Spotlight: Tro & Co.

There is nothing better than finding a new brand to be obsessed with and knowing that it’s completely manufactured in your own country. It’s easy to support fast-fashion stores like H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 knowing where their price points lie, but it’s even easier to support local brands and shops knowing that their products come from your homeland. Since moving to Toronto in particular, I’ve begun to realize how many incredible artisans the city is home to, like Dan; the founder of Whisky & Spice. Another individual who is making waves in Toronto is Tro of Tro & Co.

Tro is super talented and at the helm of his own clothing line. Offering various streetwear-esque tees and sweatshirt options made from bamboo, Tro&Co catches your attention with the graphics and keeps it there with affordable price points. I had the opportunity to ask Tro a few questions about the line, being a designer in Toronto, and the future of Tro & Co.

Grabb and Go

In a world where convenience is key, Grabb is the number one purveyor in getting your food to you as quickly as possible. For Torontonians, this is a game changer when it comes to ordering food. Grabb is a mobile app that allows you to pre-order and pre-pay for your food, so you never have to wait in line. Showing you a list of restaurants in your area, you can look at their menu, pick what you want, pay for it, and pick it up when the timer on your phone tells you to. Partnering with a wide variety of restaurants such as Hero Certified Burgers, Bacon Nation, Fresh Off The Boat, and more, you have plenty of options. I had the opportunity to ask Grabb’s Vice-President of Growth, Keely Turner, a few questions about the app, food, and the future of food-ordering.

Chi Flo Apparel

If there’s one thing that I love about blogging more than anything else, it’s been the opportunity to connect with fellow creatives. Sharing the same ambition and drive for what we do has brought some incredible people into my life and has made me re-evaluate why I do what I do. Christina is the perfect example of that. The owner and founder of Chi Flo Apparel, Christina is an entrepreneur with more passion for what she does than anyone I’ve ever known. After talking to her, you can tell that she fully embraces Chi Flo, which is the balance of art and apparel. I had the chance to pick Christina’s brain and get to know her and the brand a bit more. It was a pleasure and I hope you all feel as empowered after reading this Q&A as I did.

1) Tell us about yourself.

My name is Christina Auricchio and my friends call me Stina, hence the name ‘Chi Flo Stina’. I love music, shows, art, fashion, film, photography, writing, and DOGS <3. I own the clothing company, Chi Flo, and do a ton of other side work that enhances my brand. This includes blogging, social media for myself and other companies, graphic design, writing, and occasional photo work. I also love to model on the side, style the clothing, and come up with cool photo concepts. This is a hobby that I was lucky enough to experience due to Chi Flo, having met a ton of talented photographers willing to do fun photo shoots. 

2) How did you decide that you wanted to start a clothing company?

I’ve always been into fashion…but more so the entirety of self-expression as a whole. I’ve also always been heavily involved with drawing, painting, and creating stuff. I noticed the rise in popularity of graphic apparel during 2012 after I graduated college. I had a ton of stuff from brands like UNIF, Obey, you name it. I liked how graphic apparel incorporated ironic artwork into the designs and just seemed straight up punk rock. I began to teach myself graphic design programs like Illustrator and Photoshop. My first design, the ‘Street Pigeon’ was created during the summer of 2012, and from there I wanted to keep going and I did. I researched for months on how to get wholesale accounts, e-commerce sites, printers, fabrics, advertising, the works. By February of 2013 I had launched Chi Flo. I haven’t stopped since. It really has become my baby.

3) On your website you talk about “Qi Flow.” Can you explain this a bit further and what it means to your brand?

Before my brand went fully into action, I had to come up with the perfect name for it. During its beginning stages, I happened to be watching a movie called Kung Fu Hustle, a pretty funny and quirky kung-fu flick. An underlying topic of the film was finding your “chi flow”. One of the main characters had to find his chi flow in order to master his skill and ultimately beat the bad guy. One of the lines that caught my attention was “If your Chi Flow can be channeled, you will be invincible!”. So, the term Chi Flow really stuck in my head. 

I Googled it later on and found out that Chi Flow, spelled also as Qi Flow, is a term used in Chinese culture that refers to natural energy or the life force part of any living thing. ‘Qi’ translates to ‘breath’ or ‘air’ and according to Chinese philosophy, Qi is the force that links everything in our surroundings together. Once a person channels this flow of energy, it is said that they sort of reach this perfect balance within themselves and become capable of greater things. 

That being said, I was sold on the entire idea. I knocked off the “w” at the end of ‘flow’ and that’s how I came up with the name. Ironically, I was finding my Chi Flow while putting together this whole brand. Being that I draw and design all the artwork and take pride that it is in fact “art” and not just stolen .jpegs from the internet,  I tag-lined Chi Flo as ‘The Balance of Art & Apparel’. It really all comes full circle in my opinion.

4) What is your favourite part of the creative process?

One of the main reasons why I enjoy what I do so much is the entire creative process that goes along with it. From drawing designs inspired by life events and converting them to digital images to coming up with concepts and directing, styling, and modeling in the photo shoots, I just feel like I’m doing what I’m best at. I’m no big head though. I learn something new every single day. I am well aware that things can always be better and slowly as my brand grows, I grow with it.

