Local Designer of the Week: Angie Fisher

Dernier Cri has unearthed another amazing Ottawa designer, Angie Fisher the head designer and the creative mind behind all of Demü label designs.

But before we delve into the fabulous world of yet another Ottawa designer, I want to remind everyone of the GREAT Spring giveaway. All you have to do is click HERE and you can win a choice between two AMAZING summer scents, Love (Chloe) and/or Lola (Marc Jacobs). Each perfume is 50ml (eau de parfum) and is brand spankin' new. So make sure that you check out the contest here.

So without further ado, let me introduce you the mastermind behind Demü: Angie Fisher.

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got started

Well my name is Angie; I’m 23 years old. I’m a Carleton Azrieli School of Architecture graduate but I have always had a soft spot for the Fashion industry. Both my family and my business partner & fiancé Andre’s family are entrepreneurs, so entrepreneurship has been imprinted in our DNA. Andre and I started dating when I was 15 and he was 17. By the time I was 17, he and I would constantly talk about starting a company together. Not only did we feel we could maybe be successful at it, we also felt it would be a great project for us to take on together... kind of like when a couple enjoys biking together, only we’d enjoy running a business together (looking back, we were naive to think that comparison actually represented the project we were embarking on, but you live you learn). It wasn’t until my second year of University that we realized how obsessive we were about street wear and fashion. Both Andre and I would see ourselves traveling and spending countless hours at the shopping malls and analyzing what we’re seeing on the racks of major brands from all over. We’d literally buy nothing and have a great time doing it (which I think every girl would agree is unusual)! After countless nights of brainstorming and conversation, we decided to amalgamate my artistic touch with Andre’s business sense. That’s when Demü was born. It took months to come up with a name that represented what we stand for. Demü was chosen because it is short form for “Demütig” which is German for humble. Andre and I agreed that this was the characteristic which we admired the most in a person and thus we wanted our brand to represent it. In the interest of not writing a novel, I won’t go through the nitty gritty of how we finally launched our first collection, but I can tell you it involved over a year’s worth of writing a business plan, brainstorming ideas, drawing, cutting, sewing and making the contacts necessary to develop and sell our collection. There were so many challenges and setbacks, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! It was extremely hard, but very fun too!

2. What makes your collection unique?

I think our collection is unique for three primary reasons:

Design and Craftsmanship: We put an extreme attention to detail on every garment we produce. While many street wear brands put their trust in mass producing production partners, we collaborate with artisan producers who have been in the fashion industry their entire life. I engulf myself in every step of the design and development process looking at ways of constructing the perfect piece. Our graphics as well have are very detailed in nature. For example, one particular piece we call the Blue Print was developed using notes during our brainstorming session for the vigil-ANTI concept. You’ll notice in small print words such as “Guardien du Monde” which is what the collection was initially going to be called until we switched it to something a little more Demü! Finally, I think what is most unique about our designing is we don’t follow the mould. We’ll make it a point to lock ourselves away from what the industry is telling us in an effort to produce something that is relevant to us and that we know our customer will love.

Exclusivity: As “unmodest” as it may sound, we always try to consider ourselves the hidden gem of the fashion industry and we always want to be viewed that way. We produce very limited quantities and we are available in very few retailers. We don’t want to saturate the market with our designs because we want you to be a part of a select group who owns the piece you purchased from us. We feel this creates a sense of community as we’ve heard countless stories of our customers wearing Demü running in to another person wearing Demü and they sparked a conversation solely because they were curious to know how they had both heard of the brand. We love hearing stories like that, because that’s what we want to accomplish as a brand. Make people feel like they’re a part of something special and unique.

The Values: The collection comes with a goal to bolster self-esteem. This means a portion of the proceeds from the sale of any of our pieces goes towards funding another top quality collection which we will continue to create in the intricate manner we’ve been doing since day 1, another portion will be set aside so that we can reach our secondary goal of establishing a charitable organization geared towards bolstering self-esteem worldwide and finally a portion of the proceeds will go towards supporting existing causes which support youth and their proper development to become strong and confident young adults.

