Graduate fashion designer creates collection inspired by Vancouver weather

Vancouver weather has a reputation for being, well… quite unpredictable. We could have glorious sunshine one day, monsoon-style rain the next, and a light breeze for the days following.

But you don’t often hear about the weather being an inspiration for local creatives.

For Blanche Macdonald fashion design graduate, Savana Sheardown, Vancouver weather played a role in the creation of her final year collection Herbarium which was showcased at the school’s Cherry Bomb! fashion show earlier this week.

Herbarium by Savana Sheardown/Peter Jensen

The budding young designer tells Daily Hive how her collection was inspired by “all things autumn; the first sign that it’s time to pull out your scarves, toques, and cozy up around the fire.”

And of course, the rain in Vancouver also inspired her collection.

Okanagan-born Sheardown has been living in Vancouver for the last three years and explains how the fall “colour changing of the leaves is much more drastic here than at home.” Her goal was to create a collection that boasts a “cozy, October feel.”

Herbarium by Savana Sheardown/Peter Jensen

Using fabrics like tweed, silk, lace, and PVC, Sheardown brought her collection to life. Design techniques such as patchwork, crochet, and pressed flowers, give her pieces a unique and interesting finish.

“The burgundy dress was inspired by harvest-time corn, and the patchwork was also kind of corn-inspired. The raincoat was inspired by Vancouver weather; inside the jacket, I dried and pressed flowers from my mom’s garden and glued them into the see-through panels,” says Sheardown.

Herbarium by Savana Sheardown/Peter Jensen

Herbarium by Savana Sheardown/Peter Jensen

Designers that inspire Sheardown’s creative process are “Missoni” for their colourful knitwear, and also Karl Lagerfeld, “because who doesn’t think he is amazing?”

Sheardown explains how the Abbotsford Bloom Tulip Festival and Chilliwack Sunflower Festival were also very inspiring to her, particularly her work with pressed flowers.

Pressed flower panels, Herbarium by Savana Sheardown/Blanche Macdonald

The Blanche Macdonald graduate won awards for her “overall achievement” and “textiles” at the makeup, fashion, and beauty school’s family and friends fashion show.

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When asked about her future plans, Sheardown tells Daily Hive: “I want to go home to the Okanagan but I think I need to establish myself here in Vancouver for two to three years, and then potentially move home and start an online business.

“I will absolutely continue designing crocheted wear, there are so many ideas going on in my head including vests and cardigans,” she adds. You can keep up with Sheardown’s designs on Instagram.