I am absolutely hopeless with a needle and thread. The only thing I managed to make in my life was a sad stuffed beaver in Home Economics! However did you manage to teach yourself not only to sew, but also to design your own clothing?!

Ha ha…awww. I would like to see your stuffed animal; he/she is probably really cute! I’m not totally responsible for teaching myself how to sew. My mother is the best seamstress in the world and I learned sewing from her. Design wise, there was a lot of trial and error on my part. I quite literally took old garments apart and learned how they were made, and then I would draft patterns from the torn apart garments, modify them a bit and create my own designs. I’m always amazed when I meet designers who don’t know anything about sewing. In order to be a really good designer you must first understand how a garment is going to be constructed. Then the possibilities are only restricted to what you know, thus teaching yourself new tricks or learning new design techniques are always a good idea. In this field of work you never stop learning, or at least you should endeavour to keep challenging yourself.

How did you get your first fashion job?

As a retail clerk at Le Chateau. Does that count? Ha ha. Ugh…let’s talk about the one after! My first REAL fashion related position was at a vintage clothing store where I got hired to be the full time buyer. I used to frequent this one shop in town on my lunch break and eventually asked them if they were hiring. They asked me if I knew anything about picking vintage clothing and gave me a shot. I have worked as a vintage picker on and off for many other companies since then. I attribute my time doing that kind of work to the wealth of information I have now about vintage clothing and textiles.

Having lived on both sides of the country, how would you compare East and West coast style?

Ahh Montreal, what a great city! I would definitely say that people here in Vancouver tend to dress more casually and relaxed. With so many outdoor activities it is not surprising that so many people dress for practicality versus fashion primarily. Individuals in Montreal have more of a European influence in how they dress; at the grocery store you will see ladies in lovely coats with their hair done up. There is a “je ne sais quoi” and real chic demeanour in the way people present themselves out East, or at least in Montreal. I miss that about that city.

Can you describe briefly your creative process?

My creative process…briefly?! Ha ha…not really but I’ll try. In very simplified terms, I hand select vintage textiles and clothing, wash and dry them, deconstruct them and use the fabrics to create my ‘one of a kind’ creations. I use anything from old jeans, t-shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tweed, and suiting to silk scarves. The list goes on.

Is there anyone you look up to and model your self after?

My mom is a huge source of inspiration, she’s a beautiful and very strong women. I also like Vivienne Westwood’s story, she learned how to design clothing from taking old vintage clothing apart too.

If you weren’t designing clothes, what would you be doing?

I love dioramas and stop motion animation; I would probably be a film maker.

On Adhesif

You mention on your site that many of your pieces have hand-made appliqués, dyeing and details – how many hours on average, from start to finish, can a piece take to make?

Yes, much of the detailing on my designs is hand rendered. Depending on the piece or the project, it could take me anywhere from 1 to 8 hours, or more, to finish a piece.

Your press release states that the Spring/Summer 2010 collection evokes Alice in Wonderland in its whimsical nature – what is it about this classic tale that captured your imagination?

Everything about the classic tale provokes imagination. I’m sure at one time or another we have all drifted off into daydreams that take us on a little journey into a make-believe world, where anything is possible. Dreams make our world more playful, colourful, and interesting.

How do you find all your gorgeous vintage fabrics?

I get asked this question all the time! Being that I have a trained eye in picking out Vintage fabrics, I am able to walk into any thrift store or vintage clothing store and find exactly what I’m after.

Where would you like to take your business in 2-5 years?

I have many plans for Adhesif. I would also like to have a special solo show, which believe it or not, is not something that has happened yet. I would also like to have my own little boutique one day.

If you can, describe Adhesif’s aesthetic philosophy in 5 words or less!

Giving old things new life.

What advice would you give to a new entrepreneur?

Keep your eye on the prize! Make realistic short and long term goals and work to make them come true. Don’t be afraid of really hard work! The first 2 years of business are the hardest and you probably won’t see the fruits of your labour come through in this time, so don’t be quick to give up. Find a cheerleading squad; they will come in handy when you need support and encouragement. Be resourceful with your time and money. The best solutions are usually the simplest. Talk to at least one new person a day about your business, the most powerful promotional tool is still word of mouth.

Why do you think vintage style is having such a comeback?

History repeats itself and this is especially true in fashion.

Just for Fun

If you could travel back in time to any era, when would you go?

That’s a tough one. I love every decade for individual reasons. For music I would say blues and jazz music from the 1920s or the 1960s for Rock and Roll. For clothing I would say 1940s; the tailoring and designs were impeccable. I would love to just sit around for the day and people watch!

A lot of your pieces feature a fun mix of patterns and colours. What would be your fashion advice to women wanting to wear multiple patterns well?

When I’m creating the composition of a piece I usually go with what I like most about whatever materials I’m working with (i.e.: a color, texture, or print) and make that the focal point. All of the other prints and colors surrounding the “focal point” are complimentary. One of my favourite combo’s is floral print mixed with plaid. Pick one feature that stands out in 1 of the two prints and accompany it with complementary colours. For example bold pink flowers on a floral printed top could be worn with a plaid belt cinched in the waist with similar colors. With that said, I think it is important to mention that it is usually not a great idea to match 2 large prints together, but better to juxtapose the size of the patterns (i.e: large flowers with a finer plaid print)

As an obvious advocate for colour, what would you say are the key colours for this season?

There are a lot of mono-chromatics in the Spring 2010 Collection, but many of the reoccurring complimentary colors include robin’s egg blue, saffron, and dusty rose.

What celebrity would you love to have wearing your clothes?

I just love Helena Bonham Carter and Kate Blanchett

What are your favourite vintage stores in Vancouver

There are so many…Legends, Used, Woo Vintage, Delux Junk, True Value Vintage, and Mintage

What is that you love, and hate, about living in Vancouver?

Ahhh Vancouver. I love the obvious thing that everyone comes here for, it’s a breathtaking place, even kind of magical if you’re a nature lover. Nightlife wise though? This is a very sleepy city. Everything that isn’t a bar or club closes at 8pm it seems. This city is a long way from being a Cosmopolitan city like Montreal or Toronto. Unlike its counterpart Canadian cities, Vancouver is a very young city, so with that said; I hope that there will be more to do that isn’t drinking related in the years to come. One of things I liked about living in Montreal was that you could go see a flick, grab a bite, and see a show at 2am if you wanted.

Jordana Mah

Software developer by day, writer by night, Jordana works as a freelance writer for various online publications and blogs. You can usually find her glued to a keyboard either shopping online, blogging, or tweeting, but she occasionally ventures out for movies, food, shopping sales, and bubble tea.

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