My Interview with Host DBoss on Real Life Matters TV Show

Yesterday I had a lovely conversation with host DBoss from Real Life Matters TV show about my new book of poetry Despair and Hope and my journey as a writer. The Real Life Matters TV show airs on various TV channels and networks in North America and the UK like DBossNetworks, CaribVision, BellFibeTV. The interview was recorded yesterday, it will air tonight at 10 PM EST, but it is also available on YouTube. Don't miss it!

My book Despair and Hope is available on Amazon around the world, both print and Kindle editions, by searching “Victoria West Despair and Hope” in All Departments or directly in Books/Kindle Store. The Kindle edition is also part of Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you for all your support!

My Book of Poetry "Sunset in Toronto" in the News – the Latest Updates

My dear friends and readers, I hope you had a wonderful long weekend. Today I would like to share my latest news – recently I had two interviews with media personalities, Charles Madison from NexxLegacy Radio and Christie Taylor from The Christie Taylor Show. 

The interview with Charles Madison was recorded on April 3rd 2022, it was aired on NexxLegaxy Radio on April 5th, and today it was published on different podcasts across the media. Charles and I talked about my new book of poetry Sunset in Toronto, but also about my first book Bits of Fashion, as well as my journey as a writer, and about fashion in Toronto. 

The interview is available wherever you listen to your podcasts, and I would like to share a few links here – NexxLegacy Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Radio Public, Castbox FM Radio. 

Victoria West, interview with Charles Madison from NexxLegaxy Radio, available on NexxLegacy Radio 

Victoria West, interview with Charles Madison from NexxLegaxy Radio, available on Apple Podcasts  

Victoria West, interview with Charles Madison from NexxLegaxy Radio, available on Spotify 

Victoria West, interview with Charles Madison from NexxLegaxy Radio, available on Radio Public 

Victoria West, interview with Charles Madison from NexxLegaxy Radio, available on Castbox FM Radio

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The other interview that I had with Christie Taylor from The Christie Taylor Show was published on April 8th and can be watched on Instagram. Christie and I had a lovely conversation about fashion, about writing, and about my two books – Sunset in Toronto (poetry) and Bits of Fashion (a collection of fashion essays and interviews). Here's the link: 

Instagram – The Christie Taylor Show, interview with Victoria West, April 8th 2022 

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My book of poetry Sunset in Toronto was recently featured on Canadian Multicultural News – CMNNews.ca. 

LINK to the story: 

Autor Victoria West Released "Sunset in Toronto" Poems

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And finally, I would like to share some updates about new places where my book of poetry Sunset in Toronto can be purchased. Besides Amazon, Sunset in Toronto is also available on various online book outlets around the world. I already shared some of them in one of my previous articles here, and today I would like to share a few more online outlets where my book has become available more recently.

WOB.com – US and UK 

Books.com in Taiwan 

Takealot.com in South Africa

Photo credit: Victoria West

Have a great week ahead everyone!

My Interview with Neil Haley from "The Neil Haley Show"

My dear friends and readers, I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Today I would like to share my latest news -- recently I had an interview with Neil Haley on his podcast The Neil Haley Show. We talked about fashion and writing, and about my two books -- Sunset in Toronto (poetry, 2021) and Bits of Fashion (a collection of fashion essays and interviews, 2013). The podcast is available wherever you listen to your podcasts. I would like to share below the link to one of the places where the podcast is available, on Google Podcasts -- The Neil Haley Show, 03-17-22 (second segment).

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[LINK]

The Neil Haley Show 03-17-22 

Today on The Neil Haley Show, Neil and Juan will interview Deborah Bonham, who is the sister of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. In addition, Dave and Neil will interview fashion writer and author Victoria West. Lastly, Mark Hayden talks all things war. 

--- Support this podcast: Anchor.fm/the-neil-haley-show/support 

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Hope you enjoy it! 

Xoxo, Victoria

My Interview with Host DBoss on Real Life Matters TV Show – on Youtube Now

Hello my dear friends and readers, Happy International Women's Day! Yesterday I was writing about my recent interview with host DBoss from Real Life Matters TV show that aired on a number of TV channels across North America and the UK on Monday night, and today I would like to share the Youtube video of my interview. We talked about my new book of poetry Sunset in Toronto, but also about my first book Bits of Fashion published in 2013, as well as my journey as a writer.  

Hope you enjoy it, and thank you everyone for your support! 

My books Sunset in Toronto and Bits of Fashion are available on Amazon around the world, print and ebook editions, if you search "Victoria West Sunset in Toronto" or "Victoria West Bits of Fashion" in All Departments or directly in Books/Kindle Store. The Kindle editions of my books are also part of Kindle Unlimited. All Amazon links for my books are available on my Purchase Page.

Photo credit: Victoria West

Photo credit: Victoria West

My Interview with Host DBoss on Real Life Matters TV Show – Airing Today

Recently I had a lovely conversation with host DBoss from Real Life Matters TV show about my new book of poetry Sunset in Toronto and my journey as a writer. The Real Life Matters TV show airs on various TV channels and networks in North America and the UK like DBossNetworks, CaribVision, BellFibeTV. The interview was recorded on Friday night, and it will air tonight, at 10 PM EST. Don't miss it!

Photo credit: Facebook.com/RealLifeMattersTV

My book Sunset in Toronto is available on Amazon around the world, both print and Kindle editions, by searching “Victoria West Sunset in Toronto” in All Departments or directly in Books/Kindle Store. The Kindle edition is also part of Kindle Unlimited.

Photo credit: Victoria West

Thank you all for your support!

An Interview with Canadian Singer and Songwriter Sean Jones

Singer and songwriter Sean Jones

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Sean Jones, an R&B singer and songwriter based in Toronto. His single “Stoplight” is a delightful song, and I urge you all to listen to it and get it on your favorite playlist. Among his musical achievements are a Juno Award, a series of concerts that he is giving every Monday night at Casa Loma this summer, and one of his songs being featured in the “Sons 2 The Grave” film. We talked about his career, his ups and downs in music, his dreams, his disappointments, his current and future musical projects.

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Victoria West: Please tell us more about yourself, what is your story? 

Sean Jones: I was born in Etobicoke and moved to Montreal for a couple of years. At the age of 5 my dad got a job overseas in Saudi Arabia and moved the entire family over there. For 5 1/2 years I lived over there and experienced a lot of cool stuff. It’s only now I realize how fortunate I was to have had that kind of experience at such a young age. I also got to take some really cool vacations. I’ve seen much of the world and it’s definitely opened my eyes in so many ways.

I grew up listening to all kinds of music. The band Whitesnake was the first album I ever bought. Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Michael Jackson, Motley Crue, Guns And Roses, Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, Levert, Heavy D and The Boyz, Prince... nothing was off limits. No boundaries.

My parents are both Jamaican and I have a sister. The amount of support I have received from them over the years is nothing short of phenomenal. Through the ups and downs, of which there have been many, they have always been there cheering me on. Family is everything to me.

I have a degree from York University in Kinesiology. Hopefully I'll never have to use it!

