Shop Thank you for checking out the Pier Five Creators Grant collection. All items have been generously donated by creators across Canada and the USA. Learn more about the pieces and the designer behind them by clicking on the products. All profits from this collection will go towards a financial grant that will be issued in August. Quantities are VERY limited so make sure to grab your favourite pieces quickly! To learn more about the grant initiative, click here . To view the entire lookbook, click here . Final Sale: Due to the nature of this release, please note that all purchases are final sale and cannot be returned or refunded. We don’t have any products to show here right now.

A Strong Foundation With Carlo Aragon of Salomonology If there's something that Carlo Aragon, designer and founder of social gorpcore community, Salomonology, knows, it's the importance of a strong foundation. From URL to IRL, Carlo has taken his childhood loves, from video games to sneakers to outdoors exploration, to build a base for some incredible projects that not only help people dress well, but also care for our planet at the same time. Find out how he does it in our conversation with Carlo below! Hey Carlo! The growth of Salomonolgy has been so incredible over the last few years? What's the goal with the page? To this day, we still get people who are like, "yeah, you wear Salomons, but how many hikes have you done recently?". It's like that"oh, you're wearing the band tee, but do you really listen to that band?" I really try to push the fact that a piece of clothing is meant to be worn, whether it's for its original initial technical purpose or just for casual wear. So the page is really exists to show people that there's nothing wrong with taking something that's meant for something else and just wearing it for a completely different reason. For me, an article of clothing has always been an article of clothing to be enjoyed. Why is it about gorpcore that makes it something you really care about? I want more people to be more conscious about the environment. I think with the way that the the world is projected to look in the next 10, 20 or 30 years, it's not looking great but when people go out and enjoy the outdoors, I think they start to recognize more about how lucky we are to actually have it. If people need to be into a trend for them to finally start hiking to appreciate being outdoors more, then that's awesome. I think gorpcore has really helped people get outdoors more and if Salmonology can be the doorway or that first step in getting people to use that style to be able to get outdoors more and appreciate what we have, it will make people more aware of how we need to be more protective of our world and nature in general. From a strategic standpoint, how do you approach projects longterm to keep your audiences locked in? I think people are always looking for how genuine you are in the work that you produce and how true to yourself you are with what you produce. At the end of the day, if the project stays connected to that one anchor that you started from in the beginning, what you build over time will still be meaningful. Know what your foundation is, stick with that and build off of that so that people can look back at everything that you've produced in the past and to see that you've stayed true to yourself. I think that's what people really recognize and appreciate. Makes so much sense! Lastly, as someone with a fashion brand and a knack for influencing people's style, what tips would you give to someone working on their personal style? When you're trying to find your personal style, I think it's important to focus on silhouettes and fit. That's the best way, because when that becomes your priority, you could go to the thrift store, you could go shopping at the mall, you could go anywhere, and then you could start shopping not for brands, not for labels, but for fit. When you leave the door every day looking like you're wearing the same outfit, but it's actually different clothes, that's when you've kind of achieve the personal style. In addition to that, I feel like it's also important to look back on stuff that make you happy, and then you incorporate that into stuff that interests you. Make sure to check out Salomonology and Carlo's new brand Equipe Works and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with creative entrepreneurs!

