June Guest Picks: Books with Post Design Collective Guest: Amanda & JP of Post Design Collective 1. Atlas of Furniture Design. 2019, Vitra Design Museum "One of the most comprehensive design books featuring notable standout pieces throughout the 20th century. Beautiful book with a plethora of information!" 2. 325 Magazine, Yearly. Ryerson Department of Architectural Science (DAS) "An amazing yearly publication that showcases the work of students from 1st year through to Master's program from Ryerson's Architectural Department. Coming from this program ourselves, we always are interested to see what is being produced and how far the program has come." 3. What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, Randall Munroe "Really just a fun, light-hearted read that takes simple problems way too seriously, sometimes how we approach problems as well." 4. The Age of Collage Contemporary Collage in Modern Art Vol 2, 2016. Gestalten "An amazing collection of abstract and surrealist works, showcasing collage as an art in its most idealistic and interesting form. Goes largely alongside Amanda's Thesis work, and is on the list to purchase (but is sold out everywhere)." 5. Dieter Rams: the Complete Works, 2020? Klaus Klemp "A Collection of works from one of the most influential designers (and one of our favourites, as noted in our previous interview). Also on the list for purchase and a read. One day!" Check out all of our guest picks for June here and stay tuned to Pier Five for more stories and interviews with the coolest people around.

2024 Recipient: The Magpie Cakery Explore the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund Introducing The Magpie Cakery, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2024! Founders: Libby Brewer-Dulac & Maggie Frith Location: Toronto, ON Discover Mess Hall online: Website // Instagram About The Magpie Cakery The Magpie Cakery is a commercial kitchen space and hub for culinary professionals, built with the goal of empowering emerging entrepreneurs in the food space to launch and grow their own businesses. The Magpie Cakery residents gain access to a vibrant community, a storefront for customer interaction, and resources that act as a launchpad for success. Since early 2023, The Magpie Cakery has welcomed 24 small food businesses, with residents achieving milestones like securing wholesale clients and growing revenue. With big plans for the future, including an expansion of their space and a new business education program, the Magpie Cakery will look to increase the potential of its offerings for residents to help them thrive and achieve long-term success. How will the fund make an impact with your business? The mentorship from Mastercard, combined with Pier Five’s support, will be instrumental in ensuring our initiatives drive measurable success. We plan to use the $10,000 CAD grant to fund kitchen renovations and equipment, develop a business education program, grow outreach efforts to support women-led food startups, and offset increased operating costs. Expanding our kitchen space will double our capacity for residency clients, prioritizing bakers and women entrepreneurs. With these enhancements, we can provide immediate benefits and long-term growth opportunities for our residents. What is your long term goal for the company? Within the next 3-5 years, our goal is to support the launch of 10 new women-led food businesses annually through our residency program, with some residents staying for extended six-month terms to hone their craft. We plan to fully optimize our current space and pursue partnerships with George Brown College and other local culinary and community organizations to reach more early-stage women entrepreneurs. Additionally, we aim to host baking workshops and events that showcase our resident bakers, foster community connections, and provide local residents with opportunities to learn new skills and celebrate the art of baking. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2024 recipients here .

2023 Recipient: Cubed Style Inc. Introducing Cubed Style Inc, one of the ten recipients of the Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund 2023! Who: Christine, Candace & Camille Oliver Where: Toronto, ON Instagram / Website Cubed Style Inc. was founded in 2020 out of necessity. The three sisters behind Cubed Style Inc. searched for an eczema solution , but struggled to find success in doctor prescribed ointments and creams, so they took matters into their own hands, formulating natural body and hair butters for all skin and hair types. Driven by the connections they make with parents desperately looking for solutions and adults and children suffering from eczema local markets, Cubed Style has become an award winning brand and is recognized by their community as one of the leading Black companies in Toronto. How will you use the $10,000 CAD for your business? The majority of the $10,000 fund will go towards new packaging inventory that is 100% eco-friendly. Currently, we use recyclable glass jars as well as recycled cardboard boxes and biodegradable packing peanuts for shipping. We would like for us to go completely eco-friendly by purchasing 100% biodegradable pouches. We would also like to purchase new ingredients to expand our offerings and fulfill with some major beauty retailers. Lastly, with such a big part of our marketing strategy involving markets and pop-ups across the country, we hope to enhance our vendor set up with new and improved signage, banners, tables and decor. What is your big goal for the future of the business? A big goal of ours is to increase our product range with a natural shampoo and conditioner, still falling in line with our pledge to create products with no more than 5 ingredients. As a black woman with curly 4C hair, I (Christine) have used countless shampoos and conditioners, all of which claim to be natural or organic but they have left my hair extremely dry and dehydrated. We want to make a full collection that our customers can use from head-to-toe, which will keep their skin and hair moisturized daily. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2023 recipients here .