Victoria West: How did you start your music career and what made you choose this path? 

Sean Jones: Here’s the short version of a long story: Basically I was a shy kid that wanted attention from the ladies but didn’t know how to get it. I was humming in French class one day and my teacher asked me to come to the front of the class and sing. With great hesitation I did it and every girl was in awe! After that I was hooked!

Victoria West: Can you tell us about obstacles that you had to overcome in order to get where you are today? 

Sean Jones: For me I think the biggest battle that I’ve faced, and still continue to is “doubt”. Not just from people but from myself. Believing in yourself and the art you’re creating and trying to share with the world can be trying at times to say the least. Could be the emptiness in your wallet that has you pondering if you should just give up and find a “real job”. Might be that executive gate keeper who holds the key to your art being heard or seen by the masses BUT refuses to let your dreams pass through because they THINK they know what the world needs to hear. Could be the voice in your head telling you that your time has passed. Time to pack it in and move on. I have personally experienced all of these and more. But I’m a dreamer. For some crazy reason I believe that if I work hard enough, long enough, my time will come. That I will share what I was meant to share with the world at large. It’s a constant struggle but my belief in my destiny is greater than the doubt that surfaces from time to time. I will win... and that’s that.

Victoria West: Please tell us more about your song “Stoplight” (which by the way is an amazing song), what is the inspiration behind it? 

Sean Jones: So here is an interesting story about this tune. I performed last year in Dallas at a fundraising gala for an organization called Best Buddies which pairs people with kids who have intellectual disabilities. It was there I met a wonderful young lady named Lisa Smith who cannot sing because she has Down Syndrome. However, her desire to perform and love for music is so strong that Lisa actually signs the words to any song while someone else sings it. I remember meeting her at sound check. She was so excited ad maybe a little shy. But when she came back for the performance... wow! She had on a tight fitting tiger print dress and she was ready to rock the stage. And she nailed it. And as the crowd was applauding and she was taking it all in I just thought to myself: “She deserves the spotlight tonight. She deserves to shine! Tonight she is the star!” Michael Shand, Miku Graham and myself finished that song months later, and while I can’t say that the song is completely about Lisa, I can with 100% honesty say that I drew inspiration from that experience in Dallas to create it. Will be sending her the finished version shortly. Maybe I can get her to sign on it! 

Victoria West: You are giving the “Soul in the City” concert series at the historic Casa Loma in Toronto every Monday night through the entire summer, please tell us more about this project, how did it start, how did you make it a reality, who helped you along the way? 

Sean Jones: To play at the castle every Monday is truly amazing. It really is one of, if not the, best venue in the city. I’ve got an 8-piece band that kills and every week I invite 3 special guests to perform a couple tunes for the audience. The whole show takes place outside in the beautiful Casa Loma gardens. There is a glass pavilion that seats about 300. However, because we are now experiencing numbers of 900+ per Monday, the castle has added seating in the gardens themselves. And to make sure that those seated in the garden get to see the same show as the people in the pavilion, a jumbo screen was erected to make sure all can enjoy the show.

I have to thank Nick Di Donato, President and CEO of Liberty Group, as well as my manager Jeffrey Latimer for putting the idea together and then handing it over to me to work out the show itself. Nick was simply looking for another event to compliment his “Symphony in the Gardens” event he throws every Tuesday night in the summer. He had seen me perform on numerous occasions and believed that together we could make a night like this successful. He chatted with Jeffrey and viola! “Soul in the City” was born. It is hands down the best showcase for soul/R&B in this country.

Victoria West: You are a Juno Award winner, please tell us all you can share about this experience. 

Sean Jones: It was a magical night. We not only got to perform on the show but we won Best R&B Soul Recording for our album “The Master Plan”. We had worked for 10 years to get to that level and when our name was announced as the winner I teared up a bit. We were on top of the world. I remember my phone ringing non stop for the rest of the night. People just calling to say congrats and that they’d seen us on TV. Definitely something I’ll always remember.

Victoria West: Please tell us more about your work on the feature film “Sons 2 The Grave”, how did this project become a reality for you? 

Sean Jones: I met Sasha and Lynn Stoltz over 8 years ago when Sasha was doing Public Relations for the label I happened to be signed to. I heard about the film and one night was inspired to write a song for the movie. I recorded a very rough demo and gave it to them.

Movies can take a long time to finally get filmed but, when the movie was in its final stages they reached out to me about the song I wrote for them years ago. They also wanted to know if I had anything else that might be appropriate. I sent them “When I'm Gone” and they liked it even better than the tune I had originally given them for the movie. The rest is history I suppose.

Victoria West: And the song from the movie, “When I’m Gone”, what is the story of this song, what’s the inspiration behind it? 

Sean Jones: “When I’m Gone” was not originally written for the movie. It was just an idea I came up with while playing guitar one night. I ended up sending it to Sasha when she asked if I had any other material suitable for the film.

Sounds kind of morbid but I’ve often wondered to myself “What will people say about me when I'm dead and gone?” If the only thing they remember about me is that I had some good songs and a nice voice, then I think I’ve failed on some level. When I was younger I really didn’t care. It was all about clubs, drinks, girls, and the spotlight of the stage. Nowadays I’m doing my best to mentor youth and give aspiring artists a chance to shine on a stage that I’ve helped build. I was completely blindsided the other night when a young man named Matte Black came up to me and explained that I was responsible for him not killing himself many years ago when I gave him an opportunity to open for me. You just never know the impact your gonna have on someone’s life.

Victoria West: What else are you working on right now, or will be working in the near future? 

Sean Jones: Always working on creating new music. That just never stops. Gonna be releasing some new music shortly so that takes a bit of planning. Also working on putting together a tour and exploring new territories.

Victoria West: Where do you find your inspiration as an artist? 

Sean Jones: These days I’m finding inspiration in some of the young artists I’m bringing to Casa Loma. Their talent is so raw yet so good! It’s exciting to see them do their thing and it’s equally exciting to see the crowd react to it. I love all of that.

I’m also inspired by the crappy state the world is in. So much hate. I can let it depress me or I can find a way to fight against it and inspire people to love. I choose the latter.

Victoria West: What are your thoughts on the Canadian music industry nowadays? What does it take to make it as a successful singer and songwriter? 

Sean Jones: 99% of the time, if you want to make it as a successful singer or songwriter you will NEED to leave this country. That’s just the facts. There are sooooooo many reasons I could get into about it that but I would need to write an essay to express myself properly. There is a problem here. So much talent and yet that same talent has to go elsewhere to be recognized before WE as Canadians will recognize their abilities. Why??? When are WE going to be the FIRST to figure out and nurture the diamonds in this great country of ours and THEN share them with the world!!!???

Victoria West: Please share with us a memory of yours that you are particularly fond of. 

Sean Jones: After singing “What a Wonderful World” to end a performance in Georgia, an 80- year old woman came up to me and told me that that song was the first song her and her recently deceased husband had ever danced to. With tears in her eyes she said “Thank you”. To this day it is one of the most touching moments I have ever experienced.

