Calgary-based stylist
Leah Van Loon has
honed her keen
eye for detail and
style in her career
which has taken her
everywhere from
working on styling ad
campaigns for Disney
to backstage at Paris
Fashion Week.
Leah Van Loon
STYLIST
Tell me a little
bit about your
background in fashion
and styling. I began in
theatre and film as a
costume designer over
20 years ago and then
moved very quickly
into advertising and
fashion which is most
of what I do today. If it
has to do with fashion,
I have done it!
Where do you find inspiration when it comes to what you do? How do you strive to be
innovative and fresh? I love to travel and get a lot of inspiration from that, especially
visiting museums and beautiful cities. Paris is my most favourite city and I have
discovered so much there in the last few years and it never fails to mesmerize me.
I really like to study what is happening on the runway and distill all that information
into trends and use that to inform my
fashion work in particular. In advertising
it’s important to recognize what is
happening in fashion so that your work
can remain relevant and have a longer
shelf life for your client.
“Always make best
friends with your
hotel concierge, they
are the people that
can turn a great
trip into something
unforgettable and
life changing.”
PHOTOGRAPHS: (LEFT TO RIGHT} BY JASON ENG; BY CAROLINE MURRAY
What do you think of the fashion scene
here in Calgary, and how has it changed
in the past few years? It’s changed so
much! We have a larger selection of
retailers and stores than ever before
and our choices here have really
gotten so much better. We have a real
representation of fashion at all levels.
More people are getting involved in all different facets of it so we are really seeing so
many different points of view and that is great.
Where is your favourite place to shop in Calgary and why? For clients I usually shop
at Holt Renfrew mostly because they have a lot of the designers I love and I can get a
lot of different types of looks from there. I have recently started to spend more time
at Nordstrom in Chinook Centre. For myself, I love Club Monaco; the fashion is really
accessible and the prices are great for what you are getting. Gravity Pope is my number
one place for shoes and they are local! The Bay is also an institution and their sales are
amazing.
What is Calgary’s best kept secret? Calgary has some wonderful local design talent
and most of them will also customize pieces for you. A few to look at would be Kaadiki.
com for custom tailored shirts, Lauren Bagliore for some really versatile jersey pieces
and Paul Hardy design for that extravagant one of a kind item. There’s such an array
of different things being produced here and I love to see what everyone is working on
from season to season.
If there was a Leah Van Loon tour of Calgary, which 5 places would you stop at? It
would be a very 17th Avenue experience! Definitely lunch at my favourite pho place,
Golden Bell, for a sâte beef soup, followed by a stop at Gravity Pope’s beautiful new
store next door. Next, a coffee at Café Beano and a browse along the shops at Mount
Royal Village (Primitive, Leo, Ooh La La) and finishing up for a drink at Milk Tiger Lounge.
Jessica Pechet
PHOTOGRAPHER
Jessica is a woman of many talents and interests, though
photography is first and foremost her passion. Her skills
and experience has taken her around the world to shoot
commercial and editorial photography in New York City,
London, Paris, Sydney, Los Angeles, and Mexico.
Tell me a little bit about your background in photography. I
fell in love with photography when my mom got me a little
DLSR for Christmas. Falling in love with an art form is one
thing, however mastering a craft is a whole other process.
For years I assisted and produced for photographers on
major campaigns, working with great people who taught me
and took me under their wing. I continued this process, until
I got the confidence to start shooting and producing on my
own. I feel like I shoot my best work when I am travelling, the
extra effort and all the unknown challenges make the final
captures the ultimate souvenir.
What is your best travel tip? Always pack your Nexus Card
and leave ro