Creators Grant About the project Since day one, Pier Five has striven to inspire and educate its community by sharing insightful conversations with, and the works of, its favourite designers, creators, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts. This year, we are excited to take this a step further with the launch of the Pier Five Creators Grant , a financial grant and mentorship opportunity that will be presented to an emerging creative, selected by both Pier Five and its community. To raise funds for this grant, we have collaborated with eight incredible creatives on a capsule collection of limited edition products, from reworked and handmade apparel to home goods and original art works. Before launching the collection, we will spend some time telling the stories of the eight masterminds behind the works and you can read more about them below. The collection will launch for a limited time in early July and all proceeds from the sales will go towards the financial grant which creatives (worldwide) can apply for in August (more on the applications coming soon). Timeline We are excited to have you along for the journey as we continue to grow this incredible community of designers, artists, entrepreneurs, creators and many others around the world and hope that you can learn something new and maybe even cop something cool along the way! - Jeff + Julian Meet The Designers Click on a designer to learn more. View the Lookbook Shop the Collection (CLOSED)

Showing Up With Liz Beecroft After twelve very interesting months, we got the chance to catch up with one of our earliest guests; psychotherapist, LCSW, founder of MENTL.SESH and style queen Liz Beecroft. Liz has been on a roll since our last conversation, building and launching her private practice, making big moves with brand collaborations, leading in-person events promoting mental health and some of the best fit pics on social media. After a year of uncertainty but much excitement, it was only right that we catch up with Liz to chat about how she's feeling coming out of the pandemic and everything she has in the works. Check out the highlights from the conversation below! So, Liz! How have you been over the last 12 months? "Really good! There have been a lot of amazing opportunities that have been coming in. It's been really busy with a lot of restructuring with the team but all good and we recently had a great activation at ComplexCon and with MSG for Women's Empowerment featuring MENTL.SESH. I'm really spending a lot of time now trying to position MENTL.SESH properly so that we can do more in-person events which is really exciting!" Everything with MENTL.SESH lately has been really awesome! "We have a lot of exciting opportunities this year where we can quite literally meet people where they are and teach them how they can bring mental health into these spaces. We actually want to give you skills and get something for your mental health out of these experiences." March is the month where all the brands bring out their "Women's Empowerment" content but we keep an eye on who continues to do the same year round. May is the same for Mental Health. How are you looking at this when you see companies posting about these causes? "I’ve been doing a lot more trainings over the last year where I'm training companies internally on mental health in the workplace and I think that has given me a really good look at what brands are really doing it the right way and starting internally first and then going externally with that message. Having people who are not only really good at their jobs and talented in their respective craft, but who also have passions about a diverse range of causes, is really important because when you look at leadership, you want to make sure that those people are walking the walk and modelling that behaviour for other people. That’s also going to seep through to different teams and throughout the company." Liz on how to approach the world re-opening again. "Just like it was a huge adjustment to go into lockdown, it’s now going to be another huge adjustment to get back into what we've known. Our bodies and our minds have all adapted to slowing down. It’s OK to feel like you don’t really have the motivation and energy to do something all the time. It's normal." (LISTEN BELOW) TALK NICE TO ME! "If you aren’t feeling it, don’t force it. Listen to yourself, give yourself grace, be gentle and really start talking yourself in a nice way. We have to start first with ourselves because of the way we speak to ourselves matters. We need to really talk nice to ourselves and when we do that, everyone else and can also talk nice to us because we will be kicking ass!" You've mentioned that you don't just want to be known as the "Sneakerhead Therapist" anymore. How does tying into where you're at and what you're interested in to your brand? "I think it's all about growth. We have to be self aware and know what we do and don't want for ourselves because that's how we can set different goals and go after them. I've grappled with this for a while but I know that I can still love sneakers and I don't need to have a collection of 270 pairs and that does not take away from what I do and don't know about shoes." Lastly, we know you have a big wedding coming up! Any big plans for that? Yes! Can't wait to be together with all of my family and friends again. Crocs is sponsoring! White crocs for everyone! ...and I have a plan to get Post Malone to my wedding! (Watch Below) Make sure to keep up with Liz on Instagram as well as MENTL.SESH and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