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The song “Stoplight” by Sean Jones is available on iTunes, Spotify and SoundCloud. To learn more about the artist and his music, please visit SeanJones.tv.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Sasha Stoltz Publicity

An Interview with the R&B Singer J Matthew, aka City Black

Jay Matthew, also known as J Matthew, aka City Black, is an emerging R&B artist from Toronto. Besides R&B, he also sings pop and soul. He recently released his debut single “Can’t Stop”, which is now available on iTunes. The artist worked closely with experienced producers and songwriters to create his first single. J Matthew is set to perform in front of thousands at the iconic Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, on the TDOT FEST stage, on September 4.

I had the pleasure to interview J Matthew recently, and the artist shared about his music, his career aspirations and his hopes for the future.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Sasha Stoltz Publicity

Victoria West: Who are you, J Matthew aka City Black? What is your story? Please tell us about yourself, where do you come from, where were you born and raised, what is your background? 

J Matthew: I’m 25, born and raised in Scarborough, one of the six boroughs in Toronto, Ontario. I recently completed my undergrad at University. I’m looking forward to pursue my Master’s in September. Since a child, I had a passion for R&B music and had favorites like R. Kelly, Michael Jackson and Aaliyah. Everyday I continue to learn more about music and have become open to all genres and decades of music. I want to contribute to the evolution of music and create great hits that people will listen to forever.

Victoria West: Please tell us a bit about your music career and how did you start as a singer. 

J Matthew: I’m currently working on my first album which will help promote me as an artist by allowing the public to listen to a good amount of music, I hope it will help generate feedback about the music they enjoy most from me and their overall opinion. Singing is something I’ve always enjoyed, but knew that if I wanted to pursue it professionally, I would need vocal lessons which I have begun taking continuously, about 2 years ago.

Victoria West: What were the challenges that you faced along the way on your music path? 

J Matthew: One of the challenges I face is releasing an efficient amount of material that will allow new audiences to listen to my music. With only one song being out at the moment, there are people that may be curious to hear more and they are not given the chance. Also, more content would allow me to take up more space on social media sites like YouTube so that more people can become more familiar with me and my music.

The second challenge I face is vocal control. As I continue to develop my vocal skills, there are many things I hope to accomplish so I can use these same skills within my music to bring out stronger emotion, performance and creation.

Victoria West: When was the first time you knew that you wanted to sing? 

J Matthew: I’ve always wanted to sing. Since I was a child, I would always imagine being on stage in front of thousands. It was a place where I felt happy and free.

Victoria West: You just released your debut single “Can’t Stop”, please tell us more about the song and the story behind it. 

J Matthew: “Can’t Stop” was released to get public feedback about my project. We are working towards the song “The Sound of the Six” by developing a new distinctive sound of music that I can brand myself to, while at the same time acknowledging the current sounds used within the music listened to today.

Most people that have heard the song at first were those who helped create it, friends and family who were also surprised with the result. We felt it would be the best choice for a debut single because the song caters to a wide audience. The song reflects a person stuck in a memory with someone they’ve cared for and hoping they could get one more chance to make things better. The music video is available on YouTube.

Victoria West: You will be performing on the TDOT FEST stage at the Yonge and Dundas Square this September, what does it mean for your music career, what do you hope this event will bring you?  

J Matthew: TDOT FEST will give me an opportunity to sing live in front of a diverse audience and promote my music. Yonge and Dundas Square is one of the most popular places in Downtown Toronto and TDOT FEST is one of their biggest annual events. I hope this event will bring me the opportunity to gain more performances and even one day have my own show.

Victoria West: Is this your first performance of this scale? 

J Matthew: Yes.

Victoria West: Please tell us what are your projects for the near future, say the next 12 months. 

J Matthew: We are planning to shoot another video in a few weeks and debut another release near the end of August. I plan to travel to New York to meet and hopefully work with some producers. The main project I will be working on is to complete the album and to have each song be of something we can all relate to or have experienced at some point in our life.

Victoria West: What inspires you as an artist? 

J Matthew: The mystery of nature. Its sounds and visual environments are always changing. I often visualize my music as a seed that is beginning to grow until the final project is complete. By doing so, it helps to try and think of ways I could help make things sound better.

Victoria West: Where do you hope your music career will take you in the next 5 to 10 years? 

J Matthew: I hope to become established in the music industry and continue to develop my talent. I hope to meet and collaborate with other musicians who may also guide me to help develop myself by sharing their experiences. I would find it a big achievement to tour the world.

Victoria West: What is the advice that you could give to the young, emerging artists who are trying to make it in the music industry? 

J Matthew: Don’t quit. There can be days when you feel as though things may never work out and it’s a long journey. Be patient, practice, and give it your best. Be thankful for the people who work with you and support and share the same goals as you.

Victoria West: And to conclude, please tell us about a hobby of yours, how do you like to spend your free time? 

J Matthew: Some of my hobbies include: reading, world news, yoga/working out. I enjoy spending my free time with friends, dancing and parties.

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J Matthew can be followed on Instagram and Twitter.

An Interview with Canadian Fashion Designer Christopher Bates

Designer Christopher Bates

Victoria West: You just showed your fall collection at World MasterCard Toronto Fashion Week, did you meet the expectations that you had for this season’s Fashion Week? 

Christopher Bates: Absolutely, it was a great experience. The show was well received, there have been lots of great reviews and some new customers.

VW: When your new collection is going to be available in stores? 

CB: First delivery will be in late August, in the same stores as before – both locations of Gotstyle in Toronto (Bathurst and Distillery District) and Channer’s in Waterloo.

VW: What does it take to a Canadian fashion designer to show at Toronto Fashion Week, what are the steps to be taken, from the registration till the actual show on the runway? 

CB: If you haven’t shown before, then you have to apply. It’s a fairly detailed application process, you have to submit everything – lookbooks, line sheets, detailed information on your past, your plans, your stores. Then you have to send samples, which will be reviewed. I have already shown before, so for me it was just a matter of expressing my interest in doing a show and paying the fees.

VW: How do you acquire your models for the shows? 

CB: I have worked with a lot of guys here over the years. I contact agencies and book models. Also, a lot of the guys are my friends and I ask them if they want to do it – they don’t do it for free necessarily, but it’s great, it really helps me.

VW: Have you started working on your next spring collection yet? 

CB: Yes, absolutely. I haven’t started making the prototypes yet, but I’ve started with the design process, and I’m going to start making the prototypes very soon.

VW: Besides your spring collection, do you work on any other projects right now? 

CB: I work on many-many other projects. I’m doing some consulting design for another large fashion brand right now, I can’t say what it is, but it’s taking all my time at the moment. I’m also doing a couple of homeware projects – pillows, carpets, things like that. I’m also doing a lot of custom work – custom suits, raincoats, dress shirts, this business is really booming right now. I also dress a lot of celebrities for Juno Awards. So yes, my schedule is pretty full right now.

VW: Can we expect to see you at Toronto Fashion Week again? 