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

Playing the Game Better With Drew Stevens of Margin Skincare "You're never going to please everyone" is a phrase that set Drew Stevens, founder of the skincare brand Margin, free. In the era of amplified social judgment, and hundreds of new competitors popping up every week, it is more important now than ever to understand what you're in it for, and if that reason is guided by passion, like it is for Drew, then the only way forward is up. Backed by the creative minds of Benjamin Edgar, Chris Black, Ben Sehl (KOTN) and Sam Jayne, Drew has assembled the creative avengers to release what is currently one of the most exciting science-first, aesthetically beautiful skincare brands on the market. We spoke to Drew about his learnings as an entrepreneur, his tips for assembling a great team and how he deals with the competition; good and bad. Scroll down to read! Hey Drew, for those who aren't too familiar with you and Margin, can you tell us how it came together? Hey guys! My name is Drew Stevens and I'm the founder of Margin. I've always been really into skincare, and prior to starting Margin had the chance to spend a lot of time with with the founders of bootstrapped and venture backed businesses both inside and outside the beauty industry through my work in private equity. I was lucky enough to get to know some of the best skin scientists in the world, and in getting to know them had the chance to share (and confirm) a set of beauty industry observations that I thought left a gap serving me effectively and honouring my interest in skin.. Ultimately, Margin was launched as a way for my to offer myself and my peers a skin solution that incorporated best-in-class-ingredients, logic-driven formulations, and product design that I could be confident using and displaying in my home. The whole process started in 2020 and from there, we’ve put together a great team and had a lot of fun working on what is now Margin (which we launched in 2022). With all of the R&D and trials to get the product to be what you envisioned it to be, how do you know when it's finally right? It's really hard to figure out when it's right. I think a lot of it has to come down to me being really proud of the product. If I can stand behind it, and I really love it, and we put it out in the world and it bricks, I'm fine with that because this was me and the team's decision. I don't think I would sleep well at night if we conceded based on a product to try and make everyone happy and didn't put out what we loved the most. Realistically, you're not going to make everyone happy. If you go to a major beauty website and look at their top trending products, what you'll find is that for virtually every product in the world that's ever been released, reviews are normally distributed on both ends. You'll have 20% of people that say that they are absolutely obsessed, you'll have a bunch of people in the middle saying it's pretty good and then you'll have 20% to 30% of the audience saying "I wouldn't put this on my worst enemy", and yet it's a best selling product. At the end of the day, there is no such thing as universally loved anything, so I just try and put out what we really like and if it works, great. You have some pretty established names on your board/co-founder table. What was your process to getting in touch with them and getting them on board? From a cold calling perspective, you'd be surprised at how easy it is to get in touch with people. Social media has totally changed that over the years. If you have a tweet that bangs and somebody replies to it and they're an interesting person, boom, be in their DMs immediately. Same with Instagram and then if you're doing something interesting, offer somebody a little bit of value and something tangible they can act on. Meeting Chris the first time, I had never interacted with him, not on a social platform, nothing before. I knew who he was and I thought he'd be an interesting partner in a venture like this. It was literally me just sending him an email and saying, "This is what I do now. This is what's interesting about what I do now. This is an insight that I think I have that I think would be compelling and I'd love to know your take on it because I think of you as x, y, and z". The biggest thing though is just come to them with a good idea. I came to him with "Here's my insight about skincare and here's what I think we can do about it. Tell me I'm crazy". It wasn't just like, "hey, bro, skincare is really hot right now. Want to do something?" because that's not really actionable and that's not like a nutritious little bite for them or a hook in the water that they may find interesting. You've mastered skincare and the art of networking. What is on your list of things to master in 2024? I'm really trying to master my energy output in the most efficient way. My default is to try and move 30 footballs an inch up the field every day and then at the end of the week, I look back and the 30 footballs have only moved a few inches and that's not really that noticeable of an improvement. I think the right way to work is actually for me to run one football ten yards down the field for like a half day, run another one five yards down the field for a part of the day, and, be very focused on trying to really make progress on a few tasks in a given time period versus trying to do so many tasks at once. That's very difficult, as I'm sure many people reading can relate to this when you're running your own thing or have a side project that you're working on too. It becomes easy to feel busy and tired and feel like you spent energy, but not really have a lot to show for it. So this is what I'm trying to focus on and master in 2024. The beauty industry, like many others, has a ton of players that seem to care more about making a quick buck than an impactful product. What do you think about those types of brands? This is very true. The reason I'm doing this is because I care about products so much and I want the product to be the best it can be. I have a visceral reaction to the idea that someone would try and enter the market with a product that's trendy but potentially ineffective or harmful, but I also know that the answer isn't just for me to go around and say "hey,, that's not OK." There's a game being played, right? We're on this giant field and the way for me to make a point is to just eat their lunch, right? The way to do it is to play the game better than them. If in five years or ten years or twenty years, we've played the game better, then we will be rewarded for that and if we didn't play the game well or the game changed on us and people actually didn't care what they put on their skin then, you know what, I wasn't playing the right game and I lost. However, I can lose feeling good, right? This is my passion, but at the end of the day, I try to remember that there's an element of sports or gamesmanship to this and any other business as an entrepreneur, and just focus on what I can do to play the game better. I think that's a healthier attitude and so when I hear about competitors like that, it's like, okay, great, you're playing the game well right now. Let me see if I can't outscore you. Make sure to check out Margin and keep it locked to Pier Five for more founder interviews just like this!

