Great Style Profile: Sarah Bancroft

What defines great style in Vancouver and beyond? This is the primary question that led AIV to contact great style thinkers and trendspotters who could respond to just such a question. Over the next few months look forward to this series under the heading Great Style Profile with interesting personalities working in fashion, publishing, journalism, literature, arts and culture.

Sarah Bancroft is the co-founder and editor-in-chief Daily Dose Media which publishes vitaminv.ca, a daily style supplement about Vancouver, now with editions in Toronto and Montreal. She was the Western Editor of FASHION Magazine for 6 years, Associate Editor of Vancouver magazine, and started her career as a fashion buyer for Aritzia.

Many people use the terms fashion and style interchangeably. Is there a difference between fashion and style?

Sarah Bancroft: I find the people who are most into fashion are the least fashionable. They follow trends too religiously. People with true style wear what they want and are so good at picking up cultural cues from their travel, the books they read, film, art and their other interests, that they end up looking the most forward and unique and trend-setting. It sounds cliché but style is innate and fashion can be learned.

What is great style?

SB: It’s a fallacy that people who have a lot of clothes, shoes, jeans, handbags, etc are the most fashionable. It’s actually the opposite. The truly stylish person has few clothes but they are beautiful and fit her properly. Stylish people buy three of the same perfect black sweater, while “fashionistas” will buy 30 things a season.

Who are your great style icons?

SB: French women in general are great at understated, easy elegance. They had the whole rich-hippie vibe nailed well before the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson. Think of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Carla Bruni, Vanessa Paradis and Emmanuelle Beart as the new generation of Gallic style icons.













Bancroft's Photo Caption: Vanessa Paradis, the French chanteuse, wears vintege-y, chanel-type looks without looking too costume-y, or she might show up in a peasant dress, you never know. It also doesn’t hurt that she has the best fashion accessory a girl could have: Johnny Depp.

What is great style in Vancouver?

SB: The best thing about Vancouver is how easy it is to be stylish. Walk into an art opening in a gorgeous painted floral maxi-dress and Grecian flats and you can pretty much guarantee you’ll be the only one there in anything similar. And everyone will go nuts for it. It’s fun to take risks because you’ll be amply rewarded.

Asar-tots

Who: Keisa
What: Despite still holding mom's hand, there's something all grown up about this little outfit. Perfect red tights, red patent mary-janes and faux fur coat. Just shows that great style starts young.

Retro Chic

Who: Mrs. Erikson

What: Mrs. Erikson is one of the most stylish elderly ladies in this city. When I approached her on the street for a photograph she said it wasn't the first time. From her purse she pulled out this photograph of herself taken by a local street photographer in 1961. In the image she is walking to a business function on Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver. Behind her is the name of a shop ironically named Milliner.

She's wearing a tailored suit by Montreal designer Arnold Scassi (born Arnold Issacs + Scassi is Issacs spelled backwards) who is best known for his suits and glamorous evening wear. Some of his highlights include dressing Barbara Streisand in an almost see-through outfit for the Oscars in 1969, Catherine Deneuve in 1970 among others.

Mrs. Erikson was wearing leather pants and her signature tortoise shell wide- framed glasses (very 1960s). Unfortunately, she was feeling too under the weather to have her picture taken (I thought she looked amazing!), but promised that if the AV team caught her in the future she would say yes. Someday, we'll get that photograph of her.

Classic Vancouver

Who: Dawne
What: I'm a fan of her French inspired black and white stripped shirt. A great bag.

Where: Downtown Vancouver

Well Again

Spotted: Wellington boots...simply put there are so many new takes on this original style of rubber boots from England. These new interpretations are popping up everywhere in Vancouver now that it's raining. Here's a quick sampling of what's out on the street. I like how this one woman has mixed the plaid print on her boots with argyle tights.

Scooter Babe

Defining Style

Who: Devon

What: I thought this vintage hat from the 30s was contemporary. While the hat is a distinct, bold piece, Devon's style is not easily defineable; she's edgy, rock n' roll, vintage inspired...I could go on.

Where: Blanche Macdonald graduation show

Double-Take on the Double-Breasted Coat

Who: Riko
What: The bold geometric print of Riko's dress shines beneath that fabulous black coat, drawing the eye to those strappy seude boots and her quilted bag. But the shape of the coat and the individual details such as the angled buttons on the seam, the open, round collar are stunning. The black patent belt creates a great silhouette, giving her the illusion of wearing a dress in winter.

Portobello West Fashion + Art Market

Portobello West is Vancouver's answer to the well-known artisan markets of London. The Asartorial team attended the November market hunting for stylish shoppers wearing local designers. People were mostly wearing casual Sunday attire (we include ourselves on this list). In the end, the great style achievers were particularly strong amongst some of the designers.

Déjà Vu

Who: Karine, Designer

What: We knew Karine was familliar...she made our top ten best dressed list at FUSE in October. Here she is again with the same hits of yellow felted fabric found in her scarf, hat and bracelet, all her own designs.

Where: Portobello West Market

TOODLEBUNNY

Who: Trudy Wynans, TOODLEBUNNY

What: A Vancouver based jewellery designer, Trudy Wynan's personal style was immediately spotted by the Asartorial team. We loved her unique, edgy jewellery designs, which she's wearing here with a skirt and suspenders. Like her designs, she's both chic and a little rock n' roll.

Where: Portobello West Market

Nazreen's Designs

Who: Nazreen, Nazreen's Designs

What: Women who wear aprons outside of the kitchen; Nazareen's apron was made of a delicate sheer peach fabric...definitely not made for cooking in.

Where: Portobello West Market

Casual Sunday

Who: Ali

What: Classic Vancouver Sunday casual. Though Ali was not wearing a local designer, she did get the coat from Ark Clothing, an independent store on Main street.

Where: Portobello West Market

Very Vintage

Who: Bonnie

What: Noticed the vintage 70s leather coat with the zigzag pattern at the hemline. We were looking for local designs and even asked about the necklace, which confirmed she was wearing head-to-toe vintage clothing.

Where: Portobello West Market

Silver with Envy

Who: Joan

What: I love women with fabulous silver hair. This great classic cut frames her face perfectly.

Where: Portobello West Market

Vegan Style

Noticed: Women are wearing Matt & Nat bags in Vancouver like never before. What do I like about Matt & Nat bags? They're Canadian and not made of leather. There are so many styles that I rarely see repeats of the same bag.

The Ones That Got Away

Metallica

What: I love this girl's sense of style...the pointy metallic shoes, the carefully constructed casual that looks effortlessly put together. Absolutely adorable. I've never seen sockettes with bows and ruffles, have you?

Tiff and Co.

Who: Khari
What: Simply put...he leads his own way.

All Zippers

What: The ruffle bag with zipper trim is fabulous on her. It's shocking to me that some people are able to pull off the skinny jeans so well. I like the little touches in this ensemble, the lace stockings, the peacoat buttons that only go part way.