Summer Rayne Oakes

I was recently contacted by an associate of the ONLY, eco friendly super model, Summer Rayne Oakes. I completed a short interview with her to get the word out about her new book and Payless Shoe Line! Here is her story.

While Summer was completing her University undergraduate degree, she was contacted by a modeling agency and decided to give it a try, under one condition, she would only model for companies who support equal trade and are conscious of sustainability methods. She graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Natural Resources and Entomology. Summer has participated in a multitude of modeling campaigns and programs that focus on the conservation of our natural resources. She has been featured on CNN, NPR and Fox News and has modeled for Levi Strauss & Co., Nicole Miller and Replay Jeans. She even launched her own monthly style editorial for Lucire Magazine, called "Behind the Label" which focuses on ethical and eco conscious fashion designers. Summer currently runs her own company production company (SIR) that focuses primarily on sustainable business. As a Personal Representative and Image consultant, she has worked with Payless Shoe Source, Alcoa Foundation and Conde Nast to name a few. On top of all this, she still has time to participate in a variety of programs focusing on the environment including: the Youth Climate Change through Energy Action Program, sustainable development in Africa, eco system conservation and fair trade! Her new line for Payless Shoe Source called Zoe and Zac will be coming out this April 2009 and features a variety of cute, affordable and environmentally friendly foot wear. The shoes are made of organic cottons, linen, hemp, recycled soles and eco-smart packaging.

Summer has finally decided that it's time to share her knowledge and inspire us to look at the effects of producing clothes on our environment. This coming February she will be releasing a book titled "Style, Naturally." The book will be a sort of shopping guide that will showcase a variety of labels, including: clothing, shoes, bags, beauty products and more! There are over five hundred photos with tips, resources, designer profiles and street photography style photos. Maybe it's time we put some thought into the clothes that we wear! This resident environmental expert has a lot of great tips that we can use to better the world we live in. You can visit her website at www.summerrayneoakes.net


Here is the interview :

A: How did you get interested in science growing up?

SRO: I grew up with an innate curiosity for nature and always wanted to know everything about what I was observing--from why a fungus grew as it did to how an insect could breathe underwater. I guess once I opened up that Pandora's Box of exploration, I began asking larger questions and became fascinated by the ecology, or connections, of everything around me.

A: What can we do to get more young women involved in science?

SRO: I had some amazing mentors in college - many of them women - and I was also supported by great scholarship, competition and award programs. I think having social networks and opportunities such as those to support young, inquisitive minds is so important.

A: What words of encouragement do you have for those women considering or currently participating in the field of science?

SRO: Never forget why you do what you do - what really makes you passionate. Oftentimes in the field of science, we lose why we do what we do because science can become too text-booky. Stay true to why you're in the field you're in and never forget it.

A: Sometimes we feel as if there are so many problems that we don't know where to start or what we can do. What is one small thing we can all change in our lives that will make a difference to the environment?

SRO: Being mindful of our waste - recycle when you can; compost when you can; use filtered water as opposed to bottled water; make tea-infusion juices as opposed to bottled juice; giveaway or recycle clothes as opposed to throwing them away.

A sneak peak at her new book!

Her new shoe line eco-friendly shoe line collaboration with Payless Shoe Source

Another Street Bicycle Photo!

Well I think that about wraps up the Tokyo Street Fashion Photos but here is one I took in Numazu this past weekend. Don't you wished guys dressed this chic in Vancouver? Ah, bikes in Japan. I have to tell you that I did have a bike when I arrived this weekend, however I left it at the train station for a few days because I was visiting Leah Bell in Fuji City. It's about a twenty minute train ride away. I figured it would be okay as people have left their bikes at the train station before. AIEEE! I went to pick it up the other night and it was gone! I think it was probably taken to the impound but there is a small chance that it was stolen. I haven't actually needed it that much because Leah doesn't have a bike and we mostly walk around Numazu. It is only a ten minute walk to work and I actually prefer to walk. Actually, I really want to get one of those collapsible bikes that you can put in a case. I will be able to bring it back to Canada with me when I return. My bike actually looked something like this!

This street is where the Cambridge Library Cafe is located. It is one of our favorite cafes to visit on weekends. It is full of antique wood and books that you can read while you eat a light lunch and have some tea. It's very relaxing and we write in our journals and postcards and dish about our weeks and relax in the warmth. We have been finding local cafes in Numazu by picking up fliers and cards (maishi) everywhere we go. Last weekend we searched cafes Numazu in google and just showed up at the different cafes, even though we couldn't read what they said! Turns out that Numazu is really artsy and there are a lot of cool cafes and restaurants to visit! This weekend we are going to visit Heinrich in his home city of Yokohama! I hope I will get a few street photos to show you the style there. Of course, being Japan, it will be FANTASTIC no doubt ;)

This picture was Leah's idea so I have to give her credit!

Chai and Scones
Everything in Japan is small!

Tagged by Solo Lisa Y Nada Mas and Wanderlusting!