My absolute favorite part is seeing the end product when it all finally comes together. For instance, my most recent line ‘Bad Bones’ was first thought out, then drawn out, then designed, then created. I wanted dark colors, simplistic designs, and a rock & roll vibe. Once everything was done, I got a bunch of models together and got my photo shoot location and photographer. I wanted the theme to be very dark and cool and for my models and I to look like a gang, or in my terms, a Chi Flo Army. We managed just that and then some. Our promo video shot by Sam DeAngelis is absolutely flawless and ahead of its time. When I say that, I mean that my brand’s outreach isn’t even at a percentage of where I know it’ll someday be and I just really wish the whole world could see how cool our videos and shoots are. But it takes time and as of now, Chi Flo’s fans and friends seem continuously pleased. 

Again, the brand is small and run solely by me, so it takes a bit longer for me to constantly come out with new things but I’ve manage to drop a Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer line both years it has been around. 

5) If you could collaborate with one person or brand, who would that be, and why?

There are so many brands and people I’d love to collaborate with but off the top of my head and in my wildest dreams, I’ve always wished I could collab with Betsey Johnson. I’ve always adored her wild style and colorful designs. I love how she puts together fashion shows too. She was a big inspiration when I was growing up. Always had a Betsey bag over my shoulder. It would be so cool to collab with her. Patricia Field too. Her styling is impeccable and I’ve always wanted to get Chi Flo in her store. 

I also would love to collab with Rebel 8. They’re a huge inspiration to me as well. I love the art by Mike Giant and I love their rock & roll/tattoo inspired designs. I think they seem really down to earth and I’d love a brand mentor like that.

6) What’s in store for Chi Flo in 2015?

2015 I hope is a big year for Chi Flo. I plan to expand more, collaborate more, pump out more designs, come out with an awesome Spring line, throw more events, and design more intricate, one of a kind pieces as well. I dabble with studding and sewing but I never went into anything full throttle due to lack of certain production capabilities. However, the people I’ve met this year are so willing to house Chi Flo’s creative works and help me with things I need guidance in have me anxious to come out with new innovative creations. I’m happy to be able to tell people to be on the lookout for that new Chi Flo. There’s a whole lot in store, but I’ll leave it at that!

7) Do you have any advice for aspiring creative people?

If I had to give any advice to aspiring creative people, it’d be to work hard consistently and DO NOT STOP. Just keep getting better.  I know that sounds cliché, but a downfall of being a creative type is letting other people’s criticism dictate how good they are at what they do. What we forget to see is that it doesn’t matter what the critics think. What matters is that you are using your skills and knowledge to express yourself in a way no one else can, because no one else is you. 

If you keep working at something and continuously push yourself to learn the ins and outs of your craft, you will reach your goal someday without even realizing that it was definitely going to happen the first day you started. Waste little time doubting your capabilities and do not be afraid to put yourself out there. People that don’t understand your artistic growth will weed themselves out, and who cares? That means they were never part of your army anyway. You’ll find that as you grow, your people will come and stand by you and appreciate all of the creativity encased in that talented soul of yours. So, yeah…find your Chi Flo! 

Isn’t Christina amazing? I’m so proud of her and everything she’s accomplished and make sure you keep your eyes peeled in the coming months for the new Chi Flo apparel that will be out. Thanks again Christina for answering my questions and I hope you all join the Chi Flo Army. You can shop the brand here.

 

Style Crush: Lilyanne Nguyen

{Lily with her adopted dog, Maximus}

Recently, I had an epiphany. I was suffering from a sadness that had been slowly taking over me and I wasn’t sure if things would ever look up again. Dramatic, maybe, but for a long time I had felt like I was fighting a losing battle. Cue: Lilyanne Nguyen and her blog, Bleed for Fashion. I had found myself enamoured with her amazing sense of style, great writing, and vibrant photography. Yet one thing about Lily struck a chord with me more than anything else: how real of a person she is. On the blogosphere; the majority of fashion bloggers keep it short and sweet and let their outfits do the talking. Not that there’s anything wrong with that (I’m a sucker for street style!), I appreciate how Lily gives her readers a look at her life and what goes on beyond the clothes. From the positive affirmations she shares on her blog (check out her Instagram, it’s chock full of inspiration: @lilyannenguyen); the love she has for her furry friend Maximus; or the optimistic outlook she has for the future, there are countless reasons why I consider her my style crush. She is more than that though, she’s a role model.

I had the opportunity to pick her brain a little bit and here’s what she had to say:

1. Please introduce yourself!
My name is Lilyanne, but I prefer Lily for short. I’m a 26-year-old living in Vancouver who’s still trying to figure out this thing called life. I also have a personal style and lifestyle blog called Bleed for Fashion.

2. When did you start blogging?
I’ve been blogging since I was about 13 thanks to websites like LiveJournal, Xanga, and Myspace. But it wasn’t until 5 years ago did I decide to start Bleed for Fashion.

3. Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere (books, art, nature, etc.) and in everyone I meet.