A Day In Montreal With LeBicar Earlier this summer, Pier Five had the pleasure of meeting up with Montreal based artist David Bicari, aka LeBicar, for a jam packed day of art, music, food and great conversations. After a wonderful visit to David’s studio in the Mile End neighbourhood and a skate sesh out back, David was kind enough to show us his lay of the land and what started as a plan for a quick meet up turned into a full day experiencing some of the best spots and events in the city. From salmon tartare avocado toast to one of Montreal’s coolest new galleries, multiple Aperol Spritz stops and VIP at the Mural Festival BBQ and concert, there was no shortage of good times and we can’t thank David enough for his hospitality. A little bit about LeBicar… David has been at the forefront of the Montreal art scene for quite some time. With a unique style, David’s black and white continuous line drawings can be seen all over the city, from gallery displays to storefront walls, murals, home goods and on the bottom of skate decks being ridden down the streets. David is a big advocate for getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things and while his style is consistent and recognizable, he isn’t afraid to take on new challenges and this has led to a flourishing career and many incredible relationships along the way. Hey David! It’s great to be in your studio. Tell us about the space. Great to have you guys. I just recently moved into this space and am loving it. I share it with some awesome creatives and brands which helps us all create better work. There’s a ton of space in here too to work on all of my different mediums; canvas, decks, paper, etc. I like doing different mediums every day to keep things interesting and keep me out of my comfort zone. So much great art here and it’s really cool to see the behind the scenes space. You’ve talked about being inspired by contrast and duality, which can be seen through the stark black & white palette of your work. Can you talk about this inspiration a little bit more? I like to think about the spectrum of people in the world and how stark the differences in lifestyles can be. The black and white in my work is my representation of both ends of that spectrum. The contrast, while simple, is very meaningful to me. This idea of black and white also stems from my early days as an artist in which I started with simple pen on paper drawings. It’s all like a bit of a dance on the paper for me. A lot of artists with simplistic styles sometimes get criticized for a “lack of creativity” (which we do not agree with). How would you respond to this statement? There’s something beautiful about mastering simple design. Just because it’s simple, doesn’t mean it’s easy or bad. You wouldn’t tell Jack Johnson to play heavy metal. When he is only playing a ukulele and singing his songs are still incredible [laughs]. I am a big fan of the “less is more” ideology and I know not everyone likes that but it doesn’t mean that less equals less creative. Great answer! Do you ever miss colours? I feel like I have something to say with black and whit but my door isn’t closed to colours. I’ll often save the colours for my client work when I have to work with their brand colours. Ultimately for me though, storytelling is the most important thing. If the story needs colours, I’ll use it. My series “Imparfaitement Special” (Imperfectly Special in English) was inspired by fruit at the grocery store that was marked on sale for its imperfections using an orange sticker. I still saw the beauty in the fruit and the imperfections and brought that into my work so there was colour there. Again, it always just has to be about the story. Speaking of clients, you’ve also done a number of collaborations, from shoes and apparel to skateboards and drink brands. How do you choose which brands to work with and which to say no to? I’ve been lucky enough to reach a place recently where the phone has been ringing which is a great thing. I love collaborating as I feel it makes me a better artist and most brands that reach out to me have done their research and know me so luckily I don’t have to say no to many people. If I don’t feel that there is a natural connection I might say no, or I’ll work to educate them about my work to try and make something work out. I also have gotten hit up in the past for free jobs or ones that pay in “visibility” which I don’t like. Exposure or visibility is nice but I can’t pay my rent with visibility. I’ve worked hard to understand my value and I know I can bring exposure to other people as well. I don’t need to be making tons but mutual value creation is important. That’s a great mentality to have. What would you say to a new artist that is looking to determine their “value” or what they should maybe be charging for work? One thing to remember is that value doesn’t always equal money. That doesn’t mean work for free but there are other ways to gain value for sharing your work. It could be trading time, services, ideas, etc. I can’t really say how much time or what services you should get in return. That’s up to you but just remember money isn’t everything. That being said, I do think it’s important to charge when you can, even if only a little, to build your negotiating skills. Lastly, above all else, I always say that the first person you need to sell your work to is yourself. Be confident in your work and that will take you everywhere. All great points