A Conversation With Vinyl Art Not A Toy Edgar Nunes, know by his Instagram page Vinyl Art Not A Toy is an art collector based in Miami. As a young kid, Edgar grew a strong interest for toys, collecting legos and then transitioned to vinyl toys in the early 2000's. Over time, Edgar became enthralled with the art of contemporary artists like Kaws, DFace, Ron English & Shepard Fairey and has now amassed one of the most impressive collections of vinyl art in the USA with over 700 pieces. @vinyl_artnotatoy For those newer to the space, what are five things that differentiate vinyl art from toys? This is actually hard to define and everyone's definition can vary. Toys inspire art. Art inspires toys. People classify pieces based on their past, their interests and their tastes. That being said, these are some points of differentiation that often apply. Quality, materials & price . Vinyl art is made from premium vinyl as opposed to plastic found in toys. Vinyl art is heavier and feels more solid and usually comes at a higher price. As children we collect toys and mature to collecting vinyl art . This is often influenced by higher prices for vinyl art. Uniqueness . Vinyl art is created by an artist. There are characters that are thought out and developed. This makes them original and unique. Toys are more simple and designed for consumption by large corporations. Production quantity. Toys are mass produced and mass distributed. Vinyl art is often produced in limited quantities. Decision by authority: That which we find in galleries and museums is usually in the art class and not a toy. This is a much more subjective point but often influenced by the above 4 points. Your page heavily focuses on Kaws, one of the most popular artists when it comes to vinyl art. For those who might be less familiar with his work, what are 5 things that make Kaws such a well regarded artist. Original and Authentic Work: Kaws in the 90s began to do graffiti on the streets, which contributed to Street Art in New York and other cities such as Paris, London, Berlin and Tokyo, intervening on billboards, phone booths and bus stops with his graffiti and characters. Created his own style and brand: During that time he created a distinctive art expression, a brand with his pseudonym "KAWS" and his signature XX's as eyes in all of his works. Strategic Alliances: The projects that he had in collaboration with others artists, designers and brands was strategic in creating his own brand known as OriginalFake in Tokyo, from 2006-2013. Through OriginalFake he produced a variety of items, such as clothes, objects and vinyl art, all with the iconic graphics and characters that characterized it. He thinks big and without limitations : Taking risks with his work to include other materials and formats, such as presenting his toys as large wood and bronze figures and inflatables which are exhibited in outdoor spaces and museums around the world. He harnesses the power of social media such as Instagram which contributed greatly to his art being known worldwide. This helped attract the attention of collectors and critics, and today we see the result, a living artist, achieving major recognition a way that not even KAWS could have imagined. Brands he's collaborated with: Realmad Hectic, Bounty Hunter, Kubrick, Bearbrick, MediconToy, Nigo, Bape, Neighborhoud, Blitz, Sorayama, Robert Lazzarini, Undercover, Wonderwall, Disney, Peanuts, All Right Reserved, Dior, UNIQLO, Sesame Street. Etc. You seem to have a pretty substantial collection of vinyl art yourself. What are your top 5 pieces in your collection and why? "Can I break this into three parts? [laughs]" For most meaningful: The Rocky and Mugsy (vinyl) couple from 1994, produced by Loony Tunes, which I bought at the Warner Bros. Studio store on my first trip to NY. My first KAWS piece the “ Passing Through Companion” (Black) . I never imagined that this TOY would be the one that started this great addiction for Kaws Toys. It was a birthday present. “Boba Fett” from the KAWS Star Wars series . The level of detail achieved in the piece is amazing and it was a difficult piece to acquire due its popularity. Yoshitomo Nara. Pup Cup, 2003. and The Little Wanderer, 2003. Injection molded and rotomolded plastic. I love it because it differs in style with the whole collection of vinyl art and toys that I have. An custom 8” Dunny that I hand painted myself inspired by a trip I made to Alaska. The 5 best pieces in my collection if we talk about only Kaws are: Boba Fett Astroboy (Monochrome) Passing Though Companion (Black) Kaws Companion by Roberto Lazarrini Kaws Companion: Resting Place (Flayed) The 5 best artists I have pieces for in my entire collection: Kaws Mark and Sven (Coarse) Huck Gee Jon-Paul Kaiser (Customizer and Creator) Brandt Peters and Kathie Olivas With the rise in popularity of vinyl art, there have been more and more counterfeit (FAKE) products coming onto the market. What are 5 things people can look for to help them find authentic vinyl art? Pay attention to the artists and galleries. The best place to get art (and release information) is from the artist themselves or galleries exhibiting them. Information Gather! If you're buying from a third party site, make sure to get: Origin and quality/condition of the toy Year of production Pictures of all angles of the toy and the packaging Weight of the piece If not brand new - Information on its use Ask for help! Contact collectors or experts in collectibles for a second opinion. Know where to buy. Acquire vinyl art directly from specialized stores or galleries that deal in the Vinyl Toys industry. Be ready to invest. If you want to have an original piece of vinyl art you have to invest a little more money. Great pieces come at a price. Who are 5 up and coming artists you have your eyes on that we should also check out? I cant't stop at 5. These are some artists venturing into Vinyl material and they have presented some very interesting proposals: Arkiv @arkivvilmansa (Indonesia) Danil Yad @danil_yad Matt Gondek @gondekdraws Theodoru @Theodoru Fidia @fidia Javier Calleja @javicalleja Edgar Plans @edgarplans Mike Lee @immikelee Mark Whalen @mark__Whalen (Resin not vinyl) LY @ly_painter