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.

Easy Going With Lorenzo Brunetti Of END. Clothing The active world of fashion collaborations is one that can be exciting at times and overwhelming at others and as a large player in that space, Lorenzo Brunetti who is a collaborations designer at END. Clothing, is always ensuring that he's putting his best foot forward. As someone with over a decade in the fashion industry, he has learned a thing or two about what makes a project important and when it comes to collabs, he has been behind some of the most notable in the streetwear space over the last few years. We got the chance to chat with Lorenzo about his journey to becoming END.'s collabs designer, his tips for those looking to get into the space, how his style influences his work and much more. Hi Lorenzo, this conversation feels like a long time coming! For those who don't know you or what you do, can you tell us about yourself? Hey guys, glad to be chatting with you both! Well, my name is Lorenzo Brunetti and I'm a collaborations designer for the British fashion retailer END. Clothing. I work between the buyers and marketers to put together collaborations, primarily in footwear but more and more apparel. I have been with END. for nearly 4 years and have worked in the design and fashion space my whole career, since about 15 years old, working various internships and jobs at brands like Churchs, G-Star Raw and Omar Afridi. As someone on the collaborations design team, what does your day look like? The day usually starts with emails, whether that's with internal buyer or marketing teams or collaborator partners. Once emails get cleared it's a lot of time spent on creative briefs for collaborations. With product like this, we're planning around a year in advance so these days it's a lot of briefs with brands for 2024 already. How do the collabs usually come about and how do you plan for these types of projects so far in advance? A lot of brands we have longstanding relationships with since the store has carried them for so long and we've done collabs with them before so that helps to start the conversations. We're always doing our best to predict trends in the future and often lean on our buyers too for this since they are always looking into the future so that's how we might land on a new brand to collaborate with, but we will focus on brands that are carried in the store. From a design standpoint for the project, we're all about trying to cover a wide range of products and price points so that there is something for every customer. This is one of the reasons that we are expanding collaborations beyond footwear a lot more and getting more into apparel, accessories and home goods. What do you think the key to a successful collaboration is? You definitely need to be easy going and open minded. A collaboration is like a marriage between two brands. If you're not open to the other's ideas and opinions and always just pushing how you think something should be, then it will never work well. The building of the concept and storytelling is also really important from a full launch and execution standpoint. The collaboration is not just about the product itself, it's about the campaign and the creatives that tell the story and ultimately sell the shoe. We spend a lot of time making sure the concept is on point before diving into the design and that always helps through to the end. That's a great point on concept and storytelling. It feels like a lot of collaborations these days are just money grabs without a lot of thought. Yes, unfortunately a lot of brands out there, big and small, simply just collaborate to put their logos beside each other and sell it as an exclusive drop and it's easy to see when there isn't really much thought put into the other pieces of the project. Definitely not to say that's most collabs but something that we're always making sure of at END. is that we can't ever look at a project and think that it was just a logo mashup. What advice would you give to someone younger who is looking to get a job like yours? Getting your foot in the door in the fashion industry is key to eventually get into the world of collaborations. This can be done with any brand at any level - internships can be a great place to start - but just being in a space where you can start understanding how branding is done and how product comes to life will really help. Building your network is also really important. Reach out to anyone who you think is doing something interesting for a chat. Even if they don't have an opportunity for you then, you never know what meeting that extra person could open up for you in the future. Now that you're a few years in, what would you say is one of your favourite projects that you've worked on? The first was the Reebok Beatnik that we did. I think the concept was really great and it played super well into the Beatnik with the hairy suede and faux fur lining. The Beatnik was also having a big moment then so it was great to see how much people were into it. I also think we did a great job on the Diadora Grappa and Limoncello pack. The shoes were great and the photoshoot was super fun, which I think, after COVID, everyone needed. Would you say that your personal style influences your designs? Definitely. Most of the stuff I own, besides my shoes, socks and underwear, is vintage so my closet acts like my own archive in a way. I love buying old Americana like some vintage Levi's or slogan tees. It's awesome to be able to pull pieces and reference interesting stitch patterns or details that you can't find in modern day products and use them as ideas for new collabs. Makes total sense! Lastly, what's what brand you haven't worked on yet but would love to? I'd love to work on Mephisto! Concepts did an awesome job with Mephisto on that vintage-inspired Apple shoe and I'd love to do my own spin with them. We carry a ton of their product so maybe one day! Check out Lorenzo's Instagram for more behind the scenes of his projects at END. Clothing and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with creative leaders just like this!

