West Edmonton Mall's Anna Alfonso

I always love to explore the business aspect of fashion and retailing. I think it covers an aspect of the industry that is just as critical to the success of a brand as the artistic perspective that we are all so accustomed to hearing about. I had the amazing opportunity to interview Anna Alfonso, head of marketing for North America's largest indoor mall (West Edmonton Mall), for the University of Alberta School of Business' monthly publication, Lazy Faire. Enjoy!

Culture As A Commodity

My friend, Chris, recently wrote a great piece on his blog about the commodification of culture. I thought it was, not only well-written, but also very insightful and sincere. 

"Fashion loves it some commodity. Despite the glamour and frivolous nature of the business, we must remember that fashion is here solely for one reason and one reason only: to sell stuff. Whether it be splashy ads in magazines, high-budget fashion films, the classic runway show — these are all tactics to make you want a certain product, whether you realize it or not. It is a multi-billion dollar industry after all. It must survive somehow."

Read the rest at Chris' blog, Fashion of the Chris!

Ben Sherman

While I was in Toronto, I called into London to talk to Mark Maidment, Creative Director of Ben Sherman, to discuss the brand, Savile Row, and the company's debut in the Canadian marketplace, with the opening of their first stand-alone store along Queen Street in Toronto. He was a really laid-back and great man to interview, easily one of the most comfortable and casual interviews that I have ever conducted. You could tell that the he was very passionate about the brand that he heads, which is evident in the company's new direction and product offerings! Featured in the September issue of SHARP magazine, you can read a small preview inside the issue (out on stands now!), or read the interview in its entirety below! Enjoy :)

Indochino

I recently conducted an interview for SHARP Magazine with Kyle Vucko, co-founder of mass bespoke retailer, Indochino, to talk about the company's humble beginnings, positioning, and offerings. You can view the interview here, or read below! Unfortunately, due to the nature of the "Brands You Should Know" segment that we feature for the magazine, the interview had to be cut down significantly. But i've included the rest of it below :)

Western Canada Fashion Week

An interview I had with Sandra Sing Fernandes, founder of Western Canada Fashion Week, for Lazy-Faire magazine.

Fashion is a word that is often synonymous with glamour and luxury. But what is often swept aside is the amount of hard work and drive required to give off such grandeur depictions. We recently sat down with Western Canada Fashion Week founder and director, Sandra Sing Fernandes, to talk about her work here in Canada’s fashion capital… Edmonton. Undoubtedly, a difficult market that Sandra has been able to work like Naomi Campbell on the catwalk. What we discovered was a very passionate woman, driven by her love for the arts and her community.