5 homegrown fashion designers to celebrate on B.C. Day

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There’s no better time to celebrate the design talent here on the West Coast than on B.C. Day. And while we’re all very familiar with the biggest names in the industry — Aritzia, Lululemon, Arc’teryx — the province is also home to a wave of fashion designers redefining what it means to shop locally and be stylish.

From Vancouver’s laid-back luxe to names rooted in inclusivity and sustainability, Rebecca Tay presents five designers making their mark right now.

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A Bronze Age Naya dress

Initially founded by Renée Power to import artisanal pieces from Morocco, Vancouver’s A Bronze Age soon shifted to making its own core collection of pieces, including its oh-so-cute Bambi, Kiku Croissant, and Dumpling satin bags. For something a touch more substantial, consider this Naya dress, which is the ideal style if you still have a fall wedding or two on the horizon. With a halter neck and two bow ties at the back, it’s sweet but also sassy, and while most styles from the brand are made to order (smaller production cycles generally mean less waste, but also a turnaround time of a few weeks), this dress is ready to ship.

A Bronze Age, abronzeage.com | $420

Beth Richards Talula one piece swimsuit

We’ve long been fans of Beth Richards’ swimwear: it’s well made, fits well, and fashion-forward without feeling over-the-top or fleeting. In business since 2011, Richards has seen her suits on everyone from Amber Valletta in Vogue Italia to fellow Vancouverite Jillian Harris, who wore this Talula suit in a floral print on holiday this summer. We love it in black — and, hot tip, it also looks great worn out-out, as a top.

Beth Richards, bethrichards.com | $260

Decade Studio Noel trousers

Molly Spittal and her partner, Matt, founded Decade Studio as a denim label with size inclusivity and a good fit at its core. Today, the label includes trousers and tailoring, but good jeans remains its expertise, and with these Noel trousers, you can really see why. One of Spittal’s all-time favourite styles, it has a purposely long inseam and loose (but not oversized) leg, with a hip-to-waist ratio that works on a range of body types. We especially love the front seam detail.

Decade Studio, decadestudio.com | $293

Leah Alexandra Farfalle pendant

Leah Alexandra has been making beautiful jewellery for as long as we can remember, and yet her eponymous brand continues to grow, with even more gorgeous designs and ideas every year—including her super-popular permanent jewellery offering. For something a little more playful for summer, there’s this Farfalle pendant, named, of course, after the iconic pasta shape. Wear it on its own, on a simple gold paper-clip chain, or try layering it with beads and chunkier gold pieces for a look that’s very now.

Leah Alexandra, leahalexandra.com | $85

Brunette the Label Poplin Tie-Up top

Miriam Alden is the ultimate Vancouver powerhouse, and watching her grow Brunette the Label from a cute little showroom for other brands to her own global label has been nothing short of amazing. Initially known for her slogan tees and sweatshirts, she now creates everything from coordinating loungewear sets to stylish pieces like this cotton poplin tie-up top, which, yes, does have matching bottoms, but also looks pretty great on its own.

Brunette the Label, brunettethelabel.com | $75