A Conversation With Jazz Alba Jazz Alba is a Toronto based graphic designer, known for his Simpsons style recreations of famous moments in pop culture and basketball. He caught the attention of many with his work covering the 2019 Toronto Raptors Championship Run and has since had his work featured by notable publishers like Complex and NiceKicks , in addition to collaborating with brands such as FootLocker and Puma. ​ @jazzalba.jpg Between a family, full time job and your work as a part-time designer, I imagine your schedule can get pretty busy. With the pressures of staying attentive and up to date on everything, what are 5 ways you stay organized and manage your time? Put everything in the calendar. This is super important for me to organize my meetings and I have a shared calendar with my family for appointments. Create a systemic way to organize folders. This one may not apply to everyone but as a graphic designer, this is really important be able to find things easily. I make sure to properly name every file and layer. Pen & Paper. It’s basic but often when I can't use my laptop, it's great to have a notepad and pen available. Tutorials. These are often overlooked but I'm always looking for ways to improve my sells and make me a more efficient worker. Take breaks. Have a breather. You need that to reset your focus to be more efficient. When I was drawing around the Raptors championship stuff, a reset every now and then was super helpful. ​ You’ve covered some of the greatest moments in sports and pop culture through your designs. What are your top 5 moments you’ve drawn and why? ​ Raptors champs team on the couch - a nod to the start of every Simpsons episode. Anything Kawhi because everyone loved it! The Last Dance - a great mix of everyone tuning in to watch the show. Bianca Andreescu Rogers Cup win. This was a huge moment for Canada! NBA x Disney bubble . I love the characters and being able to represent the current state of basketball. Who are 5 people you haven’t drawn before that you admire? Can you draw them for this interview? Hmm... The drawings would take me some time but these are some people I definitely want to draw, if not already in the works! ​ Jamal Murray (and maybe just all of Canada basketball) The whole Denver Nuggets team is dope. I’d like to draw them. 1990 Toronto Raptors - The McGrady/Vince Carter Era was the best! Toronto Raptors coaching staff - people dont see them enough but they were a big part of the win. Jack Armstrong and Matt Devlin with the tagline “Helloooo” ​​ You’ve really set yourself apart by owning the classic Simpsons style but throughout the years you experimented with many different styles. What are 5 things you’d recommend to any artist looking to establish their own style and set themselves apart? Find your niche. I picked Simpsons + Sports (mostly Raptors) or sneakers. There's a great book called Feel Like An Artist which has a quote “don't wait until you know who you are to get started”. Finding a niche can take time but just try things out. Enjoy what you do and take a break if you’re not feeling it. Keep track of every idea. Save every image. Save all your thoughts. These small ideas could generate the big picture one day. Be consistent. If you keep changing your style, no one will know what you're about. “Just keep going”. Don't worry about the hate. Just do you if you like it. ​ Lastly, your work has inspired many and we’re curious to know, who are 5 artists that you are inspired by that others should check out? Matt Groenin (obviously!) - the creator of the Simpsons Kaws - he has done a lot with the Simpsons (Kimpsons) and uses colours really well. He also does a great job merging cultures like the classic bus ads. Andy Warhol Roy Lichtenstein Alexmdc ​ Also special shoutout to my cousin Bigseph who's a dope graffiti artist

Behind The Brand With Gerard Cleal of norda After helping so many others launch their projects, from Opening Ceremony, Belstaff, Little Burgundy & Call It Spring, it was only a matter of time before Gerard Cleal would dive into his own venture. As the Creative Director for norda, Gerard would finally face the opportunity to bring his decades of experience into building the brand identity for trail running’s newest, most advanced and most inclusive footwear brand. From the look and feel to the voice and mission, Gerard has helped develop a brand identity for norda that approaches the sport and all of its athletes differently than any of its competitors, which has positioned norda as a major player within months of the launch. We were fortunate enough to speak with Gerard about how he approached the creative direction for norda, how they treat runners differently than any other brand, tips for new brand builders and of course, what it’s like to be the non-runner at a company of runners. Hey Gerard! Thanks for making the time today to chat. Can you walk us through the process of developing the norda