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.

LF: Thank you so much for sitting down with us Sandra!

SF: Oh, it’s my pleasure! I love what you guys are doing!

LF: How did you start Western Canada Fashion Week (WCFW)?

SF: I got back from New York City, and there was nothing in Edmonton for young designers. There were no collaborative possibilities for people in the industry to work and come together. There were other avenues of the artistic community that were quite active, but they weren’t focused on fashion. So it was a natural fit for me!

LF: As a businesswoman, how have you branded WCFW?

SF: Well, originally we started off as Edmonton Fashion Week (EFW). Our focus has always been on local involvement and getting the community working together. Our branding is very much an evolution of how we’ve grown through the years. We have some great professionals, working together and growing together. We try to think locally and work towards a more global concept – creating and developing more opportunities along the way. And a lot of people from the outside have taken notice! Currently, we’re the 3^rd largest fashion week in Canada!

LF: Why the change from EFW?

SF: We were getting designers from Calgary and Vancouver showing their collections here, so it was a natural progression that we decided to make. We branded our business to encompass all of Western Canada because we wanted to show support for those designers and photographers and graphic artists and the others in the industry that weren’t necessarily just from Edmonton.

LF: You also have a magazine called Phabrik. Could you tell us a little more about this?

SF: Well Phabrik is very much a part of our evolution as well. It gives us an opportunity to look at the Canadian fashion industry as a whole, and also facilitate opportunities by profiling local artists. Because, again, our focus is really on supporting our community and informing our audience of what and who they are buying. It’s also been great because I’ve been able to bring in international friends from all over the world to collaborate and contribute in providing some insight from the industry.

LF: What other resources, aside from the magazine, do you use to operate your business? How do they work together in your business model?

SF: Fashion week isn’t the only time of the year that we’re active. We’re working 24/7 and never stop! We work a lot with the artistic community and the different organizations, from the Edmonton Opera to the City Ballet. We participate with most of the art organizations by either offering our support, or cross promoting in order to facilitate different opportunities across the artistic spectrum. We cross-pollinate!

LF: What are the biggest challenges that you have had to overcome in your career?

SF: My career in NYC was great. Working in Edmonton has been very difficult. It’s not like you’re coming to a place with an existing industry. This process does not come without a lot of sacrifices and hard work. You must continually push yourself. If you’re a designer, you don’t have fabric wholesalers here. We did not have a garment industry, and in some ways, we still don’t. We don’t have factories and wholesalers necessary to produce with. And sometimes, that makes it tough. But the talent here is just amazing. And what keeps us going is that we’ve been able to accomplish so much. Even though we know we have so far to go, we’ve come a long way and have seen a lot of progress.

LF: What are your thoughts on the Canadian fashion industry?

SF: The Canadian fashion industry is absolutely great, and definitely developing a name for itself. But it’s difficult. Part of it is education. If you’re starting a handbag company, for instance, it’s definitely not easy. Most Canadian designers are unknown and we have few publications to support them. And they can’t afford to generate these massive advertising campaigns that you see with some companies, like Louis Vuitton, to gain some visibility and awareness. We’re a much smaller country, and the marketing wheel is not the same. It can be a little discouraging sometimes because you have to try to convince consumers to invest in a designer that is Canadian over one that is, for example, Italian. But, we’re growing and getting there!

LF: Now, Edmonton is not really considered a hub for fashion in the Canadian market, itself. How have you managed to address and deal with this hurdle?

SF: It’s definitely a major obstacle. But we have this spirit of collaboration and generosity. We’re in it for the right reasons – support. So because of those things, we’re getting the response back that we want to have, which is pushing us forward. We have a lot of talent; it’s just a matter of showcasing. You have to develop this “never die” outlook. We’re very stubborn! The way we’re approaching it may be seen by some major cities as silly, because we have a very local approach. That community involvement is very important to us. We have contests, which are very uncommon for fashion weeks. Anyone can show a collection, but what takes energy and drive and commitment is supporting the growth of an industry, which we try to do with things like the contests.  We use these to support individuals in their evolution as artists. We’re trying to help them develop a name and get their products into stores.

LF: What is the feedback that you’ve received on WCFW, on a local and national/international level?

SF: We’re constantly receiving feedback. Locally, we’ve had skeptics… But 12 seasons later, people have congratulated us and really developed a respect for us. Local support has been amazing. We’ve also received some eastern support as well. A lot of things during WCFW have been covered in newspapers and publications like FLARE and FASHION magazine. There is a definite interest in what we’re doing.

LF: How have you grown, as a person and as a businesswoman, since you started WCFW?

SF: I’ve learned an awful lot. It’s interesting because we are a smaller place that sometimes has the, “prove it to me first” mentality. It’s hard to face that on a personal level at times, but we’ve been really persistent and have gone the full route. At the same time, we’ve also had a lot of support from the community. But it’s a relationship that has taken time and a lot of hard work to build. It takes passion and heart and drive. Do I necessarily consider myself a businesswoman in this project? Not really, because I don’t look at the bottom line. With these things, you can’t develop a business focused solely on that bottom line because it is one that is based on support. In a way, our “business model” is different because it’s all based on that – support and compassion. Everything we do goes toward facilitating new opportunities for growth and development within the community.

LF: What are some success stories that have come out of WCFW?

SF: Local designers have gone off now to sell in stores across Canada, which is absolutely great! Others are doing runway shows in other places, like Syd Neigum, who has shown in Vancouver and, soon, in Toronto as well. We’ve heard through the grapevine that MTV has shown some interest in him as well! Linsay Willier, a model that we discovered at West Edmonton Mall, has also been a rising star. She competed in Canada’s Next Top Model and placed second, which is huge!

LF: Do you have any advice for business students?

SF: If you want a business, don’t start fashion week haha. It’s not easy. It takes a lot of passion and drive. But, I guess in anything that you do, you must do your research! Research, research, research! You need to know and understand what’s out there and know your business. With fashion, it’s a very multi-faceted business that involves everything from design to production to distribution. It’s also a business that is constantly changing, several times throughout the year. You need to understand the full scope. It is not enough to just have a unique idea; you must understand the industry that you are in. Most of all, do what you love. I’ve worked in all aspects of creativity. That is my love. My career has been based on that. I LOVE the arts. I can be working 14 hours for the arts, and it won’t be a problem. That’s the key. You must LOVE what you do. If you’re going to be a businessperson, you have to have that kind of passion. If not, don’t start your own business.

LF: Thank you so much Sandra! You are truly a force to be reckoned with!

SF: Thank you so much!

Western Canada Fashion Week is being held on March 24 - 31 at the TransAlta Barns (10330 84 Ave.) in Edmonton, Alberta. Make sure to visit a show!

For more information on Sandra and Western Canada Fashion Week, visitwww.westerncanadafashionweek.com!

By Lance Chung