Walking into Nokomis is always a bit like stepping into a storybook for grown-ups – if you’re the kind of grown-up who lives for tea parties, fairy tales, quiet corners, and playing dress-up.

Tucked into the century-old Griffith Block in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona, the store is full of artfully arranged rows and stacks of dresses, skirts, blouses, pants, shoes, jewelry, scarves, belts, bags and oh so many things in between. (Nokomis carries WORN, too!)

The last time I visited, on a windy weekday afternoon, co-owner Jessica Kennedy greeted me warmly and encouraged me to roam around and take pictures. The soundtrack to the movie Amélie was playing on the stereo, and with a creaky wood floor underfoot and surrounded by well-crafted, Canadian-made clothing, I was convinced I had entered my own personal, dress-filled dream world. I wondered what they would say if I decided just to never, ever leave.

When I go to Nokomis, it is always with a mission. Its seductive powers are such that, without a definite goal in mind, I am at risk of leaving having purchased the whole entire store – which would be happy for my closet but sad for my wallet. The deal I have worked out with myself is this: If I need something especially wonderful – to wear to a wedding, a party, a fancy dinner – Nokomis will be one of my first stops.

Of course, sometimes I break my own rules. (Often enough that, really, they’re not actually rules so much as nice ideas.) But every decision that ends in me carrying out one of their hand-sewn, raven-printed bags is never a decision I regret.

Nokomis is the Ojibwa word for grandmother – and as a tribute to its name, the west wall of the store is covered in photos of customers’ grandmothers, each in a simple wooden frame. If you come bring in a picture of your grandmother for the wall, you get ten percent off your purchase – and if you bring in pictures of both of your grandmothers, you get twenty.

Not only is Nokomis the name of the store itself, but it is also the name of the clothing line designed by Elizabeth Hudson (who runs the studio while Jessica runs the store). Their website defines the Nokomis line as, “pretty frocks for girls who read books.” Some of my favourite dresses have been from here – when I wear them, I always feel elegant, feminine and ready for a tea party.

Recently, on the Nokomis blog, Jessica and Elizabeth have announced that they are closing production on the house line, and that Fall 2009 will be its final season. The store will remain open, and will still carry all of its other usual, independent Canadian clothing lines – readers of the WORN blog might recognize complexgeometries, Supayana, and Norwegian Wood, among others – but after this fall, their house line will cease to be. The announcement saddened me, because I’ve become a big fan of the Nokomis label and all its lovely dresses. But, then, this is definitely an occasion special enough to warrant another mission of the seek-and-dress-up variety.

- Hailey Siracky

Fashion royalty Queen Michelle will make even the most sartorially shy among us want to rock a pair of black lamé leggings. She showcases her dark, experimental style over at her blog, Kingdom of Style.

What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
At the moment it’s a dress Angie from Norwegian Wood and I collaborated on to design.

Do you ever try to evoke certain characters when you get dressed?
Sort of. Sometimes I might say to myself, “I’m feeling a bit gothic today,” so I would wear layers of black and other days I might feel a bit hippie. Music influences me a great deal, more so than characters.

How did you dress when you were in high school?
I was a total heavy metal kid at high school in the 80s, so lots of black, studs, tight black jeans, and band t-shirts. Luckily my school wasn’t strict about wearing the school uniform!

What is your day job, and does what do you do for a living affect what you wear?
I’m a graphic designer, which means I can wear whatever I want to work. It’s a creative environment so self-expression is usually encouraged.

What was the inspiration behind the t-shirt you did for Borders and Frontiers?
I was thinking about how youth subcultures are good examples of people who use style to express themselves. So I used a photo of my uncle Billy who was a Teddy Boy in the 50s. I thought the image was amazing, and the fact that he has “True” tattooed across his fingers was perfect - he was always true to himself and his look, which is what real style is about.

You blog with a partner (Queen Marie) – what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of blogging in a pair? Do you find that the two of you tend to influence each other’s style?
The main advantage is I get a break from writing on the weekends, which is when Marie writes. Having someone else write for the blog means it brings another voice and style to the table so, in theory, we should have something for everyone. There aren’t really any huge disadvantages other than the fact that a lot of people still don’t even realize that there are two authors! We don’t influence each other’s style at all. Style-wise we have pretty much nothing in common - total polar opposites!

