VAN: Trend-Spotting at KNOWSHOW 10th Anniversary

It was all about nabbing a sneak peek of Fall/Winter 2015 trends at last night’s official kick off to the KNOWSHOW. Add to that the fact that it also happened to be Canada’s premiere lifestyle event’s 10th anniversary and you had yourself one fashionable party.

Hosted bi-annually, the KNOWSHOW is the place to be if you work in the outdoor lifestyle sphere. It always attracts hundreds of vendors, buyers, and trend-spotters on the look for cutting edge designs with style and function. We bumped into plenty reps on-hand talking up the forthcoming season’s hottest looks and had fun taking in the hipster scene while perusing row upon row of pop-up stores.

A pit-stop at the event’s SkullCandy lounge was a must. It’s where you go first to procure a cocktail before setting out to take in the tradeshow (and a must after a long day at the office). There, reps mix with buyers and media types in a casual and unpretentious atmosphere.

After the SkullCandy lounge, it was on to do a little trend spotting of our own and we found a few eye-catching things we think you ought to watch for come autumn 2015.

First off: we loved the do-good charitable story behind The Giving Keys (a project that employs those transitioning from a life of homelessness to meaningful employment by making jewelry from recycled and repurposed keys with a simple message: dream, courage, hope).

We also loved checking out the colourful looks behind the new Brook’s Heritage Collection of sneakers, a definite nod to the past. Set to officially launch in Canada in 2015, this collection (which will retail between $90.00 – $120.00) holds definite appeal. We’ve already got our eye on a sweet pair of Vanguard’s.

Next up, it was over to the OSC (Outdoor Survival Canada) booth to test out the coziness of these Canadian-made down jackets that rival the competing Canada Goose brand. We loved the varied and refined styles, fun palate of colours, and noted the line’s solid reputation for quality (they’ve been manufacturing for over 25 years).

Prior to calling it a night, we made a trip down memory lane and popped by the SBC Vintage Snowboard Showcase to take in the sport’s colourful history via a curated selection of vintage and more modern board designs, photographs, and memorabilia in an artshow-like space.

Check out more about the KNOWSHOW, read up on the latest F/W 2015 offerings of your favourite brands, and discover little-known ones that are making seriously stylish headway online.

What are you most excited to check out at the KNOWSHOW? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.