Storyboot Project

For the month of October, Victoire displayed the Manitobah Mukluks 

Storyboot Project--a collection of artist-made mukluks and moccasins. 

Designed in partnership with Aboriginal elders and artisans across Canada, the  

Storyboot Project helps Aboriginal communities achieve self-sufficiency by ensuring the sustainability of 

traditional Aboriginal arts. The initiative offers a 50/50 profit sharing agreement with the artisans – 

providing a true partnership in the business of promoting their designs abroad. Each Storyboot is 

handmade using traditional methods & materials that have been passed down from generation to 

generation, often taking artisans days to finish a single pair. The partnership with Victoire was the first of its kind for Manitobah Mukluks. And, if you ask me, a very fitting collaboration between two mindful companies.

I was given a pair of the moccasins to play around with and snap a few pictures of. It was hard not to fall madly in love with how beautiful they are, as well as simultaneously gush with appreciation for the craft, detail, materials and manner in which they're made and sold.

the other side

Last year, one of my nearest and dearest friends, Cristin, and I decided to throw an art show under a collective we started called UnderBelly Art. We organized the event kinda just because and kinda just to see what kind of magic we could make with some like-minded people in the city. Our first event Yards of Chinatown, although made possible through no formal plan and the most minimal of budgets, was the cat's meow! We had a weird and wonderful group of artists, performers and patrons soaking up the community love (and spiked refreshments) and adoring local art all day long.

Since this event last summer, Cristin and I have been gearing up for another summer large-scale outdoor art event, along with a slew of other strange and mystical pop-up art events for the Fall. 

Our big bang summer art show, PillowTalk (with Mr.Sandman) is taking shape and drawing near (Sunday, August 12! Woo!) Right now, we're organizing our community-driven art projects that are taking place all through July in preparation for the show. As well, we are sending out a call to all artists, performers, musicians, artisans, or anyone with an inspired idea or industrious spirit to participate in the show. 

The atmosphere of the concept of 'pillow talk' simply breeds conversation, so we’re asking all participants to reinterpret, redo or reenact a moment inspired by the pillow and help us transform a space in order to explore the conundrum of sleep and dream life. If you're interested in participating or would like some more information, give me a hola! underbellyoutfit@gmail.com

You can also keep up-to-date of projects and art opportunities by liking our Facebook page. Or you can follow our every move via twitter @undrbellyoutfit

Thanks for showing interest or getting involved. Mad love!

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The UnderBelly Art Collective hosts large-scale and pop-up events that present the community with an opportunity to come together to initiate new thinking or weave a different social fabric for the arts. Taking the form of a gallery, a performance space, a gathering for miscellaneous ideas--you name it--UnderBelly aims to create a welcoming and highly accessible venue for artistic freedom and exchange.

Our creativity is expressed through the love of thought. Love of art. Love of sounds. Love of love. We are looking for the beauty in every moment--we cheer on the tug of war between artistic abandon and structure. We applaud the moments that are simultaneously chaotic and harmonious. We encourage the heroic experiments of the maniacally over-ambitious, while provoking curiosity and curating a new experience. Like a black hole, Underbelly wants to draw you in and make sure you can’t escape our pull. But this isn’t rocket science. This is magic.

[website launching summer 2012] 

osolee

I've been meaning to post this forever ago but heck, better late than never. Earlier this year I was asked alongside a few other local bloggers to intrepret and create the lookbook for the very talented and very lovely Lee Ann Lacroix's newest initiative Osolee, an online jewelry shop that offers pieces with just the right amount of tough luxe. 

I just so happen to love lookbooks that transcend the garment or piece and are, instead, relevant to the style or overall vibe of the brand--which is why I was so excited to be asked to be part of Osolee's launch. Each blogger was asked to  represent a piece from Lee Ann's collection based on their own style. Be sure to check out the Osolee website to see the entire lookbook. 

Thanks again to Lee Ann and Carolynn Lacasse for the great opportunity. x