It’s always a pleasure to be introduced to fresh design talent – especially locally. And it’s no surprise that there’s an exciting amount of talented fashion designers coming from Calgary lately. Last week, I had the opportunity to preview the 2015 fall/winter collection of House of Nonie, the brainchild of local clothing designer Nina Kharey. And I was definitely impressed.
Although it was a small collection, the clean lines and flawless tailoring of the menswear inspired pieces definitely left the crowd wanting to see more. The pieces were modern, well-tailored and most of all, wearable. Models from The Nobles certainly did the clothes justice (as always). Showcasing the collection at a small private gathering (in Model Milk’s hip new event space, PDR) was also a smart idea because the intimacy of the space allowed attendees to touch and feel the clothes up close, getting a good sense of the high level of quality.
House of Nonie’s minimalistic aesthetic is sure to sell well as the line becomes more established within the Canadian fashion scene, and it will be. Nina explained that it’s a bit of a new direction for the line, which was originally launched in 2008, handmade in Calgary and sold at local boutiques. After taking a few years off to raise a family, she realized she couldn’t deny her passion for designing clothes and decided to get back in the game and began working on a new collection last year under the mentorship of Barbara Atkin, Vice President of Fashion Direction at Holt Renfrew (about as well-respected as you can get in the world of Canadian fashion). Nina said that Atkin was more than helpful in offering her expertise and opinions in terms of what women want to wear.
Today, she works with a talented team in Vancouver to help bring her designs to life. Check out the whole collection at House of Nonie and keep an eye out more designs from the gifted designer because you’ll soon be seeing a lot more of them. And kudos to Nina for following her passion and moving forward with what she’s meant to do – creating chic, good looking and wearable clothes. Gotta love anyone who’s willing to take a chance and do what they love.
Casey Wagar 