Layered Blog

Because you probably need to.

And it’s awesome.

One of the many books I received throughout the holidays, this was a quick, easy, straight-up, humorous and insightful read.
Hugh MacLeod started as copywriter doodling on the back of business cards in his spare time. These cartoons turned into a blog followed by few which turned into a respected blog followed by millions which turned into this book.
Treat yourself. Read it. And follow his blog at www.gapingvoid.com.

Hoping the holidays treated you all well.

Wishing everybody…

Watch for something exciting things on this blog in the upcoming year!

First thing is first: I’m going to start writing about local retail businesses….there has been a boom of small boutiques in Victoria in the last couple of years and I’m taking it upon myself to find out what sets these stores apart from their competition. Stay tuned for interviews, reviews, opinions and rants! It’s what I do best.

Much love.

When I lived in Toronto, there was nothing I loved better than to bundle up, grab a coffee and head to Queen Street to see the unveiling of The Bay’s windows at Christmas time. Always spectacular and whimsical, it brought out that excitement about the holidays that seems to dissipate with age…

Victoria is a much smaller city with less window real estate all around BUT it does have it’s own little Christmas display extravaganza. The annual Christmas Lighting Contest is a project of the Victoria Festival Society and the results are in! Bernard Callebaut Chocolates won Best Window Display FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW (!!!) in the commercial category. My mother is the General Manager of the Chocolaterie and the brains behind the windows. Very proud and glad to know that visual display runs true in the blood.

Second and third place winners were Crabtree & Evelyn (640 Fort St.) and Stampers Rubber Stamps & Papercraft (2630 Quadra St.). Also, awarded are prizes in the residential categories for Best Figurines, Best Nativity Scene, Best Street Display etc. To see all of the entrants, the Times Colonist has published the Christmas Lights Tour Map on the front page of the Life section. It will also be available online early this coming week.

This is a wonderful way to spend an evening with the family, oohing and ahhing at all of the bright lights…after all, isn’t that what Christmas is for?

Photo courtesy of Bruce Stotesbury at the Times Colonist.

In amongst a bunch of new things launched this week (live streaming AND personalized search for everyone), Google has introduced a whole new way to window shop.
Sending out decals to 100,000 U.S. small businesses that have been the most sought out and researched on Google.com and Google Maps, the world’s most used search engine is striving to provide you, the consumer, with the best local business results across 9,000 towns and cities…for now. Called “Favorite Places on Google”, selected local businesses will display the decal in their windows. This decal was a unique bar code (known in Google-speak as a QR code) which the consumer can scan using a number of different mobile devices (iPhone, Blackberry etc.). This will take the user to that business’s Place Page. This helps to find reviews, coupons, bookmark the site and comment just like on your desktop!
(To use, must need a camera phone and an app that reads QR codes…no big deal, right?!)
Find out more info on Favorite Places.

I’ve been a visual merchandiser since my graduation from the International Academy of Design & Technology five years ago. I’ve been working for GAP for a couple of years now BUT even before I was an employee, I would venture into the downtown Toronto locations for inspiration on the latest merchandise presentation, styling and overall retail esthetic. GAP spends copious amounts of dough on marketing and creating a ‘brand experience’ and have done so for as long as I can remember.
Now, they are looking to create a better ‘customer experience’ by launching a pilot retail concept called Sprize which will allegedly ‘turn retail on its head’.
The idea is this: customers buy an item; if it goes on markdown with 45 days of the purchase, they will automatically get credited for the difference via email. All they need to do is sign up for a Sprize membership which costs nothing. The credit can be used up to a year from the date of issue and is used like cash to purchase merchandise from any of the stores piloting the concept.
Right now, only 10 stores in and around the Vancouver area are testing this idea. And literally everything, at least at the Robson Street store, was merchandised UPSIDE DOWN, playing into the turning retail on its head theme. Watch this video of the Overnight Transformation of Gap Store on Robson Street.

According to the Senior VP of Customer Relationship Marketing, this new credit system will ’strengthen loyalty’ and ‘engage customers seamlessly, in positive ways, that can impact the way the shop’.

What it comes down to is the customer is locked into spending that money at GAP. It is unclear whether the credit can span the GAP Inc. umbrella (aka. Old Navy and Banana Republic). Whereas price adjustments, done within seven days of the original purchase, was credited back to the customer in the original form of payment.
Is this really a revolutionary concept or is it just forced loyalty?

Glamour Magazine has named Google’s Marissa Mayer as part of it’s annual Women of the Year list. As Vice President of search and user experience of the world’s number one search engine, Marissa oversees and approves the Google products that we all cannot live without. Described as a ‘powerhouse of creativity’ who has a wardrobe consisting of Oscar de la Renta and Armani, Mayer is a ‘visionary’ (who knew computers could be SO glamourous?!). CEO Eric Schmidt sings her praises and credits her for ‘building the team that designs the products we all use’.

Glamour Magazine has also named such influential woman as Stella McCartney, Serena Williams, Maya Angelou and honoured First Lady Michelle Obama with special recognition.

