VFW F/W 2015 BUZZ! Aniimiism, Paola Gamero, Ophelia Song

Did you know that Brunette is the New Black? Brunette Showroom and their new line BITNBClothing.com  are preparing to be the first company to have a runway show and pop-up shop at Vancouver Fashion Week. Brunette Showroom is a fashion wholesale agency that focuses on contemporary women’s fashion available primarily in shopping malls with labels range from BB Dakota to Desigual. This is a surprising and innovative addition to VFW and we are eager to see how the art and commerce will intersect.

Aniimiism by Cassie Dee

Image: Vancouver Fashion Week

The word ‘aniimiism’ takes its etymology from the notion the world around us carries spirit—from the plants and animals to the mountains and natural phenomena. The Calgary born and Vancouver based Cassie Dee’s F/W 2015 collection takes the aniimiism woman on an ‘Eternal Pilgrimage’ while wearing printed silk chiffon pants, dresses and fringe wraps. She creates a casual savvy style inspired by the earthbound boho-folk culture to the infinite dynamic cosmos. The F/W season is all about layering and the outerwear line-up includes a blazer, track-jackets, and a statement faux fur bolero.

Cassie captures forward style and function and conveys it by mixing materials, individualizing buttons and trim and playing with lush colours like bordeaux, royal blue and
charcoal.

“Vancouver’s diversity and my own travels play into the brand’s direction” she explains.

In the last five years, Cassie’s designs have become internationally recognized. Her designs were presented at the Spring 2012 World MasterCard Fashion Week, featured in numerous publications such are Fashion Magazine, FLARE and Front-Row and she was featured on America’s Next Top Model.

Paola Gamero

Image: Vancouver Fashion Week

Paola Gamero originally studied Fashion Event Planning at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and is now in Milan at the Marangoni Institute specializing in Fashion Styling. Her style combines a bohemian love of life with the intricacy of embroidery and lace.

As an artist, Paola focuses on the details that make her designs very feminine and romantic. The handmade embroidery, jewels, laces and silk that are part of the pieces are a result of a very inspiring trip to Europe. She uses these elements to exalt the delicacy of women.

Ophelia Song

Image: Vancouver Fashion Week

Ophelia Song is a Chinese American fashion designer, textile designer and painter based in Los Angeles. She is known for her semi-formal dresses, formal dresses, bridesmaid gowns and custom wedding gown designs. Her design aesthetic is bold and innovative combining western silhouettes with eastern delicate crafts. The current collection takes this aesthetic further with the introduction of Ophelia’s own abstract paintings of florals in tropical colours to emphasize the femininity of the garments.

At heart, designer Ophelia Song is a fine artist. “I chose fashion design as my career because I think fashion design makes art functional,” says Song.

Ophelia Song is a VFW returning designer and it will be interesting to see how she transitions her light and airy S/S collection to a heavier and warmer F/W one.