but that last tip is definitely key! Let’s talk about skateboarding! How long have you been skating for and how does it influence your day to day style? Skateboarding is a huge part of my life. It is responsible for opening my eyes to so many different things within music and art. I used to always go into skate shops and just admire the skate decks on the wall. I was so enamoured by the art aspect without even knowing it. Now when I’m creating work, a lot of the stories are inspired by the skate scene. The best part about skateboarding though to me is that it allows me to connect with more people. I have my crew of guys that I go skate with at night and when I’m out there, my mind is completely cleared of stress and I just focus on the skating. It’s like a form of meditation and the people that I’m with create such a positive vibe. It’s also taught me to persevere. Some of these tricks take months to learn but you keep trying until you get it. Art is that way too. What’s a trick you’ve been working on for a while? I was just out in Vancouver with some friends and had a small line of a nose slide and then into a backside 50/50. Nothing crazy but felt good. Besides skate culture, flowers or floral elements often seem to make their way into your creations. Why the flower and do you think it is important for artists to have a symbol or shape that is a recurring theme in their art? I think whether it’s a symbol, shape, colour palette or line style, having something consistent throughout your work is important for recognizability. It allows you to take the people that love your work with you as you grow and progress through your journey. That doesn’t necessarily mean never changing, but having something, even if it’s small, be consistent will do a lot for your long term growth. That makes a lot of sense. Lastly, what are 5 tips you’d give to aspiring artists looking to “make it” as an artist? Don’t keep ideas in your head. Put things on paper so to speak and don’t overthink it. Even if it’s not perfect, that’s ok. Don’t be afraid to share your work with others and collect feedback. It’s ok to feel vulnerable but if you open your work up to people, for the most part they will be excited and try to understand what you’re doing. It’s ok if others have their own interpretation of your work at first but have conversations with them and fill them in on your vision. Let them know the story of your pieces instead of just putting out a design and letting it sit. Think about what you want to accomplish with your art. Do you want to just make your own art? Do you want to design for others? Having this understanding will guide you in the right direction. Have fun. Art doesn’t always have to be that serious, even if it’s your full time job. Just enjoy it and your best work will come out. Make sure to follow LeBicar on Instagram to get updates on all of his new work and releases and don’t forget to keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

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

Creating Your Identity With Jun Arnaiz of Neutria Creating Your Identity With Jun Arnaiz of Neutria It's not uncommon to find creatives venturing out into their own startups but it is a bit more unique to see them dive into the realm of health and natural supplements, a space that is highly competitive with mass-pharma and can take years of R&D and approval. So, what does it take to dive into this world? We sat down with Jun Arnaiz, a longtime friend and man of many talents, to learn a little bit about it. Jun got his start in the Toronto-nightlife scene, rising up as one of the city's best club videographers by night, while experimenting, formulating and testing supplements by day. As he got deeper into the nightlife world, his sights set onto DJ'ing, which has now grown his name even further as a certified nightlife double threat; but he didn't forget about the pharma. In 2023, Jun and his business partner Andrew Daye launched Neutria, an all-natural supplement brand rooted in ancient herbs and remedies to help those eager to excel do so in a clean and sustainable way. Jun has a lot to say about breaking down barriers to follow your passions. Read through the conversation below! Jun, you seem to have your hand in so many pots and never shy away from opportunities. How does someone like yourself approach all of these new things? Naturally, I'm a very curious person and I have a bunch of interests but I'm very careful to ensure if I do something, it's of quality. It can be daunting but anytime I'm exploring a new craft, I know it will require me to put myself out there no matter what because that's how you get new opportunities. It requires you to be vulnerable but it's necessary. Especially for artistic crafts, showing your work is the only way to get booked. If we reverse engineer that to figure out how to build the confidence to put yourself out there, it really comes down to putting in the reps. You have to practice. Once you really commit and practice, you build the competence in the craft and then you build the confidence. That confidence will be the fuel to put yourself out there in the world and that's when opportunities will come to you. Do you ever feel stuck diving into new things? Luckily not so much but it took time. I think the number one thing that stops people from taking on a new craft is imposter syndrome. People think "I'm not this person, so I'm not going to give it my 100%." I realized that the antidote to that is building up enough evidence for yourself that