t draw inspiration from current trends or mainstream designers? Does the craze for vampires, or the hard-edged superwoman looks we’re seeing for Fall 2009 draw new customers to Plastik Wrap?

I don’t think we (Ryan and I, Ryan Webber the other designer for Plastik Wrap) can say that we don’t draw inspiration from current trends, since we draw inspiration from everything in our lives, we try not to limit this, however; we make an effort to avoid trade publications with the latest runway fashions preferring to draw from our interpretations of trends that we see on the streets, in new music and from the topics of interest of today.

Regards to the inundation of vampires in today’s literature and film/television: I don’t feel that these sorts of trends have a direct impact on us as far as a customer base. These trends are consumed most heavily by a young audience who are prone to change with every season…Although; this audience being exposed to these aesthetics may lend to future increases in our customer base as they grow a deeper fondness… we will have to wait and see.

Do you produce collections seasonally, or are you able to create your own conventions when it comes to business cycles?

We produce 2 seasons a year, Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. Sometimes we offer the collections right in the season. Our wholesale customer, which are mostly small boutiques most of the time prefer to buy from us in the season, rather than half a year ahead.

We are realizing that the way small boutiques look at order wholesale is changing, and we are working on a few new models for sales. Hopefully, we will make the process easier for the retailer and open up new markets for us at the same time.

Through out the year we do make some mini collections or introduce new styles, fabrics, colors. Especially now, having an actual boutique, is a great way to test out a product before deciding to put it in our seasonal catalogues.

Plastik Wrap has a very active online store and a wholesale business. More recently, you opened a bricks-and-mortar location in Toronto. Why is it important to have a storefront?

As I previously mentioned, having a boutique is a great way to test out new products. Interacting directly with our customers has also helped us improve our fits and designs. We offer alterations which helped us acquire a broader market since we all know there is such a wide variety of body types. We can show more of our aesthetic in merchandising, accessorizing outfits, so that our customers have a better sense of our style.

Having an actual boutique is the best market research we could have done.

What are the differences between selling fashion to online clients versus visitors to your physical location?

I guess the main difference is the personal contact…on-line its harder to get to know your customers, to see what they like, to help them to get the best fit.  But on the other hand, you do not have to make decisions for them. They see and buy what they want, instead of changing 20 times and wanting you to choose for them.  Both sides have their pros and cons.

Although, I have to say, its fun to see our designs in action, on real people, looking stylish and happy.