July Guest Picks: Kicks with Mario LoConte of ThriftCon Guest: Mario LoConte , co-founder of ThriftCon 1. KidSuper x Puma Mirage Mox Forever Blue "Colm (KidSuper) is one of my good homies and one of the most genuine and creative people in fashion right now. I’ve copped at least one pair from all of his drops with Puma, but the Mirage Mox’s have seen the most wear for me. It’s not a shoe that I thought I would have gravitated to as I typically wear more toned down sneakers but this shit goes with everything in my closet [laughs]." 2. Nike SB x Carpet Company "These were one of the coolest SBs to drop this year in my opinion. I’m a sucker for small details and they really went all out on these. There are hidden hits and details everywhere. Every piece of the shoe was calculated and really thought about." 3. Jordan 4 ‘Oreos’ 1999 "These are one of the only pairs of Jordan’s that I own and wear. I pulled them out of the Goodwill bins for $2; no heel drag or anything. I couldn’t believe it. These aren’t the originals but the retro from 1999, so they still have some history to them and the quality of the leather is unmatched." 4. Spike Lee Dunks "This is another pair that I thrifted. I got these at the flea market in Denver so I call them my ‘Spike Fleas’ [laughs, also known as the poor man’s Chicago 1s. These virtually look like 1’s aside from the fat Nike hit on the heel (which I love) and they have that good wear on them, the type of shit people are trying to recreate now for the “weathered look”. 5. Madhappy x Vans "Madhappy just dropped these and they are too clean. The icy waffle sole instead of the typical gum was a crazy swap and the small embroidered details throughout and on the tongue with the hand embroidered feel are fire. I haven’t even gotten a chance to wear them yet and don’t know if I even want to because they look so nice deadstock!" Check out all of our guest picks for July here and stay tuned to Pier Five for more stories and interviews with the coolest people around.

Putting In The Hours With Dan Climan We got a chance to speak with Montreal based painter, Dan Climan, about the journey of mastering his craft through nothing other than patience, focus and lots of hard work. With art integrated into his life in many ways but only a couple years under his belt as a full-time painter, Dan has already amassed an impressive following for his work and is one of the most humble guys we know. For him, it's all about putting yourself in a position to do what you truly love and committing more time to it than anyone else. Read through some of the best takes from the conversation with Dan below. On putting in the time... "I think the more confidence you have going into work, the better work you’re going to make." "Put your head down. Do the work. Just because it looks good or feels good, doesn’t mean you’re done. No matter what state I was in my life, whether it was design, or tattooing or painting, I know that I’ve gotten better and I know that I’ve only gotten better because I continued to do it." On painting stuff he doesn't like... "Those are the important days. I still painted. I still put in the hours." "The difference between somebody who's a professional and somebody who's on the come up is potentially just putting in the hours and doing the work? "I believe in the work so much that I’m not afraid to invest in myself" Tips On Buying Art "Only buy the art that you can’t live without. If it speaks to you and it feels a certain way, it's worth buying. I look back at art that I bought when I was younger...maybe I liked it because it was trendy at the time but I don't want to look at it in my living room anymore." "If the work is appealing to somebody who’s, like, five years old, and somebody who is sixty years old, there’s something nice that’s happening there. It’s like a universal language with shapes and colour in the content." How much money do you want to make? "As long as I can make enough to paint every day then I'm happy. Looking back to my 13 or 15 year old self, like if I could see where I’m at today, I’d be thrilled!" Be sure to follow Dan on Instagram for news on his upcoming shows, including his solo exhibit at Gallery Youn in Montreal, and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

About Pier Five is a platform built to showcase and support creatives, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Through unique events, fundraising programs and content series, Pier Five has built one of the largest founder networks in Canada, generated countless connections to help owners grow together and provided over $150,000 CAD in funding to small business owners since 2022. Pier Five is a platform meant to inspire. Started through a need to connect, Pier Five was launched as an interviews platform during the pandemic in 2020 to uncover insights from creative thought leaders and inspire the next generation that is looking to turn their creative passions into a career. Pier Five is a platform built to connect. Now with one of the largest networks of cr eatives, entrepreneurs and small business owners in Canada (and beyond), Pier Five leverages its connections and expertise to develop insightful content, funding programs and unique experiences to uplift those looking to make their dreams a reality. Gone are the days where being a doctor, lawyer or engineer are the only successful career paths. The sky is truly the limit and Pier Five wants to help everyone get there. We are always learning, together. With every new meeting and each new conversation, we are learning and becoming more curious about ways to make an impact on our creative entrepreneur community. Have a story to share or an idea for an event? Send us a message anytime at community@pier-five.com or on IG @pier.five . We'd love to chat and see how we can work together! - Jeff & Julian