you do embody this person to the point where it can become your identity. For me, it was hard as a nightlife videographer, who's identity was so ingrained in that, when I wanted to start DJ'ing. I knew people might not take me seriously but I was serious. I didn't want to be a videographer that could also DJ. I wanted to be a DJ. In order to do that, I needed to be consistent. I needed to show up every day. I needed to do shows consistently. I try to embody this mindset with every new thing that I do. It wasn't even up until maybe a couple of months ago that I finally was confident enough to call myself a DJ because I felt like I wasn't there yet. I didn't have that identity yet but I was always pushing for it. Just remember, success isn't an overnight thing. You have to work on it every day but the only way to get there is to start. Can you talk about what pushed you to start Neutria? I worked in a pharmacy for five plus years, so I saw firsthand how people are so reliant on pharmaceuticals just to get by. We're at an age, societally, where people are becoming more health conscious. My partner, Andrew, and I have always been obsessed with finding ways to optimize our health, wellbeing and mindset. We were always experimenting with these different ingredients in college and university. So we've been exposed to the world of natural supplements and natural remedies. We never really had the intention when we were in our early twenties of doing this. It was just a passion to help us optimize our businesses at that time but we sensed this paradigm shift of people who want to excel in their careers or their crafts and find remedies to do so without harming themselves in the process by using synthetic drugs, like Adderall, or excessive melatonin or caffeine. So, we started Neutria and all three of our products are a response to a synthetic version. We have an all-natural sleep support product that uses herbs that have been used for thousands of years, melatonin-free and that's kind of like our counter to melatonin. We have a focus blend that's our counter to excessive caffeine or Adderall. We're not doing this to profit off of people. We're doing this to offer a sustainable solution to these specific needs that we saw. Lastly, what is one of the biggest learnings you've discovered so far as a brand owner? As an e-commerce brand, it's easy to dehumanize the business and diminish it to just numbers and digital screens. For the first half of our existence, Andrew and I lived on our screens and we weren't getting any sort of physical feedback from customers. It was all online-everything. So, one thing that we introduced was more events and collaborations with other brands to get out into the physical world and connect with and build our community. We started selling in local markets, sampling with groups and getting actual feedback on our products. The human connection was also important to help remind us of our purpose and why we started the business, which was very motivating. We really learned the importance of th at macro view on why you do things and I think going physical, going offline as much as possible does that. Make sure to check out Jun and Neutria on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with creatives and entrepreneurs just like this!

A Conversation With Obra.Jay Jonathan Rodriguez is the creator behind Obra.Jay, a creative outlet focused on vintage sneakers, fashion & DIY streetwear with a quickly growing, international audience. Coming off the recent release of his 1.0 Obra.Jay sneaker, Jon is making a big splash in the game and when he's not designing, collecting vintage kicks or vetting IG fit-pics, Jon is also a wedding photographer and barista in his home town of Albuquerque, NM. @obra.jay As a leader in fit-pic curation, what are 5 of the hottest poses right now for a great pic? The leg cross Hands together or crossed arms with a nice slouch Leg up with foot on the side of the wall The “candid” walk pose Straight up model shot with the face mask. A big one during these times! What are your top 5 sneaker silhouettes of all-time? Jordan 1 Air Force 1 Nike Dunk (High or Low - both are perfect) Converse Chuck Taylor High (Old model) New Balance 990 (any version!) Once COVID lightens up and we can travel again, where would you love to travel to? I'd love to spend a summer in New York. Just do the NY thing! I also have some friends living in Madrid, Spain so I'd love to get out there to see them. Iceland is beautiful. I'd love to shoot some landscapes out there. The Swiss alps would be sweet too and then of course, I'd love to go to Japan to experience the fashion, food and sneaker culture out there! If you could only have 5 shoes for the rest of your life, what would they be? Jordan 1 1985 'Neutral Grey' Nike Dunk High 'Neutral Grey' (with a blueish tint) Any grey New Balance model Nike Air Force 1 w/ the green Swoosh Jordan 1 1985 'Black/White' Lastly, we know the culture's changing all the time but what are 5 trends you love or hate in sneaker culture right now? I LOVE that the faded/worn look is in. Vintage tees, worn shoes and painter pants. I HATE the resell market. I'm a part of it but hate that I have to be. I HATE bots (but can't say I haven't tried checking it out. I LOVE the bootleg Jordans trend. It's such a fun way to mix things up. I LOVE & HATE the popularity of dunks. Love it because I love dunks. hate it because prices are going crazy! For more on Obra.Jay, check out his Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.