CB: Yes, for sure. Next season I’ll be showing either in Toronto, or in Montreal, or both – this would be the plan.

VW: Do you read fashion magazines? 

CB: Yes, I do. There is a number of magazines for men or for both men and women, and I read both – men’s, women’s, unisex.

VW: What are your favorites? 

CB: I like Fashion, the men’s and the women’s version; Dress to Kill; Product; Flare, which is a classic; Sharp. There is also Women’s Wear Daily that I like, which is more of a newspaper type of publication, but overall this is really my favorite source for fashion news.

VW: How do you like to spend your free time? 

CB: I go to the gym or play soccer, I do sports 7 days a week, that’s really important to me, I love being healthy. It’s a stress reliever as well, I feel so much better after exercising. I listen to music, I read books, I cook, I host a lot of dinner parties, I like spending time with friends and family, I love to travel, I love movies.

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Follow Christopher Bates on ChristopherBates.com, Facebook, Twitter.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Christopher Bates

ReelWorld Film Festival 2013: short film “Eneme”

ReelWorld Film Festival starts next week, on Wednesday April 10th. One of the films showcased at this year’s RWFF is the Canadian short drama Eneme (director Chris Abell), which will be screened at Famous Players Theater at Canada Square in Toronto on Friday April 12th. After the recent death of his son, Boyd (played by Edsson Morales) is deciding between his own life and death. Canadian Features Programmer Bobby Del Rio says: “Edsson Morales delivers a powerhouse performance in this well-crafted short film about one man’s pain”.

I have had the opportunity to chat with the filmmakers of the short drama Eneme – Chris Abell, director; Brendan Whelton and Chris Green, producers; Edsson Morales, lead actor.

When I asked the four of them to tell me about the making of the film, director Chris Abell told me that the lead actor Edsson Morales had come to him with an idea, they collaborated on the script, and then, over a couple of months, they brought over producers Chris Green and Brendan Whelton. After that, the idea just flew through Edsson’s style of acting and Chris’s style of directing. Chris Abell and Edsson Morales tried to create a very dark atmosphere inside the characters. The location was brought to them by the producers coming on board, and within 3 months the film was shot. The editing of the film took approximately another 3 months. This is the first festival the short film Eneme is showcased at.

Producers Brendan Whelton and Chris Green shared that for them the making of this film was a really great experience. Brendan was approached by actor Edsson Morales, and since the two producers have worked with Edsson on a feature film in the past, they were looking forward to working with him on a new film again, so they decided to come on board of Eneme. They had gone through 8-9 drafts of the script until it was locked. Once the script was decided upon, the shooting started and everything came together really quickly. As the film developed, Brendan says, the producers passed the ball to Chris Abell and Edsson Morales – they just needed to make sure that they stayed out of the director and lead actor’s way and let them get where they needed to go. Producers Brendan and Chris even joked that there was a very cold weekend when they shot the film, but it was an awesome experience for them.

Then I asked Edsson Morales to share about his experience with the film. He told me that from an actor’s point of view, it was an amazing project to work on, thanks to the team that the film had and thanks to Chris Abell, the director. “It was awesome to work with him [Chris Abell]. Whenever you needed someone to help you dig and get into that moment, or get into that character, Chris [Abell] was definitely there. Also, our producers Brendan Whelton and Chris Green made it an easier environment to work in. It was really great how they pulled it together. For me as an actor, it was an awesome script to work with. Also, my co-star Leo – he’s 10 years old, he is a very talented young man, and it was awesome to work with him. And yes, it was definitely a very cold weather when we shot the film, but it was an amazing experience.” 

Director Chris Abell hopes this film to be a reflection. Eneme reflects the idea of a man who’s lost his son. How someone in this situation would feel, what would they be forced to go through, and what would they do about it? Taking it to the extremes? What Chris hopes for is that the audience will feel the heartache and the pain of the lead character and reflect on it.

Filmmakers of the short drama "Eneme" (left to right) -- director Chris Abell, producer Chris Green,  lead actor Edsson Morales, producer Brendan Whelton

Photo credit: Victoria West

Short films featured at ReelWorld Film Festival 2013

This year’s ReelWorld Film Festival, the festival of the diverse and multicultural films and artists, will take place in Toronto next month, on April 10-14. For 5 days the festival will showcase feature films, documentaries, short films and music videos.

YEAA (Young Emerging Actors Assembly) and ACTRA Toronto will feature nine short films coming from experienced and emerging Canadian artists. The nine short films, which will be screened on Sunday April 14th at Famous Players Theater in Canada Square (Yonge & Eglinton, Toronto), are:

Bejide 
A Man Is a Man Is a Man 
To Hell with Love 
The Change 
The Haircut 
The New Domain 
Audition Day 
The Sound That Broke the Silence 
Getaway Car 

I have had the opportunity to chat with three young artists, filmmakers of two of the above mentioned short films, that participate in this year’s ReelWorld Film Festival – Clara Pasieka (Bejide), Raven Dauda (Bejide) and Richard Young (Audition Day).

Clara Pasieka is the writer, executive producer and actor in the short film Bejide. Raven Dauda is one of the actors in this film as well. Richard Young is the filmmaker of the short film Audition Day, but he also acted in a couple of other short films that will be featured at this year’s RWFF come April.

This is the first screen play for Clara Pasieka. She is an actor, as well as a playwright. Also, it's her first time as a filmmaker, which, she says, is really exciting. But as an actor, she has done a lot of work in theater, film and television.

For Clara, ReelWorld Film Festival is a platform to tell stories that are important to her. She thinks it can be really difficult to find a place where people can hear the stories that emerging filmmakers want to tell – that’s the tricky thing for young filmmakers, to find a festival that would be interested in hearing those stories. Clara has always been interested in writing multicultural plays and screenplays for theater and film. This is a really unique festival, she says, and to her it’s an absolute honor to tell stories that reflect the diversity and multiculturality showcased by this festival.

Raven Dauda has been an actor in Canada for over 20 years now. She shares that she loves the film festivals. She has been a part of Toronto International Film Festival, as well as a part of Sundance Festival; and now, being a part of ReelWorld Film Festival is a real honor for her and she admits she is very excited about it.

Raven thinks that as an actor, primarily in this festival, it’s just wonderful to have this type of support. Canada has a rich pool of talent, so for her being a part of a festival like this helps showcase that, helps showcase the sense of diversity, and allows Canadians to know exactly what our country’s artists have to say.

As Richard Young says, the main scope of this partnership between YEAA and ReelWorld is to give the emerging artists and filmmakers the necessary space to create films and work on them together. All these short films were made by ACTRA members or actors. Richard thinks that in this country Canadian actors need to be true artists and take the reigns of their own career. They cannot wait around for the agent to call them, they need to find a way to create their own works. In this collective of short films Richard and his partners have worked with people who are first time filmmakers. The films are great, but there is a learning process of being an actor, a producer, a writer, and taking back the control of their own career, by saying: “Here’s my voice, I can do it, it’s not as difficult as I thought it was going to be, and I have something to say”. Richard thinks that ReelWorld Film Festival provides that support by giving a voice to the people who want to share their stories.

