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We\u2019ve all heard the platitude about turning lemons into lemonade, but rarely do we see those words come to true fruition (excuse the pun) in real life. One exception to this is designer Mariouche Gagn\u00e9 of eco-luxe apparel brand Harricana. Gagn\u00e9, born in the First Nations village of Loretteville, Quebec, stumbled upon a cottage industry whilst a college student studying fashion in Europe.<\/p>\n
Gagn\u00e9\u2019s instructors, recognizing her ability, encouraged her to enter competitions. She won several and while working on her Master\u2019s Degree in design management at Milan\u2019s Domus Academy, she participated in the Fur Council of Canada\u2019s Fur Design Student Contest. Gagn\u00e9 entered a reversible ski outfit. Lacking some required materials, she used her mother\u2019s old fur coat to add finishing touches. Gagn\u00e9 won second prize. \u201cI was a fashion designer, I had a different approach to fur, than perhaps, the furriers did. They have a certain relationship with the material, whereas I saw the possibility of working with recycled fur,\u201d says Gagn\u00e9. What she saw became Harricana, featuring fashionable and modern outerwear and accessories, created from luxurious recycled materials. Named for the 500 km long Harricana River in Canada along whose shores the first fur exchanges took place, almost 90% of the fur used by the brand comes from Quebec.<\/p>\n
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Who knew one brand could make such a difference? Since 1993 by recycling vintage furs, Harricana has saved the lives of more than 800,000 animals and has enabled the label to breathe new life into more than 80,000 coats, silk scarves, cashmere scarves and wedding gowns. They would never have been worn again if they had not been remodeled. \u201cFur, silk, and cashmere are luxurious yet durable materials. The pieces I make are a gift that you can pass on to your daughter and she can pass on to her daughter\u201d Gagn\u00e9 says.<\/p>\n
The Harricana collection is infused with modernity, but is also fun and innovative. There are items that can be worn two ways, three ways or are often reversible. Gagn\u00e9\u2019s own personal style is still true to her Canadian roots, which includes an avid love for the outdoors and winter sport. However, it is also influenced by her time in the fashion capitals of the continent, including Paris and Milan. \u201cWhen I decided to stay in Europe and continue to study, I called home and told my mother to sell my sewing machine and snowboard,\u201d she says. The two major influences of Canada and Europe combine for an haute hippie or what Gagn\u00e9 describes as a \u201cglamorous gypsy\u201d look. \u201cI am really lucky to have the relationship that I have with Sporting Life,\u201d says Gagn\u00e9. \u201cThey know the brand well and will take the more fun pieces or newer styles without hesitation. They have great taste and they trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n
By giving gorgeous materials a second life and transforming them into unique pieces, Harricana proves that luxe fashion can also be sustainable and uniquely Canadian. \u201cWhen I was living in Europe away from my family and people, I realized there was nowhere I could buy something that made me feel Canadian. I wanted to feel where I was from, the snow, and the mountains and Inuit heritage. Hopefully, that\u2019s what I\u2019ve achieved. Rough, modern, and authentic \u2013 not a costume,\u201d says Gagn\u00e9.<\/p>\n
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Funny how one little four-letter word, \u201csnow\u201d, can conjure up such a strong sensory response. Just close your eyes and imagine swirling crystals in the air, fluffy yet crunchy underfoot, all held together with crisp clean air. Great thinking on the part of New York based designer Erin Isakov. In choosing a name for her brand, she looked to her roots for inspiration. \u201cSkiing is in my DNA. As soon as I could stand I was on skis,\u201d she explains. Thus Erin Snow was born.<\/p>\n
Isakov grew up in California where her love of the outdoors and sport began. \u201cI had a clear sense of my personal style, and fashion ![\"CloseUp-FreshThinking3\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/CloseUp-FreshThinking3-200x300.jpg\")
was very important to me\u201d she says. \u201cThere really wasn\u2019t much snowboarding gear or clothing for women. Whatever was available was very street-inspired and boyish. I specifically started Erin Snow as a winter sport apparel company to address that need. When I was young, the snow-sport world was extremely glamorous and sexy. My goal was to bring that back.\u201d<\/p>\n
In keeping with her background, skiwear is a big focus and there is no denying the popularity of the \u2018Jes\u2019 pant. Constructed of a 4-way stretch, water and wind repellent, heat retaining and breathable fabric, they are a staple in every ski wardrobe. The removable foot stirrup transforms this pant into an appropriate piece for any outfit in need of support and warmth and with a skinny leg fit you can tuck into any boot. This staple item is also Isakov\u2019s favorite piece at Sporting Life.<\/p>\n
With a global outlook, real city chic and functional sensitivity, Erin Snow is a standout brand. \u201cI sort of took a departure when I started Erin Snow and now it seems the entire world, and the fashion world especially, have embraced the idea that sport is very much a driver in apparel. Things have come full circle for me,\u201d says Isakov.<\/p>\n
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Third generation German furrier, Fani Tsanikidou, takes on the fluffy family tradition with wit and whimsy. Fani – The Label started in 2009 by Tsanikidou, is known globally for unique hats and accessories. Stylish, trendy and most importantly warm, the brand\u2019s offerings put the fun back in fur.<\/p>\n
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In 1960, Tsanikidou\u2019s maternal grandparents founded a furrier specializing in men\u2019s hats in Frankfurt. In the 1980\u2019s, Tsanikidou\u2019s parents enlarged the collection, producing women\u2019s hats and accessories, at the same time, also, becoming wholesalers for fashion companies.<\/p>\n
After working in the family business for six years and studying fashion at Institute Marangoni in Milan and London, and at the famous SAGA Design School in Copenhagen, it was time for Fani to launch her own brand. It is aptly named for her beloved maternal grandmother with whom she shares her name.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love to create an item, select the material and convert it into a final product. Working with real fur demands a high responsibility and awareness of its significance. I respect the material and I try to use every centimeter of it. To have the possibility to design and produce my ideas and see their success is my daily inspiration\u201d says Tsanikidou.<\/p>\n
And of course she can\u2019t help but inject a little personal style. “Personal style for me is to express yourself through your outfit. Fani – The Label is a winter label, so it has to be warm, soft and comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We\u2019ve all heard the platitude about turning lemons into lemonade, but rarely do we see those words come to true fruition (excuse the pun)…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":3239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[182],"tags":[398,399,397,400],"class_list":["post-3236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brand-spotlight","tag-erin-snow","tag-fani-the-label","tag-harricana","tag-recycled-fur","post-item","post-even"],"yoast_head":"\n