On The Map With Free Agent Wearhouse Pier Five got the chance to meetup with local legends Rob Echevarria & Kim Barrera of Free Agent Wearhouse, Toronto's premier apparel design and decoration company, in their downtown Toronto showroom for an awesome chat about business through the pandemic, empowering local designers, the value of Canadian-made products and staying dedicated to your craft. Having worked with dozens of Canada's top brands and designers as well as a special project for one of Toronto's most loved Raptors, there's a good chance that you've walked past someone wearing something made by Free Agent Wearhouse and the stories they had were endless. Read through the conversation below and check out the sound bites to hear from Rob & Kim first-hand. Hey Rob & Kim! Thanks for having us in your showroom today. For those who aren't familiar with you and Free Agent Wearhouse, can you tell us a little bit about this all? Rob: I'm Rob, the owner of Free Agent Wearhouse. We specialize in premium quality clothing production and decoration, probably best known for our intricate embroidery. Kim: I'm Kim. If I had to give myself a title it would probably be lead designer or maybe assistant project manager. I kind of do a little of everything since it's just the two of us here. I connected with Rob during the pandemic through a mutual friend and have been helping him with the business as it's been scaling. What do you think sets Free Agent Wearhouse apart from the other design and decoration companies in Toronto, or maybe even all of Canada? Rob: Our biggest focus right now is on helping smaller fashion brands get the look and feel of the bigger brands. While what we do is not necessarily innovative, when it comes to design, decoration and production quality, there aren't a lot of companies out there that will put in the time and attention like we will and I think that has gone a long way with our clients and the brands that choose to work with us. Kim: We're always thinking about the future and how one project can lead to the next. We're more than just an embroidery company. We can advise on design work, help the brands out with their concepts, make connections to other brands or suppliers and so much more. In that sense we're almost like an agency and are always making sure that we are putting our best foot forward with every single client. How did the pandemic affect the business? Rob: Things were crazy in the beginning. We transitioned to face masks for a while and that was very busy. That's when Kim came in to help out. The pandemic really just created more of a desire to work within the community and do things locally. There's a lot of buzz around "Made In Canada" in fashion. Why is this important and how does Free Agent Wearhouse fit into it all? We're all about this (of course)! As consumers, we've all bought bigger brands for the logo or design but you know "that sweater" is just ok when it comes to the quality. There's a reason why people are proud to wear Canadian-made. It's because you know the quality is there and it's really made to last. The idea for us is to bring that type of high-value production back into Canada as much as possible. FAW x Adidas For Kyle Lowry Recently you got to work on a very special project with Adidas for Kyle Lowry. What was that like? Rob: This one was different because we really had full creative control over the entire project. For a big company like Adidas to give control to a smaller design company really exercised every aspect of our capabilities. Kim: It was amazing. Witnessing Kyle win a championship, leave and then be a part of something that was presented to him when he returned; that was really special! We were able to add those little personal touches that paid homage to him, not only as a Raptor but as a world champion. (Listen to more below) What advice would you give to someone looking to get into this business? Learn every skill that you might need. If you can do it yourself, you'll always go further than if you have to lean on somebody else. Just keep creating. Make something wack? Who cares! Stay dedicated and learn from your mistakes. The thing that you think might be the worst thing you've ever made might be the best thing in someone else's eyes. Now that the world is opening back up, we imagine you must have some big plans in store? Definitely! We're setting up a much bigger space which will be great for clients to be able to come by, see the work and hang out. We'll hopefully have some other big projects come up soon and we really want to get more and more into cut and sew. Lots to come. Rob: At the end of the day though, even if we shut down again, the grind doesn't stop. I need to always be doing something. Even if the money's not flowing, you can catch me in the factory. There's always going to be something to learned and to do. Kim: We're looking forward to all of it! Make sure to keep up with Free Agent Wearhouse on Instagram and keep it locked to Pier Five for more conversations with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more out there.