“Calgary designers often have to ignore what is fashion forward in order to serve their clientele, who often want something approachable or easy to understand,” says Van Loon. “I wanted to give our local fashion designers an opportunity to shine and the chance to express themselves in a way that their local clients might not have seen from them.”

Instead of fitting pieces by Calgary-based designers into a larger fashion shoot where they can get lost in the mix, Designed in Calgary focuses on the individual creations.

“Part of being a designer is having the ability to dream,” says Van Loon. “I have a requirement that the designers do that, and in as big a way as they can. Editorial pieces or exhibition pieces are meant to showcase a designer’s skills and allow them to create something without the constraints of making sales. It’s so great to see the designers respond to this challenge and discover some new inspiration, while also inspiring us.”