Thursday, December 15, 2016

Gifting Local is the Gift that Keeps on Giving...

I've been self employed and running my own business for well over a decade now and I can tell you as rewarding as it is to be your own boss, it's a path less chosen for reason. Being a self employed designer (or self employed anything really) presents a a slough of daily challenges.


I think the biggest of those challenges is consistently educating the mainstream on the differences between handmade, slow culture which at it's heart is about quality over quantity versus mass produced, cheaply made products found at big box chain stores.

Fortunately I have had many opportunities to be in both local & national media speaking about our handmade eco friendly process and how much more interesting and better quality buying from a local artist or designer actually is...


Adhesif Clothing  can be found in at least a dozen artisan markets annually which is a great way to show our work in the public and to discuss these topics ones to one.

Vancouver Eco Fashion Week 2012

Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Show 2015

The Nifty for Fifty Sale 2016

What I hear from a lot of people is that they would like to support sustainable and locally made more but have a difficult time knowing where to start and to this I do sympathize. The little guy doesn't often get over shadowed by all the H&M's and Wallmarts of the world so even tough it seems like we don't exist we really do...

We're fortunate
that in Vancouver, BC we actually have a slough of local events that cater to the
indie-handmade scene. All you need to do is look at your local newspapers like The West Ender or the Georgia Straight newspaper and you can find loads of advertisements for art markets and craft fairs, Especially this time of year.

Alternatively if you find a local boutique or artisan you like all you have to do is go to their website. Many of them do participate at local art and design fairs and will have a list of the events they can be found at. Once you go to one fair you will be opened to another world of indie talent. Have a look at our website to see some of the events we were just involved in and new ones coming in 2017



There's also a lot of great publications that specifically highlight the work of indie
designers and artists like Belle Armoire Magazine based out of the U.S which we've been published in multiple times...



Another amazing resource is LOCO BC

LOCO BC is a non-profit local business alliance working to strengthen communities, grow the local economy and build strong, sustainable businesses by encouraging a shift in local purchasing by consumers, businesses and institutions/government. 
Their work is predicated on the belief that economic sustainability, along with social and environmental sustainability forms the bedrock of healthy and resilient communities. 

LOCO BC encourages purchasers to buy from B.C.-based companies, and to buy B.C. goods and services based on a shared commitment to strong communities, a healthy environment, meaningful employment and fair trade practices.


Back in 2011 we had the pleasure of having a joint interview with the West Ender Newspaper and the founder of LOCO BC, Amy Robinson for Vancouver Eco Fashion Week.

Now that Christmas is fast approaching and we are all in GO Mode I would encourage you to consider supporting locally made products and services this holiday season. The reasons why supporting local is so much better than the run of the mill are really endless. 

Whether it's the originality & quality or the impeccable customer service provided by having a personalized experience with an artist or merchant, you decide. What ever the reason, I guarantee you it's the gift that keeps on giving!


The Adhesif Clothing shop will be open for another 5 more days before we take our annual holiday break. Be sure to stop by and check out all of our amazing local offerings for your last minute Christmas gifts this season.

Adhesif Clothing 2202 Main Street Vancouver, BC 
Shop:604.568.4905 
 Hours~ Tues-Sat 11-7 Sun 12-5 Monday Closed 


Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and a great start in 2017!

Adhesif 
xo























Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Etsy Winter Market + Shiny Fuzzy Muddy

Etsy Vancouver Winter Market
THIS WEEKEND!

Saturday Dec 3rd & Sunday Dec 4th

This two-day event will feature over 80 Etsy Vancouver vendors, awesome crafts and goodies, and Etsy enthusiasts from all over lower mainland.

Find Adhesif Clothing at booth A4

We are bringing a sweet selection of cozy up-cycled accessories like our Fingerless Mittens made from reclaimed cashmere + lambswool


Plus we will have some of our other popular winter designs + accessories up for grabs like
our upcycled reversible wrap scarf and cozy Mini Capes!


The Shipyards Christmas Festival at Shipbuilders’ Square will be happening this same weekend.
On Saturday, December 3rd from 5-8pm, the square will be transformed into a winter wonderland, filled with the sound of music, carols and the inviting smell of free warm coffee and rich hot chocolate!



Next Up...
Shiny Fuzzy Muddy 
Our Last holiday Market of the 2016!


We saved the best for last! 
We have a special selection of designs we've been curating just for our final holiday market of the year including our most popular winter designs as well as select designs from our Fall-Winter 2016 Collection.


Adhesif Clothing Boutique Holiday Notice

Please note we will be taking our annual holiday break starting
December 22nd 2016
reopening on January 10th 2017.