This tag is long overdue! I was tagged by the fabulous Solo Lisa Y Nada Mas and now have been tagged by the gorgeous wanderlusting. Here is how the tag works:

1. go to the 4th folder on your computer where you store your images

2. pick the 4th picture in the folder

3. explain the picture

4. tag 4 people to do the same....and I tag:

1. Marta from With Love

2. Eyeliah at Style Symmetry

3. Copperoranges

4. Nita Karolina Little Sneak into My Life

This is from my favorite store in Japan yet! The store is called Hanjiro.
This is how they displayed their belts. FAB!

I have also been given an award by none other than the fabulous Solo Lisa Y Nada Mas. I will hereby pass this award on to eleven other bloggers (Seeing as Lisa broke the rule..I will be too! You are supposed to nominate ten but I am nominated eleven!!) Here they are:

1. Richel at Ragamala

2. Yiqin at Qin at the Disco

3. Kitten at Picked Picks

4. Nita Karolina Little Sneak into My Life

5. Ashleigh at Rantings of a Fashion Addict

6. Marta at With Love

7. Audrey at Frassy

8. Gala at Inside Am-Lul's Closet

9. Couture Carrie

10. Eleh at Come Thrifting With Me

11. Marian at House of Style

Thank you so much LISA!

H & M Harajuku

Well these are some of the last photos from our amazing adventure in Harajuku. The H & M at Harajuku is really worth visiting. The architecture of the building is phenomenal! I did find things a bit overpriced though, I only ended up getting a pair of jeans. I couldn't believe there was a line up to get in! It was really crazy inside but a total blast! What do you think of the store?

I have been applying for seats for Tokyo Fashion Week and am starting to plan for my adventure to Tokyo in March. Yesterday we also visited these amazing outlets in Gotenba which were better than anything I have ever seen in North America. There is a beautiful view of Mount Fuji and tons of high end shops including: Vivienne Westwood, Dolce and Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and more. The food court was like a huge brick lodge, it was the most relaxing shopping experience I have ever had! I took a lot of pictures but am not aloud to publish them unfortunately:( I also got my keitai (cell phone) for Japan and you get your own email address so that you can email all over the world!

This photo is courtesy of Makensie

Harajuku Part Three!

Here are the last few images from Yoyogi Park! Don't worry I still have the H & M photos to show you :) These are some of my favorite photos. They were a lot more willing to pose for my camera. Sometimes they don't want you to take their picture. It's really confusing. Nevertheless there are some great shots here. Favorites?

I also have quite a few new exciting posts coming your way..including the tag that is long overdue from the fabulous Lisa of SoloLisaYNadaMas. I have completed a few more interviews that are in the process of being edited. It is starting to rain here in Numazu which is sad because it has been sunny for so long! The weekend is almost here. There will definitely be some great photos coming from that. Happy weekend everyone!!

Check out those heels!

Love this one!

A side road in Harajuku!

Harajuku Part Two!

There will be quite a few Harajuku posts coming up in the next few days. This is the first big set of photos. We arrived at the train station and decided to head straight to Yoyogi Park, where all of the Harajuku kids hang out. I had just assumed that there would be Harajuku kids and people hanging out in the park but Yoyogi Park is huge! They actually only hang out in front of the park where the bridge is. Anyways, we ended up walking through the park with the masses of people. We were trying to figure out where everyone was going. I know what you are thinking as you are reading this! I really didn't do very much research for this train station! I knew that we would head to H & M, Tokyo Apartment Cafe and Harajuku but that was about it. After a long walk into the park, we discovered that everyone was heading to a huge shrine. We were told to go on a Sunday because that is the only time when the Harajuku kids show up. That was why it was so busy!! After we figured out that there wasn't a whole lot to see in the park, we decided to stop for some food at this food court area. Turns out that it was a huge open air food court/market. We had some delicious hot wine and each got something from a different stand. It was crowded full of happy people enjoying their day off in the park with their families and friends. I have included a picture below. After this, we headed out of the park and on to H & M and the shopping district of Harajuku. To be continued..

Sign at the train station

Taken from the bridge leading to Yoyogi Park. Can you spy all of the blond heads?

Trees on the walk to Yoyogi Park. There were thousands of people walking along this path. It was quite magical.

Inside Yoyogi Park.

Looking completely fabulous for shrine!

Open air food court! Yum..

Sri Lankan Potato wrap I bought.

I have so many more fantastic photos to show you! Be sure to check back :)
Which photo is your favourite? Why?

The Penniless Fashionista!

A short while ago I interviewed stylist and entrepreneur Alecia Ebbels. I had the privilege of working with her on the set of FMA Vancouver: Sky 360 this year, where she was key stylist and wardrobe coordinator. She is a recent Kwantlen graduate and has started her own line of garments with her fellow classmate Brieanna Soo. She and Brieanna met while completing their degrees in Fashion Design and Technology. After working for different companies in the fashion industry for a short time, they both realized that they "didn't want to work for someone else." The line is called The Penniless Fashionista and the name couldn't be better suited to the current state of our economy. The company uses "dynamic colours, prints and fabrics featuring intricate details and whimsical styling. These elements enable customers to make a style statement in a world of mass produced fashions. Any woman will be willing to go penniless for these must have garments!" Their definition of the term penniless is as follows: not having enough money to pay for necessities, being broke, as she has spent all her money on clothes! This amazing design duo states that "you may be penniless, but you will always look fabulous!"

