Happy October! Autumn is officially in full swing and as we know in Calgary, it doesn’t last for long. Since we have such a short window before the snow starts to fly, we’ve got to fully embrace the beautiful warm weather, crunchy yellow leaves and the endless opportunities to show off some fall fashion without a parka over top.
If you had dreams of attending New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week, well I am sorry to say you’ve kind of missed your chance. However, if you live in Calgary you aren’t completely out of luck to see some of the most talented independent designers from across Canada - this weekend. PARKLUXE 2015, presented by Bankers Hall, sets the stage for the Spring/Summer 2016 season in the heart of the East Village on October 3rd.
Known for their undying support of local and independent fashion, PARKLUXE is the not-to-be-missed fashion event of the year. Each ticket that you purchase goes directly back to funding other PARK initiatives such as PARKSALE (Annual outdoor artisan market), PARKSHOW (Emerging Art and Fashion Show), PARKSHOP (Pop-up shops featuring PARK affiliated artist and designers), and the Emerging Artist & Designer Forum. Could there be anything better than that?
They also have an incredible raffle happening on Saturday! The PARKLUXE 2015 Diamond Champagne Raffle works like this: with each donation of $100, guests will receive a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne, each containing a gemstone. Ninety nine of them will be cubic zirconia. One will be a diamond valued at over eight thousand dollars. Not only do they have an amazing grand prize, but the second prize is a pair of tickets to anywhere WestJest* flies!
I caught up with the talented designer Nina Kharey from the independent label House of Nonie for a quick chat about PARKLUXE and her SS16 collection that is debuting at this weekend’s show. Her latest Autumn Winter 2015 collection has been developed under the mentorship of Barbara Atkin, the Fashion Director at Holt Renfrew. It’s all about new directional style and her love of minimalistic lines inspired by men’s suitwear.
What can people expect from your new collection debuting this weekend at PARKLUXE?
NK➔ Minimalism and simplicity. My line was inspired by the clean tailoring of menswear and my Eastern background. I wanted to give women basic luxury pieces that can be mixed and matched with other designers. My SS16 collection still has the tailoring and aesthetic of a refined wardrobe, but a bit more relaxed.
What is your favourite part of working with PARK?
NK➔The team. I love how supportive and helpful they are. They want nothing but the best for you as a designer. I love that we have this in our city. It’s a great outlet for art in such a concrete oil and gas city.
Lastly, what staples should every woman being wearing this fall/winter?
NK ➔ Simple long wool coats and cropped wide leg trousers. My AW15 collection has both!
➔➔➔ House of Nonie will be on the runway at PARKLUXE Calgary on October 3, 2015. For tickets, click here, and use the code NONIE10 for a discount.