Speaking of Google, it has just announced the launched of Google Dashboard. With its signature clean interface, Dashboard is a summary of each Google product that you use. You have to be signed in to see it come to life BUT it provides greater control with everything being in one place and with quick links to control personal settings.  Thank you Marissa!

Right now, about 20 of Google’s services are covered including Gmail, Docs, IGoogle, Reader. It will be REALLY handy once Analytics and WebMaster Tools are also included.

It takes a lot to stop me in my tracks.

But it happened the other day when walking through The Bay, which is a normal ritual for ‘research’ purposes….to see what’s in stock and how things are merchandised (I never stop…) Passing by a grouping of mannequins, a sequined jersey knit top was what caught my eye. Off the shoulder, drapey and sequined…from a Canadian label, Kersh. I bought one in black immediately.

Described as laid-back sexy, cool West Coast, this is one of many labels featured in Vancouver Fashion Week. I believe it is fairly new to The Bay (at least in Victoria) and is priced QUITE reasonably. And I’m oh so glad for it.  With no write-up for the line on the VFW website and not much information on the official website, the line is part of International Fashions (a fashion distribution and licensing company) based in Vancouver.  I am glad I bumped into it at The Bay because I will be looking to include more pieces in my wardrobe in the near future. Keep your eye out for their second line, Press as well. More yummy, sexy fashions just in time for Christmas!

On the heels of Toronto Fashion Week, Atlantic Canada hosted their event at the end of October in Halifax, Nova Scotia. AFW featured local designers with a strong presence from Nova Scotia School of Art & Design students. Katrina Tuttle, who also showed at Toronto Fashion Week, was featured once again here. And in amongst the local designers was a friend’s sister – Veronica MacIsaac – who, coming from a family background in textiles and kilt-making, has produced wonderful, custom made tartan pieces as well as a comfortable ready-to-wear line. Her Spring 2010 collection features bamboo knitwear which Ryan MacDonald, a native Cape Breton-er, was able to photograph the line in the madness of Fashion Week. Ryan was also the official backstage photographer and managed to capture the intensity of backstage quite nicely. Images of Veronica MacIsaac Apparel can be found at Ryan’s photography blog.

After perusing Veronica’s website, and although her Spring 2010 collection is not yet featured, I can certainly tell you that I am looking forward to placing my order for some high-waisted trousers.

I quite enjoy it when people find things that they are sure that I’m going to love. And Ryan is quite good at that. Orphanage Clothing struck her as something I would take to and she was absolutely right! Based in Halifax, Orphanage Clothing exists to “re-define the re-cut vintage t-shirt” although the collection has expanded to re-worked men’s shirts, button downs, denim, wool and trench coats. As founder Kim Munson says, “Each piece acts as an entity amongst itself”.

Orphanage’s website is an interesting and dynamic Flash based site that is somewhat difficult to navigate if you’re not careful. I was a little impatient with the initial loading of the site BUT maybe it’s just because I was anxious to see what I could purchase… and unfortunately the Orphanage Blog has not been updated since July so visit their page on Facebook to check out images from previous collections. Enjoy!

Regardless, all of the pieces are one of a kind and hold a distinct uniqueness which creates visual interest for the observer as well as an edgy look for the wearer. All of what I am looking for when it comes to clothing!

What do you look for when shopping for something new for your closet?

The first post. How exciting!

In light of all of the Fashion Weeks going on throughout the months of September to November, I am dedicating this first post to Toronto Fashion Week.

I had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer in this year’s event through the Fashion Design Council of Canada. As I figured this would give me a chance to meet some like-minded people, possibly influential and even famous people and see some runways shows, I did not want to miss out. This was my first fashion week and due to the lack of volunteer organization, people management skills and general respect, will be my last as a volunteer…

BUT I did see some great Canadian design. With white tents erected in an old car dealership in trendy King West, this is Toronto’s premier fashion event previewing Spring 2010 collections. One of my duties as a volunteer resulted in being in the runway room during most of the shows which provided a spot to the side of the media pit, almost on the runway itself!

Jason Meyers (participant in Project Runway Canada), Travis Taddeo’s high fashion street wear, Halifax based Katrina Tuttle, Reva Mivasagar are a few of highlights…As I was ‘working’, I did not get a chance to take pictures. For a detailed overview of most of the runway shows that were featured, visit www.blogto.com/toronto_fashion_week.

The most interesting part of the whole week was observing the many different characters that were in attendance. The French Diva who was obsessed with Barbie (it was her 50th birthday which David Dixon honoured with a special collection), model Stacey McKenzie leaving red lipstick marks on In Fashion’s Glen Baxter, Jeanne Beker in all black as always, the media hounds who seriously fight for their spot on the podium at the end of the runway and the modest yet ever-so-stylish fashion enthusiast. Although there were definitely some people that were channeling Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, I am glad I was able to experience it. If I do attend another Fashion Week, I will arm myself with a media pass next time.