When I asked the three artists what do they think about the future of the short film in Canada, Clara Pasieka told me that in her opinion the short films are the building blocks for many of filmmakers into creating bigger stories and feature film. But she also thinks that this country needs to pay more attention to short films, because there are a lot of amazing short films in Canada that people don’t see, because they don’t know about them. She says: “We need to start getting Canada watching short films, and we need to do that by featuring short films on television. I think filmmakers are taking some incredible risks and they are telling some incredible stories that they wouldn’t necessarily be able to or have the option to tell these stories in feature long films. So it’s really important we get Canada watch short films – I’m astounded when I see all these amazing Canadian short films from so many talented artists.”

Poster of the film "Bejide" (depicting Raven Dauda and Clara Pasieka), directed by Joel Keller, 

poster design by Sean Kung

For more information on ReelWorld Film Festival, please visit ReelWorld.ca.

An Interview with Canadian Actress Tonya Lee Williams, Founder of ReelWorld Film Festival

The annual press conference of the ReelWorld Film Festival (RWFF) took place in Toronto last week, on Wednesday March 20th. The event was held at Famous Players Theatre at Canada Square (Yonge and Eglinton). The conference was presided over by Canadian actress Tonya Lee Williams, founder and executive director of ReelWorld Film Festival. The programmers of the festival presented the upcoming events of this year’s RWFF that will take place next month, April 10th – 14th. There will be 84 films featured at the festival next April – feature films, short films, documentaries and music videos, from a total of 17 countries. The trailer of the festival was also showcased during the press conference.

*****

Victoria West: Looking back at 2001 when you founded ReelWorld Film Festival, do you think you achieved what you were hoping for, after these 13 years, or even more than you hoped for? 

Tonya Lee Williams: I don’t know, not more that I hoped for, but exactly what I actually thought. We needed a place, a meeting place, let’s say an oasis, where all these diverse film makers could come together, share their experiences, and help each other. What I’ve watched over the 13 years is how they have bonded. They are now working together, they have produced and directed films, built production companies, and that’s really what I wanted the festival to be – it’s the oasis where we come together, and share, and move forward. It was also a great platform to attract a lot of distributors and more senior professionals in the industry to be able to impart their knowledge to a lot of these emerging artists.

At the time when we started the festival, there was really nothing like it. There wasn’t a place where people could just go every year: “This is where I can put my film, this is where I can meet people who can help my career”. The fact that that keeps happening, is what my expectation always was; and if that keeps happening, then this is where I meant it to be.

VW: What are you the most excited for about this year's ReelWorld Film Festival? 

TLW: I think the programming is so superior this year. We have some amazing films. Not only do we have 66% Canadian films this year, but we also show films from Egypt, Iran, Uganda, Nigeria, UK, Ireland, Caribbean, Guadalupe. We have the first film from a female director from Guadalupe at the festival this year. The films are absolutely amazing. I’m also very proud of our music video program. When people think music videos, I think they are always thinking hip-hop and urban music; but it’s an art form, and there are so many directors doing so many beautiful things, visually beautiful things, and that’s what we want people to look at when they look at the music videos that we programmed this year.

Also, industry series – people forget that a film festival is not just screening films. We have amazing panels. Telefilm is doing a panel that is the best panel for people who are emerging film makers and who are always saying: “How do I get my film made, how do I get financing, how do I move it to the next step?” This is the panel you need to be at. Another wonderful panel is the panel with The Writers’ Guild of Canada – there is a lot of writers who want to get into TV shows; how do you become a part of a writers’ team? This panel is about that.

And then the networking events that we do – when we say networking, we think less about parties, we don’t think much networking thing happens at parties. We do a brunch with an Ontario Media Development Corporation support session where people can talk and sit, and be casual and comfortable, and yet in a working environment.

Another event we do is Face2Face, which is an opportunity for emerging artists to have 15 minutes one-on-one time with more senior professionals to talk about whether they are pitching a project or if they are trying to move their careers to the next level.

So there are so many components! What’s great is we have an amazing website that Wired Messenger developed, and we just launched it on March 20th. On the website, there is everything – an opportunity for people to see information about more that 84 films that are in the festival this year, and to see all the different workshops, and panels, and everything that’s going on, including our Reel Youth screening, which happens on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (April 12th, 13th, 14th). Schools bring kids age 8 to 13 to see an amazing production of some films that we’ve gotten from the National Film Board, and also LIFT is doing a workshop for them. So there is a lot in 5 days.

VW: How it is decided which films to be screened for the opening and closing nights? 

TLW: We do it as a collective. I worked with 7 programmers this year (I was the director of programming), and we looked at everything. This year we’re opening with a film from Ghana, Contract; in fact, there are not many films that have come from Ghana. Every year we try to look for what’s the community that we should spotlight a bit this year. That film is a hilarious one, a comedy. We’re closing with a salvation Bollywood film, Aayna Ka Bayna, but a Bollywood film with a twist that has a modern take on how Bollywood films are done.

These are done as a collective. We as programmers get together, we discuss all the programming, we look at what we think is the strongest film to open the festival with, what would be to close the festival, and then what pieces to put all in the centre.

VW: How do you see ReelWorld Film Festival in the future, let’s say in 10 years from now? 

TLW: Ten years from now? I want it to be the same festival actually. I just want a bigger audience. I want the Canadian audience to come to the festival excited to see what Canadian artists are doing, what international emerging artists are doing, so for me the growth at this point is always now about the audience. We have great filmmakers, we have great films, we have incredible staff, we have phenomenal programmers – that is all great. If I can keep all that up, then I am really happy. What I still find challenging is how to get the audience to get out of their bed, get in their car and come down to Canada Square and check out the five days of the festival. And I think most film festivals struggle with this, but it’s something that we work on all the time. TIFF, Cannes – everybody struggles with it. But I think that’s what I would want in 10 years – everything to be sold out, every single film.

And we have to expand the festival. Sometimes people even now say to me: “The festival is 5 days, why don’ you make it longer?” I said I would not make the festival longer, until I see every film is filled in the five days. Then I will know it’s time to expand it. But there is no point to make the festival longer for no reason.

*****

For more information about the festival please visit ReelWorld.ca.

Photo credit: Victoria West

An Interview with Canadian Designer Christopher Bates

Designer Christopher Bates

As recorded on October 31, 2012

Christopher Bates is one of the leading menswear designers in Canada. Born and raised in Vancouver, he studied fashion design in Milan. Currently, his fashion brand is established in Toronto, retailing at Gotstyle menswear store, among other fine clothing stores.

One of the highlights of his fashion career is his being among the 8 finalists at Mercedes Benz Start Up Program, a prestigious fashion competition for emerging designers, founded in Canada in 2011. The program is sponsored by Mercedes Benz Canada Inc. and is produced in association with Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC). This year’s Semifinal of Mercedes Benz Start Up Program took place in Ottawa, in August, and the Final of this competition took place in Toronto, during Word MasterCard Toronto Fashion Week (October 22-26, 2012).

