Meet the Maker: Kathryn Rebecca

Freedom Clothing Collective is dedicated to celebrating independent Canadian design. With dozens of makers in stock we thought it was best for you to get to know them a bit better! Every other week we'll be profiling a different designer on our blog so you can know a little bit more of the who, what, where and why of Canadian style.  You may recognize Kathryn Rebecca as one of the women who works at Freedom but her work also adorns the shelves as well! Katie (as we know her) makes some of the most exquisite pieces we have in the shop. She works with gold, sterling silver and semi precious stones. The cuts and colours she uses are undoubtedly classic but there's always a thoughtful forward thinking quality to them. She was just recently at the One-Of-A-Kind show but she's at Freedom Clothing Collective all year! Follow her on twitter here and instagram here. 1. When did you first start making jewellery? What got you interested?  As a young girl I always had an interest in creating anything I could wear with my hands. I also had an interest in polishing coins to look shiny and brand new .;). As I became a teen I channeled that energy into creating beaded pieces.  When it was time to choose what to apply for post secondary I looked at what I enjoyed doing in my spare time and thought jewellery school might be a good idea.

Meet the Maker: Slashpile Designs

Freedom Clothing Collective is dedicated to celebrating independent Canadian design. With dozens of makers in stock we thought it was best for you to get to know them a bit better! Every other week we'll be profiling a different designer on our blog so you can know a little bit more of the who, what, where and why of Canadian style. 

Art and design is a family affair for the Toronto based Slashpile Designs. Twin sisters, Tara and Courtney Neray are the dynamic duo behind one of the most idiosyncratic and witty jewellery lines we carry. Their work is unique for its variety of styles, shapes, colours and materials.  It's safe to say that they're never ones to be pigeon holed! Tara an Courtney are just as comfortable working with technicolor gemstones as they are crafting earrings and necklaces from molecular structures. Tara was kind enough to give us a bit of insight into their influences and approach to jewellery design. Come by and have a look at their their work!

If you can't make it to the shop you can find them online and follow them on instagram here! 

Make the Maker: R a m o n a l i s a

Freedom Clothing Collective is dedicated to celebrating independent Canadian design. With dozens of makers in stock we thought it was best for you to get to know them a bit better! Every other week we'll be profiling a different designer on our blog so you can know a little bit more of the who, what, where and why of Canadian style. 

Montreal's Ramonalisa perfectly encapsulates Freedom Clothing Collectives approach to fashion and design. Canadian made and eco friendly, Lisa Bobrow's line of dresses and tops are some of our most comfortable and fabulous pieces in the shop. In fact her spring dresses have just arrived and they are swoon worthy and she is this week's special of the week! Her spring and winter pieces are available at the store but if you can't make it in person you can always place an order at our new online store!  

We got in touch with Lisa of Ramonalisa to talk; inspiration, fashion ethics, and what it's like to be a Canadian designer. 

When did you start making clothes?

I learned how to sew when I was 15. I loved the feeling of power that came with being able to create my own style, a la Molly Ringwald of Pretty in Pink! Many years later in 2008, I made a few pieces for a local shop on consignment. They sold right away so I decided to keep going and the rest is history! 

What compelled you to make eco-friendly clothes?

When I first created my clothing line, the most important thing for me was to offer an alternative to sweatshop-made clothing. Montreal has a long history of garment manufacturing but in the past 10 years most of it has moved overseas. I saw an opportunity to draw from the past and build a new kind of future for fashion, one that is based in creativity and sustainability rather than large-scale industry. A few years in, I began to learn about the process of fabric production through friends and colleagues. The more research I did, the more I understood that while fair labour practices are a must, for clothing to be truly ethical it has to extend also to the choice of sustainable fabrics. From disease caused by pesticides to pollution of waterways and everything in between, it's clear that was best for the earth is also best for all people.

Valentine's BEAUTY!

We are usually closed on Tuesday's but
we know you need your last min shopping done so we'll be open on VALENTINE'S DAY!