brand identity? What were some of the key things to focus on to develop a brand identity for norda that would stand out from its competitors? Hey guys! Excited to chat. So, here it is. Traditionally, running brands have been built around performance and speed only. There’s sometimes an exclusionary factor to this in which the brands group you into the elite runners bucket or the beginner bucket. If you’re elite, you get the tech. If you’re not, then they give you a lifestyle “runner” without any of the tech or best features. We wanted to get away from that. While we are built on highly technical, next generation materials - and we’re very proud of this - we celebrate every runner equally, whether you’ve just hit your first 5k or you’re an ultra runner. For norda, it’s less about how fast you can run and more about what your running journey looks like, regardless of how far. This led to the question we like to ask; “What do you run for?” We built our customer triad to help us ensure that we were meeting the needs of all runners through our brand identity. There are the elite performance runners, the intermediate runners and the beginner runners or those just hanging out in the lifestyle space (me). norda has to be for all three of these groups but also be able to support people moving up or down the triad. Authenticity was also huge in everything that we built. This was the first opportunity we had to really decide how we wanted to wear our heart on our sleeves. We wanted to be supportive and empower everyone with great products. Our focus is on buying better, not more and about making people feel like they were buying into something that would make them feel something special. It’s not just about putting a flashy logo on the shoe. It’s much more than that and we don’t want our customers to just be walking billboards for norda. Can you talk about the visual identity of the brand? How did you land on the logo, fonts, etc? Speed and performance have generally been synonymous with italics in branding as it denotes movement . We wanted to take a slightly different approach. I am a huge fan of Scandinavian and Nordic design. They have a tendency to sit back more and focus on material and connection to their landscape , culture and history. It’s never overt and obvious. I love this approach and is a cornerstone to why I think branding should always get out of the way. This is what we wanted for norda. The word “still” has really sat with me throughout my design career. We didn’t need the brand to evoke speed or movement. The materials and Louis’s design of the shoe would tell that story and we didn’t need anything to distract from that; the result: a beautiful sense of stillness living throughout. With regards to the typeface, we wanted to explore a more mid-century look, inspired from the original identities of brands we love. That said, Helvetica Now from Monotype which is a new, re-drawn take on Helvetica became our default. Helvetica has been around for ages and is used by a ton of brands like The North Face and even Off-White. In effort to promote a ‘quieter’ presence we went all lowercase and kept it all super simple. Score one for Dieter Rams! For the logo, we wanted to go old school. We’re all huge fans of heritage style sportswear brands like Rapha and Tracksmith . We landed on the shield that is inspired by our own Canadian Shield and that is shifted like a tectonic plate. There’s a strength to a shield, even a disrupted one, that just feels right - it’s really a love letter to this country. -. The norda site was a pivotal moment for the brand and its storytelling. What was it like working with an agency like LG2 to develop the digital experience for norda? LG2 is an incredible agency. They are very client oriented and having the connection between Nick (norda) and Stuart (LG2) helped kick things off really well. We had a bunch of ideas before working with them which I know can make things tricky for agencies sometimes but they weren’t afraid to push back and did so very respectfully which made for a great working relationship. They really cared about the outcome of the project and that led to effective push and pull from both ends. They were committed to creating the absolute best site that they could and we were all very happy with the result. What are 5 things that are important to keep in mind when formulating a brand identity? Firstly, it’s important to define brand and brand identity because they are very different concepts. The brand (logo, wordmark, colours) is really a small piece. The brand identity is the mammoth. That’s the customer, the tone of voice, the identity, the feeling that it gives to customers. That stuff is like the iceberg below the water that isn’t seen but is massively important. Be disciplined. Think about how you connect all of the dots. It’s ok to have different modules within the brand but be disciplined on how they all relate back to