Label

Hi babies! Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's Eve and that you are all ready for 2010. The LABEL sweatshop has been working overtime to bring you our new collection. Expect it in stores and online mid February!
In the meantime we thought we'd give you a little glimpse of what's to come. Here is a lovely photo of our 'linebacker' dress which is part of our upcoming collection 'On the Run'. You can see more from this story at Amie Seigel's beautiful website veraplaid. Amy styled and imagined this story using sustainable designers such as ourselves and Thieves.

P.S.
Our fw09 collection is WAY on sale online. Click 'shop' to view it. xo

We had a wonderful 2009 but we are ready to kick off the new year! Hello 2010! Look forward to great big, new and shiny developments from LABEL. To show our love for all of you, we are offering a very special holiday promotion. Please sign up on our mailing list in the shop to get more details next week. Have a happy holiday season everyone! Love Shawna and Natalie. xx.

Here we are featured in the National Post for an article entitled 'SHOP CANADIAN' Which is something we have been excited about for some time now. There are so many great works of fashion, art and music coming out of our little country. Viva la Canada!!

Creating a minimal impact on the environment is one of our top priorities here at LABEL. So when I was wandering around the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition and I came across Denture Thief Productions, my first thought was "wow, maybe she could use all the fabric scraps that we have lying around!". Ever since we began this venture, I've been searching for a responsible way to dispose of our fabric waste. And Denture Thief was the answer. Ann's handmade soft sculptures are so quirky and beautiful, they kick any polyester filled teddy bears ass. You can buy them at Distil Gallery here in Toronto, or contact her for more information.





Denture Thief Productions
denture_thief@hotmail.com

Artist Statement

Mischief, playfulness and a passion for making objects are the reasons why I am a fibre artist. Everything I make comes from a need to express my personality since I am too shy to do so in life. The quirky elements of my work reveal the funny and eccentric side of me that I rarely show to people.

My inspirations come from film, street culture and comic books, which add a narrative aspect to my work. I am a chronic doodler so my pieces often have a very two dimensional aesthetic to them since I am always trying to find new ways of translating my drawings to 3D. My goal as an artist is to externalize my creativity by turning my imaginings to the tangible

GLOSS magazine has featured our FW 09 collection. Check it out here!

Hello everyone! The latest issue of ANTLER magazine has launched and features an interview with us! The whole issue is quite amazing, and features some great artists and designers, such as I Heart Norwegian Wood out of Montreal, and an interview with one of my favorite fashion bloggers, the glamourai. So please head on over to ANTLER! We're on page 48! xoxo

The lovely Josette at Urbanebloc has posted an interview with me. You can check it out here

xoxo

We've got lots of news for you! First off, our online store is up and running so you can shop til you drop without ever leaving your house! check it out here!


Also, our Fall/Winter collection has arrived in stores!! Please check out our stockists for more information on where you can get your label fix. :)

Please come out to Cheval on King West for our party! We're launching our online store, having amazing giveaways, as well as cheap drinks and a live label photo shoot! Email info@seenolabel.com for guest list!

The positive feedback continues to roll in surrounding our FW09 collection. I can't wait to get this stuff into the stores and onto your bodies! xx



Leigh of Paper-doll.com (really great fashion blog) has posted about us recently, see it here!

We were recently featured in an article about emerging green designers on treehugger.com. It's such an honor to be mentioned alongside these talented designers! Check the article to get educated on sustainable fashion choices and enjoy some eye candy.

see it here


Here's what writer Jasmin Chua had to say about us:

The name of Shawna Robinson and Natalie Sydoruk's label? Label! Made locally in Toronto—anyone noticing a trend here?—Label's stylish pieces have a whiff of the avant-garde, with Robinson and Sydoruk reinterpreting classic wardrobe mainstays in bamboo, tencel, deadstock wool, and silk chiffon.

Here is a designer profile that the lovely Briony of blogTO wrote about us. To see the posting, please visit blogTO
The name of Shawna Robinson and Natalie Sydoruk's clothing line--Label--can inspire some Who's-on-first-style wackiness.

"What's the name of their label?" people ask.

"Label," you answer.

"No, what's the name of the label?" they say, impatiently. And so on.