He is also said to be The Most Eligible Bachelor of Toronto, according to Eligible Magazine.

Christopher Bates kindly agreed to meet with me for an interview earlier this week, and it’s my great pleasure to share it with you today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Christopher Bates.

***

Victoria West: Please tell us a bit about your brand and its history. 

Christopher Bates: I’ll start at the beginning – I studied fashion design in Milan, at Instituto Marangoni, in 2006-2007. Then I moved back to Vancouver to start my line, in 2008. I moved to Toronto in 2010 to grow the business, I’ve been here just over 2 years now, and it’s really starting to catch on.

VW: How would you describe the man who wears Christopher Bates designs? 

CB: It’s interesting – when I launched, I was after the 25 to 35-year old crowd; but I’ve actually found the guys who were 35 to 55 range. So it’s the middle age, career oriented guys who appreciate designer fashion.

VW: You were one of the finalists of Mercedes Benz Start Up fashion competition, what do you think being a part of this contest will bring to your fashion career? 

CB: Mercedes Benz Start Up has been great. We had a chance to meet with a lot of really great industry professionals. They have been mentoring me over the last few months and they are going to continue mentoring me moving forward. That will help me a lot, their advice is really invaluable for all aspects of my business development. Also, we had a chance to do a fashion show in Ottawa, as part of the original Final, so that was the first time when I’ve been to Ottawa and it got me some exposure in that market. And of course, the fashion show at Toronto Fashion Week that was sponsored by Mercedes – that was a fantastic opportunity that I wouldn’t have had, if it wasn’t for the Mercedes Benz Start Up Program. All of that has brought a lot of attention to my brand and helped raise my profile, generated lots of press, and now more and more people want the product. That is really the bottom line – that it’s helping with the sales, which is fantastic.

VW: Where do you retail, besides Gotstyle? 

CB: In Toronto it’s Gotstyle, in Waterloo I’m at Channer’s, and in Quebec City I’m at Boutique Novo.

VW: Do you intend to show your collections at Toronto Fashion Week in the future? 

CB: I do. I’m working on a plan to potentially show in this spring, I would like to. I think it’s a great platform, it gets a lot of attention, a lot of press; and I also just really enjoy it. I want to share my work with as many people as possible and that’s the best stage in Canada.

VW: Do you know if you’re going to do that at the next Toronto Fashion Week yet? 

CB: I don’t know yet. It can be a very costly endeavor, I would want to use the main stage, it has to make sense for my business, and it’s really a marketing exercise ultimately. Do I have that much to put into my marketing budget at that time? I don’t know yet. But I’d like to find a way to do it.

VW: Where do you find your inspiration? 

CB: Just life, just living life. I’m really into lots of different things – I love automotive, I love homewares, I love graphic design and typography, I’m into architecture, movies, music. And traveling of course, it’s really big. By just living my life, I find certain things that really inspire me and start to generate ideas in my head for clothing – that’s sort of how my mind works.

VW: Do you work on any project right now? 

CB: Yes, I do. Right now, I’m working on potentially an order for 600 dress shirts, which is really exciting. I’m also shooting my lookbook this week, which will be my Spring 2013 catalogue that I’ll be using to then start to pitch more stores on picking up my line for Spring 2013, so I’ll be doing a little sales push. I’m also working on a presentation version of my business plan, so I’m going to be meeting with investors. Once that’s complete, I’ll have to raise financing and invest to grow the business. I’m also working on my new collection for next fall. Right now, it’s just in the gestation period, I’m working on the designs, but I’ve got to get started pretty soon, in order to be on time for the season. So, I’m very busy.

VW: Fashion collaborations between designers and ready-to-wear brands occur more and more frequently these days. The best example would be H&M. Another example would be Martin Lim, the designers who won Mercedes Benz Start Up Program in 2011, and who just launched a capsule collection in collaboration with Reitmans. Would that be a project of interest for you in the future, would you consider doing such collaborative collections with other fashion houses and brands? 

CB: I would for sure, it’s actually something that I’m actively pursuing right now. It has to make sense, it should be a brand that I’d like to be affiliated with, and who would like to be affiliated with me, there has to be a good fit.

VW: Do you have any name(s) in mind? 

CB: I think it would be premature to say that at this point. There are lots of people I’d like to work with on such a project, but I don’t want to put anybody out by choosing one category. I’d like to do shoes/footwear – this is something that I’m really keen on at the moment, because I think there is a void in the marketplace for contemporary men’s dress shoe. I recently was shopping, I wanted a basic men’s contemporary dress shoe in black, and one in brown. I went to just about every shoe place in downtown Toronto, and there are virtually no options. So I have some ideas for what should be out there for men’s dress shoes, and I want to help design them and make them. Footwear is probably the first thing that I am keen on; but also I’ve designed some eyewear, I’ve also designed homewares. I never really stop designing, so I do want to collaborate, not just with other ready-to-wear clothing manufactures, but also with accessories.

VW: And on a personal note, what is your favorite movie (or movies)? 

CB: Ah, that’s a great one. Blade Runner, The Last of the Mohicans and The Count of Monte Cristo are three of my favorites. What I like about these movies is the music, the cinematography, the acting, the directing, and the story – those are the important parts.

VW: What is your favorite movie from the costume perspective? 

CB: The new Tron is a good example – I really liked the costumes, very futuristic and modern and cool; visually, that was a really strong movie.

***

Follow Christopher Bates on Facebook, Twitter and ChristopherBates.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christopher Bates

An Interview with Dale Debusschere, the Manager of the New Value Village Store Opened in Mississauga This Month

Victoria West: How and when did you get involved in the Value Village business?

Dale Debusschere: In late 1993, early 1994, while working as a factory rep for an automotive supply company in Calgary, I met the store manager and district manager at a Value Village store near my company’s warehouse. Over the next few months I became convinced that Value Village was the type of company I’d like to join and have been with Value Village since March, 1994.

VW: Why did you choose Mississauga for a new Value Village location in GTA?

DD: Toronto overall is a really important market for Value Village. We have fantastic nonprofit partners, and we have tremendously supportive shoppers. In general, though, when looking at new markets, we typically look at certain geographical areas where both Value Village and our nonprofit partners can be successful in serving local communities. Our other Mississauga store is doing very well, and we feel that the community can support and will love having a second store in the area.

VW: Did the sales go as you expected on these first days since you opened the new store to the public? Or was it lower or higher than your expectations?

DD: We were really proud of our opening weekend, and the response from local shoppers exceeded our expectations. There was definitely excitement in the community leading into our grand opening weekend!

VW: The new fall-winter fashion season has just begun and everybody is shopping for a new fall wardrobe. How does Value Village stand out among traditional retailers (i.e. malls, outlets) to attract customers and keep them, aside from the low prices?

DD: Some of the latest fall-winter trends for 2011 are perfect for thrift shopping, and we love to help our shoppers take the in-season looks and make them their own – for a fraction of the cost to buy new. We even post a guide to seasonal trends on our website at http://valuevillage.com/Fashion-Trends.aspx. Some of the ones we’ve observed right now are animal print, faux fur, timeless plaid, and deep jewel tones.