3. What was the inspiration behind your new collection: Vigil-Anti?

The inspiration for this line stemmed from our ongoing fascination with the dynamism of comic books. Superheroes nowadays come in all forms; from the fictional to the political to the inspirational. The intention of the collection is to demonstrate the equal grounds on which anyone can establish themselves as a superhero. The style itself is inspired by a cross between nerdy and rock & roll, nostalgia meeting contemporary

4. What is the next step for DEMU?

Well, our short term goal is for the brand to become available in independent boutiques across Canada. We want to share our brand with the select group across Canada who is interested in what we’re attempting to accomplish. In the longer run, we’re entertaining the prospect of opening our own store location. But that’s very much in its early stages of planning. We’re not sure of what the store would entail, where it would be and when we would open it. It’s a conversation Andre and I have over coffee every now and again. In the meantime, we will continue to bring forth collections that strive to surpass our target market’s expectations and coordinate events that will connect our customers. As I alluded to earlier, a side project of ours is developing a charitable organization geared towards bolstering self-esteem in a meaningful way. We plan that this can come to fruition within a 3 to 5 year time span.

5. Do you think that there is a vibrant fashion scene in Ottawa?

Much like our brand, we look at the Ottawa fashion scene as a bit of a hidden gem. Though we are not recognized for being a major hub for the fashion industry, when called upon, the Ottawa fashionistas can come out and make a pretty strong statement! I suspect that with great stores like Schadd on the market and the recent opening of Urban Outfitters, major retail stores such as H&M will start to recognize Ottawa’s downtown core as a prime place to open up shop. Once that happens, I think Ottawa will be better recognized for its Fashion scene. Until then, it’s up to independent designers and independent clothing stores to help put Ottawa on the fashion map by not abandoning their roots and working through the challenges of operating their brand outside of the major fashion hubs of North America.

6. Any advice for people who any up-and-coming Ottawa designers?

Never do anything for the money; always cater to a greater purpose and stay true to what you believe in. Though it may sound corny and cliché, I can’t stress how quickly you will crash and burn if your sole motivation is making money.

Here are a couple of great shots from their Vigil-ANTI campaign! Great idea, costumes and some awesome models. If you want to purchase any of these great pieces, please visit the label's website. And don't forget to check out Dernier Cri's giveaway rightttttt here!

 

Here is also a great video showcasing all the outfits. Who ever choose the music and did the editing, I just have to say WOW. I love the clip! Check it out

Want to Make More Money?

Good news for all those label whores out there!

Contrary to your bank account, a new study has found wearing designer labels can help you get a job, but also make you more money so long as the designer is obvious.

For their first experiment, Rob Nelissen and Marijn Meijers people a picture of a man wearing a Tommy Hilfiger polo with a visible logo. The subject's believe that the man who was wearing the Tommy polo had a higher status and had more money. In another experiment, volunteers watched two different videos of job interviews. They voted that the man that was wearing the designer shirt (with the visible logo) was more suitable for the job and also should earn a 9% high salary than the one without a logo! That's huge!

BUT WHY!!!?!?!?!?!

Nelissen and Meijers drew similarities to the "peacock with the best tail gets all the girls". They add "people react to designer labels as signals of underlying quality. Only the best can afford them."

So I guess my label purchases weren't as frivolous as everyone told me they were! 

Putting the 'Fund' in Fashion

Dressed in a cute little dress, Kate Reeve is to the untrained eye an ordinary 12-year-old girl. Her toothy smile paired with a cheerful personality can be interpreted as naivety habitually ascribed to the younger generation. Yet, first impressions are often misleading.

Kate is the mastermind behind Fashion for Funds, a charity fashion show. This grade seven student from Immaculata High School was inspired by an article in Today’s Parent magazine about a girl who was terminally ill with lung cancer. The little girl was staying at Canuck Place, a children’s hospital in British Columbia. This heart-wrenching story sparked a fire within Kate. She was determined to organize a charity fashion show that would donate 100% of the proceeds to Canuck Place and Roger’s House...

Read the rest of the article on EF Magazine's website or click here

Jana Hanzel 

 Rachel Sin

 Shweta Wahi

Amber Watkins

Stay tuned for the interview with local Ottawa designer Amber Watkins! 

You Are Invited: DEMU Showcase

Angie Fisher, creator of DEMU, has been working hard these past few months at building a collection that could appeal to everyone's sense. After being totally blown away by the collection (I have to admit, it's an amazing line) Angie realized that the showroom did not give the collection justice. So she decided to completely revamp the showroom and she wants everyone to come out and check it out. The showroom will be open to customers and will include random giveaways, showroom exclusives and Angie will be producing custom garments on location! This is a great opportunity to stop by and meet another fab-u-lous Ottawa designer. Who knew that Ottawa had so much to offer in the ways of fashion! If I have peaked your interest a little, then do not hesitate to check out DEMU's line on their website righttttt here. 

