When most children her age were playing dress-up, Janine Desjardins was playing a different game, putting on fashion shows in her Spirit River home.
The 25-year-old fashion designer was always drawn to clothing and grew up modifying her own outfits and sketching ideas.
After graduating from high school, Desjardins lived in Grande Prairie and then made the move to Edmonton to study fashion design at Marvel College. She describes the process of designing fashion, from the brainstorming stage to completing a collection, as a mode of artistic expression.
"Like a painter paints, as an artist, this is just my outlet," Desjardins said. "It just makes me really happy, especially when you go from sketch, to drafting, to finished garment and it looks how I wanted it to in my head."
Since finishing her program, Desjardins has designed two collections and shown twice in Edmonton Fashion Week, which is now called Western Canada Fashion Week. She has also participated in an independent show with five other Edmonton designers, as well as artists and musicians.
Desjardins said that she draws a lot of her inspiration from European styles and uses rich, textured fabric and pops of colour to contrast simpler silhouettes.
"People are really scared of colour, especially in Canada, because our winters are so long and it just grows into your wardrobe. Half of my wardrobe is black but if you pump it up with some bright colours it's always really easy and fun."
Desjardins said that she keeps her looks varied and likes to pair wool, silks and leather together. For inspiration, she doesn't rely on mainstream trends.
"Fashion is a big part of my life but at the same time I don't follow the magazines," she said, "I try to stick to what comes up in my own head. What I would wear and what I know is comfortable but can still be fun."
After Vancouver fashion week, the next step for Desjardins will be to expand her brand into stores and design a menswear line.
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