But the duo's designs have that delightful enigmatic quality about them: even the name was inspired by the search for a moniker that'd symbolize their disdain for label-lovers and the importance of personal style--the woman making the clothes, rather than clothes making the woman.

The intriguing contradictions continue: the uniqueness and quality is there, but the price-point is pretty reasonable. They use sustainable materials and manufacture everything in Toronto, but you'd never guess it from the fetching fabrics and cuts used. The girls are very chic themselves and design clothes, but want their customers to bring their own style to the clothing to bring the pieces to life.

I caught up with co-designer Robinson just after their Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 lookbook went live online to see how they function as fashion enigmas.

What inspired you to become a designer?

Working as a model and stylist, I'd often see how badly things were made and how badly things were priced, and the unfairness of it all. We're not marketing ourselves as a "deal" line, but rather a contemporary line that doesn't try to be high-end. It's not like paying $300 for a diffusion piece rather than the real thing.

Why was it important to you to be sustainable?

A lot of those clothes look crafty and DIY, but we want to make clothes that, even if you don't give a shit, the clothes still look good.

How is your line sustainable? What fabrics do you use?

We're obsessed with Lyocell (a byproduct of wood pulp that feels like cotton jersey), and also use deadstock, bamboo linen, and organic denim and cotton from a local fabric distributor.

We also use local sewing contractors. We didn't want to contribute to the (outsourcing) culture, and we're really happy with that.

What do you personally get out of being a designer?

I love being locked in a room, sweat and sewing and all. I don't mind the "creativity" aspect, but that's really a means to an end--I just want to make pretty dresses! I like creating things that are tangible.

What is the Label style?

We don't want to be discernible--it's all about personal style. Comfort is also important to us. As an example, one of our spring ballerina dresses was designed with a strap wide enough to wear a bra underneath.

What are your future plans?

We want to grow it organically--we don't want to lose touch with what we're doing. We don't have plans for world domination or riches--we're just tired of working for someone else!

Watch Fashion Television this Sunday (May 31) to see coverage from Fritz Helder & the Phantoms Platinum event last Friday. We were even interviewed by Glen Baxter! After a lot of vodka redbulls. Well, I'm just saying ...

Recently we were asked to be a part of an amazing event. Platinum Edition is going to be crazy. First, the amazingly talented and super fashionable four Fritz Helder & the Phantoms will perform. Afterwards, there will be a silent auction featuring concert merchandise designed by 10 fantastic Canadian designers. We are so thrilled to be in the company of some of our absolute favorites, such as the incomparable Jeremy Laing, and the rockstars at Pink Cobra. But the best part is that all of the proceeds from the merchandise sales will go to Fashion Cares/ACT to benefit AIDS research. So if you're coming to the event, bid big on all of the amazingness that will be up for grabs. Take that, AIDS! :)

Our new shipment of zipper tanks is arriving this week. Check our wonderful stockists for more information and availability. Label loves you! xo

Last night was a wonderful love fest of fashion, music and friends. We previewed our Fall/Winter 09 collection at Chasse Gardee in the heart of west Queen west, and the results were magical. Special thanks to NAM personal management, Amarula, Steamwhistle Breweries, Two Oceans wine, and the lovely Lorena and Natalie from Loki Sweets.
Hard to Please FW/09 @ Chasse Gardee from Shoot Life on Vimeo.

We've found a new home in Kensington Market! Model Citizen has picked up our spring/summer line, so check it out. If you have yet to shop at this beautifully curated shop, you are missing out. And with Label as part of their roster, it's only getting better. Check it at 279 Augusta Ave!

SS 09 is now available at Chasse Gardee on Queen West. The lovely D of Chasse has purchased the entire spring collection and it is there NOW for your pleasure. So please go and visit the lovely staff at this beautiful little shop and check out our new collection. @ Chasse Gardée 1084 Queen Street West (at Dovercourt) 416.901.9613 info@chassegardee.com

Our Spring Summer capsule collection will be coming to Chasse Gardee (see stockists) for mid February, but in the meantime you can purchase our one of a kind, handmade voodoo scarf, which is already on sale at Toronto's newest and hottest shopping destination. Made of 100% organic bamboo and hand adorned with silver plated charms, it's the perfect gift for yourself or a very deserving friend. xo Label

We've changed our site! Stay tuned for more soon. xoxo