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.

I was introduced to Jen Tse by Gail McInnes when I was looking for stylists to invite to the sponsored brunch at La Perlerie.  Jen is an intrepid young stylist who discovered her path by chance and has already developed an impressive portfolio of work.  I recently met her out of context (at a non-fashion event) and had a great conversation on the ups and downs of being up and coming in Toronto’s tiny fashion scene.  I asked her a few more questions for this post.

As a stylist, do you aim to be versatile or do you specialize? Do you have a signature style?

Well, I veer towards either styling minimalistic leather dirty rock and roll or girlish quirky prettiness with sweet ruffles bows, and checks but since I do work in a Canadian context I have to be versatile and adapt to whatever the clientele wants in a project.

What stylists or other fashion professionals do you admire either for their career or their body of work?

I really admire Ana Steiner‘s and Christopher Niquet‘s work- both have a simplistic raw aesthetic; it’s youthful and deliciously fun. I love the madcap insanity of Marc Jacobs right now, Gareth’s Pugh’s men line and Missoni is always lovely. Oh, I adore Miu Miu.

What are your favourite blogs, websites and magazines?

I regularly read the New York Times, style.com, evilmonito.com, facehunter and a whole slew of blogs about food. As for fashion magazines, I like i-D, Numero, British and Italian Vogue, Purple and Self Service magazine.

Are there any words of experience you would like to pass on to aspiring stylists?

Just keep on working at it and do as much research as possible. Assisting is really important and it is the relationships you form with the people around you that matters the most.

Describe your proudest career moment.

I can’t pin one down but I guess it would be having certain people whose work I respect tell me that they like what I’m doing and also, seeing the gradual payoffs of the hard work. It’s always nice to hear that a certain image looks awesome!

I met Irene Stickney at the first ever Toronto Fashion Bloggers night, three years ago.  She was a contributer to Toronto Street Fashion, and she was also a fellow Ryerson Fashion Design student two years behind me.  I even had the chance to help out with her ambitious grad collection.  Irene plays a versatile role in Toronto’s independent fashion scene – she watches shop at 69 Buy The Pound by day, and parties, designs and saves the world with activist bike gang/fashion design collective The Deadly Nightshades… well, by night.  I asked her a few questions about her various roles.

You can often be found at 69 Buy The Pound, weighing clothes, teaching people how to use the sewing machines, and hosting events. What are your favourite BTP finds – do you snap up the best stuff first? Any upcoming happenings you are excited about?

My favorite piece of clothing ever is a short little bolero jacket with red piping around the edges that I got as a gift from Kealan. It was cut out of a dark red Santa Fe blanket with flowers all over it. It came from the Queen St location but just about everything else I own is from BTP… My tiger print head scarf and my black cowboy boots, my black lace tights, and a lovely sixties house dress with little mushrooms all along the hem. That said, I don’t snap up the best things when they come in. I like stuff that’s so weird no one else likes it anyways. We want people to find gems when they shop here and that won’t happen if I’m in there grabbing all the Dooney and Burke bags… When new stuff arrives, I take one thing I like and put the rest out on the floor right away.

After working at BTP for about a year now, I’ve got so many patterns in my wardrobe that my friends say I’ve started to look like a Gypsy… african prints, paisley, silk watercolours, sixties florals…. there’s alot of beautiful old patterns at BTP but oddly they all kind of work together. Gypsies have been a bit of an obsession for everyone at work lately… we held a Gypsy themed caravan sale at the Drake last month and it went really well. We’re planning a Frugal Fashion Week show at the Social on July 24th that’s going to be hilarious fun… and after that, a tall mens clothing swap in August and a few surprises in September…

What were your impressions of fashion school? Worst part, best part? Would you recommend it?

Having taught sewing for a year now, I have some new sympathy for my sewing teachers. Sewing is the kind of thing where you learn so much from your mistakes but they’re so frustrating while you’re making them. That said, Ryerson is not a place that values youth and that’s bad news for grads who want more than just technical jobs. I read a really great interview with Louise Wilson (the director of the MA program at Central Saint Martins) recently about fashion schools and it summed up how I feel pretty nicely. You can read it here. I think Ryerson – when I was there – fit her description pretty well. It was all about polish and not about substance – and definitely not about sustainability. Although that might be changing. I hear from students that Robert Ott has made a good start as the head of the program this year, and I respect him for trying to bring Ryerson into the 21st century.

