Third year participating at [FAT]. Ryerson grad and winner of the Beefeater Innovative Spirit Award, Heidi will be presenting her collection construct(this)

So you are scheduled to show off your work on day three, which is RAGE. How does this theme tie in with your collection?

The “RAGE” night is an experimental look at the body, fashion and an expression of frustration. My collection, construct(this) is all of these things. I am again using shapes and forms to create interesting silhouettes and new materials to create tension for the wearer and observer. My accessories were designed in collaboration with aspiring industrial designer Lindsay Sinclair and are made using thin curved metals; they work both to accentuate and hide parts of the body.

If you could give your collection a one-word theme (not rage) what would it be?
Alien  

What do you, as a designer, get out of Alternative Fashion Week that you can’t get anywhere else?
I love doing FAT. Having the opportunity to present my work to the industry and public alongside other great designers and artists is always amazing. I love the challenge of styling a complete look and atmosphere for the show. It also helps me to continue pushing onwards with my line and creating new looks that are both editorial and at times wearable. F.A.T gives young designers an accessible space to present their work and gives us an alternative to the main fashion week. This year I was fortunate enough to travel to a similar festival in Riga, Latvia called [moment]. This organization is also looking to promote and support young designers. It was such a thrill to be presenting my work alongside young European designers. 

Describe your own personal style.
It’s a bit rock and roll – side mullet, pointy shoes and black knits.  

Toronto east or Toronto west?
I have lived on both the east and west side of Toronto and love both. Currently I live and have my studio on the west side of town which I love because it is in the center of the art, fashion and music scene. When I was living/working in the east end last year I was able to get a lot of work done especially because my friends thought it was too far to visit!  

What is it about the Russian avant-garde that inspired construct(this)?
I love the colours, patterns and typography of this time period. The new experiments in poster design and the zeitgeist of the era are fascinating. 

What does the name “construct(this)” mean?
My pieces are usually very architectural and often take a lot of creative solutions and problem solving to figure out – consturct(this) is a reference to that as well as the Russian constructivist era.  

Did you ever have a major ah-ha! Moment? Tell us about it.
The biggest ah-ha moment that I had was realizing that I could combine my two greatest passions – sustainability and fashion. 

As a kid, were you doing anything that, in retrospect, may have lead up to what you are doing now?
When I was a kid I loved to sew and make art with my sisters. From a very young age I knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer.  

What are you most likely to be doing at 2 a.m. on a Saturday night?
Working in my studio! 

If you weren’t doing what you are doing now, what would you be doing?
I love anything creative and am interested in all design fields – architect? industrial designer? I love traveling as well – can I do that as a profession? 

What’s your favourite item in your closet? 
Vintage Fleuvog boots and a knit piece from C-Neeon. 

What’s a summer 2010 trend that you won’t be wearing?
I definitely won’t be wearing clogs anytime soon!  

Most aggravating part of the job?
I love most parts of it – even the late nights and no sleep. Right now it’s the money making part that is the most aggravating. 

Most gratifying?
Seeing my clothing transform someone.  I also love seeing my garments in print – it’s interesting to see how different people interpret my designs.  

How did you get to designing eco friendly clothing?
When I was just finishing my first year at Ryerson I went tree planting during the summer. Seeing the destruction and devastation of the forests made me re-think fashion and where my place was within it. I stumbled upon sustainable design by experimenting with vegetable dyes, organic materials etc. My style has become much more refined and I strive to make fashion forward pieces that you wouldn’t necessarily know were sustainable.

What are its major obstacles?
It can be difficult to find new sustainable or eco-friendly materials. It takes a lot of research and willingness to experiment. Because there are not that many different sources it can be a challenge to find something that no one has used before. Last season I solved that by using cork for my Fall/Winter 09 collection. This year I have experimented with some vegetable tanned leather organic cotton voiles and continued using recycled cotton and soy yarns for my machine knits.  

Fill in the blank: _____________ is the new black: Shoulders are the new black!