Lauréates de la subvention 2023 En 2023, nous nous sommes associés à Mastercard pour lancer la deuxième année du Fond pour les petites entreprises Mastercard x Pier Five dans le but de soutenir les femmes canadiennes propriétaires de petites entreprises partout au pays. Parmi plus de 1 600 candidatures, nous avons sélectionné dix bénéficiaires qui ont chacune reçu un financement de 10 000 $ et une invitation à vivre une expérience qui n’a pas de prix à Toronto et qui se tiendra en 2024 : une occasion unique de nouer des contacts et de réseauter avec les autres bénéficiaires, les spécialistes de Mastercard et d’autres professionnels du secteur. Découvrez ci-dessous qui sont les nouvelles bénéficiaires du fonds. (cliquez ici pour l'anglais) Joni Linda Biggs Loba Kate Bouchard Spice Girl Chai Rebecca Pereira Dandylion Carolyn Chen Zing Jannine Rane Inoki Bathhouse Helen Yin Guests On Earth Jackie Prince & Liz Drayton Cubed Style Christine, Candace & Camille Oliver U Grow Girl Crystal Wood & Leha Marshall Colour The Trails Judith Kasiama

Pier Five Community Canvas For Kuwalla Tee In the first edition of Community Canvas , Pier Five brought together an inspiring group of talent for a unique editorial lookbook, with looks by Kuwalla Tee , a Montreal based fashion brand designed to help those express their creative authenticity. This edition highlights a diverse mix of innovators, each representing the creative spirit and entrepreneurial drive that fuels the community. Featuring Glory Allan, an online content creator teaching people how to make their own clothes, the lookbook explores the intersection of fashion, craftsmanship, and self-expression. Adria Kain, a multidisciplinary musician, singer, and artist, adds a rich layer of sound and visual artistry to the canvas. Vintage lovers will be captivated by Post Design, a curated business blending style and sustainability through furniture. Photographer Teaunna Gray, who also owns her own studio Of Sorts, captures the essence of beauty through simplicity. At the heart of it all is Pier Five, the founders of the Community Canvas series, who continue to champion creativity, collaboration, and connection. Sponsored by Kuwalla Tee, this campaign is a celebration of both fashion and community, with every look styled in Kuwalla Tee's new Fall/Winter 2024 collection —showcasing the power of creative partnerships in bringing new stories to life. Discover the stars of Community Canvas Vol. 1 and all of the looks below: Glory Allan Andre Chin, aka Glory Allan, is a passionate fashion designer dedicated to empowering others to embrace creativity. Through his work, he encourages people to kickstart their hobbies and discover the joy of making. Inspired by the art of creation, whether in designing clothes or crafting engaging content, Glory Allan thrives on bringing ideas to life. His work serves as a bridge between fashion and education, fostering creativity and self-expression. Adria Kain Adria Kain is a multifaceted artist and singer known for her soulful voice and authentic storytelling. With recent success in the music industry, Adria has re-emerged with renewed focus, sharing both her music and creative journey. In July, she expanded her artistic reach by launching a photography and creative direction studio, offering a space that fosters artistic expression and collaboration. Her studio has become a welcoming environment for creatives of all backgrounds, dedicated to inclusivity and supporting the growth of the creative community. Post Design Post Design, founded by JP Guay and Amanda Mota, is a curated studio specializing in unique furniture, objects, and wares. They offer carefully selected pieces that reflect creativity, paired with dynamic spaces and brands. Beyond their collections, Post Design provide furniture rentals, studio bookings for shoots and gatherings, and design services like sourcing, set design, brand pop-ups, and interior staging. At Post Design, they blend design with community to create inspiring spaces. Teaunna Gray Teaunna Gray is an Afro-Indigenous Director and Film Photographer from Toronto. Starting as a curator, she gained recognition through group art shows that support under-represented artists and give back to global communities. Her storytelling reflects her multicultural perspective, prioritizing inclusivity for womxn, people of color, and the Deaf community. As the founder of Of Sorts®, Teaunna creates a space for creatives through events, programs, and studio rentals, encouraging impactful art and dialogue. Pier Five Julian Golden and Jeff Lei are the founders of Pier Five, a community driven organization that offers support to creative entrepreneurs and small business owners. Pier Five's mission is to empower those looking to turn their passions into full-time businesses and careers by hosting unique networking events, fundraising programs and content series across Canada. Pier Five's initiatives have connected thousands of creatives and business owners and is building one of the largest founder networks across the country, shaping culture and driving economic growth. Shop the looks at Kuwalla Tee's website and make sure to follow Pier Five on Instagram for more content with the creative community.

