PHOTO: MICHAELA MITCHELLDESIGNS: BRITTANY WACHER
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ARTICLE written by GRETCHEN CRUZ.
Vancouver Fashion Week: Brittany Wacher
Brittany Wacher is originally from Eckville, Alberta, and started out studying business (accounting) in school. It was when she traveled to a handful of countries around the world that she decided she wanted to pursue an artistic career. She came to Vancouver and fell in love with the city, so she started the Fashion Design program at LaSalle College International Vancouver.
Brittany has built a new collection for all the following fashion shows (while still in school): the Century House First Rendition Fashion Show for the school (Brittany contributed eight looks to the show in May 2010), the Vancouver Music and Fashion Festival (which was an event held on 1180 Granville Street during the Winter Olympics in February 2010), A Holiday Affair fashion show in Decemeber 2010, and she was part of Vancouver Fashion Week in April 2011 as well as in November 2011. She has also completed editorials and photoshoots for every collection that she has directed herself. The latest editorial for April that Brittany did is going to be in C-heads magazine.
So how did Brittany come up with the idea for her latest line, recently shown at Vancouver Fashion Week?
"I started conceptualizing it in May while I was traveling around Europe alone - I really can figure out the most of myself and how I am relating to the world around me when I am alone, especially when in a new atmosphere. A lot of the inspiration for my collection came from experiencing places rich with history, regurgitated culture, and the underground music-scene. I probably sketched 250 designs and many faces just from that trip," Brittany says.
After traveling all around Europe, Brittany went back to Alberta to work. She worked in a tractor all summer, which was quite the contrast to adventuring in Europe, as she had to wear coveralls and steel-toed boots every single day.
The cultural influence from her Europe trip and the multi-culturalism of Vancouver versus the country life of Alberta that Brittany grew up with, was the driving force of her latest line. "It's what my life feels like," Brittany explains. "I feel like both parts are completely seperate lives and are so different from each other - they're such a condradiction and my work really reflects this. For this line, I worked with really delicate hand-dyed silk, chiffon, and cow hide - there's such a difference in weight and symbolization with the materials. Most of my work is a reflection of how I view the world, often comparing nature with society," Brittany says.
"Also for that collection, I wanted the models wearing the clothes to represent these strong, independent, and whimsical women, fending for themselves in this world. I wanted it to feel very raw and I don't want the things I create to be typical or made ready to be sold on every retail floor. I'm not interested in massive consumerism, I'm more interested in telling stories and building concepts, which reflect on how I view the world even if it's only appealing to a few," Brittany explains.
Brittany's latest collection was definitely appealing to more than just a few people. During Vancouver Fashion Week, the Twitter world was raving about her collection:
@jcarsonloo tweeted "Lovely tan corsette with silky black dress by Brittanee Ann by Brittany Wacher. #VFW2011 #vfw2012 http://pic.twitter.com/RM6F4LOY"
@VanFashionWeek tweeted "What an amazing show of #talent!! Thank you @lasalle cant wait for more!! Brittany is deffo one to watch for!! #VFW2012" as well as "The last of the finale #minsblowing. Good job Brittany Watcher!!! @LCI_Vancouver u taught then well!!! #VFW2012 http://pic.twitter.com/FiiXIZTu"
- Written by Gretchen Cruz
Saturday, December 10, 2011
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