Spotlight: Priory of Ten

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
If you're from Vancouver then I hope you've been to The Board of Trade Co. in Chinatown. If not, then let me tell you, you're missing out.

The Board of Trade Co.'s Eunice Quan and David Li partnered with their friend, Mei Liu, to create Priory of Ten, their fashion line.


Mei grew up in Edmonton and started her post-secondary career at the University of Toronto. However, she changed paths and decided fashion was her calling. So, she went to the Parson's School of Design in NYC to study fashion design. Upon graduating, Mei landed a job with 3.1 Phillip Lim line as an Assistant Designer. She worked on the line for 2 years before her, Eunice, and David started Priory of Ten.

A Canadian line, but based out of NYC, Priory of Ten takes their namesake verbatim: a collective if individuals bound by societal and cultural practices who find self expression through exploration in their unique style of dress.
Kren Dress
Kin Blouse, Chann Sweatshirt
The inspiration for the F/W'12 collection stems from their name; says Mei, "[the] collection surrounds the idea of contrasting the rigidity of uniform with the fluidity of femininity and sensuality. It is a reflection of the brand's identity, and explores the meaning of Priory of Ten. We have rigid elements of military, clerical, and secretarial uniform twisted by sensuality through high slit skirts, sheer and sensual fabrics, and unconventional silhouettes."
Legion Pant, Wye Tunic
Kin Blouse, Mau Skirt
Keefer Dress
Kin Blouse, Wythe Shorts
Having seen the line in person, I can certain attest to Mei's description. It's very interesting to see the juxtaposition of the traditional elements and the sensuality of the fabrics and structure. Priory of Ten uses amazingly luxurious fabrics that feel like a dream against your skin.

There is not one piece in the debut collection that I'm not in love with. When I was in NYC and hanging out with Eunice and Mei, they were both reppin' their brand 24/7, and I've never seen people get complimented so often on their clothes. In fact, our friend from Complex Magazine was crazy about the Flakk Jacket. So who knows, maybe Mei will need to make her (and the line's) foray into menswear soon.
Flakk Jacket, Kin Blouse, Legion Pant
Complex Magazine rocking the Flakk Jacket - photo also seen here

Priory of Ten will be available at The Board of Trade Co. in Vancouver, and at select boutiques in New York City. For a complete list, please contact Priory of Ten. See the entire look book on their website.

Summer Photo Blog 2

Monday, August 27, 2012








Deep fried ice cream
Deep fried lychee


Turkey sausage salad from Hubbub
Steak salad from Rogue
Peanut butter explosion from Rogue


Tacos from El Caminos

Test driving the new Chevrolet Spark




Fried chicken and waffle sandwich from The Academic

Sechelt

Sunshine Coast

Bone marrow
Panna cotta with peaches
Roasted peaches with creme fraiche

Stacci - wild mushrooms, olives, roast garlic, and parsley
Tagliatelle - squab liver and heart, pancetta, radicchio, and balsamic
Blue foot chicken with Tuscan panzanella salad
The freshest in Cibo's kitchen

Spotlight: Lifetime Collective

Monday, August 20, 2012
It was a few months ago now, but I had the opportunity to check out the Fall/Winter 2012 offerings from Lifetime Collective.


The line was founded in 2002 by Trevor Fleming & Reid Stewart and started out with a street/skate focus. Over the past 10 years, Trevor and Reid have evolved the line to become more boutique focused, which forced them to divide the line into two separate entities: Lifetime Collective (the boutique focused line) and Uniform Standard (the street/skate focused line). Recently, Lifetime Collective also added in a women's collection, designed by Judith Feller of lily+jae.

I had the chance to chat to Trevor and Reid about Lifetime Collective and Uniform Standard and how they had the change their business model to adapt to their growing and maturing creativity.

Do the two collections reflect your own personal aesthetics or style? (Trevor designs Lifetime Collective while Reid designs Uniform Standard)

TF: It allows us to go in our own directions as designers. We really wanted to keep servicing our core roots of where we came from, so that snow/skate background; the more action sports/boutique cross over skate shop. Our collection started to go into a more boutique direction, with the price point going up and the quality of the fabrics going up, but a lot of our original accounts couldn’t quite reach that price point and get that successful sell through. So instead of staying in one direction, we decided to release Uniform Standard, which is geared more towards that price point to compete with those brands that are in those shops, like Volcom and Rvca. So Reid designs that collection and I’ve continued on with the Lifetime collection.
RS: A lot of those shops couldn’t maybe relate to some of it too - a whole collection as one going to all those types of stores, where this, I think, will make sense to people when they see that the price is a little higher, it’ll be fine.
TF: It was working for us back in the day when we were more of that fashion/urban skate brand, but as we really wanted to get into more boutiques, we really needed to up our game a little bit, and we realized that we couldn’t service everyone with one collection.

What is Uniform Standard? How does it differ from Lifetime Collective?

RS: We toned down some details, but we still really focus a lot of the fabrics we’re using and try to bring things to a better price point to what our stockists need them to be for a better sell through. So, we do a lighter jacket, the attention to detail is there-

And the continuity of the pockets.

RS: Exactly. Completely its own collection with its own details and fabrics. This collection is meant for our roots, where we were in the beginning.

I think it’s important for you guys to maintain that audience and demographic.

RS: I think the next collection, because this one was done pretty quick, will be more progressive in terms of pushing the boundaries of basics. It’s fun to do. There’s a lot of colour blocking using silhouettes that have worked for us in Lifetime Collective in the past, and running with it. We tried to go above and beyond with the collection. This type of jacket would usually have a mesh lining, but we used some of our shirting fabric because we want to tie it all together, and try to do as much as we can while staying at a specific price. A word we try to use for this line is 'timelessness', it doesn’t go out of style.

Some of my favourite pieces:
Menswear
F101 Wool - $350
Mercy Shirt - $88
Ira Jacket - $275
Awesome 3D pocket detail on the Ira Jacket
Dublin Parka - $230
Womenswear

Striped Sammy Shirt - $88
Striped Casper Coat - $297
Chalet Sweater - sold out
Tobey Dress Herringbone - $99
Pixie Dress - $99, Clementine Cardigan - $130
Sophia Raincoat - $250
Printed Sammy Shirt - $88, Parker Pant $110
Rowan Flight Suit - sold out (easily my favourite piece)