A Conversation With Addam Rodriguez of The Arrivals With the growing importance of digital in fashion commerce and customers spending so much more time online, a strategic digital identity isn't just a nice to have; it’s a necessity. We spoke with Addam Rodriguez, Digital Art Director of New York based outerwear studio The Arrivals, about his process and system for developing consistent visual concepts and a strong artistic language for the brand. @addamrod Hey Addam, awesome to be connected! For those who might not be familiar, tell us a little about yourself. Hey! I’m Addam and I am the Digital Art Director for the outerwear brand The Arrivals. Growing up in LA, I was always surrounded by photography. My uncle was a photographer and was always around taking pictures and had some super expensive cameras which I got really into. When I got a bit older I went to school for audio engineering but I always found myself out taking photos and realized I liked that way more. Out of school, I got a graphic design job at a brand in the arts district in LA but started doing photography for them as well and also worked in the warehouse. It was great to be a part of all aspects of that business because it allowed me to understand the go-to-market and storytelling aspects of the brand which made for better photography and visuals. My next job after that was for this ready to wear brand called Frankie. I worked with the lead designer and travelled with the brand between NY & LA, basically just taking photos of the whole process of the brand. After a few trips, I knew I wanted to come out and live in NY and get better at my photography out here. I met with The Arrivals and they offered me a graphic design role. I was nervous about taking another graphic designer position but I loved the brand and the overall culture. Once I got into the role though, I told them I could shoot too and over time it turned into more of a photography role and now the digital art direction role that I have today. That’s a wild journey but seems like it all worked out. What is your process for coming up with your visual concepts for The Arrivals? We’re a small team so everyone is involved in everything. Early on, I’m in conversations with the designers and production teams so I can get a really solid understanding of the product. Being in the warehouse at my first job definitely taught me to learn the product cycle well so that I could bring in all of those details into the final visual concepts. Internally we all talk about concepts and once we land on an idea, it’s up to me to figure out how we communicate that to our audience and I work alongside the creative director to bring it all to life. I spend a lot of time looking at data from past campaigns to see what’s working, what kind of things have our audience been responsive to in the past, stuff like that. Once we have product samples I’m then able to start working out the visual flow and moodboarding and we’ll A-B test a ton. I have to create content for everything like email, ads, social and web so there’s a lot of planning since we don’t (and you never should) use the same content for everything. To make things easier, I have built out a pretty robust system for how I shoot to develop consistency and a visual language that our customers will recognize and remember us for. Once I’m happy with the flow, I draft out the final shot list and then work out the planning for production. This whole process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months but it’s always super fun to put together. That system you mentioned definitely shines through. The Arrivals content is some of the most coordinated in the game from campaign to campaign. Why is aligning product and content styling so important for you and the brand? That’s great to hear [laughs]. I have a huge appreciation for what goes into making the garments so I want to ensure the work I do represents all that effort put in by the design teams. Our products are very elevated and with good styling it can become even more elevated. I’ve started experimenting with other mediums besides photo like 6k video which everybody said we didn’t need but it allows for the smoothest transitions and flows that I feel mimic actions in our daily life and make the content so approachable and appealing. The pandemic has really expedited the growth of digital, especially consumer’s adoption/habits of shopping online. What should new brands keep in mind when developing a visual identity for their brand? This is a great question. I’ve tried so many things throughout the years and I think most importantly, it’s important to figure out what you really love and to build on that. Don’t try to be like everything else you see just because it’s popular. Even if what you are working on doesn’t work out right away, don’t give up. Keep experimenting and refining and build a system over time that works for you. A visual identity is like a house. You can design the interior as many times as you want as long as you hold on to the foundation of the building. That’s great advice for brands! What are some tips you’d give to individuals looking to bring their skills to a brand as an art director? Learn as many tools as possible. You don’t need to be the best at any of them but a knowledge of the different tools will allow you to put together initial ideas and then you can bring in the experts to help you bring it to life. Even if you can get the concept to 10% baked, that will help everyone understand the vision and then you bring in the pro editors, retouchers, colour specialists, etc. Another thing I’d say is go big on networking. You also don’t always need to connect with the biggest names. There are so many people doing amazing work behind the scenes that can give you great advice or introductions. This was huge for me when coming to New York. Lastly, it’s important to be patient. Things take time. I’ve been here for about 4 years and it’s all just starting to click for me which is exciting. Now I just need to keep pushing! Totally agree! So now that things are clicking, what do you have your sights set on next? I want to make the shopping experience for our customers even better using interactive video and stronger graphics. I’ve built the house and now it’s time to renovate the interior with new visuals to create a better moment for the customer. I’m all about that moment! Who doesn’t love a good moment?! Lastly, we’re finally starting to see some normalcy again and it’s looking to be a wild summer! What are you most looking forward to doing again in NYC as things open back up? Honestly, just meeting people. It’s hard to stay creative when everything is locked down. I knew so many people who moved out of the city at the start of the pandemic and they’re coming back now. I can’t wait to meet up with them and see what they’re working on. I think we’re seeing a new wave of creatives who are about to take this industry by storm and I’m excited to witness it in person! Check out Addam and The Arrivals on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest designers, artists, activists, entrepreneurs and more.

