Tis The Season

If you missed Circle Craft, or couldn't afford the ticket don't worry because it was only the beginning of the Christmas market scene. Whether you are shopping for Christmas, Birthday, Channukah (Starts this week so you may want to get on that one), or Kwanza gifts...or just a little something for the most special person in the world, Yourself! Buying local is a great way to find unique, one-of-a-kind, quality gifts and what better way to do it than to head to one of the many markets around town. We LOVE to support local companies and as past participants of many of these shows we know first hand what a great time they are.

Vancouver Christmas Market

First up is the Vancouver Christmas Market which takes over the front of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and is not only a craft fair with many goodies, but it is a German styled event with delicious food and drink as well as entertainment for all ages. This Market is outdoors and runs from November 22nd- December 24th.

Cufflinks by Off-Cut Accessories

Next on our list is a must do, Make It! Having moved to a bigger and better location (PNE Forum) this year, I am expecting good things from this show, even though they never disappoint. The only downfall I have ever noticed is that it can become crowded but with their new venue this season, I think it will be an amazing market with only the best local goodies and great music and even better beer! I really like these cufflinks by Off-Cut Accessories, designed using spare wood. So go check it out THIS WEEKEND! Starts Thursday November 28th and goes till Sunday the 1st.


And before you know it December will be in full force and it will be time for Got Craft? the last market on our radar this season for all of our gift shopping. Taking place at the Maritime Labour Centre on the 14th and 15th of December, this show is a great place for your getting close to last minute shopping needs. I am definitely heading their way to get this beautiful accessory by Phaulet.

And if you aren't into the market scene but enjoy supporting our local economy and innovators then check out LOCO BC's website! The first Tuesday of every month they have an event where you can mingle enjoy some food and beverages and see what is going on in the neighbourhood.

Oh, and remember to always check Groupon and Living Social for any discounted ticket prices!

Let the festivities begin!

-Alex

And the Newest Elect to The CFDA Is...

Something you may or may not know about me is that I am a twin! My twin sister Sam and I look quite similar but are nothing alike, and yet people are always in shock when we tell them we are fraternal twins. So, my answer is always Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are fraternal twins and I cannot tell them apart. (After looking at several photos of them for this article I now can...can you?) 

Being in fashion, I try to keep up to date with what is happening in the industry so we can share some of it with you. When I read that Ashley Olsen was elected onto the board of Council of Fashion Designers of America, I thought two things; one, did she go to school for fashion design?And two, how did her twin sister and business partner feel? 
Both Kim and I are agree that going to school and getting our degrees in fashion design has helped us to learn every aspect of the industry and has given us the confidence to take those skills into our future jobs. Schooling is not the only way to gain credibility, apprenticeships are another traditional way to gain credibility and experience but as I am sure you have heard from us before, many celebrity designers have started their own fashion companies based on the fact that people like their personal style... so they must know how to run a fashion company. As a person who has gone through 4 years of school, over 400 hours of unpaid interning, and butt loads of debt, watching celebrities starting fashion label after fashion label and gaining instant brand awareness is quite frustrating. To then hear that Ashley Olsen is now part of the CFDA, was the cherry on top. 
As a twin I know the love and support one feels for each other but I can imagine for the two of them that have done everything in the entire lives together, I feel like it is a bit of a slap in the face that only one was elected. I remember when my twin Sam made the BC soccer team and I didn't and being so happy for her, but at the same time I missed out on some amazing experiences that we normally would have shared.
Although Kim and I are not twins we do joke because we are both red heads...I dye my hair red and we know each other inside and out so it makes it easy to work together.
I look forward to reading what this new status for Ashley Olsen does for The Row and all their other fashion labels.

-Alex

Career Hunting

We are in our mid 20's. It is that point in your life, or is supposedly that point in your life, when you are entering the job market, struggling to get on your feet and still maintain the resemblance of a social life. I've read some really good articles lately on what it means to be in your 20s. There are a lot of explanations out there pertaining to the situation we find ourselves in, from generational differences to university shortfalls. Everyone has their opinion. Take a look at the links I have posted at the bottom - I'd love to hear how your own experience compares.

What I have found though is an increase in Universities as a business. I have friends that work in post-secondary education that will probably disagree with me, but it seems a bit odd that acceptance into certain programs isn't mirroring the job market. Every article I've read mentions the void in skilled trades and a surplus of arts grads. Its crazy to me that a degree now is only a stepping stone to your desired career.

Another surprising fact is the proportion of creative graduates Canadian Universities are pumping out compared to the annual amount Canadian business spends on Research and Development. Our R&D in the private sector doesn't even come close to what Japan, Finland and Norway are pumping out, yet we are telling our graduates the sky is the limit.

I'm not blaming the system for all the generational downfalls. We are unbelievably good at procrastinating. I could be doing work right now. Teaching myself how to play guitar. Or job hunting. But instead, I am writing a blog. And then I'll probably go on Facebook. It is a bit of a shock though, thinking you can accomplish whatever you set your heart out to do, and then realizing their is an infinite number of university graduates that were assured the same.

I think the biggest problem that may face our generation and the job market is our expectations. We grew up wanting what we want and not being able to have it or succeed at it is not really acceptable. I think what may be annoying everyone else is that we think our generation is the first to suffer from this, while that is not quite correct. If we can learn from the past generations and how they dealt with slumps in the job market, we may be able to adjust our expectations.

We'd love to hear your opinion!

Vancouver Sun article on how University is preparing Canadian students for the workforce.

Huffington Post directs the responsibility of the situation on the high expectations of our generation.

Maclean's explains the stereotype attached to our generation and the supposed laziness we all possess.