CREATING A COMMUNITY
This entry is dedicated to the amazing individuals who have come into my life - with so much colour, love & light - & made Montreal home.
These women are my community. These women are my go-to, my emergency contact, my partner on the dance floor, my greatest support. These women are full of beauty, strength, creative energy & are so fearlessly themselves. They've truly shaped my life here & I’ve been able to grow into my own because of them. I feel extremely fortunate to be surrounded by such courageous, motivated, open hearted & badass individuals - individuals who wear their true colours with pride, speak their minds, spread genuine compassion & show off some mad style.
A community is a unified group of individuals,
brought together through common interests &/or common history.
There's a large sense of community in Montreal, & from what I've experienced that feeling is tightly strung around the arts. This city is just one giant melting pot of creatives, running around with wild dreams & passionate hearts, eager to celebrate originality & welcome self expression in all its shapes & forms. That magnetic sense of community forms bonds all across the city.
It's in our nature to form connections with other living things. People are drawn to creating communities to protect each other, to create a sense of belonging, & to share experiences with one another. When we look back on the origin of clothing, it was made to do similar things. It protects human beings from the elements, it identifies different tribes, families, & lineages, even the process of creating clothing involves bringing individuals together.
There's a strong community around clothing, around the art of styling, around the industry of textiles, but an even stronger one around self expression through fashion - & that's where the deep connections are made.
I basically found my community in a thrift store. But instead of digging through endless racks of used clothes, I simply gravitated to the people wearing the coolest outfits.
Allow me the pleasure to introduce you to some of the important individuals in my community:
FLAMING HOT, FIERCELY DETERMINED, A BRILLIANT MIND ON FIRE
This amazing woman radiates with all of her bursting imagination & ability to create connections with all who cross her path. I admire her hunger to create, her love for a good party, & her capability to say no. She knows herself so damn well & truly respects her boundaries while continuing to nurture her relationships with honesty.
MAGNETIC PRESENCE, BURST OF ENERGY,
SPONTANEITY AT ITS BRIGHTEST
This badass babe is always down for a wild adventure. I admire her passion for discovery, her creative & intelligent mind, & her ability to live life to the fullest & truly be in the moment. She strives to be the best version of herself, inspires others to do the same, all while remaining so beautifully humble.
PURE JOY, HEART MADE OF GOLD, AN ACTUAL RAY OF SUNSHINE
This chica spreads unconditional love wherever she goes. I admire her mama bear tendencies, her care free attitude the moment she steps onto a dance floor, her wise words of guidance & her overwhelmingly open heart. She acts out of gratitude & puts her relationships with her loved ones above all, but most importantly cherishes her relationship with herself.
GROUNDED WITHIN HER OWN, MINDFUL & RECEPTIVE,
PRETTY MUCH A FAIRY
This lovely lady truly knows her worth & what she is capable of accomplishing. I admire her impeccable attention to detail, her love for life's simple pleasures, & her ability to openly share as well as simply listen. She is firmly rooted within her values but isn't afraid to dream big a little now & then.
The biggest lesson I learned during my move across the country was the importance of nurturing the relationship with myself. While the city was still very new, I spent a lot of time with myself & learned to find comfort in being alone. The moment I choose to bring people into my life, I find comfort & joy in knowing that there's a reason for their presence. When I take a look at all of the powerful people that I've chosen to surround myself with, I clearly see that I've also played a part in it all.
I can be proud of the person I've become too.
EMOTIONALLY AWARE, HEAD IN THE CLOUDS,
CURRENTLY DANCING IN A KITCHEN
This is me. One wild woman brought up by four wild women, creating a lifelong community of extraordinarily wild women. I admire her open minded spirit, her never ending list of crazy ideas & upcoming projects, her generous heart & vivid dreams. She has the strength & potential to accomplish anything & is still learning to cut the BS & stop putting unrealistic expectations on herself.
COMFORTING SOUL, CREATIVE GENIUS,
THE COOLEST CREATURE TO WALK THIS EARTH
This legendary woman is the perfect balance of loving hugs & powerful energy. I admire her passion for creating, her supportive presence, her classic look in an oversized suit, & her lighthearted sense of being. She is bold as hell with a heart sent from the heavens.
P.S. she's here repping her brand "PIGMENT" - go check her out @ckapigment !!!
PLAYFUL AS FUCK, DESIGNED TO DRESS UP,
ALWAYS READY WITH A PUN
This talented soul is made of magic ideas & candy coloured glitter. I admire her continuous generosity, her dedication to her own development, & her undying loyalty to her friendships. She is full of great brilliance, resilience & probably has a monochrome outfit in every colour.
BADASS BABE, STRONG-MINDED, HARDCORE IN THE BEST WAY
This spooky creature is one hell of a fighter. I admire her strong sense of self, her involvement & admiration for the city's arts & music scene, her political debates, & of course her "don't fuck with me" attitude. She is unapologetically herself & isn't afraid to speak her mind.
INCLUSIVE, EXPLORATIVE MIND, MINIMALISM AT ITS MOST CREATIVE
This angelic beauty is a powerhouse of an individual. I admire her ability to get shit done, her continuous questioning of society & the world, her imaginative mind & her ability to speak so many god damn languages. She is a small woman with so much power.
My community is made up of so many incredible individuals - all so unique, so true to themselves, so inspiring, so loving & so impactful in their own way. This entry is simply a small look into a handful of those people that I'm lucky enough to call friends, co-workers, roommates, soul sisters. The purpose of this piece was to showcase the extraordinary women that have brought so much colour into my life & share the importance of individuality in a community through each of their unique styles.
Whether it's through actions, words, thoughts, or even as simple as the clothing one chooses to welcome the world in - each individual has something important to share.
It’s only when we share our true colours with the world that we can allow others to do the same.
Take a moment to recognize the colours in your community.
Do you feel inspired & energized by these individuals? Are you surrounding yourself with positive minds? Are your gifts & talents being shared & celebrated?
To be surrounded by so much life, so much passion, so much colour is definitely a good thing.
Here's to being colourful people, walking down colourful streets, developing colourful minds, & creating colourful communities.
XX C
PHOTOGRAPHY: KITTY EVANS @kittyshootsfilm
OUTFIT ANTHEM: TRUE COLOURS - CYNDI LAUPER
MODELS:
BETSY-MAY SMITH @betsymaysmith
NICOLE MIKULIS @nikulispikulis
ANGIELA BARAHONA-ROJAS @angiejellybelly
CAMILA GAZA MANLY @dimmrswitch
CELINE BLAIS @babycealion
CLAIRE DONATI-SIMMONS @therealcluedo
KITTY EVANS @kittyshootsfilm
ERIKA MORRIS @thing.jpeg
WHITNEY NORCEIDE
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