Holiday gifts abound at the One of a Kind show, including Ole Originals’ handpainted cardigan (above) and Kania Couture’s “Flawless” dress (right).

Credit: supplied

THE LOOK: Getting the drop on holiday shopping

Please forgive me in advance for the emotional upheaval my next sentence is sure to induce. Christmas will be here in 11 weeks. Again, I apologize, but yesterday a salesperson chirpily announced that little tidbit of information to me, and I needed to share the pain.

Now that the initial disbelief has worn off, and before the irrational anger sets in, it may be a good time for us to broach your Yuletide shopping plan this year. Think back 10 months to the heady days of December 2008. Barack Obama had yet to be sworn in as president of the United States, the Athletes’ Village was still definitely going to break even, and Lindsay Lohan wasn’t destroying fashion label Ungaro’s as its new “artistic adviser.” It was a more innocent time — much of which you spent negotiating crowded malls, desperately snapping up whatever was left on store shelves, all to the ungodly mixed strains of pop beats and sleigh bells. Along the way you made a solemn vow: Next year, you would be prepared. You’d spend the holiday run-up in a haze of hot toddies and shortbread, not in a maelstrom of last-minute shopping hell.

Well, in order to reach that lofty goal, it would behoove you to hop to, and toute suite.

One of the best ways for Vancouver’s design-conscious shopper to ease into the game is with this weekend’s One of a Kind Show and Sale, which brings together over 200 artists and designers from across North America in a welcome fusion of lifestyle expo and craft fair, albeit sans knitted toilet-paper cozies or dried-apple dolls. Modern, slick, and blessedly kitsch-free, One of a Kind is everything a stealth holiday shopper could want: no holiday-themed trash; no rude, clueless shoppers; and a wide array of unique gifts for those on your list. (As a side note, you should always put your own name at the very top of said list.)

Herewith, a few of One of a Kind’s more fashion-forward vendors.

HIGH ABOVE THE HILLS
One of the toughest people to shop for is the twenty-something fashionista. She knows all the latest trends and, God help her, probably watches The Hills. If you’re hoping to steer her clear of that too-slutty Lauren Conrad look, Ottawa-based designer Stacey Bafi-Yeboa’s Kania Couture line (Kania.ca) carefully treads the right side of the fine line between class and crass. Constructed of a proprietary, custom-spun and -dyed bamboo fabric, Kania’s youthful yet sophisticated silhouettes have a young Hollywood flavour, without the seedy TMZ-style underbelly.

KNITTY GRITTY
Montreal-born, Vancouver-based designer Melissa Ferreira’s label, Adhesif Clothing Company (AdhesifClothing.com), plays New York to Kenia Couture’s L.A. vibe. Ferreira repurposes vintage clothing to create colourful, edgy, unexpected pieces dripping with Brooklyn-style hipster quirkiness.

TOYS FOR BOYS
Most of these events suffer from a dearth of products that would interest men (who are then found, eyes glazed, trailing behind the woman that forced them to come). One of a Kind is blissfully male-friendly, with guy stuff galore. Look for eco-friendly bags by Vancouver’s Ouno Design (OunoDesign.com); handpainted T-shirts and cardigans by local label Ole Originals (OleOriginals.com); brash mish-mash necklaces by Dotted Loop (DottedLoop.com); and handmade belt buckles by Rave ‘N’ Iron (RaveNIron.com).

NIXXI KNACK
Jada-lee Watson’s Nixxi label (Nixxi.ca) has built a solid reputation for its contemporary, comfortable, and versatile clothing: the vivaldi linen sailor pant and bamboo/cotton puff-sleeve shirt are beyond cute. Another stand-out piece this fall is a hooded organic wool wrap shawl that can be draped like a cape or layered with a turtleneck as a loose-fitting top when belted.

The One of a Kind Show and Sale takes place Oct. 8-11 at the Vancouver Convention Centre (999 Canada Place Way), 10 am-9 pm. (Oct. 11, 10 am-5 pm). Tickets $8 online, $10 at door. For more information, visit OneOfAKindVancouver.com