What do you think the relationship is between fashion and art?
Fashion is art since art is a mode of self-expression. Britannica Online explains art as “the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.” Fashion ticks all those boxes. Of course it will never attain the high-brow, chin-stroking status as painting or sculpture for example, but for those who have experienced or appreciate higher forms of fashion, such as couture, there is little doubt it is an artform.

Queen Michelle’s Top Ten Up-and-Coming Designers
Holly Fulton
Gemma Slack
Mark Fast
Iris Van Herpen
David Koma
Onhe Titel
Louise Goldin
Jakub Polanka
LF Markey
Claire Tough

-Anna Fitz

When that little angel of a Wornette, Carmen, e-mailed me about attending the Fashion Pop Montreal event as a WORN correspondent, my level of giddiness was too high to even try to contain. I gave up all hope of pretending to be accustomed to the idea of having my name on a seat at the front row of a fashion show and gave into the dorky side of me who never leaves the house. I really couldn’t believe I was being offered the chance to write for the WORN blog again.

Showing up at the event was totally intimidating at first. Being someone who has lived in Montreal my entire life and still doesn’t know anyone makes events like these sort of scary, but once I got to my seat and snuck – really, I was so sneaky about it – a bad picture of my reserved seat, I sat down ready to take in all the glorious designs.

Normally when I see collections I sort of end up skipping over the pieces that I couldn’t see myself wearing. Anything that feels modern or less feminine than I prefer often gets overlooked while I ooh and aah over the pieces with bows, gingham, or peter pan collars. But this time I wasn’t looking for pieces I would wear – though that isn’t to say I didn’t see several I wanted to run home with – I was looking in awe at the talent all of these girls have! I’ve been so obsessed lately with the idea of creative lifestyles, and the fact that all six of these local designers are making a living doing what they love to do made this show all the more inspiring to me.

The winner of the evening was Angie Johnson of Norwegian Wood, a designer I fully admit to internet-stalking all the time. I was all over her tweets about how stressed she was to have to finish her dresses in time for the show last week, and I’ve had my eye on her designs ever since my first visit to her Etsy shop a while back. It seems like everywhere I look there’s some buzz going on about her, and I’ll be the first to say that the hype is more than well deserved.

Her designs weren’t the only ones to sparkle and shine that night, though; several other items – and entire collections - definitely made my heart skip a beat.
Flavie Lechat’s items conjured images of birthday parties and cupcakes in my head. Her perfect red, white, and blue top as well as that beyond amazing chambray (was it chambray? It looked like chambray from where I was sitting) skirt were enough to make any girly girl swoon. And anyone who adds white tights to an outfit has my vote.

Rachel Chan’s collection, Contradict, sort of felt to me like it was David Bowie inspired in the best possible way (as if there is a bad way to be David Bowie inspired). I couldn’t help but picture his beautiful face as the girls walked barefoot down the runway in their awesome space age body suits and angular shoulder pads.

The outfit sported by WORN’s own Tessa from Emilie Brunet’s collection, La Fête, was on my mind all night after the show. I could just imagine myself tap dancing around my apartment to some silly silent film music on a Saturday night. The whole collection was black and white and made use of lots of different fabrics and inspiration to keep things all kinds of interesting.

Marie-Eve Emond nearly killed me when she opened her collection – Betina Lou - with a perfect white peter pan collar blouse. I would have been sold on her designs on the basis of that piece alone, but then the dresses and skirts and blouses just kept getting better and better. When she finally came out to humbly accept her applause, I realized she is as wonderful as the clothing she makes -perfectly Audrey Hepburn-esque with her cropped hair and classic style.

And Charlotte Eedson must have been sent here from my own personal fashion heaven, because that pink silk blouse and pants number she pulled out of her sleeve was pure magic. The rest of her collection was nothing short of perfect as well. And really, it isn’t fair that some girls have hair as good as hers!
Really though, the whole night was such a dream and the people who put it together are far too good to be true! I fell half in love with everyone I met and as I left my little seat (the one with my name on it) I couldn’t help but write mental lists of all the craft projects I want to start in the next few weeks.

These six designers deserve all the buzz, credit, and praise they get just for having the guts to put themselves out there and do something so awesome with the little creative gnomes that live in their heads.

