If you haven’t heard of Canadian start-up INLAND, you’re in for a real treat! A platform for Canada’s new and exciting fashion designers to connect with shoppers, buyers and press, INLAND is hosting a #MadeInCanada market September 26th and 27th. The coolest thing? The two-day event is not just about retail, but is also an opportunity for lovers of fashion to discover emerging talent and meet the creatives behind the labels. We recently got a chance to chat with founder Sarah Power about her inspiration behind the start-up and the ins and outs of her very cool gig.
CYEOMS
What inspired you to create INLAND?
SP: The designers and the overarching lack of focus and attention they receive in national media and within major retailers. I wanted to change that, to get people talking about – and buying (!!) – more Canadian fashion and design. INLAND is about propelling the business of fashion.
OPELLE
Can you name 3 designers who you are most excited to showcase this year?
SP: I adore every designer. They each bring such a unique dynamic in both design and personality. I’m pretty excited for Som Kong. He and his team are installing an entire fashion-art structure as part if their booth. It’s going to be amazing. I’m also looking forward to having Hayley Elsaesser. I fell in love with her collection at World MasterCard Fashion Week and have really enjoyed working with her. She’s full of life and works really hard to get her work out there. Lastly, I’d have to say Travis Taddeo. Again, he works really hard, his style is so forward and he is just such a delightful human.
TRAVIS TADDEO
What do you love most about your job?
SP: The energy of being around and working with such creative people who care so deeply about their work and work extremely hard for what they want.
SKINNY SWEATS
What do you find the most challenging about your work?
SP: When you love what you do, challenges kind of transform into opportunities that you just work harder for, for me anyway. Right now, I’m most focused on shifting peoples’ perception about Canadian fashion and design and pointing out how incredible it all is. So many people ask me, “Why is shopping Canadian / local so important?” This is exactly the headspace I’m trying to enlighten. We’re so past that. It’s so obvious why. Let’s start talking about how to leverage what we already know is good, to the next level.
SOM KONG
Where do you hope to see the Canadian fashion industry in 5 years?
SP: On the cover of every Canadian magazine publication and featured regularly (not just as a special entry) in major media. We can’t grow as an industry unless we acknowledge and promote the value of our own identity. It would also be pretty great if everyone in Canada owned at least one Canadian designed/made piece. After that, the world!
With so many designers we love participating (Cyeoms, Skinny Sweats, Cat Janiga, Opelle, and Emily Valentine just to name a few), we can’t wait for the weekend!
INLAND FW15 is going down on September 26th from 12-9pm and September 27th from 12-6pm at the Glass Factory (99 Sudbury Street). Tix are $5 at the door.
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