2024 Recipient: Bruized Explore the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund Introducing Bruized, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2024! Founders: Monique Chan & Justice Walz Location: Toronto, ON Discover Bruized online: Website // Instagram About Bruized Bruized is a women-led company on a mission to fight food waste through education and sustainable snacks. They rescue surplus food and upcycle it into plant-based, gluten-free treats like their Pulp Crunch clusters and freshly baked cookies. To date, Bruized has saved over 5,642 lbs of produce, working with partners like FresHouse Juicery and Village Juicery while selling their products through local retailers and farmers' markets. They’ve secured $70,000 in grants and have been featured in outlets like the Toronto Star and Elle Gourmet, as well as speaking at events like COP15. Beyond selling snacks, Bruized aims to inspire collective action toward reducing food waste and embracing imperfect ingredients. How will the fund make an impact with your business? We’re currently stuck in the day-to-day operations of crafting and selling our products, leaving us without the capacity to focus on strategic growth or the educational and community aspects that inspired Bruized. With high demand for our sustainable snacks, our biggest challenge is breaking this cycle by growing our team to meet product demand while creating space to expand our mission. This fund will allow us to hire and train a part-time team member, increasing our production capacity and ensuring ethical pay. This additional support would help us fulfill larger orders, reduce more food waste, and dedicate more time to engaging and educating our community. What is your long term goal for the company? A long-term goal for Bruized is to expand beyond selling products by focusing on education and community-building through initiatives like ‘fulCircle,’ Toronto’s sustainability collective. This year, we hosted Supper Club events that used surplus produce, partnered with local chefs, and sparked meaningful conversations about food systems. Moving forward, we aim to partner with farmer’s markets to rescue surplus produce and create Bruized Boxes—affordable packages of fresh, local goods that prevent food waste. By fostering collaboration and education, we hope to strengthen food systems and reconnect people with the stories behind their food. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2024 recipients here .

Building Your Own Spaces With Monday Girl The job market is a complex one to navigate but if one thing is certain, it's that results won't come without effort. For Rachel Wong & Istiana Bestari, when the market wasn't giving them what they needed to find their next big opportunity, they took matters into their own hands and developed the tools they needed to succeed. Quickly identified as a solution for a major gap in the market, Rachel & Istiana launched Monday Girl, a networking, events and digital platform to help women navigate the workforce and it's been a major success ever since. Now taking their 6-year side hustle full time, we got the chance to speak to the co-founders about their journey and expert tips, from networking to brand partnerships. Read below! Today, Monday Girl has become such an empowering place for women in the workforce. What was the motivation for starting the platform? Istiana: We built the platform that we wished we had, to solve a problem that we were struggling with. When we first met, we were both fresh to Toronto. We didn't know anyone and were trying to get our foot in the door. Rachel: All these rooms that I would walk into, I just felt, wow, I'm very much like the "only", whether it's the only woman, person of colour, or both. I was not getting any shortage of advice but it was a lot of advice that wasn't applicable for myself as a young woman of colour entering the workplace for the very first time. Istiana: For me, I remember attending so many networking events and just very quickly realizing how most networking events were not designed with women in mind. Typically, they were so exhausting. They were awkward. Also, I struggled with connecting with people on LinkedIn and I remember ranting to Rachel when we first met and she felt the same way. Rachel: In that same chat, we came up with the name of Monday Girl. We came up with the next action plans, and then we split up responsibilities. We were at it. You two seem like great business partners. How have you nurtured and grown your own relationship with each other over the years? Istiana: We really are each other's biggest cheerleaders. I don't think either of us could do this by ourselves and every day we're constantly hyping each other up. I think that's really important with having a co-founder is being each other's support systems celebrating our wins together. Rachel: I remember so many times where, for example, Istiana crushes it on a call or nails a presentation and I'm always just so proud of her and it goes both ways when I do things well. We really just hear each other out and hype each other up and that's helped us be such strong business partners. At least on the outside looking in, you seem very busy. Now that you're both in this full time, how do you keep it exciting and fun and not just feeling like a job? Rachel: Every so often, we get this really amazing message from one of our members about something that Monday Girl helped them with, whether that's overcoming a really tricky job situation where they had to deal with micro-aggressions at work or hearing that they used our resources to get a job or a mentor to get a referral. All these things keeps us going. Istiana: Another thing that's really important for us in keeping this excitement and momentum is that what we decide to do is always stuff that we're excited about. We're always planning things that we would love to attend, that we want to go to ourselves, all projects that we're excited about. It definitely is very hard work but it makes it a lot easier when we're building something that we're excited about. Y ou’ve done a really good job working with some major global brands and organizations