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Mastercard x Pier Five's 2024/25 Priceless Experience Last week, Mastercard and Pier Five hosted the highly anticipated Priceless Experience in Toronto, a transformative gathering for the 2024 Mastercard Small Business Fund recipients. This exclusive event was designed to connect the 10 exceptional women entrepreneurs with each other, Mastercard experts, and experienced mentors, providing them with the tools and inspiration to take their businesses to the next level. Each recipient had already received $10,000 in funding, but the Priceless Experience was about more than just financial support—it was about fostering community, learning from industry leaders, and gaining insights that are often inaccessible to small business owners. Entrepreneurship can be an isolating journey, and taking time away from daily operations is challenging. That’s why Pier Five, a strong advocate for meaningful connections, collaborated with Mastercard to create an experience that balanced learning, networking, and inspiration. (Swipe for photos) The Mastercard Small Business Fund recipients were flown into Toronto from across the country, with accommodations provided at the luxurious Le Germain Hotel for a two-night stay. The experience kicked off on Monday evening with a warm and welcoming reception at the hotel, allowing the entrepreneurs to connect with one another, as well as the Mastercard and Pier Five teams, in an intimate setting over drinks and conversation. Tuesday was a full day of insightful programming designed to help these entrepreneurs refine their strategies, expand their knowledge, and strengthen their businesses. The day began with a breakfast gathering, setting the stage for an engaging and interactive workshop led by two-time Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneur of the Year, Kelsey Kitsch. She guided the business owners through key themes of growth, leadership, and team-building, sharing actionable advice drawn from her own experiences. (Swipe for photos) Following the workshop, Pier Five facilitated a dynamic roundtable session featuring three rotational group discussions on essential business themes: marketing and brand visibility, customer loyalty and retention, and financial sustainability and growth. These sessions provided a space for the entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, ask questions, and gain targeted insights tailored to their unique business challenges. (Swipe for photos) After an incredible lunch at Bar Ardo, the participants attended an inspiring innovation panel featuring industry leaders and small business experts, including Luchila Mado of Digital Main Street, Jessica Pachis of Fiserv, Amber Mac, a public figure and tech entrepreneur, Nishant Raina, the Head of Small Business at Mastercard, and Andrea Grand, the founder of Barbet and a 2022 Small Business Fund recipient. The panel covered a range of topics, from leveraging digital tools to enhancing customer experiences, providing real-world advice to help the entrepreneurs sustain and scale their businesses. (Swipe for photos) To cap off this incredible experience, the entire group was treated to an unforgettable evening at the Toronto Raptors game in the Mastercard suite. This celebratory moment allowed the entrepreneurs to unwind, strengthen their new connections, and enjoy a well-deserved break from their daily business responsibilities. The Mastercard x Pier Five Priceless Experience was more than just an event—it was a testament to both organizations’ commitment to supporting small businesses and fostering community among female entrepreneurs. By creating a space for connection, education, and inspiration, this initiative reinforced the power of collaboration and the importance of investing in the future of women-led businesses. As these 10 remarkable entrepreneurs return to their respective businesses, they do so with renewed confidence, valuable insights, and a network of peers and mentors who will continue to support them on their journeys. The impact of the Priceless Experience will undoubtedly extend far beyond these two days, shaping the next chapter of their entrepreneurial success. Learn more about the Mastercard & Pier Five Small Business Fund, and discover the other 2024 recipients here .

