Lisa Tant has flair,
Famed canadian editor LISA TANT blazes new paths with Holt Rentfrew
‘I’ve never believed in waiting for doors to open,” says Lisa Tant. One of the most powerful women in Canadian fashion is seated comfortably in an armchair in the womenswear section of Calgary’s Holt Renfrew, explaining her general approach to career development.
To sum up, her philosophy goes like this: kick doors open — preferably with the heel of a goldstudded Valentino pump — and do so with all the enthusiasm she can rally.
Which is how Tant ended up as Holt Renfrew’s first-ever fashion editor.
It’s a post specifically created for Tant, who charged up the ranks of Canadian fashion journalism over the last two decades. She started out as a freelance writer in her hometown of Vancouver and moved to Toronto in the late 1990s where she worked as the beauty editor and, later, editor-in-chief at Chatelaine.
In 2004, she took the reins as editor at Flare magazine, despite failing to make the initial shortlist of potential candidates. “But I was the first one in the door and I wanted it,” she said, putting heavy emphasis on “wanted.”
She remained at Flare for almost nine years before transferring into a new post as publisher of Hello! Canada magazine last year.
But Tant didn’t relish her role as publisher. The job lacked the creativity she’d thrived on as editorin-chief. Very quickly, she decided she was ready for something new, outside the uncertain world of traditional publishing. She called up a friend at Holt Renfrew for a career chat and, soon enough, the idea was hatched: Tant would become the fashion editor for the posh Canadian chain.
It’s the first time that a Canadian store has hired a prominent in-house fashion editor. “It’s happening in London and New York. It just hadn’t happened here,” Tant says.
Kimberley Jev, editor-in-chief and creative director of Calgary Fashion, says it’s a big move for Holt Renfrew. Tant’s power in Canadian fashion is similar to that of Vogue’s Anna Wintour in the United States. “She’s a pivotal, very important character in the fashion industry simply because she understands the market from so many different points of view.”
Tant oversees Holt Renfrew’s weekly fashion blog (www.holtsmuse.com) and a new magazine that will formally launch this fall. Among her goals, Tant plans to beef up Holt Renfrew’s social media presence. (A prolific tweeter with more than 20,000 followers, Tant tweets about everything from book recommendations to travel tips. She’s known for once tweeting and breaking Lady Gaga’s embargo on release of information about her new perfume.)
Tant has been on a tour of Western Canada presenting the latest in spring trends. On the afternoon we met, she wore a long Dries van Noten jacket modelled on a kimono, a pair of black trousers from The Row and Valentino heels. “I’m tired of snow boots.”
An unquestionable extrovert, Tant peppers her commentary with memorable anecdotes about designers. This is how she recounts a conversation with Victoria Beckham: “I asked her, ‘you’ve been a Spice Girl, a music star. Now, you’re doing really well at design. What do you think you’re better at?’ She looked at me; she’s got that very deadpan look and she said, ‘darling, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m no Mariah Carey.’”
Tant, by the way, likes Victoria Beckham. “Her attention to detail is unbelievable.”
She says we can expect to see four big trends this spring. Geometric designs — things like bold stripes and big checks — will be everywhere. “You’ll see a lot in black-and-white, but bright colours, too.”
Line up a good dry cleaner: allwhite will replace all-black as the fashionable go-to this season. The shades range from white-as-snow to soft creamy shades. Tant recommends mixing up textures and shapes; it’ll save your look from coming across like a uniform. Add some lace or a peplum to give the outfit some depth.
We’ll see plenty of skin this season, she predicts. Sheer insets, cut-outs and lace or crochet details are recurring themes in this spring’s collections. Like your shoulders or back? Go for cutouts or lace insets near the neckline. Great legs? Try a sheer skirt.
Finally, the wild print craze continues, led by Kenzo, Dolce & Gabbana and Peter Pilotto. Tant offered a few tips on how to mix prints without looking like you dressed in the dark. Keep the hues similar even if patterns differ. Or go simple: wear one patterned piece and offset it with blacks or whites.
When it comes to spring trends, Tant says women shouldn’t be afraid to have fun but “make sure you’re comfortable.”
If some trends feel too outlandish, focus on one small piece. “It could be a shoe or handbag in a bright colour or a wonderful statement necklace with a black dress or grey suit.”