Cynthia Cheng Mintz
Toronto-based designer, Sarah Stevenson made her LG Fashion Week debut this past October. An alumna of York University, Sarah actually went to school to study fine art and psychology with the intention of becoming an art therapist. While at school, she realized that her niche and passion were in the creative process itself. Later, Sarah decided to go back to school to study fashion at George Brown College and later went to Milan for a master’s degree in fashion and textile design. At a show in the fashion environment rather than the runway, she launched a soft, light line of dresses, jackets and bottoms perfect for a spring/summer outdoor party or tea at a nice hotel. Her line is available for order via her website early in 2011 and a list of boutiques will also be listed.
Some pieces from Sarah Stevenson’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection
Sarah Stevenson on what inspired her Spring/Summer 2011 line:
The collection came from a mid-winter trip to Allan Gardens, an amazing Toronto landmark composed of several connected greenhouses. It was so hot and humid it felt almost tropical and I got lost in there for hours photographing the beautiful plants and flowers. When I got home I began to paint and draw my interpretations of these images, which became the beginnings of my Spring/Summer 2011 prints. I was also reading a book about Art Nouveau at the time and swirling lines kept emerging in my drawings, so I embraced it and incorporated them.
On her “typical” wearer:
She’s any woman who appreciates wearable art, luxurious fabrics and flattering lines. She is also a woman who is mindful of how her clothing is made (I do not use synthetic materials and print using a waterless technique) and where it is produced (in Canada).
On celebrities she’d love to dress:
Oooo, I’d love to dressCate Blanchett, Kate Winslet & Rachel McAdams they are beautiful confident and classy, I think they personify the aesthetic of my collection. In fact I came very close to dressing Rachel for her new movie being shot in Toronto, The Vow. It was between my white dress, a vintage and a Betsy Johnson, sadly the Betsy Johnson was chosen, I was so disappointed!
On designers being criticized for their limited size range:
I am 5’3″ so I understand and I actually designed my collection to fit women around my height, but on models the clothes appear a lot shorter. I put a lot of thought into each piece, the way the clothing fits, feels and hangs. You cannot please everyone but I wanted to offer a variety of shapes because I know that some women don’t like to show any cleavage, some like a sleeve while others feel confident in a strapless dress. I think that my silhouettes are flattering on many different body shapes.
Speaking of sizing, there are a few pants in your Spring/Summer collection which look ankle-length on models. Since models are generally five or six inches taller than average women, would the pants still be ankle length when they go on sale, or will they remain the same length and therefore be full length on someone who is average height?
Those pants are supposed to be full length, but when Jessica (the model) put them on at the fitting they looked really cute on her so we went with it. They really can be worn several ways, cropped on a taller woman, full length on a shorter woman or even rolled up!
Tips for people who want to go into fashion:
Fashion is an incredibly exciting career but it is also a lot of very hard work. If you are considering a career in fashion I recommend interning with a designer first to see if you are cut out for it. Designing gets glamorized a lot but on top of the hard work it can be emotionally very difficult. It can be terrifying putting your ideas out there, so you have to be okay with taking criticism. Everybody has an opinion and not everybody will like what you are doing and sometimes it can be very hurtful. You have to be prepared to listen to what people are going to say. That being said, it allows you the freedom to explore your own creativity and if you really love it like I do then its worth all of the hard work.
On where she’d like to see herself in five or 10 years:
Hopefully growing and thriving and becoming more and more environmental. I want to adapt changes wherever possible to make my company more environmentally friendly, so as fabric manufacturing and dying improves, so will my company. I would also like to expand into other sectors besides womenswear. Beautiful art and designs lift my spirits and I would love to be able to make other people feel the same way.