{A glimpse at her home office}

4. How does your sense of style represent who you are?
Well, my style varies every day and is really dependent on my mood. That said, I often get asked to define my style and I always find it really hard to answer. I guess you could say it’s minimal, or whatever-it-is-that-I’m-into-at-the-time. Apparently that also makes me “edgy,” whatever that means.

5. What is your favourite article of clothing and why?
My many pairs of black jeans. I wear that shit with everything.

6. What is your most treasured possession?
My mom’s diamond rings that she gave to me.

7. Which living person do you most admire?
It’s impossible for me to just choose one person, as I most admire both my parents and my boyfriend. Growing up, my mom always had that incredibly tough love, whereas my dad was always the epitome of both strength and fragility. As for my boyfriend, he is my rock, and I’m extremely lucky to have him.

8. Where/when are you happiest?
When I’m lying in bed with my boyfriend and our dog, Maximus. In that moment, nothing else matters.

My most sincere thanks go out to Lily for taking the time to answer my questions. Check out her blog over at Bleed for Fashion to find out more about this witty, beautiful, and charismatic woman.

 

images via Bleed for Fashion

Designer all my attire, the one that you admire

I am so incredibly blessed to have a plethora of friends who inspire me to do more with my life. Will has been my best friend for the last seven years and he has made those years some of the best I’ve ever had. Not only is he insanely smart, he’s straight-up; ambitious; and has a heart of gold. He is a go-getter who accomplishes everything he puts his mind to and on top of that; he’s handsome and has the best taste in music. Talk about an all-around amazing guy! Here, Will shares some of his favourite Toronto hot spots; what makes him happy; and which person he would love to go to dinner with (hint – the title is their creative expertise at work):

1. Please introduce yourself!
Hi, I’m Will I’m a full-time student at the University of Toronto at Scarborough, where I’m doing a double major in Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies Co-op.

2. What is the most important thing you have learned in university so far?
So far the most important thing that I’ve learned in university would be to take advantage of what’s available. I’ll be the first to admit, I have a pretty strong tendency to procrastinate and generally not do as well as I can. Before I got to university I could pretty easily get away with things like that, but if I do that here I pay the price pretty soon, be it with my grades or my sanity.

3. Where are your 3 favourite places to go in Toronto? Why?
This is tough. Partly because I’m bad at picking my favourite anything, but also because Toronto has so may great spots. I guess the first place would be just about any ethnic enclave. To me, I see these neighbourhoods as evidence of Canada’s success thus far in implementing multiculturalism, and the way they allow people to integrate into our society (did I mention I’m majoring in political science?). My nerdiness aside, these places are great to go to for just about any reason. They’ve each got their own markets, niche shops, local artisans, and amazing food, each from their own culture and each worth experiencing at least once. My second favourite place, cliché as it may be, is Kensington Market. This is a place you hear a lot about from a lot of people, and luckily a lot of what you hear is true! Just walking down Kensington and Augusta Avenue, you’ll see Tibetan cafés and tapestry shops, restaurants serving 100% local and organic food, or even a weed café; you’ll also get to experience the very laid-back and friendly atmosphere that can be found anywhere in the Market. My third favourite spot in the city is this little Thai restaurant called Salad King (fyi, there’s only two salads on the menu), near Yonge-Dundas Square. Walking up to it it may not look like much, but if you like spicy food, you don’t want to miss it. Salad King allows you to customize any dish with any number of chillies ranging from one (“Nice”) to twenty (“May cause stomach upset”), which is why someone like me, who enjoys bursting into flame, would love this restaurant.

4. When and where are you happiest?
Apparently I’m very easy to please, because I’m usually at my happiest in the morning. I’m almost incessantly optimistic, and that combined with waking up warm and in bed with my boyfriend will have me happy as a clam.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would you choose?
I would fucking love to have dinner with Junglepussy. Her debut album just came out this summer and it changed my life. Her music is all about black power and women’s sexuality, and I cannot get enough of it. That, plus the fact that everything she does, she does so genuinely and unapologetically, which can be hard to come by.

6. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
This is pretty underwhelming, but my greatest achievement was probably my GPA in first year, as dumb as that is. I only consider this a great achievement because I pulled something off that typically dooms first years (never going to class). That said, go to class. You WILL hate yourself eventually if you don’t.

7. Where would you like to live?
I think Canada is a pretty good fit for me. We still have what seems like millenia until we reach any reasonable levels of acceptance of minorities, but until then I think Canada is doing a decent job. However it also depends who you are and where you are; for that reason I’ll be settling in the city. I’ve spent more than enough time in the countryside to know that’s not the place for me.

8. How would you like to die?
I have absolutely no idea. I’ve thought about this before, but I can never arrive at an answer. Most of the time I just can’t decide because dying is unpleasant and I don’t particularly want to choose. But I also don’t really find it worth the time to think about; I’d rather be appreciating what’s happening now instead of thinking about what it’s going to be like when it’s over.

{a throwback to our high school days}

Sincere thanks go to Will for answering my questions and putting up with me for all this time. If you want to see what Will’s day to day is like, check out his Instagram.