You’re a member of an ever-growing bike gang-fashion collective, The Deadly Nightshades, that just released its first collection. How is the collective process of designing different than designing your own collection?

It was a lot more challenging because we had to work as a team. We knew we’d need a few constants from the start – palette and fabrics – to keep things cohesive since there were so many people designing. We’ve all known each other for a long time and we know each others styles and we riffed on each others designs pretty well. Niamh made a little top and shipped it from Vancouver, and then I loved it and made a dress that was a variation on it – she made some pants to go with my little windbreaker, Cat and I would try stuff on and talk about it in the studio while we were sewing. There was alot of emailing and picture texting back and forth from Vancouver to Toronto. We’re a team. Obviously, we all had ideas that got scrapped but we ended up with the best and most wearable pieces getting produced.

How would you describe your alter-ego, Fierce Bambi? Is she different than Irene Stickney?

Fierce Bambi is my bike gang nickname, but I’ve never thought of it as an alter ego… it’s not like Batman where I have a secret identity or anything.

Serah-Marie McMahon is the editor of Worn Journal, an independent magazine about style and fashion that gets into the historical, the personal, and even the scientific side of what we wear.  I originally discovered Worn Journal in an article written by Nathalie Atkinson.  Later, when Serah-Marie moved her magazine headquarters from Montreal to Toronto I made sure to meet her right away and introduce her to fashion friends here in Toronto.

Worn’s eighth issue just launched – it is a love letter to shoes – and Serah-Marie commissioned both a small illustration for the magazine and invited me to participate, among many amazing artists and designers, in a project to customize a pair of Keds to celebrate the launch.  It is a thrill to work with her and the Wornettes on their labour of love.  I asked her a few questions about magazines and inspiration.

Worn Journal is very different than most fashion magazines. Can you describe the editorial touchstones that make Worn what it is?

My husband reads a lot about music. Sometimes it’s mainstream publications like Rolling Stone, but more often and for longer it’s a publication like MOJO with eight page articles about one concert that happened thirty years ago. This seems natural in mediums like film and music, but where is it in fashion? The goal is to make a publication you could pick up in 5 years and it be just as relevant as it is today. Instead of dealing with trends and pushing products, we explore the concepts and ideas of clothing. We deal with fashion from a cultural, historical, political, personal and practical point of view.

Zines and indie rags were once the inexpensive choice for upstart publishers with something to say – but compared to the ease and cheapness of online technology magazines now seem like more of a premium media. It begs the question… why print?

I’m in love with the printed page. I like things I can hold, keep, flip though, re-read. I love seeing things in a line on my bookshelf. I also like 3000 word articles, and I hate reading long things online. I guess I’m banking on the fact the there are others out there who feel the same.

One of the reasons I love Worn Journal is the Wornettes – your team of enthusiastic, earnest smart girls in adorable vintage dresses. Where do you find these incredible young ladies?

They find me really. And thank goodness they do, Worn could never be what it is without them. We’ve turned into a little sorority – or at least what a sorority should actually be – with the older girls taking care of the younger ones… Wornettes living in New York showing Toronto girls around when they are visiting. I’m really proud of them.

What are your favourite magazines, websites and blogs?

Okay, this is not going to be short:

Publications: Sassy, RE/Search, Thrift Score, Bust, Bitch, Broken Pencil, Shameless, Croq, Interview, Fashion Theory, Fashion Projects, The Cut, SuperSuper, V, Pop, Jalouse USA.

Websites: reprodepot.com, superbuzzy.com, wemakezines.ning.com, tumblr.com, buyolypia.com, etsy.com, uniformfreak.com, epicurious.com.

Blogs: makesomething.ca, torontocraftalert.ca, magculture.com, canadianmags.blogspot.com, purlbee.com, threadforthought.net, wornthrough.com.

Can you describe your proudest moment as a magazine editor?