Also stay tuned for a full length feature of the designer and a showcase of her new line. Excited? So am I. P.S. am I going to see you there? 

Local Designer of the Week: Rachel Sin

I was at Colourbomb at HUSH tonight eating amazing cupcakes, drinking lemonade and sifting through racks of clothes searching for something that might catch my eye. My hunt was interrupted by a girlfriend who wanted me to pass judgment on the dress that she had found. As she stepped out of the change room, I was stunned. The perfect strapless LDB hugged her body perfectly while accentuating all her best assets. I instantly fell in love. 

At consignment stores, I often check the labels (yes, yes I admit! I am a little bit of a label whore!) and to my pleasant surprise I saw the words Rachel Sin stitched into the back.

I originally came across the talented designer when I was researching ideas for the Wig. I had pitched an idea to my editor at the time about covering the Ottawa fashion scene. He looked at me like I was crazy .... An Ottawa fashion scene? Yet, as I started to Google "Ottawa Fashion" I kept on finding pages upon pages of information. 

Designers, models and bloggers....oh my!

I finished my internships at the Wig and sadly my editor didn't seem to like the idea of publishing articles about Ottawa fashion. But when one door closes, another one opens and voila! Rachel Sin is my local designer of the week.

Here is just a little bit of information on a fabulously talented Ottawa (and Toronto) based designer:

How has your background in architecture helped you as a fashion designer?

Architecture is the basis of design.  I do not think I would have been as good of a fashion designer, if I did not study architecture.  Studying architecture helped me develop a keen eye for good design.  You study balance, proportion, symmetry, choosing the right material—all of which can be applied to fashion design. As an architect you are foremost a designer and you are passionate about good design.  You get excited when you see something well-made or elegantly designed.  When you see something beautiful, you can’t take your eyes off it and you can’t keep it out of your mind.  I hope to extend this feeling to my designs that catches the eye and becomes that must-have item in your closet. 

I really think of myself as an artist.  What inspires me is art, architecture and the everyday.  As an architect, you are typically the obsessive controlling type that has the need to shape your own environment.  You learn to open your eyes to the everyday.  Naturally after architecture, fashion design comes easily.   I think of a woman attending an event in a modern space, what would she wear that would complement modernist design and become as timeless as the building itself.

Why did you decide to become a fashion design?

I’m one of those want to do it all people.  I can’t let myself get bored or become unuseful, I’ll pick up a new interest and pursue it all the way.  Fashion design is another channel for creative release.  It something that I always wanted to do, but did not think I had to go to school to study.  Architecture and fashion design are very similar, but expressed at a different scale.  The smaller the scale the more design control you have.  Demanding perfection is no easy task in architecture; you must be meticulous and always demand quality. With my clothing line, I enjoy the fast pace release of each new season and the expression of creativity where I have full design control.

What was your inspiration for the Spring/Summer 2011 line?

The unexpected combination of feminine with an edge.  I love when studs or metallic details are added to very feminine piece like a blazer or leather accessories.  It’s a very rocker glam look, metallic details like sequins, shimmering fabrics or leather are added to a soft or sensual fabric to give a twist.

What sets your designs apart from everything else out there? 

What sets me apart from other Canadian designers is that each dress is impeccably tailored and exquisitely detailed—refined and sculpted to the form of the female body, with architectural lines that are strong, yet feminine and always at ease with effortless function.  You should never have to try too hard or look overdone, understated style is looking polished in a form fitting dress that combines precision in cut and demure sensuality. 

What advice would you give designers out there who are considering starting their own lines?

Work hard and you definitely have to be passionate about what you do.  Starting your business is hard, creating a successful clothing label is even harder.  No one becomes successful overnight.  By the time you hear about any new talented artist, they have been working hard and perfecting what they do for a very long time.

Where do you hope the Rachel Sin brand is headed in the future

Last year the Montreal label Mackage opened their Paris store on Boulevard St. Germain.  I can’t say that I wasn’t jealous and I can’t say that isn’t a dream of mine.  I always imagined designing my own store that housed my own collection, with a small studio loft above it.

Where can people buy your pieces?

Hush Clothes

All point of sale listed at online store www.rachelsin.com / www.ukamaku.com

Rachel recently presented her pieces as FASHION FOR FUNDS. Enjoy these drool worthy clothes:

I am GAGA over dresses with sexy backs

The designer herself! BRAVO