Gret-a-Porter
How Toronto’s Greta Constantine fared in Paris during fashion week
PARIS— Every young designer dreams of selling their clothes in Paris. It is the summit of the style world and during fashion week, buyers converge to seek new lines and discover new talent.
In a city where the competition to get noticed is fierce, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong, the duo behind Toronto-based label Greta Constantine, were up against it. In town to sell their spring 2013 collection — renting an apartment doubling as a showroom — they nevertheless secured nine buyers from Madrid to the Middle East.
We reported on their journey as they packed their bags and headed off to Paris. With the buzz of the week’s excitement fading, we caught up to find out if it has all been worth it? Financially, “absolutely,” they say. Even though they sold the same number of units as last season, the overall unit price was higher because of the workmanship and fabric used in this collection.
And in terms of experience — the trip was priceless. “We both have a limited amount of French, so not speaking the language, any little success we have, we feel very good about it,” says Pickersgill.
“We don’t get disappointed if someone cancels or doesn’t show up,” he says.
“Also we are getting out in the city and absorbing the culture and getting inspiration,” adds Wong.
Both designers say it was an education, as things started to go wrong from the moment they arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport, with assistant Jesse Greene and stylist Youlande Jackson.
Thankfully, their luggage with the entire collection arrived. (Unlike London-based Turkish designer Hakaan Yildirim, who lost his entire collection in transit from London and had to cancel his show.)
But the van and driver they’d booked never showed up. When they finally got to the rental apartment — booked online — the woman with the keys had left. After getting in, they discovered there was no heat.
“We knocked on the neighbouring
“They want something different, new things with a twist and good price points.” KIRK PICKERSGILL GRETA CONSTANTINE DESIGNER
apartment, begging for help,” says Pickersgill. “They didn’t open the door. We just heard, ‘no!’ ”
Response to a casting call for a model wasn’t what they’d hoped for — one girl turned up. And their first appointment with a buyer didn’t go too well either — he never showed.
Those who did come were preoccupied with the stark economic outlook in Europe. Not exactly convincing business chatter.
“It’s interesting that they all talk about the rising political tensions but they still place an order,” says Greene.
A buyer from Dublin, in the business for 38 years, had sage advice: “In good times and bad times, women still want to be beautiful.”
And that’s something these boys have no problem delivering.
The spring collection features knockout cocktail dresses cut in a new microfibre knit — a sort of neo- prene looking jersey. Most popular among buyers was their white cocktail dress, something which surprised them as it was a season of print and colour. But buyers liked this, giving them positive feedback on their colour palette which includes black, navy and white, a refreshing change from all the colourful wacky prints of this season, they were told. Why would a retailer take a chance with a small Canadian label? “They want something different, new things with a twist and good price points,” says Pickersgill. “We are fortunate we are selling because we have nothing to fall back on — no shoes, no accessories, which are often the money makers for designers. We are just selling clothes.” What little success they have had here so far has already inspired them to return next spring, though next time they want to showcase their designs at one of the big trade events. “The tradeshows have thousands of people and sometimes it’s not the best environment because it’s chaotic and the buyers are tired but it’s also one big assembly line of people,” says Pickersgill.