A Conversation With Tristan Banning Tristan Banning is a leader in spreading culture. In 2008 he founded Sidewalk Hustle, a music podcast which has since transformed Canada's premier media platform for all things music, fashion, food and art. When he's not overseeing interviews with some of the worlds leading musicians and designers, Tristan is probably cooking up the next stellar fit pic or adding to his more tan impressive collection of rare Supreme accessories. @tristanbanning // @sidewalkhustle From Ziplock bags to Oreos and ping pong paddles, you’re known to be an avid Supreme accessories collector. What are your top 5 Supreme accessories that you own or really want? LOL oh man! Well that all happened by accidentally tbh. I started collecting as kind of a reverse collector, meaning, I really like coffee, and I really like ramen (for example) so when I saw the supreme coffee mugs or the ramen noodle bowl I was like “I want that 😍😍”. So if I were to list my top 5 it would go like this (in no particular order): Honorable Mentions: Although phone cameras are essentially pocket-sized DSLR’s these days, you’re an advocate for film photography. What are 5 tips for anyone looking to shoot with film? Woof… good question. One reason I like film so much is that it’s not instant. In a world of instant gratification we want to take a picture, post it on social and get the likes right away. It spikes our endorphins and makes us happy but also makes us want more. You take a 100 pics and then pic which one you like the most from that and edit it or what have you. With film, you need to slow down. You need to consider framing, lighting and distance to subject. You need to hold still, you need to breathe. Then after that you need to wait to take the film in, develop it and then see if any of the pics worked. So you need to have confidence in yourself and what you’re doing. And sometimes it still doesn’t work out. But then at least you learned something. So my advice... Get a cheap film camera, a disposable from the local drug store and head out and shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Then learn from your shots. If you dig the process and the outcome you can start looking for “better” cameras on eBay or in film photography groups. Enjoy the ride. It’s a pretty fun journey if you’re down. In addition to Supreme, you’re a big sneaker collector. What are 5 sneakers you couldn’t ever live without? You know the funny thing is I love sneakers and as a result I guess I’m a collector. But I don’t really identify that way because I like to wear my sneakers. So I don’t buy or keep (if gifted) sneakers I won’t wear. So my favourites are… My Nike Air Max 1 bespoke’s I made at 21 Mercer NikeLab. They are literally 1 of 1 and are my dream shoe. Atmos Elephant Air Max Adidas Ultraboost v1 or Ultra 4D v1 Yeezy 700 Waverunner Rhude Vans Old skool / Converse chuck taylor Oxfords. BUT ALSO: Anything in a low with safari print. A classic white Air Force 1 The puma Thunder Spectra Jordan 1 Low 2020’s been a crazy year. What are your 5 favourite moments in pop-culture from this past year? To me, there were 4 that stole the show... I liked when Travis Scott performed in Fortnite not because it was an amazing performance or anything but because it changed the dichotomy on how we consume entertainment. Someone (Travis?) understood where his audience is. Strangely the release of The Last Dance, The Michael Jordan documentary. For me it was cool to see the whole world, give or take, finally get to experience the magic that was Michael Jordan. To understand why he is part of the cultural lexicon. I am old, so I watched Michael play in his prime, so even I got to learn something that I didn’t know about. It was cool to see everyone talking about it together. I also really enjoyed when Post Malone did a live concert from his house that was all covers of Nirvana. For many this was probably the first time they actually heard Nirvana songs, plural. And it opened that music up to a new fan base. And it’s always nice to see artists re-interpret and interpret their influences. I also enjoyed when everyone all of a sudden started playing Animal Crossing, and you would see fashion brands making clothes for the game, record labels etc. Even my mom was playing. Who have been your 5 favourite interviews that you’ve ever conducted? In my travels and adventures I have had the chance to interview a lot of people who I respect and admire. Although I have personally taken a step away from the interviewing, I have found that I am still meeting and talking to people, a little less this year. But last year I was on a preview of an art exhibit in Brooklyn and in the preview I talked to the guy giving us the tour. He gave me a lot of insight into the art and we started talking. I came back the next day to get a tattoo from a well know Brooklyn artist, and while getting the tattoo we talked about how he ended up here. It was a fascinating story that really delved into his experience but also the experience of many around him. It was great. While he was working on my tattoo a member of the band Blink 180 showed up, I also talked to artist Shepard Fairey. So while those aren’t interviews I have had the privilege of talking to and meeting some incredible people. When I was interviewing: Travis Scott (7 years ago) Bloc Party Foals Felipe Pantone (Artist) Tinashe Mayer Hawthorne Cut Copy Finally, this is an important one for us, what are 5 tips for conducting a great interview? ...maybe we should have asked this first [laughs]. Ha! Easy. Do a little research (which you did) Actively listen Actively respond. That will make for a good interview. HOWEVER, the real trick is, if possible, try to get in there and do a little small talk with the person to help break the ice and make it more conversational. Like how a comedian as someone “warm up the room” first. Or an opening act at a concert. Do your best to make a personal connection.