Photography/theme/write-up: Samir D. Model: Cheyenne Smith Clothes: nauni.jclothing Hair Stylist: Manvir Bains Makeup Artist: parveenbainsartistry Shoes : Converse
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Red brick walls of 19th century constructed warehouses along high rise apartments of 21st century, shops of city’s most famous boutiques along some of the best dining places – Yaletown undoubtedly is the “Kohinoor” of Vancouver’s urban heart. Placed along the north shore of False creek, Yaletown is the womb of Vancouver’s fashion statement with its trendiest people and their most lavish lifestyles. It is the utmost sophisticated and cosmopolitan neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver and a place to see and be seen.
Yaletown earned its name during 1880s when the Canadian Pacific railroad shifted its rail mending facility from Yale, a then-large town of British Columbia in the Fraser River canyon, to the 200 km south-west in False creek region of Vancouver. As the community thrived with the residents of Yale, the new settlement soon dubbed as Yaletown. In next two decades, this area witnessed the establishment of numerous sawmills, shingle mills and warehouses. In another hundred years, as business was booming throughout B.C, Vancouver with its strategic location of Yaletown had become the economic hub for the western Canada. However, during the world-Expo gathering on 1986, there was an obligatory requirement to modernize this area with keeping its antique legacy safe and sound. The century old shoddy and tainted region now transformed into lofty spaces, sidewalk cafes, cool restaurants and hub for unique shopping areas. As an outcome, 21st century’s Yaletown is one of the most significant urban restoration projects of North America.
With this legacy in our minds, we as a team of three: Cheyenne as the magnificent model, Nauni as our debonair designer and me as a photographer, hit the brick facade corners of Yaletown on the first Sunday afternoon of October. As September equinox was already departed almost two weeks ago and autumn in its full shades with chilling northern breeze, the setting sun rays created the perfect ambience at those red walls to capture this settlement and its fashion bequest. With Nauni’s brand new urban outfits, we entered the Yaletown roundhouse community centre. The first costume on Cheyenne is a Camo crop green-black top with black leggings – combat long and Taylor pant. While her second dress is a black off the shoulder top with floral skirt – Taylor off the shoulder and flora. Nauni has used cotton, neoprene and polyester blend to make these outfits. As sun was setting down faster than our prior speculation, we couldn’t continue to shoot more than half an hour at this place as there was hardly any ambience light thereafter.
I still remember that rainy November night on 2015 when I met Nauni during the “VEDS” fashion show at this very same Yaletown roundhouse community centre. Though it was just a quick “hello” from both of us at that night, in next one year or so we became good friends through the assist of social media. This alliance helped me to imagine a street fashion editorial someday with her newly designed attires. Whereas, Cheyenne, just graduated from her high school studies, already a published model in several glittering fashion magazines. It is our creative psyches and the devotion towards the fashion that brought us together at these red brick semblances of Yaletown.
– Samir D
