Words Jesse Holth
Photos Grace Ella
Robyn Lastiwka, owner of the new clothing brand FAIE, has lived in Brentwood Bay her whole life. She interned in Vancouver with Nordstrom at the age of 15, doing styling and backstage work, and learned a lot about the industry.
That’s when she realized design was what she wanted to do. “I started applying for design studies, and ended up winning a competition for global participants at the College for Creative
Studies in Detroit. It was focused on sustainable design practices and we did a lot of fashion illustration – that was really cool,” says Robyn.
After high school, she started interning with Vancouver Fashion Week. “I learned tips and tricks from the designers – it was great to work with them; I learned a lot.” She also attended the fashion program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) for one year, but it wasn’t the right fit. “I think more outside the box,” Robyn laughs. She saved up money from nannying until she was able to start FAIE, which launched six months ago.
“FAIE was inspired by my grandmother, who passed away about a year-and-a-half ago. She was a world traveller and her favourite place was Turkey. She taught me how to sew and paint, and I spent a lot of time at her place in Nanaimo – there were always artworks around, Turkish rugs and lamps, and the fabrics were bohemian prints from around the world. I just fell in love with that style, a kind of amalgamation of beaded fabric and colourful prints.
“I wanted to create a brand that’s Canadian – there are a lot of American and Australian brands with flowy dresses and a layered bohemian vibe, but I felt that was missing in Canada, especially on the West Coast. The looks are based on a vision of where I’d want to go shopping for myself.”
“Dressing is a way to make yourself feel good, and feel like you. It definitely helps with confidence, too,” says Robyn. “I grew up seeing my grandmother wear a lot of layered flowy dresses, mixed prints and beaded textiles. I think the way you dress should reflect who you are.”
Robyn believes that fashion should be sustainable and ethical. “The first collection I ever did, before FAIE, was a sustainable collection inspired by the B.C. landscape,” she explains. “I went out into the forest and looked at the textures of bark, mushrooms and anything else I could find. Then I’d sketch designs based on those textures.” She used secondhand fabric for the entire collection, from thrift stores to repurposing. She even learned about eco-dying and how to sustainably source mushrooms – and how they can be used to dye fabrics and prints. “I did a full look that was completely eco-dyed on 100% cotton fabric. It was amazing to see that come to life.” Every piece was a reminder of mother earth, and how we’re treating her. “One dress had cutouts of painted eyes throughout – it was symbolic of mother nature watching us, and everything we do to her.”
“Even though my brand is not secondhand, I encourage everyone to shop secondhand when they can,” says Robyn. FAIE is dedicated to ethical practices, socially responsible suppliers and supporting artisans. “I’ve done a lot of work in the field of sustainability,” Robyn adds.
“I’m definitely a creative person first – designing is the fun part. The business side is what I’m having to learn as I go. Everyone around me has been really great in helping out; I’m very grateful,” says Robyn. “FAIE has been such a family business – my brother helping with finances, my dad with advice, and my Grantie (great aunt) has been a huge support. We talk designs and she lets me pack everything up in her spare bedroom. I’ve also had support from my mom and my partner has been instrumental in handling the tech, helping to build and code my website.”
FAIE was recently featured in British Vogue, in a showcase on emerging designers. It was a huge accomplishment for Robyn and a mark of the brand’s early success. “At first I thought it was a spam email,” she laughs. “I didn’t think it was real! I was only three months in at that point – but I called them, and it was Vogue headquarters. I wasn’t really prepared for that.”
Since the Vogue feature, she’s been getting even more press – in the Valentine’s Day edition of GQ, as well as Vanity Fair and Glamour in the coming months. “Sometimes I feel like I have imposter syndrome; it’s all been happening so quickly!” The FAIE brand already has a following in the U.K. with plenty of word-of-mouth press. “It’s a very exciting time,” says Robyn.
www.faie.ca