Everytime I crack open the first box of a new issue I get a little thrill up my spine. It’s always my favorite moment.

Photo Credit: g. stegelmann

I had the great pleasure of meeting Linda Gaylard through our mutual friend Carolyn Rohaly.  Linda is a stylist and a great supporter of Canadian designers.  She has many well known Canadian clients who she styles for their television and red carpet appearances.  Linda is accomplished and well established in her career with many fabulous and creative friends, and she is also incredibly down to earth and friendly, and always curious about new designers and upstarts like me.

On the right is a picture of Linda with her client Emily Hampshire at fashion week in Toronto.

Whenever I have the chance to spend time with her I love hearing about her experiences in the fashion and entertainment industry, and talking shop about being an independent business woman.  She graciously answered a few questions for me about her career and her experiences.

How did you get your start as a stylist for television and red carpet events?

I had been working as a personal stylist for a number of years and was approached by a designer friend who knew of a TV project that was starting up. She got me in the front door and many jobs came as a result of that. I started red carpet dressing with the Gemini Awards in 2000 with the intention of improving the overall look of the on-air portion of the show and that has branched out as well to include other red carpet events.

You have been in the front row for many fashion shows here in Toronto – how have you seen the fashion scene in the city change over the course of your career?

The first shows I attended were very intimate, much like a ‘salon’. They were held in hotel meeting rooms and smaller venues at a point in the season when buyers were able to come, so the crowd was mostly buyers and media. Of course there was no digital, no new media and no entertainment media. A designer collection had staying power and was reported on for several months until the next season came along.

Now, there is more hype, buzz and theatrics with the presentation of fashion. The modeling agencies play a much bigger role. This is a big improvement. In the nineties we’d often see the same models show after show with just a few agencies on board.

Fashion school enrollment has exploded and students are more involved with various fashion weeks that take place around the city. Students have brought a freshness to events and that’s a good antidote to the jadedness and fatigue that sometimes afflicts those of us who’ve seen it all over the years.

The biggest change has taken place as the world has become more accessible largely due to the ability to record and broadcast instantly, so nothing seems to stay new for very long. While this has allowed for more freedom, flexibility and exposure for new designers, I feel that it’s been somewhat negative for the fashion industry from a business standpoint as its observers only stay focused on a collection for a brief period.

Can you describe the process of preparing a client for a red carpet appearance?

It’s usually very last minute because the client gets word that their schedule is clear for the event sometimes just days before. I research which gowns I want to use. Often the pieces I’m hoping for are out on a photo shoot or on the road with the sales agent. The way around that is to over-select from several designers so that I have enough choice. I set up a fitting with the client and we pick the piece. Sometimes last minute alterations need to be done. I select jewelry, shoes and bag once the gown/dress has been chosen. If the client is new to the process, we talk about posing, walking, etc. I make sure that they know the name of the designer. I cross my fingers that all goes well…

Where do you find inspiration?

I’m a big fan of vintage. I think that most of our inspiration comes from what charmed the world in the past. We style and design for the present but always there are elements of other eras in everything we look at, so I like to go to the source. I’m fortunate in that I organize a clothing sale out of Grace Church on the Hill, where the donations are from women who have had an active social calendar through some very interesting times. I love finding these gems and introducing others to them.

Can you describe the proudest moment of your career?

Being present at the Gemini Awards when Wendy Crewson won best dressed on the ET Canada red carpet.  She was wearing a beautiful black Scarlett O’Hara style gown by Pat McDonagh.

I saw Blair Nadeau the first day I moved to Toronto, into residence at Ryerson.  She was moving in too and was like no girl I’d ever seen, wearing sky-high platforms, a pencil skirt, fishnet stockings, animal print top and a halo of punk-rock bleached hair.  I remember feeling very plain and wondering if all fashion students dressed so elaborately – the next week when classes started I discovered that fashion students can look like everything and anything.

Throughout school Blair changed her look and her hairstyle many times and always amazed me with her productivity – she did her homework late into the night and somehow still always found time to make new clothes for herself too.  Her dorm room was gorgeously decorated and reflected her style perfectly.  She is inspired by music – especially Gwen Stefani – subcultures like rockabilly and punk, and cars.

