Collections by Vancouver's Maria Lede, Calgary-based designer Jenna Etcheverry’s Madame Wolf, and Mendez Schenone's Sofia line will vie for this year’s Generation Next title.

Credit: Supplied

THE LOOK: Generation Next seeks out emerging talent

By its very nature, fashion is always searching for the next big thing. It might be hard to imagine, but even Karl Lagerfeld was once the new kid in town, learning at the feet of his mentor, Coco Chanel. For many fashion lovers, Alexander McQueen’s suicide in February was all the more tragic because they remembered the fresh-faced promise of the former enfant terrible plucked from obscurity by British fashion muse Isabella Blow (whose own suicide, in 2007, arguably precipitated McQueen’s).

The industry’s farm team is finite and geographically limited, however — outside the major centres and the major houses, there is no real opportunity to rise through the ranks. To make it in Vancouver, you have to go out and do it for yourself: a daunting prospect for a starry-eyed fashion-school graduate with nothing but a sewing machine and a pile of student loans.

All too aware of the obstacles local designers have to overcome, Vancouver-based fashion publicist (and unsung hero of the local fashion industry) Sarah Murray launched a showcase for emerging designers in Western Canada in 2006. Christened Generation Next, its goal is to raise the profile of Canadian design while singling out a particular designer for special recognition (with a prize package worth nearly $10,000).

Originally a pilot project of the now-defunct Fashion High, a local not-for-profit fashion promotion group, and annexed to BC Fashion Week (BCFW), Generation Next got off to a great start in its inaugural year when Nicole Bridger was crowned the winner. (This past spring, Bridger won the Fashion Takes Action design award for Canadian eco designer of the year.) The years that followed saw designers Lara Presber (2007), Margarita Angelatos of Red Jade (2008), and Su-Hui Chu for Ella Peru (2009) take home the title after the annual composite fashion show sponsored by BCFW.

This year, however, BCFW’s status is murky, so Murray and her associate, Laura Norbury, have set out on their own to produce and promote the event. “We really didn’t it want it to disappear,” says Norbury of the competition. “We decided that we could make it work on our own. We knew it was important.”

Generation Next judge Rebecca Tay agrees with Norbury about the event’s importance to the local design community. The Western editor of Fashion magazine and an occasional WE columnist, Tay feels so strongly about the event, she took time out from her European vacation to speak about it. “Generation Next is important because it fosters new, local talent that might not otherwise have the resources to grow,” she says.

But more importantly, Tay believes, the competition forces small-scale entrepreneurs to evaluate their business model, financial plan, and short- and long-term goals in order to find success in a highly competitive industry.

Neither Norbury nor Tay offered up any spoilers, so interested fashion watchers should familiarize themselves with this year’s three finalists before the big night.

SOFIA

Originally from Chile, Victoria-based designer Mendez Schenone moved to Canada at age 19. Her first collection is inspired by the lines of the female form and created using natural fabrics. (SofiaClothing.com)

JENNA ETCHEVERRY FOR MADAME WOLF

Alberta’s Jenna Etcheverry and business partner Emma Venters look to strike a balance between the aggressive and the gentle by lacing edgy, retro-inspired silhouettes with hints of feminine detail. (MadameWolf.com)

LEDE DESIGNS

A sustainable, eco-conscious line made in Vancouver, Lede (pronounced “lady”) was launched in fall 2009 by creative director Marla Lede. The label combines an effervescent, colourful, and versatile aesthetic while maintaining a high level of quality. (Lede.ca)

The Generation Next composite designer runway show takes place Thursday, Sept. 2, at Performance Works (1398 Cartwright, Granville Island), 6 pm. Tickets $15 at the door. Info: GenerationNextCompetition.Wordpress.com.