- Meaghan Kelly

So, I’m sad to be missing the David Livingstone talk at the Bata Shoe Museum on Wednesday, but I’ll be judging Fashion POP. I’m pretty excited for my second year as the Michael Kors of the Montreal fashion crowd. It’s going to be hard to choose from six handpicked up-and-coming fashion designers, each presenting a six-look mini-collection. (See our little preview down below! Who do you want to win?) The winner gets $1000, as well as a $500 gift certificate from Le Château and a feature in our very own publication. The event is free and open to the public, Wednesday, September 30th, 8PM (doors at 7) Espace Reunion (6600 Hutchinson Street). Come early for a good spot!

WORN also has a table at Puces POP Oct. 3rd & 4th, 11am - 7pm at St. Michel Church Hall (105 St-Viateur O). Come say hi!
hearts, Serah-Marie

girlfriend material by Charlotte Eedson
AU COURANT, LADYLIKE, SENSIBLE, REBELLIOUS, ROCKER

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Cat Power!

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Cotton, but I’m a big fan of the planet so I will work with anything sustainable, discarded, etc. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

What tools are you using to make your line?
A sewing machine my parents bought me at Sears, my trusty thread stand and PMA (positive mental attitude)!

How did you learn how to make clothes?
How did I learn to make clothes well? A tailoring course and a teacher named Tonia Weber, bless her heart (and patience!).

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
That’s a toss-up! Erdem dresses, Jeremy Laing basics, and Dace weekend wear!

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Le Chat Clothing by Flavie Lechat
youth, childishness, monsters, pyjamas, comfort, psychiatry

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Emily Haines (the singer from Metric).

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Mostly silk voile and very light wool. I used to have this huge passion for fleece, but I’m trying to discover other materials and move toward higher qualities of fabrics.

What tools are you using to make your line?
A plain stitch machine and a serger, a mannequin, scissors and needles.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
My mother taught me at the age of eight and I have never stopped since. I don’t think I’ve spent a day without touching my machine since that time.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
I love LIFETIME Collective brand from Vancouver!

Betina Lou by Marie-Eve Emond
feminine, pretty, timeless, fitted, chic

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Audrey Hepburn.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Finding nice fabrics and trimmings is one of my favourite parts! I like to work with natural fabrics (wool, cotton, silk, linen, and blends of these fibres) and sustainable fabrics (organic cotton and bamboo). I prefer solid fabrics, without prints or patterns. I do like some subtle and classic patterns such as stripes, mini-plaid, mini-herringbone, or mini-houndstooth. I try to find fabrics that can last for more than a few weeks (I think it’s worth paying a little bit more for quality).

What tools are you using to make your line?
Even though I have an industrial sewing machine, I still sew most of the time with a Kenmore machine that my grandmother gave me when I was 14 years old. I work closely with my size 2 mannequin dress form. Other than that, I need music, plants, daylight, and my laptop.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
I learned how to sew by hand with scraps of fabric that my grandmother would give me when I was a child. She eventually taught me how to use a sewing machine. I started designing clothes for myself when I was a teenager and tried to make my own patterns. Then, I got a job as an assistant costume maker at age 16. I finally went to LaSalle College and studied fashion design.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Pink Tartan

Contradict by Rachel Chan
futuristic, structure, strong, sleek, flowy

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Lara Stone.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Silk chiffon, PVC, any jersey, satin, and silk charmeuse.

What tools are you using to make your line?
A sewing machine, an overlock machine, a serger, boning, shoulder pads, and an iron.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
High school and Lasalle College

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Travis Taddeo

La Fête by Emily Brunet
graphic, elegant, stark, unisex, recreation

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Cary Tauben.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
All types of silk. Silk is the king of fabrics.

What tools are you using to make your line?
My grandmother’s sewing machine and patience.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
I was living in Spain and this Swiss girl Ophélie taught me the basics. The rest I taught myself.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Denis Gagnon.

Norwegian Wood by Angie Johnson
layered, modern, excessive, edgy, dark

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
If Patti Smith actually cared about fashion I like to think she’d wear a few of the things in this collection.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
I actually really enjoy working with almost any fabric, but some of the highlights in this collection are: scalloped lace, double sided jersey, yarn dyed plaid, satin, chiffon, sheer jersey mesh, elastics, and fringe.

What tools are you using to make your line?
My trusty sewing machine, serger, and my own two hands!

How did you learn how to make clothes?
It all started when my mom taught me to embroider at age six, and has never stopped since. I credit most of my ability to my mom, many many books, and lots of practice. I also went to university to study clothing and textiles, but the “learning how to make clothes” part of things was pretty much taken care of before I got there.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Jeremy Laing

So that’s all the ladies - who are you rooting for to win?