Now Blair works full time as a fashion designer, and she recently launched a brand new line of fascinators called Feathered which is available at Fashion Crimes, among other retailers.  I asked her a few questions about her work and her personal style.

You are one of those rare and wonderful girls who always looks flawless – hair, makeup, accessories, outfit, heels, every detail. The rest of us are always wondering… how does she do it? Please tell!

Aw, you’re making me blush. How do I do it? I guess it’s due in part to how I was brought up. All the women in my family on my mom’s side were always very meticulously put together and never went out of the house unless they were looking top notch. I guess that has kind of rubbed off on me. When I’m at home, I pretty much live in 1 of 3 housecoats but when I leave the house I make try to always make sure that i’m putting my best face forward. Most people feel comfortable wearing jeans and t-shirts, to be honest, for me that is when I’m most uncomfortable. Comfort to me is high heels, pencil skirts and dresses and a ton of necklaces.

Your high standards extend to your work both in school and in your career. How much time to you spend working and how do you prioritize? Got any productivity tips?

As a full time subcontractor and a small business owner its hard to make anything other then work your first priority, however I always try to make some downtime. I tend to make work my main focus and for awhile it got to the point where I was checking emails all the time, following up with factories at 2am because in China and India they were working and it was the only time to be able to communicate with them. I’ve since calmed down in that aspect and have tried to make time for myself, by either going to the gym, playing with the dogs or going out for sushi. Prioritizing to me has always started with the most urgent first. Following up with people usually comes first as that is usually the first thing to slip through the cracks when people get busy and the most common place where mistakes are made if proper follow up is not done.

Can you describe how your style (both personally and as a designer) has evolved since you graduated from fashion school and become a working designer?

I change my personal style a lot and that usually reflects in my designing. Since high school, I’ve been every scene from Punk to Hippy. Since graduating university I have found a love for old Hollywood glamour and classic styles mixed with a hard edge. I like mixing lace and simple straight silhouettes with multiple chain necklaces or pearls and my wardrobe mainly consists of black and white – various shades of it, sky high heels and tons of necklaces. I’ve found that since now working in the industry for the past 3 years and getting to go on buying trips, I tend to mix the latest trends into my wardrobe more often then I would have before.

What are your favourite magazines, websites and blogs?

Favourite magazines – Vogue for the editorials, that can not be topped by anyone – and Elle Canada.
Websites – Perez Hilton and NYmag.com for the latest catwalk trends, I do a lot of my trend researching from that site, as well as your typical social network sites.
Blogs – obviously Final Fashion, i’ve been reading it since pretty much it’s conception and My Edit whenever i get the chance!

Your newest venture is a line of hair accessories and hats. What inspired you to launch Feathered in 2009?

On my second buying trip to Europe I ended up in a a Selfridge boutique in London that had beautiful fascinators. I was so in love with the overly ornate hair decorations that I felt like it was something I needed to teach myself. It’s been about a 6 month labour of love to figure out the right compositions, colour combinations and manipulations of feathers, veilings and different stones but every second of it has been worth it. I’m so in love and passionate about my business. Being an independant contractor is fabulous, but being able to create a product and see people wear it and be happy with it is something else entirely. Of course there has been it’s ups and downs along my very short and recent journey, but I feel like I’ve finally found my niche in this market and I couldn’t be happier.

Ali de Bold is a graduate of the Radio and Television Arts program at Ryerson University and with her husband Alex has started the website ChickAdvisor.com – a social networking site for women who love to shop and shop well.  I met Ali through TFBB and have always admired her poise, ambition, and work ethic.  Though our websites are very different we share a love of entrepreneurship, the internet and fashion and I always learn a lot whenever I get to talk shop with her.

I asked her a few questions about her life as a Chick Advisor.

You run an internet startup with your husband Alex. What is it like to be partnered both in business and life?

It’s great, actually. I don’t think it’s for everyone because it’s really hard to keep business out of your personal time, but I’ve learned so much from him and he’s a fantastic business partner. Also, since we both work crazy hours neither of us feels neglected because the other is working too much. When you are working towards a common goal it’s easier to be on the same page.