Also, head on over to our NEW online site and see which beauties you could order for your special someone! :) HERE  >>  www.FreedomClothingCollective.net

Head over to www.FreedomClothingCollective.net and 

let us know what you think of our online shop! :)www.FreedomClothingCollective.net

The Holiday Season is almost here!

New Looks for Fall!!

Pssst ... We've Got a Sale Going On

Alright - I'm not sure if you guys have noticed this but autumn is on its way. Despite the heat of the midday sun there's a slight chill in the air come evening. When you were a kid this was the time you would get a new set of pencil crayons and oodles of notebook. Not all of us are going to be hitting the books this September ... so what's a gal to do? Stock up on discounted Canadian made fashion of course!

There's a store wide sale happening right now! With pieces marked down from 20%-50% 

With jewellery from Melanie Leblanc, pieces from KooCoo Carillo, Ramonalisa and Twiss and Weber all on sale! Don't delay. We need to make room for new Fall and Winter threads. So if you've had your on something for a couple of months now is your time before they're gone! 

Tea Party Etiquette

A little while ago we had a tea party and we thought we'd share a few tricks of the trade.

Tea parties are like weddings but less stressful. You can revel in all the twee pageantry but avoid the family drama.

What makes tea parties so much fun? Well it gives you a reason to dress up. Always fun. Eat comically small versions of what's usually larger food (who doesn't love finger sandwiches?) And you get to enjoy the company of your friends under the summer sun.

We like tea parties here at Freedom, and have a couple of suggestions of how to put a twist on the  your next one to make it really special!



Toronto based RC BOIS Joli's pieces are so effortless and elegant. Whether you're into pink squids or want to indulge in a western theme, his hand-crafted ceramics are a stunning addition to your table.

Craving something a bit more traditional? These up-cycled vintage china pieces are all the buzz from Andrea Ragusila. 

Want to add a bit more whimsy to the proceedings? Well then look no further than Anna Eidt's gorgeous hand painted plates!  

But the real question is what you are going to wear?! With our swoon worthy selections of dresses with bold prints, from batik to bees and everything in between! Freedom will keep you cool as a cucumber.

Happy tea-partying! And don't forget the croquet.

- The FCC team

Tea Party

We decided to show off our beautiful wares at a garden tea party! Here are some fun pictures!

Left: earrings and Hair flower by Rae Designs. Right: Dress by Twiss & Weber

Bracelet by Sophia Tamar

  

Left: Earrings by Rae Designs Right: Card by Green Bean Studio

Dresses by KooCoo, cardigan by Tangente, spruce earrings and knitted heart necklace by Slashpile Designs

Summer at Freedom

Don't you find it strange that the big stores start rolling out their back to school ad campaigns come mid-July? Why do they want us to forget about light linens and gauzy tops so darn quickly? Luckily it's still summer here at Freedom Clothing Collective.

As much as summer is a languid and splendid time of year it's also peak wedding season. Stressing about presents is the last thing you want. Sure you can go to their registry at the Bay or Sears ... but it's more fun to think out of the box isn't it?

But let's be honest - the present is only second to what you're wearing!

Bring a little bit of 1950s glamour in KooCoo Carillo's flattering patterned number. 

Keep the lines simple in Atelier B's LBD (comes in Black too)

You'll be a painter's muse in this Twiss and Weber shift! 

Or pretty as a picture in Tolsi Magrae's mini. 

BLOORCOURT STREET FESTIVAL! 

This might be a bit too far in advance but it's good to mark your calendars ... The Bloorcourt Street Festival is set for the weekend of August 27th. It's our turn to take back the streets! Come out and support your favourite artists and shops in the final days of the summer. From Dufferin to Montrose you'll be able to indulge in a plethora of neighourhood cheer.

If you're interested in being a vendor head over to the neighbourhood's BIA to sign up.
http://bloorcourt.com/bc/artsfair.php#information