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Focus on Fashion Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


Connally McDougall returns to Vancouver Fashion Week
By Robbin Whachell, Editor, The Bahamas Weekly
Mar 4, 2015 - 1:21:57 PM

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Canadian designer with an international flair, Connally McDougall

Vancouver Fashion Week takes place in west coast Canada from March 16th through 22nd at Queen Elizabeth Plaza. The seven day event will feature Fall/Winter 2015 collections from Canadian and international designers.

Canadian designer Connally McDougall, a VFW favourite will be returning for a third season. Her line encompasses ready-to-wear couture as well as accessories, active and intimate apparel. Each design is produced by hand using traditional atelier techniques, luxury fabrics and with the utmost attention to quality.

After honing her skills with private clients, her first collection was featured in Vancouver Fashion Week with great success. This will be her third time at VFW and she's been featured in the documentary series “Emerging” by Leonard Jones and her work has been featured in Fashion Magazine, British Vogue, Glamour and Italian Elle as well as NICHE magazine, LouLou and 1Granary.

"Fashion design was always a hobby, but I started seriously teaching myself how to sew and make patterns five years ago," said the young designer. "A lot of the inspiration and impetus to go forward comes from my family background and growing up in Austria and Hungary, seeing the level of craftsmanship and design that comes out of heritage and passion."

Her work is rich in textural details, architectural silhouettes and is fundamentally designed with the confident, international women in mind.  In five years she's come a long way! She credits her rapid progression to being accepted into the fashion design program at the prestigious London's Central Saint Martins, then followed by her first fashion show at Vancouver Fashion Week in March 2014 supported by Niche magazine.

"Overall, Vancouver Fashion Week has been incredibly inclusive, warm and a community that I feel so welcomed in...so much so that I chose to move to Vancouver!" said McDougall who has returned to live in her birth city after living between Victoria, BC and the UK. She feels living in Vancouver after growing up and traveling all over (her parents were missionaries), gives her the best of both worlds. She said it helps her to understand the local focus while she definitely relates to an international consumer.

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Connally McDougall - Vancouver Fashion Week, March 17th, 2015

For theVFW FW15 runway on March 17th she promises a lot of rich textures in devôre velvets, cashmere, chiffon and wool. Also it's her first foray in to menswear, and her collection is said to be based on a recurring dream of kaleidoscopes and Gustav Klimt. We are intrigued!

Word is also out that the designer will be doing a a pop up shop at the Killjoy during an afterparty on Thursday, March 19th. After VFW she'll be gearing up for Eco-fashion Week and launching an activewear line. "I am still hunting down retailers in Vancouver to sell my main line so the pressure is on!" said McDougall, who said she's feeling the pressure of being bi-continental. Her remedy? 

"I need clones!" said the busy designer.

McDougall said this year's collection is emotionally charged as she's donating 15% of her proceeds to Vancouver Island Health Eating Disorders Centre. She explains why
, "My personal experience, and with people close to me make me very conscious of eating disorders, especially in the industry we're in. VIHA's program literally saved my life, but they are grossly understaffed and underfunded. They provide counselling, art therapy, group sessions, psychiatric and physical assessments as well as equip patients and families with resources to emerge on the other side of an eating disorder, any age, gender, etc."

"Colour, texture and quality are fundamental for me. My work celebrates the curvature and angularity of the human body. Balancing geometry and the cerebral side of design with instinct and passion is the goal. My perspective is to show not just a woman’s beauty, but also her intellect, determination and strength. Exposed flesh alone does not denote sensuality." - Connally McDougall
 
We are looking forward to seeing what she has in store this season! Check out her last runway show at VFW featured on Vogue.uk.


Connally McDougall on Facebook


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