Both women bring key attributes to the table that have been making their company successful and will see them grow in the industry in the future. Brieanna pays close attention to detail and the technical aspect of the business; while Alecia has a knack for creating concepts and seeing the larger picture. Currently their designs, including patterns and samples, are created locally in Vancouver. While they both have found it difficult to create a brand new company in these harsh economic times, it is clear that they are willing to go that extra mile to make the company be a success. As you can see in the images below, their designs are named after terms they looked up in the urban dictionary, for instance poor and broke. The photo shoot is inspired by the Penniless Fashionista who will eat mac and cheese all week, just so she can afford that new dress. She has a complete obsession with clothes, so much so that her kitchen has now become her closet! The Penniless Fashionista line is currently being sold in three stores but will be available in more stores with their new Fall '09 line. Their website is currently under construction but will be viewable within the next month. You can also visit their facebook page titled, The Penniless Fashionista. Alecia claims that their success has been purely based on the fact that they set small goals for themselves each week/month and achieve them step by step; for instance, being number one on google search, which they have achieved. They travel to L.A. together to purchase their fabrics and utilize Alecia's styling and marketing contacts as much as possible. Alecia is currently represented by Judy Inc and works as one of their wardrobe sylists. She also juggles three different jobs in order to finance this venture. She says that everyone has a "real job and a passion job." It is clear that she loves styling and enjoys working a regular schedule with her sales job. A social butterfly, Alecia is easy to talk to, but amazingly composed and precise under pressure. When we were working at FMA together, she worked non stop to create a magnificently coordinated show that wowed everyone.

When asked about the Vancouver Fashion Scene, she states that it is not as appreciated as it could be. There is a larger focus on commercial and more popular designers, when there are plenty of creative and talented independent designers. Her favourite independent designers are Dace and Evan and Dean. Vancouver design schools really encourage students to work for larger companies rather than branching out and creating their own companies. For those who are looking to take a risk and start their own line she says that you have to have a clear concept of what your company represents and to never say no!" When I asked her about whether she will continue styling she said "I've worked so hard to get where I am..I will always be a part of [styling], I love my job." Her advice to current design students? "Believe in yourself" be passionate about your work.."go for it and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise and make it work." You can read an article about Alecia and Brieanna's Penniless Fashionista at 180 Magazine. It was a pleasure to work with and interview Alecia. Please check out their website here and find their clothes! The Penniless Fashionista is here to stay and will be a force to contend with in the future.

Harajuku!

This is one of my favorite pictures from Harajuku. This is the first photo I took walking out of the train station. If you look down the street where these two girls are looking, there are tons of crazy clothing and accessory shops. To the right is the bridge and entrance to Yoyogi Park, where all of the Harajuku kids hang out. Down the street we also visited an amazing cafe called Tokyo Apartment Cafe and H & M of course. This was one of the most exciting days for me! I was so lucky that Leah and Makensie were so patient with me and my clothing obsession, especially at H & M! Later we went walking through Yoyogi Park and discovered a magical outdoor food court with tables, hundreds of people and every type of food you could imagine! Have you been to Harajuku? Wait until you see the pictures coming up..I am sure you will be reminded of Gwen Stefani and her Harajuku girls too!

These are not Harajuku girls but everyone visiting the area seems to be wearing something awesome like this. Check out her tight on the right!!

Shibuya American Apparel and Daikanyama Hanjiro

These photos are from our first full day in Tokyo. The American Apparel was quite a hike from Shibuya crossing but it was totally worth it! I bought the scarf that you can wear as a dress, scarf, skirt etc. in bright teal and a low cut red t-shirt (my favorite basic).

Circle Scarf!
Don't ask about the price. American Apparel is way more expensive in Japan. I am going to have to resort to buying and ordering things online!

We asked the girls in American Apparel (who had perfect English) where we should head for more shopping. They told us to head up to Daikanyama, which we didn't realize, is the Embassy district. It is a beautiful area, with some beautiful stores. Here are some photos of stores we visited along the way.

One of my favorite pictures from the day! A magnificent staircase.

We thought we would never find any second hand stores here in Japan. Pah! We did. This store is called Hanjiro. It was a really cool store and the clothes were really well priced. They even had a small consignment section! We spent a good chunk of time here and we all managed to find something to buy. The store was really unique too. They had bathtubs with water and Koi fish in them, wooden bins with belts in them, plants and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. They have fifteen stores throughout Japan and I can't wait to visit the next one. We will probably visit the one in Osaka when we go shopping in the spring. I have officially registered for Toyko Fashion Week but I am waiting to hear about my acceptance. Cross your fingers for me :)

This is the necklace I bought; it was only 1,900 yen (about 19 dollars).