each other. Strip away as much as you can and get rid of what isn’t important. I always say to be intentional about what you’re doing and this definitely goes for branding as well. Like I said earlier, branding should always get out of the way. Having more doesn’t make it better. Be curious. Inspiration is going to be everywhere so don’t be afraid to be inspired by what you see and what you make of it. There’s nothing that you’ll ever see that is going to be original. That’s ok. You’ll put your own stamp on what you make to make it your own. That’s what is important. Love those tips! Lastly, we have to ask, what is it like being the “non-runner” on a team of running enthusiasts? I love it. I think you need an outsider on the team to advocate for that newer or non-runner if you’re going to be for everyone. We have this joke with our “What do you run for?” slogan. I run for coffee [laughs]. For more on the norda™ team, check out our Introduction to norda™ and interview with the brand's Head of Design, Louis-Martin Tremblay . Make sure to keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

Outworking The Competition With Eric Chong of R&D As the city prepares for a big reopening, we got the chance to sit down with Eric Chong, winner of Master Chef Canada, co-host of Wok The World and owner of one of our favourite restaurants in Toronto, R&D. Eric's success started very young and he has quickly been making his ascent as one of the top chefs in Canada. While doors have been open and closed over the last two years, Eric has stayed very busy and had lots to talk about. From building a strong team, sharing some cooking secrets, giving his honest opinion on the restaurant industry and his craziest tales from the TV world, this conversation was full of gems. Read and listen below! A Family Affair "When we hire people, it's really about how they work with the team than their resume. We really build a family oriented staff. A resume is great but you really have to click with the team because we see each other more than we see our family and friends." "The only way to earn their respect, is to outwork them. I've been blessed but I've put in the work. Don't ever get complacent. Don't ever get comfortable because you'll only get to the top by pushing." All About Consistency "The hardest thing about a restaurant is consistency. If I were to cook you a dish and a cook who was just hired yesterday cooked you a dish, you shouldn't be able to tell the difference and that's a very difficult job to achieve. I have twelve scales in the restaurant...so that everything in the restaurant is exactly the same." Tips to enhance your wok game... Understand that the end result will be different at home and at the restaurant. An open flame is a must! Electric doesn't get hot enough. Make sure you get that wok smoke! Never burn your food by keeping things constantly moving. If you don't have high enough heat, you can use a cast iron. Eric's 5 Must Haves In The Kitchen MSG - Adds depth of Umami (one of the key flavour profiles). Eggs - Used in nearly everything! Rice Soup noodles - "I've been eating a ton of these. I'll make a big batch of stock and get fancy with my noodles!" Pasta - "My bolognese slaps [laughs]" Do people ever just pin you as the "Master Chef guy" and not look at all the other stuff that you're doing? There was a period in my career where I was a bit frustrated but it's what started me. It's good to have an identity. Like, I'm sure Daniel Radcliffe doesn't just want to be Harry Potter but it's better to be known for something than nothing at all. (Listen Above) "It's always a challenge to find new things to teach them [the staff]. What's beneficial at R&D is anyone who is in the back of house management role doesn't just learn how to cook...they actually learn how to manage a restaurant." What's the craziest thing that has ever happened to you on TV? (Listen Below) If you want to be a successful restauranteur, your job doesn't end when you clock out. If you're looking for a 9 to 5 job, this ain't it. If you're looking for a job where you have a good work-life balance, this ain't it. If you actually love cooking and love this industry, prove it! There's no excuse not to know how to make any dish at this point, but how to make it your own is the real challenge. Make sure to follow Eric on Instagram for news, tips and tricks to help step your kitchen game up, as well as R&D if you're ever in Toronto and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

