Photo courtesy of Lorietta Muse
Something unorthodox is about to happen in Ottawa’s fashion scene: the digital campaign, Reveal. Led by platform Pour Lui et Elle (PLE), Reveal is being launched on Monday, July 16th.
Reveal aims to showcase the work of local Ottawa designers, including names like Mario Uomo, Tufafi fashion, Isah Alsahi and Orphane. Outfits are captured by local photographers and videographers such as WRW Smith, with creative direction from Teye Adekeye.
But there’s a twist to this fashion shoot: the models are all locals.
Why this approach? Lorietta Muse, stylist and co-founder of PLE, said this was to show to the public that anybody and everybody can wear designer pieces. More than that, the delightfully democratic models style the outfits themselves, combining them with pieces from their own wardrobe.
A perfectly-tailored handmade blazer with your old work pants? You’d be surprised at what Reveal is – well, revealing!
“We’re giving [our models] a plethora of items from these designers telling them to take what resonates with them, and sell those pieces the way they would,” Lorietta explained. “They end up seeing that there's a lot of versatility that goes into these items. You don't have to treat it as though you can only wear it to a red carpet event.”
Reveal shines a much-deserved light on fashion designers, not only for their craft, but also for blunt insight into the challenges they face. As we all know, bigger chains sell ready-to-wear outfits for a fraction of the price.
It’s well-reported that fast fashion has serious impacts on everything from human rights (just take the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013), to the environment (according to the CBC, 12 million tons of textile waste are dumped into North America’s landfills per year). With all of this in mind, Reveal is aims to start a global conversation to make the idea of purchasing designer clothing, especially on a local level, more accessible to the public, while shedding more light on the creative industry as a whole.
“I’m advocating for people to recognize the talent that exist in creative minds like this,” Lorietta explained, “and to be more supportive of them. These items are worth the investment. There's a lot of time that goes into constructing the pieces, designing the item, pulling the stitches together.
Whatever you see in a retail store is what you get,” Lorietta continued, “and if you need to make any necessary adjustments, then you have to pay out of your own pocket, which is additional cost. These designers really care about their clients. They’re willing to work with you.”
Lorietta herself lived in Ottawa for over five years with PLE co-founder, Akin. While in the city, they both felt something was missing in the fashion scene – and even the creative scene more broadly. This story isn’t new – we know Ottawa struggles with its stereotypes – but instead of launching Reveal in a city like Montreal or Toronto, PLE decided to come back to Ottawa to celebrate the designers who are here, and who can also benefit from the support. More than that, it creates a collaborative space between Ottawa’s creatives.
“As [an entrepreneur], you have to check yourself and say, ‘Am I doing for this the right reason? Is my heart where it should be?’” Lorietta said. “If it is, you're going to put in that much work regardless of the frustration. Once you realize that this is what you really want to be doing, it makes everything that much more worth it.”
Reveal showcases the beauty of Ottawa, with photoshoots happening across the city, from the Fletcher Wildlife Garden to the Chateau Laurier. Chances are you’ll be seeing a familiar face or two…!
Keep your eyes peeled for Reveal this July 16th!