on events and content for your community. How do you approach getting partnerships like that? Rachel: The first thing I'd say is don't be afraid to get ghosted and constantly reach out. After a certain point, people will get back to you and you just have to be okay with being persistent. Cold emails still work. The second piece is show that you put some level of thought - and it doesn't have to be super comprehensive or a full proposal - into your outreach and articulate how it can help the partner achieve their KPIs. If there's a specific collection or campaign that they're putting out, and you think there's a really strong synergy, talk to that in that very first sentence. People don't have the attention span to read through a long email, so just make that your only point if you have a point. The the third piece of advice is just to keep maintaining and building and give back where you can. Even if it's not always a paid thing, support the brands when you can. I think brands really remember that and that's when they want to work long term with. That's great advice! Lastly, what's a key networking tip you have for anyone that is looking for a new job? Istiana: A lot of people think, when they're starting out, "how can I connect with the CEO of my dream company?" and you're always looking for the most senior person in the room. Later, you'll realize that the most valuable people to network with are your peers. Start with the network that you already have. Tap into the people that you already know because there's a lot of connections there, whether it's your alumni, like clubs, sports teams. Rachel: Those are the people that as you grow, they grow with you and they're going to be able and have much more bandwidth than a CEO to actually help you and connect you with those openings or those roles when they do come up. I'd also say, don't be afraid to do this in an industry agnostic way too. Sometimes we think, "I'm in fashion and I'm only going to network to people in fashion". The reality is they're probably not going to tell you something opens up because they're going to want to go for it. However, if you're networking with people in different industries, there's a little bit more of a gap, so finding open spaces like that can be helpful. Make sure to check out Monday Girl for news about their events and mentor opportunities and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with small business founders.

A Conversation With Tara Miller of Health Hut Tara Miller is a Certified Nutritionist, Intuitive Eating Counsellor and Diet Recovery Coach, as well as an advocate of the Anti-Diet movement. Through her experiences in nutrition and healthy living, she founded Health Hut, one of Toronto's premier destinations for the best health and wellness products. Tara has taken a kinder approach towards promoting health, emphasizing the importance of pleasure, flexibility and autonomy in your individual journey. @taramariemiller // @shophealthhut A lot of people see dieting as a way to become “healthier” or more “fit” but you are an anti-diet nutritionist. What are 5 common misconceptions or things people should understand before looking at dieting as a solution? Diets don’t work. We as humans are not hardwired for restriction. Diets interfere with our innate ability to feed and care for ourselves by ignoring our inner cues and desires. When we look outside ourselves for answers on how to eat, it is not an enjoyable or sustainable practice. Restriction increases our desire for “forbidden” or “off limit” foods. It also causes that “out of control” feeling that is just a reaction to deprivation, but often deemed a moral failing or lack of willpower. Diets come at a cost to other areas of our life like mental and emotional health. Dieting won’t make you more “healthy” or fit, especially since they can not be sustained. Eating more veggies can positively contribute to health, as well engaging in movement you enjoy will help improve fitness levels. Consider the actions that are more directly related to your goals, adding in rather than taking away, and listening to your body as you go. Besides the HH Blog, what are 5 books or blogs that have great information about nutrition and healthy living that people should check out? What are 5 easy things people can do at home to help with their mental health and wellness? Get to know yourself. Ask questions and get curious - what do you need more/less of? Replace your critical voice with a compassionate one (this gets easier with practice) Stop comparing yourself to others, embrace your uniqueness Try seeing the glass as half full Find pleasure in the mundane We of course have to ask, as a nutritionist, what are five of your favourite foods? Pizza with pineapple A leafy salad with radicchio, greens, lots of herbs tossed with a garlicky vinaigrette Cheese, crackers and olives Chocolate, banana and peanut butter smoothies Pasta (all types!) The story of selling products out of an old Ice Cream Hut is so fun! We know this might be tricky but can you break down, in 5 steps, how you made the big leap from Ice Cream Hut to Downtown Toronto shop? Slow and steady! We have made lots of small moves over the past ten years to get to where we are now. An AMAZING team of people Consistent hard work A supportive customer base and community Staying positive :) Small business shoutout time! What are 5 great lunch spots in Toronto that everyone should know about? Bar Isabel has a great fixed price lunch right now! Daily Dumpling Wonton Co is amazing. Their vegan dumplings are an HH staff favourite! You have to try their chilli oil, too. Barocco Nino for delicious pizza, Italian sandwiches and cannoli Sunshine Market makes great smoothies, veggie heavy wraps and sandwiches Harry Charbroiled - The Classic Jane burger is another staff fave