You’re the main chick behind ChickAdvisor.com. How did you come up with the name, and what does being a chick mean?

I spent the summer of ’05 researching the possibility of this idea and trying to come up with the name. I held countless focus groups with friends and friends of friends. In the end, I wanted a name that was memorable, easy to spell and that people could instantly understand what the company might be about. The name came to me when I was sitting by the pool on a lovely summer day – I do realize this sounds lame, but it is true ;) . I had a pad of paper with me where I was jotting down my ideas and it just seemed to fit.

What are your favourite blogs, websites and magazines?

There are so many that I read I’m afraid I won’t do justice, but a sampling of sites I really like include Lainey Gossip, Go Fug Yourself, NYTimes, and lot of local fashion and beauty sites including yours ;)

The spirit of Chick Advisor is all about shopping mavens giving their picks and tips. What is the best shopping advice you’ve seen shared on the site?

Always spend within your means and choose quality over quantity. Having a few great basics that you’ve invested in is worth far more than a dozen disposable items because they will stand the test of time. I don’t have a lot of clothes, but what I do buy, I wear over and over. You can always spice things up with accessories. I also don’t believe in going into debt over it. That’s part of the reason why I started to the company to help women make better purchase decisions by reading reviews first so they don’t waste their money on products or services that aren’t right for them. :)

Just for Ali I’m breaking my moratorium on the “word” recessionista – to extend this invitation to a Recessionista Shop Crawl up at Bloor and Yonge on June 18th.  If you like shopping for deals, presents and new friends this is just the event for you.

Truc Nguyen graduated one year ahead of me in the fashion design program at Ryerson, and covered fashion for the school newspaper, and went on to get an academic degree.  Truc’s work ethic and ambition has always impressed me – she went on to work in magazines both in Toronto and in New York City, where she lives now and works as an editorial assistant for Teen Vogue.

Truc and I couldn’t be more different in character – where I tend towards freelancing and a relatively unstructured lifestyle, Truc is at home in the hierarchy of magazines.  Yet we both have an abiding fascination with all aspects of the business of fashion and our differences make for some fascinating conversations whenever we happen to be in the same city.

I asked her about how her background relates to her current work, and what she has in mind for the future.

Does your experience as an academic somehow inform your career in editorial, or vice versa? How?

I did my MA in Communication and Culture after doing a Fashion Design degree which was very applied, and in between internships at Marc Jacobs and Vogue, and it was a bit of a culture shock but a great experience because reading all of the fashion theory out there really helped me understand the broader cultural implications of the business of fashion. Doing my MA really helped me acquire the historical context and vocabulary with which to critically analyze the fashion work that I see, instead of just merely appreciating its aesthetics. At the same time, the worlds don’t necessarily overlap very well, especially when you’re debating Veblen’s theory of conspicuous comsumption with Marxists in graduate seminars and trying to subtly hide your Prada bag under the table!

Ultimately though I believe that it’s all related, all of my diverse and seemingly contradictory work experiences. For example, a few days ago one of my directors mentioned that she wanted a houndstooth tote bag for a shoot at 6pm, and I had to source one by the next morning…that’s when my research experience from working at the Toronto Public Library for 5 years helped, as did my familiarity with sites like Etsy from my days working in home decor at Vogue Living, and within one hour I had three options coming in from Brooklyn, Chicago and Conneticut. A lot of my experiences and skills from the academic world have proved transferable to the working world, and vice versa.

What are your favourite magazines, websites and blogs?

I try to check out WWD.com every day at midnight to get an early start on the news that everyone will be discussing the next day, and I’m obsessed with the New York Times, and not just the Style section! I also check my Google reader compulsively, and my favorite blogs on there are Fashionista and Jezebel, because the writers are so intelligent and you can tell that they love the fashion world but aren’t above viewing it with a critical eye and asking the tough questions. I also think that nymag.com and Refinery29′s The Pipeline does a really good job with covering the indie fashion scene and things happening in New York. In terms of magazines, I always try to read Teen Vogue, New York, the New Yorker, Marie Claire, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Real Simple.

You started as an intern and have since moved up to supervising interns. For those who also dream of a career in magazines, how would you recommend getting the most out of an internship? What are the qualities of a great intern?

