Vancouver’s very own Elizabeth Law is the creator of the clothing line ‘Wise + Proper’ that is notorious for its line of trendy and wearable clothing. Law’s clothing pieces are grabbing the attention of many female Canadian shoppers! While talking with Liz, I asked her a question that many fashion followers often wonder about the creators of their fashion, “do the clothes you create reflect the style that you would actually wear on a day-to-day basis?” Without hesitation, Liz responded, “Most of the time I’m making styles that are lacking in my own wardrobe or just clothes that I want to wear.” This answer might just satisfy many young aspiring designers who can be encouraged to know that with perserverance (and perhaps expert sewing skills) they too can aim to make clothing that they love and wish to own. Liz comments that if she ever comes across a fabulous floral fabric, she will instantly be inspired to create a design from it.
It is refreshing to hear that designers, like Liz Law, also desire inspiration for their products and not simply a cold business pushing out a product. That is when you know there is a lot of care and thought put behind the making of the designs. I think there is something special about buying a piece of clothing from a chosen designer… we can find ourselves making a connection to them. In a way we find pride in representing the designer in comparison to the mass production of clothing found at general stores in the mall.
Liz uses her everyday experiences to create clothing to be worn. She explains “If I know I have to go to an event or on vacation, I try to come up with styles I’d like to wear for these different occasions.” I call this reality clothing; which you can refer to as my nerdy play-on-words. My definition of reality clothing is when a designer creates clothing for everday purposes that they know their client will appreciate and value- unlike the make believe “GaGa” fashion world.
In Flare magazine, the writers talk about Liz’s sweaters saying: “Law’s fresh take on cashmere sweaters- the hand embroidered detailing make the sweaters more funky than frumpy – earned her loyal devotees.” I enquired with Liz how comments from big time magazines make her feel? She gushed that she “loves the sound of it!”- she is so modest!
Liz describes her ‘Wise + Proper’ clothing line adventure as a “wild ride… with lots of ups and downs” but overall she summed it up as an extremely rewarding experience that she never imagined she would be experiencing after completing University.
When I asked Liz about what she wants her customers to feel when they are wearing her clothing, she replied “I want my customers to feel confident, playful, comfortable and carefree!” In my opinion, those are the perfect ways to describe how a young lady should feel in her new clothes.
A big thanks to Liz Law for corresponding with me to make this feature article happen! It is always a treat to hear words straight from the mouth of the designer- and hopefully allows readers to further develop a connection with the creators and their work. Please check out the Wise +Proper website to view Law’s entire Spring 2011 line, as well as the store locations that you can visit… and for us Winnipeg gals… be sure to order some Wise +Proper online!
Ta ta for now!
