Thursday 29 November 2012

Bi.polar Couture - Fashion Design Duo

Lili & Francine Lavack, twins founded bi.polar couture in early 2011. Their
common vision stems from their sisterly collaboration, combined in unexpected ways
with their contrasting styles, to create Lili’s and Francine’s 2 unique BI.POLAR
COUTURE lines.



Francine’s Paradox

Haute Couture Fashion Designer, Francine Lavack’s interest in fashion started at an early age, with many fashion sketches and chalk drawings on side walks outside her French Saint Boniface home. Francine started designer clothing for herself and her twin sister Lili at the age of 10, letting Lili do most of the sewing. The fashion designing aspect was what most interested Francine as Haute Couture Collections fascinated her. During high school Francine assist design a avantgarde mini fashion collection to showcase at the high school fashion show. Since then, she has participated in several fashion shows, more notably, the Fashion Affaire and Richard Robinsons Grande Premier in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Francine Lavack studied along the side of Richard Robinson at the Fashion Academy, graduating in both Fashion design and Haute couture. Her collections presented to Richard Robinson have always been styled keeping the best quality as priority. While Francine was attending her post secondary education, she worked at Ca Va de Soi and is currently boutique manager.

Together Francine and her twin sister Lili Lavack founded bi.polar couture in spring 2011. It has always been Francine’s dream to construct garments of haute couture quality under the same label as her twin sister. Together, Francine and Lili work to gain exposure and offer garments of high quality and design offering a collection for spring/summer & fall/winter for bi.polar couture.

Lili’s Paradox

Fashion designer and Textile expert Lili Lavack was first interested in fashion and the creation of a garment when she experimented with her Mother and Aunts’ textiles and homemade garments. She was always determined to find the perfect textile for a self-designed outfit. At a young age, with her twin Francine, they started designing and creating garments. During her first year at a private Fashion Design Academy Lili was introduced to silk painting. And since then she has created garments with her silk paintings. In the present time she is studying and working towards her 4th year degree in science of textile degree at the University of Manitoba.

 Along side with Francine she has created many collections which have been showcased in a variety of fashion shows from 2007 to the present time. Lili is now Co-President of the Winnipeg Fashion Incubator and a very proud representative of Winnipeg fashion with the medias such as the French local newspaper La Liberté, Radio-Canada television & radio, Breakfast Television, and many other local medias. With the WFI team she organizes different fashion events to support local designers.

 Lili and her twin sister Francine founded bi.polar couture in the early 2011. Lili brings a more extravagant flare to the company image with the use of many patterned fabrics, bright colours and elaborate trims. Always using good quality fabrics in very different ways, she creates the sister line that is absolutely unique under the bi.polar couture label every fashion season.


Tuesday 27 November 2012

Pic n' Win Contest


Body Care Prize Basket





Like free stuff? Then enter the Red Dress Gala & Fashion Show Pic N' Win Contest! Tweet or post (on blog or Facebook) a picture of you and your red dress ticket and be entered to win a chocolate and strawberry themed body care gift basket! You get one entry for every site you post your pic on. For example, if you post your pic on Twitter, Facebook, and the blog, you get THREE entries!!!

Haven't bought your tickets yet? Wondering how to get your hands on some? Tweet @RedDressGala13, post how many you want on the Facebook page, or post your ticket request on any of the comment boxes on the blog.
 
Contest runs from now until December 17th so get your ticket, pic it, and win it!

*Not interested in the body care products? That's okay, it will make for a perfect holiday gift for a family member, a friend, or for the office Secret Santa gift exchange!

Basket Contents

  • strawberry shower gel
  • chocolate shower cream
  • cranberry sparkled body lotion
  • cranberry heart shaped hand soap
  • chocolate heart shaped hand soap
  • shower loofa
  • a FREE pass to Yoga Public
  • red dress pin (perfect to wear to the event)

Saturday 17 November 2012

Winnipeg Fashion Incubator Holiday Fashion Market

Not sure what to wear for all of the upcoming holiday events? 

Stop by he second annual Winnipeg Fashion Incubator Holiday Fashion Market at the Red River College Princess street campus, corner of Princess St & Elgin Ave. Not only will you be able to shop Canadian apparel, jewelry and accessories, you will also have the opportunity to see these beautiful and original creations on the runway. Fashion Show times are scheduled for 12:30 PM and 3:30 PM. The market is FREE and will be open from 11 AM - 5 PM.  Parking is available on the street and in street lots conveniently located across from Red River College Campus. There will be a lot to see and purchase for Christmas, not to mention little treats for yourself! Come with your friends and family to spend the afternoon with your Canadian designers, support the local industry and have fun!

Two of our Red Dress designers Andrea Pelletier and Lili Lavack of Bi,polar Couture will be there all day with some great new pieces, so why not get a sneak peek at what you're in for for February's fashion show? 

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Andrea Pelletier - Fashion Designer

Andrea Pelletier’s love for fashion design started years ago when she
became dissatisfied with what the mass market had to offer. She turned
to thrift stores, where she found interesting vintage fabrics and
designs that were more representative of her style, and 15 years ago
she taught herself to sew to alter those pieces to fit properly.
 
Through experimenting with different fabrics and designs, Andrea
became a skilled designer, and found there was a large demand for
custom formal wear, mostly for weddings. Although she enjoys creating
dresses for special occasions with expensive fabrics, she likes to
practice making garments of all types, using a variety of fabrics.
Andrea wanted to spend more time working with casual fabrics and
colourful prints, and decided to delve into costume design. She has
made costumes for dance performances, Halloween, and special themed
events, using quality materials and craftsmanship. She has also
started to create menswear and functional work clothes.
 
Andrea describes her style as bold, colourful, and quirky, and usually
steers clear from a pastel colour palette. Although her own personal
clothing style has grown a bit tamer over the years, she has been
working on her tattoo collection, so still presents a pretty colourful
visual. Andrea appreciates the creativity and fearlessness behind Lady
Gaga’s wardrobe, and enjoys the experimental designs of couture
fashion such as Comme des Garcons. She also draws inspiration from
fairy tales, Hitchcock films, and street style.
 
Aside from clothing design, Andrea has a strong passion for tattoo
art. Tattoos are a big part of her life as she co-owns Rebel Waltz
Tattoo with her husband Don. Her husband is the closest creative force
in her life, and she finds herself inspired by his work, and tattoo
art in general. There are tangible connections between creating
clothing and tattoos, such as the use of needles, colour, design, and
shape to adorn a body. And while tattoos are permanent, clothes you
can change every day, to suit whatever mood strikes at that moment.
She strives to make clothes that the wearer will love, something that
is expressive, that fits, and is suited to the individual who wears
it.