The life of a mover and shaker fashionista is one that a vast majority of the female population envies. Much credit goes to media phenomena such as The Hills and America’s Next Top Model, for glamorizing the increasingly competitive and nitty-gritty world of fashion. Meet Miss Ashley Rowe – someone who has managed to snag internships at FLARE and FASHION Magazine, as well as a role at Holt Renfrew as a Style Assistant, and has been living a fashionable life for four years. Jealous yet? There’s still more.

I came across a really interesting streetwear concept early in the year - bamboo designer clothing. JUZD is a local brand that has established its line based on the concept of organic bamboo fabric. Want to learn more? Jing Liu, JUZD’s Lead Designer, takes us through the ins and outs of the brand.

No one brings it like the French do - noujica noujica is a shining example of up and coming innovation and style, with their take on fashion and accessories. I encountered this charismatic pair (Catherine and Jinny) at The Clothing Show early May, and was smitten with their image-rich and stunning lookbook showcasing their items. With creations such as hand-blown glass jewelry, original screen-printed neck wraps (adorned with buttons and sophisticated design), noujica noujica mixes the craft with character. Check out the Q&A with these designers after the jump.

As an emerging force in the Toronto fashion industry, Adrienne Butikofer has proven herself a designer to watch for. With ‘TFI New Label’s Competition Finalist’ and ‘NOW Magazine Designer Grand Prize Winner’ titles under her belt, her sense of fashion design is tremendously original and fine in styling. With focus on vintage-gone-modern and blending menswear into her feminine clothing line, Butikofer is a highly wearable and lively brand to embrace. Check out the Q&A after the jump.

What does it mean to be a goodboy or a goodgirl? Entrenched in the urban hiphop culture that thrives in the City of Toronto, goodboy clothing seeks to represent sustainability and depth that the city has been searching for. I first came across these guys at the manifesTO event back in September. Their booth and their mantra represented a fresh urban perspective that I haven’t seen for awhile.

The best jewelry is found in the most obscure places. Seeing someone don an adorable Hello Kitty Key necklace peaked my interest in the Foxy Originals brand. It’s a rapidly growing jewelry line based out of Toronto, has spawned the interests of celebrities worldwide, and the interest of fashionistas locally. Their six trendy jewelry themes in their line sparked my interest particularly because it appears to have high quality and great design come at an affordable price. My favourite items would have to be in the “Monsoon” line, with intricate …

Mathieu Missiaen epitomizes urban art, and doodling talent in his brand NDEUR. First gaining international recognition out of Toronto, the Parisian originally teamed up with THE RAGE in Kensington Market (blogged about earlier) to create something genuine and new with his keen artistic eye. His creations include intricate street-style drawings on vintage women’s heels, sneakers, and virtually any flat surface. Rather than read the buzzwords that I’m throwing around, hear and see from himself after the jump.

Kensington Market is one my favourite spots in Toronto to peruse on a Saturday afternoon. Upon one of these treks, I came across the owner of “The Rage”, Sarah Campbell, and saw this as a great opportunity to let her spill her take on fashion.