Haus of Hybrid: know show

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KnowShow - Proof Style and Function Aren't Mutually Exclusive

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Follow Sarah on Twitter: @sarallin

Hey Vancouver, dare yourself to dress better, why don't ya?

Vancouver has a couple of reputations (aside from the overpriced housing, but that’s a whole other story): active lifestyle, and terrible fashion. Sadly these two things seem to have a direct correlation, and often you can’t tell if someone has just come from yoga or if they always look like that.

Last week we attended KNOWSHOW to check out the Fall/Winter 2013 collections from various lifestyle brands. There were a lot of great finds, and believe it or not, a lot of well-dressed people at the show. In a way, Vancouver is the perfect city for KNOWSHOW, because it acts as proof that lifestyle and fashion don’t have to be at odds with each other.

Here are some of my key takeaways from KNOWSHOW:

Unexpected materials: Whether it was sunglass frames made from skateboard decks at Proof Eyewear, or mesh looking surprisingly awesome when paired with denim for the Mavi/Chalayan Denim Capsule Collection, there was usually something interesting to learn about each item of clothing or accessory the more you looked into it.

Bold prints: Lifetime Collective showed sweaters with woven patterns that would make even Bill Cosby jealous. Quiksilver Women put out some great print pants that looked ready to be lived in. More specifically, blanket prints were a popular showing. I’ve always been a sucker for a good plaid item, and blanket prints seem to be a natural progression from there.

General awesomeness: I’ve been to my fair share of tradeshows, and I think KNOWSHOW has to be the most fun. Exhibitors are genuinely excited about the brands they’re representing, and want to share it with people. The only downside is that you have to wait for all these clothes to hit retailers.

So listen up Vancouverites, now that you’ve learned what the KNOWSHOW exhibitors have to offer, you really have no excuse for wearing leggings as pants.

KnowShow: A Show Worth Knowing About

Last week Emily, Sarah, and I stopped by the KNOWSHOW to check out what was in store for the Fall/Winter 2013 action sports, fashion, and lifestyle brands.

What's great about KNOWSHOW is that it brings together roughly 300 local and international brands under one roof. With some of the brand's having only part of their collection available in certain stores and sometimes even dealing with exclusivity, it provides us with a great opportunity to get a more fulsome look at what these brands have to offer.

I love surfing (but I'm not good at it. Sidebar: Does anyone remember the short lived MTV show Surf Girls from 2003???). So imagine my surprise when I find out that there's a "more mature" Roxy/Quiksilver line, Quiksilver Women. Sarah has more on them.

TOMS was so good. Though, as usual, I had a preference for the men's collection. I love this casual take on the wingtip. A bit dressier than regular TOMS, but more casual than a leather shoe. Fun colours and patterns, but nothing overwhelming. The women's collection has cute new boot styles.

The Reef Resrv mens collection was amazing. I love how men's footwear is a thing now. The menswear scene is a weird combination of fashion, sports, and hiphop (seriously - why do you think Amar'e Stoudemire is pals with Anna Wintour? Do you think it's just for fun? There's always an agenda), so I can definitely see how menswear has evolved into what it is now.

Proof had amazing sunglasses - for both men and women! They also had a couple cute sweatshirts.

Check out these super awesome slip-on brogues from Seychelles. Toe-caps! Patent! Prints! I don't usually care for Seychelles, but these I want so bad.

And these smoking slippers from Seychelles! I really want to Union Jack ones. Can't you just see Taylor Swift prancing around in these (probably holding on to a 18-year-old's hand)? They would go so well with her J.Crew fox sweater.

While this coat wouldn't keep me even a little bit warm in Ottawa, I'm so into it. It's BB Dakota and would make for a great fall or spring transition piece. Or, I suppose if you live in Vancouver, you could wear it all winter without problem. The (faux?) leather detailing is great.

Herschel Supply Co has a few new styles for Fall/Winter 2013. There are a lot more colours and, as you can see, a whole whack of new patterns. So support local!

KnowShow

Friday, January 20, 2012

The KnowShow is Canada's premier lifestyle tradeshow. It primarily has snow, surf, skate, and street brands (Quiksilver, O'neill, Rip Curl), but has since started carrying more lifestyle brands like Native, Mavi, and Gentle Fawn. Attendees get to see what the brands have lined up for the coming seasons. But before you get all excited, tradeshows aren't for everyone. You can't purchase any of the items; they're strictly for your viewing pleasure.

This was my first time attending the KnowShow and I had a great time. I loved being able to browse through the brands and to learn more about the companies and their products. I really wish that more tradeshows would come to Vancouver. It would be a great way to further the industry and have people think and view things differently.

I'm all about scouting menswear at the moment (related post to come!), so I was naturally drawn towards those products. It also didn't hurt that most of the vendors had super cute guys working.