A Conversation With Olivia Ho of The Give and Grow What is success if it is not shared with others? As a sports fanatic, houseplant enthusiast and advocate for female empowerment and growth, Olivia Ho has been on a mission to create change through what she loves. Noticing the barriers that existed for young females in sports, an activity which she thinks is imperative for developing confidence early on in children and teens, Olivia has set out to create new opportunities for Toronto’s female youth through community led initiatives and programs. We caught up with Olivia to discuss her work as a Sports Program Lead at MLSE Launchpad and to look back at a very successful first year running The Give and Grow, a women-led initiative building a community for women in Toronto. As someone with an inside lens into both big and small corporations working to make a change, Olivia is full of knowledge and advice that can help everyone work together to empower the next generation of leaders. Read our conversation with Olivia below and then head over to The Give and Grow’s instagram page to check out what they have coming up to celebrate the one year anniversary. @ohoxo // @thegiveandgrow Hey Olivia! For those who may not be familiar, tell us a bit about yourself and The Give and Grow. Hey guys! My name is Olivia Ho. I’m a cardiac sonographer at St. Mike’s Hospital in Toronto and a Sports Program Lead at MLSE Launchpad, leading sports programs for young women in the city. During last summer in the pandemic, with buzz starting around houseplants and as a way to stay creative, I started making basketball planters and it got the attention of some people on my socials. I started to think about how I could use the planters to bring together more people in the community and continue to empower young girls and that’s how The Give and Grow started. The Give and Grow, a pun on the basketball term “give and go”, is a women-led initiative centred around growth. We run workshops, many of which through Launchpad, to help young girls gain confidence and give them the tools they need to achieve their goals. A portion of all planters sold goes toward youth programming in Toronto and we’re working on expanding our programming and workshops to other cities in Canada and internationally. Through your work at MLSE and with The Give and Grow, you’re doing a ton of amazing work to create new opportunities for youth in the city. Why is this cause one that is so important to you? Growing up in a Filipino and Vietnamese household, basketball culture was huge for me and in my community. I always played in leagues but noticed early on that you’re always a bit of an outlier if you are a girl who is good at sports. I watched a lot of my female peers grow up without sports and it was hard to see the divide between how boys and girls were raised with sports. I also noticed all of the financial barriers that existed and wanted to create opportunities for as many people as I could through sport. This is really interesting and you’re definitely right in the observations you’ve made about youth upbringing with sports. How has Launchpad helped you achieve these goals? MLSE is great because they can help make amazing connections to enhance the programming run for the youth. Although they’re a big company, they really do care about helping smaller and less-privileged communities. In addition to the sports programming, they also run food programs and job training through Launchpad. All programming is free and we have an amazing team of staff that are representative of the groups of kids. We do this to help create a connection between everyone and so that the youth can see themselves in their leaders. You’ve said that The Give and Grow was never about basketball planters but they’ve clearly been a great outlet to bring women together and empower the next generation of leaders. Why do you think this has caught on as such a successful part of The Give and Grow experience? I’ve seen a few people do them before I did, including one of my friends who helped me learn to do them and it was very fun. House plants have become so popular and I think making the planters is a great activity to bring the community together. They also fit into the brand well under the idea of growth. Besides the workshops, what can people do to get involved in a cause they feel passionately about? Really immerse yourself in the space that you care about. Find people doing work for the cause and interact with them. Follow them on instagram, go to their events, send them a message etc. Reach out to people a ton and ask questions. Just go for it and don’t be afraid of rejection. You will start to connect with people with a shared vision, like I have, and that will be the building blocks for your involvement in change. Taking that leap isn’t always so easy. What are some ways you’d advise someone to help them get out of their comfort zone? Sometimes all you need is a prompt to understand how you are feeling. A big part of our workshops consist of activities to help people get out of their comfort zone. We have booklets with prompts to help get people talking and thinking about what is important to them, what their goals are, stories from their past, etc. These activities help show people that we’re not all so different from one another. You’ve partnered with some amazing people and organizations to help run workshops and create opportunities for women. What are some tips you’d give to anyone looking to find the right partners? Most importantly, make sure you truly understand who you are and what you want. Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve and that will help you evaluate new partnerships. Secondly, do your research on others to make sure that their brand and mission aligns with yours. Don’t let money or following size be the main factor in your decisions. If they are, it will be difficult to make decisions that fit with your goals. Also, don’t forget to do spot checks every now and then to ensure you’re still on track to achieve what you set out to achieve. That’s great advice. Is there a person or company that you would really love to partner with? I think the WNBA would be an amazing fit. I was lucky enough to work with the Toronto Raptors but doing something with females in basketball would be such a perfect partnership. That would be amazing! Who are 5 women or female led groups doing amazing work that people should know about? Dez and Steen from Patchwork Collective ( @patchwork.collective ). They were the first community partners that The Give and Grow worked with. They’re all about self discovery and creating a community for women. Emily Gilpin is a good friend and indigenous journalist out in British Columbia. She is the Managing Editor at Indiginews ( @indiginews ) and has done a great job documenting and raising awareness around everything that’s been happening with indigenous communities lately. Gaby Estrada is a coworker at Launchpad and the founder of Girls and Women in Motion ( @gwinmotion ), a program in Scarborough that focuses on engaging women and girls in physical activity. Kim & Shanelle, founder of The Villij ( @thevillig ). They run a fantastic online wellness platform that offers accessible workouts for women. Meghan Young is the founder of The Sad Collective ( @thesadcollective ), a community platform that offers workshops for youth and women and promotes mental health and wellness. We’ll definitely need to look into these! Lastly, if you could ask one thing to those who are reading this, what would it be? “Lift as you climb.” It’s important to remember that as you grow and become more successful, you need to continue to lift up others around you. The more we work together, the more successful we all will be and the higher we can climb. Check out Olivia and The Give and Grow and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

A Conversation With Sean Go Sean Go is a Toronto raised content creator with a passion for sneakers, basketball and photography; a perfect trio for the modern Torontonian. Sean's sneaker photography has been featured on a number of publications and his YouTube channel is one of the go-to's for in depth sneaker reviews. ​ @sgo8 We see new kicks on your channel all the time. What are the top 5 in your rotation right now? ​ If we're talking about what I'm actually wearing these days I'd go with Black Cement 3, New Balance 992 Grey, Nike Air Max 1 Anniversary White/Red, Collegium Destroyer High "Avio" and the Nike Dunk Low "Brazil". Top 5 favourites of all time would be White Cement 3, Concord 11, Chicago 1, Infrared Air Max 90 and White Cement 4 probably. ​ Your known for taking some of the best and most unique sneaker pics on insta. What tips can you give for someone looking to up their sneaker pic game? Lighting is key. Play around with different types of lighting to be comfortable shooting in various conditions (sunny, cloudy, indoors with flash, etc.) Environment plays a huge part in the photo. Learning to utilize backgrounds and props to add to the flavour of the photo really allows your photos to stand out. Develop a "style". Consistency is huge, as it allows people to see your personality and flare through your photos. While a nice camera is great, learning to edit your photos is half the battle. I personally use Adobe Lightroom and finish it up with Photoshop, but whatever program you feel most comfortable with, play around with it and see how it can elevate your shots. Have fun! Do it for the passion and the genuine love of it, and keep shooting for the right reasons. While many know you for your IG posts, you have nearly 3x the following on YouTube. What are 5 things you love or hate about YouTube? YouTube's a great way to express yourself and generate income in a way that photographs on Instagram don't allow. You can find videos on pretty much anything you want to see or learn about. The audience-base is very supportive and shows you a ton of love if they appreciate your work. BUT! It's much more of a challenging and time consuming medium than Instagram. The anonymity of it allows for a lot of troll comments that you have to learn to ignore. ​ So with all that being said, who are your 5 favourite sneaker YouTubers right now? Seth Fowler Hes Kicks Foamer Simpson Rose Anvil WearTesters