VW: For some of the fashion consumers the label name is also important. What does Value Village have to offer in terms of designer merchandise?

DD: One of the best parts about shopping at Value Village is the thrill of the hunt. Whenever someone shops at our store, they can count on finding a hidden gem whether it’s a designer vintage coat, or a designer blouse with the price tag still attached. We have more than 100,000 items on our sales floor, with 5,000 new pieces added daily – so every time you visit you will find something new and unique!

VW: Do you shop at Value Village? If yes, can you give us a few examples of some of your favorite finds?

DD: Yes, I love shopping at Value Village! Being size XLT, I rarely find my “style” of clothing in a traditional retail store because my size selection is quite limited. Big and tall stores typically have a great selection of professional, but the casual styles rarely appeal to me. With Value Village’s wide selection of styles, I know it’s just a matter of time before I’ll find the perfect item. I do have to admit that after nearly 18 years, closet space has become an issue for me. I don’t seem to be able to part with (donate) my finds as quickly as I buy.

VW: Do you encourage your friends and family to thrift shop at Value Village? If yes, are they willing to, or have they already become Value Village customers?

DD: Yes, my family and friends shop at Value Village. I talk about all of the interesting things I find at work so much that it’s inspired them to shop at Value Village even more! My friends are especially shopping at Value Village now because of Halloween right around the corner. One of my friends is going to be a zombie and he found everything he needed for his costume at Value Village for under $15! Another of my friends is planning to be Black Swan for Halloween. She found a corset, a tutu, ballet slippers, and gloves for less than $20 – she mixed new accessories and gently used items for this great costume.

VW: Are there any plans for Value Village to open new stores in other GTA locations in the future? And in Canada?

DD: We have a few more stores opening in Canada this year with one in Orillia, ON, and another in Yorkton, SK next month. But next year is also going to be a busy year with quite a few new stores opening in the U.S. and Canada, so stay tuned!

"Tré Armstrong Give Back" Foundation Launched in Toronto: An Interview with Tré Armstrong

Monday August 15th 2011 – Canadian TV celebrity, dancer, choreographer, actress and “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” Judge Tré Armstrong is bringing the Spirit of Dance by launching her new not-for-profit foundation “Tré Armstrong Give Back” based in Toronto. The event was marked by a fabulous party held at The Spoke Club in Toronto, 600 King Street West. The mission of the new foundation is clear, to make dance and creative artistic expression accessible to the youth across Canada, that may otherwise not have the opportunity, and to inspire their artistic hopes, dreams and passions. Dance empowers people and Tré wants to give that empowerment to all youth, regardless of their circumstances and in some cases, because of just who they are! The “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation will focus on developing life skills through enjoyable youth programming and performing arts at the community level alongside educational classes and seminars, promoting continued learning along with the development of key life and social skills. The “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation believes every child should be allowed to explore their inner “spirit of dance”.

I had the pleasure of attending this glamorous event and interviewing Tré Armstrong on her new foundation.

Victoria West: How did the idea of the “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation appear?

Tré Armstrong: In 2007 I rented a dance studio for 3 hours, held three classes and had 30 participants. And it was all for FREE! I figured there was something to this, and at Christmas in 2009 I held another event called Give Back, giving a full day of free dance classes while raising money and food for charity. Now, in 2011, we just finished our 4th Give Back event, with over 400 kids, 25 dance and movement classes and so much more!

VW: What were the steps you had to take to start and launch the foundation?

TA: Talk to a lot of people who have opened up a foundation in the past that are still successful, as well as speak to those already in the not-for-profit sector to find out the DOs and DON’Ts. Then, assembling my Board of Directors, Executive Director and pillars of the foundation came next. Finally, legalizing was the final first step, of many more to come I assume, lol.

VW: Who helped you along the process?

TA: All my Board of Directors, Executive Director, current youth dance program participants, my mother, brothers and family, close friends, many volunteers and of course God.

VW: You dedicate your work to children and youth. How will they benefit from the “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation?

TA: We will have free dance programming across Canada for youth ages 7+. Our foundation's mission is to make performing arts more accessible to our nation's future leaders. Our aim is to make available scholarships and awards for various areas of dance and their performance artists and artistic institutions.

VW: Are there any criteria by which children and youth to benefit from the “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation will be selected?

TA: A non-biased selection format will be used at all times.

VW: What are the objectives of the “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation in the near future?

TA: To continue The Give Back Event at Canada's National Ballet School in Toronto and expand it across Canada, host a national youth dance event to increase awareness to the fact that “Dance Saves Lives” and raise money to continue youth initiatives such as D-Tour, an urban dance program run in underserved communities.

VW: In the long run, what are your expectations and what do you hope to accomplish with the “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation?

TA: Continued financial support is what is needed at this point in order to bring dance and performing arts programming to places like Winnipeg, Halifax, Brampton and Calgary. We really want this foundation to solidify its synergetic work with various partners in the community at large so that we can continue to bring more free youth programming to areas across Canada that truly need and deserve the engagement. Dance saves lives, literally, and I am living proof.

For more information on the “Tré Armstrong Give Back” Foundation please visit www.trefoundation.org.

Photo: Victoria West

Interview with Dancer Tré Armstrong

May 1st, 2011, Liberty Grand, Toronto – Children’s Aid Foundation launches the new Ignite the Spark Fund, honoring Canadian Celebrities as “Sparks” – inspirational Canadians.

The dancer Tré Armstrong wass one of the Spark celebrities honored by Children’s Aid Foundation at the inaugural event of the Ignite the Spark Fund launch. Tré is actively involved in giving back to the community and passionate about helping youth to get active, and is honored by this recognition.

Tré Armstrong has channeled her passion for dance into a successful career. She will return this summer, as a judge on CTV's "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" show. A dancer, choreographer, actress and TV personality, Tré is a proven entity in the industry. Her love and understanding of urban dance and hip-hop has brought out the inner teacher in the artist. Tré has traveled the world sharing this knowledge through workshops, seminars and classes in hip-hop, urban and freestyle dance.

Tré's competence and work ethic has made her a "go to" choreographer for various artists, including Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kreesha Turner, Jason Derulo, “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” and MTV. Tre’ has also worked with Jay-Z, Megan Fox, Jessica Alba, Sean Paul, Neyo, Sarah Brightman, Phylicia Rashad, Missy Elliott, Jason Derulo, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Wyclef Jean, Rihanna, and most recently, she completed the choreography for Ludacris' new Breakaway music video, directed by Director X.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Tré Armstrong at this exceptional event, and in the following she is going to talk to us about her inspirational work and the charitable projects she gets involved in.

Victoria West: Tell us more about your involvement in Children’s Aid Foundation projects.

