Casting

 Finding the face of the collection is always a tricky one. It involves so much more than just the way the model looks. How does she move? How does the clothing fit? Does she register too young? Too thin? And most importantly can I hang out with her for a day of shooting!  It's funny, coming from a modelling back ground, I had no idea, that clients cared about anything other that how you looked!  Wish I knew that then, could of really helped out my 18 year old ego!

Sweater day

SWEATER DAY: happens at least once a month. Lexie and her team, head out to one of our suppliers to
process all of the vintage sweaters. It's something we have to do all year long, to keep up with our sweater demand.  This sweater day, the team went through over 10'000 lbs of vintage wool sweaters, that will be used for our fall 2013 production. Please note that the fall 2013 collection has not been completely designed
 ( no pressure Peter) not sold yet, and wont begin production for months, but once things get moving, we have to have the raw materials ready to do!  I must say sweater days are quite fun. Lots of laughs, lots of stories and everyone usually leaves with at least one ugly sweater to call their own.

Tapochki

I found this post on one of my favourite blogs, kneehightoaladybug, and I had to share it. These slippers, by Tapochki are super cute, super cozy, and created by the former production  coordinator at preloved.  Anna worked at preloved during some crazy times.  We were growing so fast, and trying to come up with new and efficient ways to produce our clothing.  Anna ran a tight ship, and was a pinnacle part  in developing the way that we produce our clothing today.  I will never forget her trying to explain an office hierarchy system to one of our co op students, who was lacking a little respect for her superiors. After going through the list of what everyone does, and who is the boss of who, Anna came to me, and the only way she could explain my role, was that I was the Queen....HRH, Julia, The Queen of preloved! I don't think anyone else in the office fell for that, but I do think I saw that co op student curtsy once!  Congratulations Anna, on all of your success, and thanks for you sweat and tears and preloved!

photo credits : kneehightoaladybug

Timeless Beauty

These photos were taken for our Spring 2010 collection. I always loved this collection,and still wear so much of it.  I am telling ya, my go to summer sexy top is the rummer tee  (2nd photo) , and I don't think there has been a better drop crotch pant made! Ever!

Aloha

Oh how I wish I was in Hawaii right now.  Not quite. Working away on a tight time schedule to get our fall 2013 collection done.  But I did have my first peak at our spring 2013 collection, which will be hitting the floors on February 1st.  This spring Peter was very inspired by vintage Hawaii, especially Elvis' Blue Hawaii.  We have paired new fabrics, with bold vintage Hawaiian shirts to create an incredible collection, that I can't wait to wear!  In the mean time, I will continue day dreaming that I am hanging out on Waikiki Beach, with a cute boy playing a ukulele!!

Pretty in Pink

A friend of mine reminded me how preloved this movie was. I had totally forgot about this movie, but it was one of my favourites, and I think was the birth place of preloved.  Good old Andie ( Molly Ringwald) creates her own prom dress, out of two old dresses.  One, from a friend, the other, a thrift store  find.  I loved the scene when she makes the dress, then turns up at the prom, looking stunning, no matter what those rich kids think.  Then of course, she ends up leaving with the love of her life!
Oh how I wish life could be a John Hughes film!  In the mean time, I have to find a location for our annual warehouse sale! Wish me luck!

How We Wear It

The chair lift

Image Source

After spending a week skiing with my family, and on my new quest for the extraordinary, I have come up with a theory that the best part of skiing is the chair lift.  It doesn't matter how many vertical feet you go up, or how much powder there is below, the minute you get on the chair lift the feeling is the same.  There is always an adrenaline rush. Granted, on some hills that rush might be smaller than others, but it's there none the less, and doesn't leave till you get off the chair.  I think it is the only place  I can get more than one word answers out of my nine year son. The guy doesn't stop talking on the chair lift. When riding it by myself, I am sure I can solve world peace or how I am gonna find enough vintage sweaters to produce our fall 2013 collection.  I may not be able to solve all the problems in the world, probably need a few more rides to deal with that world peace thing,  but by enjoying every minute on the chair lift, I  have found a great way to enjoy skiing, no matter how high the mountain!

Timeless beauty

 These photos we shot by Lise Varrette for our 2011 fall/winter collection, and are still some of my favourite shots ever. I remember we shot this during "snowmegedon'.  So much snow fell that day, that they closed the schools, offices and the airport.  But hey, that wasn't gonna stop us.  No no, we had a fashion shoot booked and no amount of snow would stop that!!
 I love Canadian fashion!

Seeking the extraordinary

I don't usually make new years resolutions, besides the obvious, drop 5lbs before summer , stop drinking wine during the week, or the ever popular exercise more.  But this year I have felt compelled to make a new years resolution. Something that was different.  Something I could stick with and something that would really make this year different than the last.   I have struggled with this for a bit.  Maybe I should focus more on balance, not my core balance, although doing more Pilate's in 2013 couldn't be a bad thing,  but the on going juggling show I preform everyday, as a boss, a mother and a wife.  But that seemed a bit boring.  I wanted to do something that made every day this year exciting, like the way my 5 year old wakes up and always asks my what day it is. He never knows what exciting things are gonna happen till he wakes up. I always call it 'bits and bites'  never know what your gonna get.  Then it hit me,  I am gonna take ordinary things, and find the extraordinary in them.  Much like we do at preloved.  We take ordinary clothing, and create extraordinary works of art. I am pretty sure I am not gonna drop 5 pounds by summer, and I can guarantee you I wont stop drinking wine during the week, (man that would be a long week) but this year,  it is my resolution to seek out the extraordinary in the ordinary!