Staying Curious With Patrick Stangbye Photo: Patrick Stangbye & Johannes Rummelhoff When it comes to the outdoors, there is nobody that we know more adventurous than Patrick Stangbye. Growing up in a small town in Norway, just inches away from the forest, Patrick grew up exploring the woods and the mountains and picked up snowboarding, hiking and trail running, a sport he now pursues professionally. A life outside and curiosities around product and technology led him into the fashion scene and after a number of different roles, landed Patrick the role as Brand Manager for ROA Hiking, one of the hottest brands at the moment amongst both fashion enthusiasts and hikers. We got a chance to catch up with Patrick to chat about all things sports, fashion, gear, entrepreneurship and much more. Scroll below for some of the highlights! ROA: A Hybrid Brand Oriented around the landscape. Made in the same factories as the best performance footwear. An approach to design unlike than any other. What does the Brand Manager role entail? A little bit of everything! Working with the sales team to present new collections Working with the design team on product development that strengthens the brand identity Financial planning assistance Designing campaigns with marketing Coordinating collaborations "My job is really just to make sure that the brand is always working." "I'm interested in movement. Many of my learnings are had through connecting with my friends over an activity" Buying performance gear from performance brands... "Many times fashion is moving so fast that nothing is ever tested. So, it might be that you're buying €600 trousers from a catwalk brand and the fabric is great...but it's not made to last and also nobody tested to see if that was a fabric that should be used on a trouser. But this is something you know when you buy something from a climbing brand or something related to an activity. These people needed the stuff to work for them." The convergence of performance and lifestyle... Photo: Satisfy Running On taking your fate into your own hands... "If you really want to do something, more than anything, be curious. Talk to people. Try to meet people. Try to have a conversation and be openminded. If you really want to make bags and a huge backpack brand is not going to hire you then start making your own backpacks. Buy a sewing machine and learn how to do it. Just got for it because if you believe it, I'm pretty sure you could do it." Make sure to follow Patrick on Instagram for a sneak peak into all things ROA, gear and trail running and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

A Conversation With Cal Green of Raised By Wolves For over a decade, from Canada’s capital city of Ottawa to Montreal and back again, Cal Green has been at the forefront of the nation’s streetwear scene. As a trained graphic designer who felt uninspired by traditional design roles, Cal found happiness in entrepreneurialism, linking up with long-time friend Pete Williams to start the famed streetwear brand Raised by Wolves, and put Canada on the streetwear map. We got the chance to speak with Cal about navigating through the last year as an entrepreneur, supporting his community, putting together a cohesive collection that can speak to the masses and tips for the new generation of designers. As fellow Canadians, speaking with Cal was an absolute pleasure and we know the reading won’t be any different. Hey Cal! Thanks so much for taking some time to chat with us. The first thing we want to talk about is production. One of the core pillars of Raised by Wolves is the “Made In Canada” mantra. Why has producing in Canada been so important to you and Pete for the brand? When we started the brand, our collections were quite small and finding local suppliers seemed like the easiest way to get things made. We had no idea where to start looking overseas so we found a local screen printer to do our tees. After that we got a connection to a knitting mill and so on and so forth. Our production network in Canada grew over time and has become one of the cornerstones of the brand. While it wasn’t a consideration at the start, we grew to really value supporting domestic production and the local economy. Ensuring factory workers are paid fairly in a safe space and that we’re minimizing our environmental impact by avoiding shipping overseas is super important to us. We know that producing clothing isn’t a sustainable practice but doing it locally is at least a step in the right direction. We also try to use as much existing or deadstock materials as possible. Do you think that being Canadian played to either an advantage or a disadvantage during the development and growth of the brand? When we started there weren’t many Canadian brands around yet. I think it helped define us for sure. Ultimately I wouldn’t say it was advantageous or not but it helped shape the brand internally because we were so separated from the industry. We had to learn everything on our own by observing what was going on in places like New York and LA where there were strong streetwear subcultures at the time. Fall/Winter '21 Details Raised by Wolves has worked hard to uplift local communities, especially during covid. Why has this been so big for the brand? It has always been important for us to have a strong local presence and community support. We gained traction early on by throwing club nights and events, so we began to build in the community that way. With covid, our business basically ground to a halt when all of our factories closed. We knew that other businesses were going to have a hard time. We started a series called RBW Support Local to highlight Canadian artists and small businesses in our community doing great things. It was a lot of fun and we saw a number of other businesses coming together to do similar things. I think covid forced a lot of people to get creative and step out of their comfort zones while helping one another. We also used that brief pause as an opportunity to publish Braised by Wolves , a digital cookbook featuring recipes from local restaurants, to raise money for the Ottawa Food Bank. It is still available online and has raised just over $13,500 at the time of writing this. Definitely agreed! Speaking of RBW Support Local, who are some up and coming Canadian brands or artists that you think are doing great things right now and deserve a shoutout? Oh man, there are so many people killing it right now. Jeremy Karl - Amazing designer who always impresses with his