REGINA – The Queen City isn’t typically associated with fashion, but with the kickoff to Saskatchewan Fashion Week on Thursday, things will be a lot more fashionable.
Dozens of designers have decided to attend this year including Rebecca King.
“This is my first year coming,” she said.
Based out of Saskatoon, King says the decision came easy as she and other designers have noticed a growing appetite for fashion in the city.
“I don’t think you can look down upon Saskatchewan anymore. All I know is I have too many stores asking for my stuff in Regina.”
The extra attention paid for style is also paying off for the Cornwall Centre, according to Marketing Director Krista BeBeau.
2015 was a record year for sales at the mall. But that passion for fashion hasn’t yet landed those popular international clothing stores.
The top ones that come up all the time are Victoria Secret, H&M, Forever 2 and Aritizia,” Bebeau added.
Being overlooked is primarily due to Regina’s distance from larger centres like Calgary and Toronto, as well as a small population according to retail consultant John Williams with JC Williams Group.
However, Williams says technology has decreased the need for brick and mortar stores with the rise of online shopping.
Such threats from fast-fashion retailers haven’t become a big concern for King.
“There’s a place for everything, we all need our basic tees.”
She believes local designers and boutiques have a niche to maintain that fits well with the style of local consumers.
“Your designs just have to be unique and their own thing and able to compete with everything else,” King said.