Take advantage of holiday shopping in the vibrant Mount Pleasant community with an amazing selection of one-of-a-kind local offerings to chose from handmade by local designers and artists

Adhesif Clothing 2202
(Directly on the corner of 6th Ave)
Main Street Vancouver, BC
Shop:604.568.4905

Hours~ Tues-Sat 11-7
Sun 12-5
Monday Closed

Web www.adhesifclothing.com
Blog adhesifclothing.blogspot.ca
Twitter @adhesifclothing
Facebook adhesifclothing
Instagram adhesifclothing

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

BIG NEWS + Holiday Markets

It's that time of year again!
Since Spring of this year, we've been working on a tantalizing selection of our popular one-of-a-kind up-cycled sweaters, capes, vests, coats and so much more for our first holiday market of the year!


Circle Craft opens in just 2 weeks!
After 11 years, this event is our longest running show and as such we have 3 full racks of never before seen designs just for this event!

Find us at CORNER BOOTH #443 
(down the main center aisle)

So mark your calendar for the biggest holiday market of the year featuring
hundreds of artists from across Canada.

Follow this link to buy tickets and for more show info

So now for some REALLY BIG news!!

This will be the last Fall-Winter season to shop for Adhesif Clothing designs
at our current physical retail location.

We're brimming with SO MUCH amazing local + Canadian offerings right now so you should definitely 
make Adhesif Clothing one of your shopping destinations this holiday season.

No time for sad faces, this isn't a goodbye but a hello to new beginnings! 
We embrace change and it's apart of our every day journey.

We are looking forward to having a more flexible schedule
so we can continue to be the innovative + creative minds that we are.
The new direction happens in the Spring of 2017 where we will be operating by appointment only
in a brand new TBA location.

We have been so very grateful for having the opportunity to be apart of the super hip 
Mount Pleasant community for the last 6 years!


With that said you can rest assured that we have many NEW exciting projects in the makes that we're SUPER EXCITED to share with you in the new year
so
stay tuned...

On that note do keep in mind we have 200+ one-of-a-kind items up for grabs on our Etsy shop right now and we're posting new items bi-weekly!


Last but not least here's a list of the additional holiday shows
you can find Adhesif Clothing at this November and December...




Hope to see you at one of our winter markets or in the shop over the season
Love
Adhesif XO

Thursday, September 29, 2016

The Castle on the Hill

I remember the first time I saw it there. It was my first trip to the beautiful sleepy little village called Konigstein in Germany, the birth home of my now fiancé.

I casually opened the blinds in our room and there it was sitting in the fog, on a hill only a kilometer away. I was blown away by the sight of it just sitting there in all its ancient glory. I mean after all, being from Canada, we don’t really have Castles and I have never seen one in real life until that moment. I gasped and turned and looked at my fiancé and said “Did you know there’s a Castle in front of your window” to which he laughed and said “Yeah , of course, I used to play there for hours as a small child with my brother”.


I never forgot that WOW moment and it made me think about childhood and fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. There’s usually always a prince and a damsel in distress and an often whimsical yet dark plot and a moral somewhere in there to learn. I’ve also recently been very interested in the handmade culture that went along with medieval times. Everything was meticulously by hand with quality results.

I now call this sleepy little village my second home and I get to visit this magical place and my fiancés family who live there every Christmas.


So naturally I was very excited at the idea of organizing a fashion photo shoot for one of my winter collections there one day.

The day did indeed come along and I casted a fair, red haired German model for our Fall-Winter 2016 Collection. Her attributes matched the stones of the walls of the Burg in Konigstein and designed the color scheme of the entire collection to compliment the surrounding environment.


All of the names of the pieces in the collection are named after things that remind me of the Castle like the Murky Moss Dress and the Cascade Cowl Blouse for the thick moss that grows on the old stones in beautiful hues...



..and the Crimson Crown Knit Dress and King Cardigan after the royalty that 
once inhabited the land. 


The style in this collection has a bit of a "moody dark fashion fairy tale" vibe to it. I created many of the designs in the collection to have a modern take to a regal look. I love the idea of reusing and rethinking fashion concepts.


I strive to maintain an up-cycled edge to all my collections which leads me on a quest each season seeking out rare and unique vintage textiles paying special attention to interesting characterized details from a variety of fashion eras.
The nature of the design process means that every piece retains its very own 100% original aesthetic, pieces from Adhesif Clothing collections can even be custom made on request. 
Every single handmade garment has a heartbeat and a story to tell, a true labor of love from start to finish. Inspired by the preservation of our planet, each up-cycled garment is completely original and made with up to 95% recycled and vintage materials. 
Check out our website for more info about our zero waste process www.adhesifclothing.com
Find over 200 one-of-a-kind items by Adhesif Clothing online through their Etsy shop www.etsy.com/ca/shop/adhesifclothing with new items posted bi-weekly or shop in person at their boutique at 2202 Main Street in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada.
Fall-Winter 2016 Credits: 
Photography by Thomas Ruppel http://www.thomas-ruppel.de/
MUA Christine Raab http://christine-raab.de/
Styling & Creative Direction Melissa Ferreira http://www.adhesifclothing.com/