Five Vancouver Designers Show Off Their Best Spring 2012 Looks

Credit: Standing Armed

Standing Armed spring/summer 2012 Nomad pencil skirt ($210) and Kish blouse ($280)

Vancouver does chic like no other city. Here are five takes on Vancouver spring fashion from the best local design talent

Whether embarking on a road trip or going out for cocktails, the Vancouver woman doesn’t overreach. The Vancouver woman opts for comfortable, contemporary style and Spring/summer 2012 is no exception.

The Vancouver woman can expect feminine skirt lengths, high-waisted khaki trousers, plenty of prints, wearable neutrals and no shortage of pastel frocks. 

Here are five takes on Vancouver spring fashion from the best local design talent.  

Standing Armed spring/summer 2012 Nomad Roma maxi skirt ($230; left) and coral Kish tank ($168; right). (Images: Standing Armed)

Standing Armed

Now in its second season, Standing Armed, by Eastside-based designer Lindsay Walsh, is a young label set to shake up Vancouver fashion with its casual elegance. The gypsy-inspired spring/summer 2012 collection features pale coral dresses, insouciant lime green silk blouses and wearable print maxi skirts. Each piece is made from 100% natural materials and made to order by Ms. Walsh.

Allison Wonderland spring/summer 2012 Figurative skirt ($128; left) Romantics dress ($196; right). (Images: Allison Wonderland)

Allison Wonderland

Allison Wonderland designer Allison Smith says her new season collection reminds her of “Wishful afternoons, drinking lemonade in the botanical gardens and dipping my toes in the lily pond.” The look includes feminine, 1950s-style skirt lengths, watercolour floral dresses and versatile olive and slate blue highlight pieces . . . perfect for a lazy afternoon in a cherry-blossom festooned park.

Jude Feller for Lifetime Collective Benny (left; $80) and Lovette dress ($80; right). (Images: Lifetime Collective)

Jude Feller for Lifetime Collective

Jude Feller, formerly of Canadian women’s contemporary fashion label lily + jae, has put together a beautifully simple womenswear collection for Lifetime Collective. The looks speak of spring/summer wanderlust in sun-drenched landscapes, and are wallet-friendly enough for the true adventurer. The best bit? The range of options: you can explore in a low-key plaid benny with khakis, or a truly flirty floral frock.

Nicole Bridger’s spring/summer 2012 collection “Allowing Grace.” (Images: Nicole Bridger)

Nicole Bridger

All of Nicole Bridger’s designs are graceful, but the spring/summer 2012 collection “Allowing Grace” takes this attribute to a new level. Bridger uses eco fabrics like tencel, woven linen and silk crepe in a subtle yet cheerful sunrise-inspired colour palette. The idea for the collection came to the designer in a moment of joyful surrender. Prepare to give up your spring fashion budget, as you won’t be able to pick just one piece.

Oak + Fort spring/summer 2012 Georgie knit tunic ($125; left) and Amanda blouse ($108; right). (Images: Oak + Fort)

Oak + Fort

Beloved by Vancouver’s contemporary fashion visionaries, Gastown-based Oak + Fort has spring’s neutral look down pat. Soft, chunky camel knits pair effortlessly with tailored, beige trousers and sheer blouses in diaphanous petals and creams.