I've been meaning to learn more about Vancouver's fashion scene, and so attending an exclusive, behind-the-scenes shoot for Nicole Bridger's Fall/Winter 2010 lookbook was my in.

Nicole Bridger's line is typically labeled as 'socially conscious contemporary women's wear,' but on an aesthetic label, I'd describe it as deliciously draped classics with a modern twist. The 'socially conscious' bit comes from Bridger's use of fabrics that are made of natural and renewable resources, such as bamboo, hemp, and organic cotton and wools. Even the buttons are made of Tagua nut, similar to a coconut; and the labels of cotton, compared to the more common polyester.

Have you got a prom to go in the forest? A tea party with a fairy, perhaps? Then Gabbeh has the dress for you. Lambskin leather and suede cave-woman wear, neon taffeta dresses, and deconstructed dresses in earth tones rocked the runway this past Saturday at BC Fashion Week. The fabrics were so diverse- crinkled paper-mache textures, threads running all over the dresses, lattice-work, collages, and tree branch prints. Simple hair in low chignons toned down the powerful frocks. Designer Fariba Mirzaie is clearly in love with nature, and her designs reflect her harmony with the universe. Ohmmm.

Click below to see a slideshow of the looks...

Collective Stone showed in the 5pm slot last Thursday evening due to more cancellations of designers during BC Fashion week. Uneven particle board painted white held together with duct tape served as the runway at the Chinese Cultural Centre. Tanks with sparkly embroidered backs were successful, as well as the collection's line of bikinis. A white dress with a turquoise palm leaf print is on my to-buy list. Other than those items, there is not much extraordinary to report. If you're looking for club-wear, check out Collective Stone. Pretty sad that the rumours flying about the poor organization and canceled shows of this year's BC Fashion week were more intriguing than this show.

Click below to see a slideshow of the looks...

Last year's Next Generation winners, Red Jade, carried on its legacy of environmentally responsible fashions at last week's BC Fashion Week's show at Circa Lounge on Granville. Models emerged from behind a collection of tree stumps and did a walk through of the lounge in precariously high heels from Bebe while model coach Stacey McKenzie and other fashion aficionados watched on. Chignon faux hawks and Cleopatra eyes complimented the casual and sophisticated looks of the evening, including sheer ruffled blouses, cotton wrap skirts and shirts, lounge pants, and mod dresses, all in solids of grey, yellow, black and white. The only deviation was a swirl patterned black, gold and silver dress, which was most successful on fashion designer Margarita Angelato's young daugther.

Click below to see a slideshow of the looks...

Guest written by Angela Uncles.

The Spring/Summer 2010 Jaqueline Conoir collection, brought to fruition by designer Rozemerie Cuevas, kicked off BC Fashion week at the Fortune Sound Club in Chinatown. The show featured what has become the standard of the JC Collection; wearable, feminine, and well-tailored garments. The extensive collection covered pretty well any aspect of a woman's life: business meeting, brunch with the girls, hawt dates, even her own wedding! Graphic tees and prints, stripes, solids, tie-dye, --- JC appears to have an answer for everyone.

So let's get down to it: the good, the pedestrian, and the questionable.

Vancouver Fashion Week states on its website that, "Since its debut in 2000, Vancouver Fashion Week has ... [been] hailed as the West Coast's most prestigious industry event." Since my partner JP and I had never been, we attended the first night of VFW in anticipation. To organize an event like Vancouver Fashion Week is no small feat, and both JP and I acknowledge that there was a lot of hard work and enthusiasm put into building Vancouver Fashion Week as an event that has now, over the last nine years, become a staple of our city's fashion scene.

Vancouver Fashion Week is an event held to showcase new and established local and international designers who pay a fee to be part of the line up and benefit from the exposure and the coverage garnered by the VFW name.

Our experiences that night were mixed with our enthusiasm for the event and the designers, but tempered with our dismay at our points of interaction with unknowing and uninformed backstage staff who could not provide us with information regarding the main designers and distributors who were showcasing that night.