Tré Armstrong: In 2010 I was asked by the event producer and the foundation to join their gala team as Creative Director and Choreographer. It was a blast and we were nominated for a few awards too, a great bonus. I think somewhere in between my name was pulled up for consideration for an honoree award as a luminary in entertainment. This was for the Children's Aid Foundation's newest fund, the Ignite the Spark Fund, created by Andrea Weissman-Daniels and Mark Daniels. I was more than thrilled to say the least.


VW: What does the Spark honor from Children’s Aid Foundation mean to you?

TA: It represents the notion that the path I am on is a positive one, a journey that includes giving back to the community through dance and performing arts. It makes me happy to know people are listening and watching as free dance programs are made available to youth in the community.

VW: You are known as a celebrity giving back to the community. What other similar projects have you been involved in?

TA: Currently, I host a free day of dance called the Give Back. It's back on this summer at the National Ballet School with over 20 classes to choose from. I also host a free dance program called D-Tour. This is a unique urban dance program for either all-girls or all-boys aged 14-19. Participants get to create their own dance moves while learning from professionals in the dance and entertainment industry, plus their dance is a showcase at the end of the program for close family and friends. This has all lead up to the creation of my new not-for-profit foundation called the Tré Armstrong Give Back Foundation.

VW: Why do celebrities choose to involve in Children’s Aid Foundation projects, as well as other projects alike?

TA: We understand that we are human, just like everyone else, and like other people we too have a past. Our past, at times, pushes us to reach out to family, friends and public organizations for help. Since we have a voice and a platform that others are willing to listen to we have a duty at times to support foundations that provided help for people in many forms of need. Some of those people may have been us.

VW: You are a judge for “So You Think You Can Dance” show – do you consider it to be a milestone in your dancing career? Has it impacted your career as a professional dancer in any way?

TA: Of course becoming a Choreographer and Judge on So You Think You Can Dance Canada was a milestone, a huge one at that! Coupled with my past work I now have a larger voice that more people listen to and I am thankful to be able to have opened up my not-for-profit foundation and pursue opening up a dance studio/community hub for youth in Brampton, Ontario.

VW: You are also known as being passionate about helping youth to get active. How do you think you impact the lives of the young talented who come to compete at “So You Think You Can Dance” show?

TA: All I know is how to be me: empathetic yet stern. I will always treat others with respect and only ask that others do the same in return by taking in how and what I say/do. I love to develop our future dance monsters. It's a pleasure to watch them grow and it's an honor to be a part of the process. How I impact their lives, is out of my hands.

Tré Armstrong

Tré Armstrong and her mother

Photo credit: Victoria West

Thrift Shopping at Value Village: This Spring Your Wardrobe Can Be on Trend and on Budget

Many people find themselves reluctant faced with the idea of thrift shopping, but this fashion segment can be very rewarding. Thrift shopping is not only about merchandise at low prices, but it’s also about great and unique style, a style that can make you stand out of the crowd, a style that won’t be copied by anybody else.

When we say thrift shopping in North America, the first place that comes to our mind is Value Village. Debbie Wright is a style expert at Value Village, as well a fashion stylist and confidence builder at Project Closet, a fashion consultancy company. I had the pleasure of interviewing Debbie, and in the following she is going to share with us some great tips and ideas on thrift shopping.

Victoria West: How long have you been in this business?

Debbie Wright: I have been in the fashion/wardrobe business for over 25 years; I established my fashion consulting business, Project Closet, in 1997.

VW: How do you acquire and select the merchandise for the store? Do you follow a specific guidance when selecting the merchandise?

DW: Every Value Village store has a nonprofit partner, and those partners ask people in the community to donate gently used items. Value Village pays the nonprofit partners for everything donated to the store. Then, Value Village team members sort through every item and only the highest quality reusable items make it to the floor. Each Value Village has over 100,000 items on the floor at any given time, and they go through roughly 5,000 items every day.

VW: Do people find shopping in a thrift store overwhelming? If yes, what makes them reluctant in becoming Value Village customers?

DW: I do hear from time to time that many people find thrift shopping overwhelming due to the large amount of inventory and selection. Value Village merchandises their inventory by category i.e. jackets, then by size. Merchandising this way makes it easier for the shopper to find great fashion pieces.

I also recommend my THRIFT SHOPPING 101 strategy:

First, shop by choosing a category. For example, jackets. Once in jackets, comb through the different types. Think about what you need a jacket for; meaning do you need a nice blazer for work, a denim jacket to go with a cute dress you just got, or a warm outdoor jacket.

Second, remember that vintage sizes are different. When you are thrift shopping make sure to look at sizes above and below what you normally wear. You might just find a great vintage Chanel piece that is labeled as two sizes too big, but that fits you because of the vintage sizing.

Third, try not to get overwhelmed. Thrift stores, especially Value Village stores, have a lot of merchandise to look through. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and clothes you can easily change out of.

Finally, keep your eyes open and try on everything. Thrift stores are a creative person’s dream. You have to be willing to try on anything and everything that looks semi-interesting. Let’s say you find a great purple shirt, but it’s a purple you normally wouldn’t wear. You’re reluctant to even try it on, but then you do and you can’t imagine your life without it.

VW: Once they had their first shopping experience at Value Village, do customers tend to come back?

DW: Absolutely, shoppers become addicted to the “hunt.” Thrift shopping is one of the most EXCITING ways to shop. You never know what treasure awaits you at any of the Value Village stores. They add tons of new merchandise to the floor daily. Most customers can’t drive by a store without stopping in to take a quick peak and they LOVE to talk about their finds.

VW: What are the greatest advantages of thrift shopping, aside from the low cost of the merchandise? Why would a fashion consumer become a constant Value Village customer?

DW: There are many advantages of thrift shopping. Having great style does NOT have to cost a lot of money. When you thrift shop, you have an opportunity to shop for high quality classic items like trench coats, black skirts, white blouses and wrap dresses as well as many unique pieces from vintage jewelry to designer shoes. Your style should express your personality and thrift store shopping finds are endless. The styles found often at the malls are all the same. Thrift opens up an avenue of flair and creativity.

VW: Do you shop at Value Village? If yes, can you give us a few examples of some of your greatest finds?

DW: I shop weekly at many of my local Savers stores. Value Village is owned by Savers, Inc. and the stores in most of the US are called Savers. I have found Marc Jacobs classic pumps that were under $30, Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dresses, and Vintage Chanel handbags. Most recently, I found a David Meister dress and it's perfect for a Kentucky Derby Show I have – it was only $12.99. I have also found many pairs of designer brand jeans like Citizens of Humanity, and Sevens for All Mankind for $39.99.

VW: Can you share tips on how to build a great style with what Value Village has to offer?

DW: You can stay on trend shopping thrift and I recommend “Making Your Own Mannequin”. When you shop bring pictures of outfits and looks from your favorite, current fashion magazines. They can often be duplicated shopping thrift for much less money.

We also recommend shopping with specific items in mind, for example two new pairs of updated jeans for your wardrobe. Find a pair that fits and flatters your shape today. Choose one darker wash denim that can be dressed up or down and should be a little longer to accommodate a heel. The other pair should be lighter and long enough to wear with flats. Value Village offers a wonderful versatility in your closet.