ability to seamlessly mesh military, luxury and tech. Most recent work includes Arc’teryx System_A and NOCTA. Excited to see what’s next. Colin Meredith - Incredibly talented and inspiring designer making techwear/gear by hand from scrap materials. Has done everything from work for Louis Vuitton to making an entire collection with products from Dollarama. Tam Vu - All around great dude and Beast Bowler. His eponymous label and art biz is one of the most exciting projects that I’m watching right now. Courtney of @idorugsnow - The most fun! The giant burning cop car rug Court made for us is dropping soon. Penny of @torontodenimrepair - Love this project! Garment repair is super important and undervalued, in my opinion. There is no better way to make something your own than to wear the shit out of it, fix it and keep wearing it. Would love to see more of this in general, not just with denim. My friend Katie grew up around sewing/the garment industry and recently discovered her love of quilting .. and she’s a natural! Keep an eye out for some RBW work ;) Julien Arphi, the designer behind atelier DNHN , is doing some really amazing upcycled work. He makes ball caps, apparel and accessories from scratch in his Montreal studio. When I say scratch, I mean he is literally making the visors and sweatbands. Over the years, RBW has graduated from a couple tees and hats to large collections and collabs and now Fall/Winter ‘21. Can you break down your process for developing this recent collection? In terms of designing a collection, I start with the season. Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer. That helps determine the weight of the fabrics I’m using, what kind of garments or accessories I’m going to make. I tend to design for Canadian seasons, although that’s not necessarily the most practical approach for customers in warmer climates. After that, I’ll sort of build a skeleton collection, really it’s just written down - what product categories do you need to design for, headwear, outerwear, bottoms, etc. Depending on the season and my interests at the time of designing, I’ll come up with a broad product type, like “polar fleece half-zip” and do a bunch of research on that particular product. I ask myself what are my favourite versions of this product. Vintage Patagonia? Is there a military reference? A sportswear reference? I’ll make an image folder for each product, save a ton of images and break my favourite pieces down. I like this zipper. I don’t like these pockets. It’s a bit like creating a Frankenstein product. I nerd out about the smallest details. And then you have to ask yourself how can I make this mine? How can I change the fabric in a way that’s unexpected, but still references workwear or whatever you’re doing. How will it be branded? This is more or less how I approach the design of each particular product, but then you also need to take a step back and look at the collection as a whole. Is it cohesive? Does it make sense? I honestly don’t know how other people do it, but this makes sense in my head. Coming up with specific products can be challenging enough, but finding the manufacturer who can actually bring these products to life, the way you envision them, is another beast altogether. Many manufacturers have a niche and are good at producing a specific type of product. Finding the right manufacturer can be a challenge, but worth the effort when you do. Fall/Winter '21. Shot by William . Modelled by Kevin . Rug by Courtney . You and Pete have been working together all the way back to the very early 2000’s and built some incredible things together. What are some tips you’d share for fostering a strong business partnership that can last for decades? Pete and I met in middle school and started hanging out in high school. We have a lot of shared interests and values which brought us together. Good communication is super important. Being aware of your individual strengths and weaknesses. Make sure that you’re both putting in equal efforts. I think these are some of the things that form the basis of a strong partnership. Photo: Pete (left) & Cal (right) from wayyyy back. What is some advice you’d give to new designers trying to turn their passion into a business? You have to do it for yourself and because you’re passionate about it. Don’t do it because you think it’s going to please others. Don’t let a lack of information stop you from trying to make stuff. Do your research, teach yourself, refine your craft. Take risks, but know when to play it safe or say no. Lastly, what are you working on these days that you’re excited about? We have a bunch of exciting collabs in the works. Some footwear, headwear and amazing accessories. Not going to share more than that, but they’ll start rolling out soon! I’m also really excited to introduce our upcoming alpha/beta line we’ve been developing with Julien Arphi. This collection will consist of one-of-one or super limited runs of upcycled/recycled apparel and home wares made by independent artists, sewists and designers. The focus is on using our samples, defects, returns and overstock fabric/trims as well as military surplus, vintage denim, etc. alpha/beta is a reference to the hierarchy or pecking order in a wolf pack. alpha products get to eat first so to speak. They get access to premium materials, are more experimental, one-of-one pieces. beta products reference alpha, but are more accessible and produced in limited runs. delta products are accessories, made of scrap materials from the entire process. The pandemic made us realize just how much material we have accumulated over the years. We’ve never destroyed anything, as is unfortunately commonplace in the industry, so it was important for us to challenge ourselves to use these materials to create new products. I hope to see more of this kind of thing throughout the industry. Photos: Materials and wash tests for alpha/beta line. Make sure to check out Raised By Wolves Fall/Winter '21 collection out now on the brand's website and follow their instagram for updates on the alpha/beta drop and more great releases coming soon. As always, keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.