This is the key to success as an intern: work hard! It sounds simple but from personal experience it’s so easy to go from that bright eyed and eager stage from when you couldn’t believe that the assistant from wherever called you and your dreams are about to come true…to annoyance that you have to go on yet another a Starbucks run. It’s hard to see the big picture when you’re schlepping stuff around Manhattan on the subway and it’s 90 degrees, but you have to try! Also, try to do your research as much as possible. There is so much information available now on the Internet that it always amazes me when certain students that I interview are suprised to find out (for example) that as a fashion closet intern you wouldn’t be doing any writing for the magazine! Knowing yourself (your strengths, weaknesses and long-term goals) and having done that research will help you make sure that it’s even the right internship for you in the first place, which will go a long way in motivating you to work hard in the long run.

I’ve had some amazing interns, and what’s interesting is that they’ve all been so different in terms of their strengths and their personalities. The common threads have been intelligence and kindness combined with a desire to learn and the willingness to make changes to accomodate the differences between their working style, mine, and that of the other interns and editors. They never make the same mistake twice, aren’t afraid to ask questions, and are not only able to follow instructions precisely but able to problem-solve on their feet when those instructions don’t work out!

What are your ambitions?

Tough question! There are so many ways that my career and life could unfold over the next few years, and while becoming a market editor is definitely a goal for the next few years, I could just as easily see myself doing a PHD in Fashion at Cornell or even RMIT in Melbourne in the next decade. A good friend and I have also been talking about doing our own fashion line for years now, which would really be fun.

When I was a scrappy little fashion student, I used to make hand painted silk scarves and when I was feeling gutsy I would walk down Queen Street West and Kensington Market and drop into stores and try to sell them.  That’s when I met Christina Bergstrom -  she had a little studio and shop up a flight of stairs near John Street.  Her clothes were bright and graphic and suited the style of scarves pretty well, and she let me leave a few on consignment.  I think we even sold a few.

Christina has since moved to a bigger store on street level – she’s now on Queen Street East, east of the Don River.  I walk in and say hey from time to time, and this week I sent her a few questions about what its like to be a designer-retailer.

Why did you decide to become a designer/retailer?

Deciding to go the route of retailing my designs in my own shop was actually just a natural progression in business growth for me. I had started my business in the 90′s doing custom clothing design. After about 5 years of business experience with that, and a growing client base, I felt the need to have more design liberty, but to maintain the personal interaction with customers. Retailing Bergstrom Originals seemed like the perfect step.

It seems like its a lot of work to be a designer, and it also seems like a lot of work to run a boutique. What are the advantages to doing both? What are the challenges?

I think no matter what route anyone chooses in this industry, hard work is important for success. I definately live and breathe my work, but the bonus is that it doesn’t really feel like “a job”.

The Advantages of combining designing with retailing are:

- having direct contact with customers (the people who are actually wearing my product) getting feedback on designs
- being able to use the boutique and its atmosphere as part of the branding of my label. I think the clothes and the space work together to create the image of Bergstrom Originals.
- being in control of customer service, which again strengthens customer satisfaction with the brand
- Having a relatively short cycle from an idea to reality means I can respond to, and work with trends, market conditions and just a “feeling that’s in the air”.

Challenges:

- Time management. No doubt can be a huge challenge. Working with people I trust, in the store and for production, eases this issue
- Knowing what feedback to listen to, and what not to listen to: Not everyone that I see in the store, offering advice and suggestions, is necessarily in my target market.
- Finding a balance between creative freedom and good business sense.

You are able to interact directly with the women who wear your clothes. Do your customers inspire your designs?

They certainly do!
I love that my line has developed from getting a real sense of who my customer is. I always think about the lifestyle trends of my customers when I design. I am a realist, and appreciate good value, so I always strive to design clothes that can be worn in the many facets of my customers life.

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

Rather than one specific moment, I have a huge sense of pride when I see a satisfied customer, or when I gain a new customer through a referral.
Everyone is thinking twice about their spending patterns these days, so I feel honoured when anyone chooses to make a purchase at Bergstrom Originals