Gentle Fawn & Mono Clothing

The most horrifying scenario for the fashion savvy girl? Spotting a rival within an uncomfortable distance wearing the same damn thing as her! In this case, it is time to start expanding options, and Vancouver has a lot more to offer than one may think. Designers Danny and Carla Hogg of Gentle Fawn and Heather Martin of Mono Clothing have the “think-outside-the-box” mentality for all those girls who wish to maintain their own unique style—and for the forward-looking fashionista, help prevent future face-offs from occurring.

Christine Pallen, brand-manager of Gentle Fawn, says that the line sparked to life after Danny and Carla spent an afternoon antique shopping together—a favourite pastime for the design duo. They stumbled across a ceramic fawn that immediately became the icon for the dynamic and the lifestyle they wanted the brand to embrace. The fawn was “quirky, beautiful and feminine, which remains what Gentle Fawn is all about,” Christine says.

Gentle Fawn is adamant about paying attention to details, using innovative ideas, and fabrics and graphics that reflect their unique femininity. Christine adds, “The line is charming in the sense that it is casual, yet feminine and flirty.” Shoppers with savoir-faire know that timeless pieces able to be worn years from now, keep a girl from becoming a clone. “All Gentle Fawn finishings—labels, contrast binding, zippers, appliqués,buttons—enhance the garment and add that distinctiveness,” she says.

Heather Martin, too, is pushing fashion forward with Mono Clothing—describing her line as “a stand against the complacency within the fashion ideal and a movement towards progression.” She has been building Mono for the last couple of years, “paying close attention to the intricacies of craft methodology and how the public market relates to these notions.” She’s teamed up with several artists working in varied disciplines to bring these ideas to life.

With Mono, Heather strives to redefine the same old conventions related to art, craft, design and fashion and the ideals and expectations that are generally associated with them. Getting stuck in the constant cycles of Spring/Summer, and Fall/Winter is not what Mono is all about—it is a cycle of continual products and continual seasons.

Most of the collections begin with an art project, such as an elaborate installation, that “fuel the inspiration for the clothing and accessories.” The artistic inspirations produce distinctive clothing that can only be described as matchless. Because the line is unlike many currently on the market, the pieces can be taken and made into one’s own—Mono allows a girl to be innovative and artistic with her style.

We are welcoming the world into our Vancouver this February, and it’d be kinda nice to make an impression on our visitors. So stand out amongst the masses—don’t let a style-stealer snatch your thunder. Check out Gentle Fawn, and Mono and become unrivalled on the streets. You’re no clone.

[www.gentlefawn.com]
[www.monoclothing.ca]

Words: Chelsea Moore
Photography: Felix Wong