Vancouver Fashion eZine - Online Magazine | Fashion Designer

When I walked into Mellinda-Mae Harlingten's showroom there was one piece in particular from her Spring 2008 collection that I was immediately drawn to - her crisp white cotton bomber jacket with grey ribbing - a modern, forward-looking piece. Quite simply - a jacket one could imagine wearing not only right now, but years down the road - and it still looking outside of average. Then there is the nudie pink polka dot "Marilyn" dress - a fabulous, flirty, timeless classic with strength both in design and the fabric.

Mellinda lived in London for five years, moving there in 2000, and then returning to Vancouver after she finished her degree program at the London College of Fashion, in July 2005. She received an Honours degree in Women's Wear Design and Technology there. Now developing her fifth collection, this year has been about finding that balance in life. Her outlets include: shopping, going out dancing with friends, hip hop dance classes and sometimes, yoga.

Mellinda will soon be selling online, and some of her designs are currently carried at The Velvet Room in Kerrisdale. You can find her clothing in Winnipeg and Toronto, and in the near future you're likely to find her designs in select shops across North America. Having her own shops is another direction she's interested in exploring. "I'd like to open a store here, as things progress. I definitely wouldn't mind having stores in other places as well, but I think I'd probably always stay based in Vancouver. It's my home, I love it here." Family and long-time friends are a big draw, and she adds "You have everything here - the mountains, the city, and the ocean, and the countryside, all at your fingertips."

She's been going to Première Vision in Paris, twice a year - a tradeshow where she can look at fabrics from a wide range of suppliers, then work with samples sent to her here, and order from here once she's narrowed down her selections. "Their quality is really great, but they also have a lot more boutique mills, with the really, really high minimums, and all that, so it's sort of like a win-win with regards to quality and the quantities as well."

"For me, the quality is really important, as far as the fabric is concerned, as well as the cut of the garments too, because you can have a really great design, but if it doesn't fit properly then, you know, there's no point."

When Mellinda designs, she usually starts with the fabrics. "Before I finish the collection that I'm working on I start to sort of think about what potentially I could get inspired by for the next season." Sharing more of her creative process, she tells me, "So, I always keep my eyes open - rent lots of movies, go to exhibitions.... " Once she's got her ideas the fabric helps guide the path of her designs. Mellinda adds, ".. and then you can get a better idea of what that fabric wants to do, and you know, kind of put that together with whatever sort of inspiration and theme that I'll pick." She continues, with where she was coming from when creating her Fall/Winter 2008 collection, which showed at BC Fashion Week and L'oreal Fashion Week. "I was looking at the circus ringmaster and Edie Sedgwick - so I sort of had these certain types of silhouettes in mind, and colours - so when I had my fabrics it starts to all come together." This collection will be in stores in September.

Mellinda's Fall/Winter '08 collection is full of strong statements - with winter whites, soft greys, plaids, and the odd splash of red - there are lots of versatile pieces, including: tops in black or grey jersey, skinny pants and leggings, grey and black striped turtlenecks, and cowl back tops and dresses. All very Edie, also very now, and again - with that timeless element.

Would she consider moving back to the UK, or moving to a larger capital with her business? "I don't know, I've definitely given it thought in the past - there are things that London - places like London and New York - can offer that Vancouver doesn't have, just as far as, like, sourcing things, and just being so much bigger and being that it is a fashion capital." But, her roots are here and she adds, "I think it's important to brand myself as a Vancouver designer and help build something like this here, because there isn't a lot going on here and I think it would be really nice to have that in Vancouver, and be recognized for that."