Labeled as the GAP Give & Get campaign, every purchase you make at GAP from March 18 – March 21, 5% goes towards GAP’s non-profit partners including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, Canadian AIDS Society, CARE Canada, Humane Society of Canada and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. If you are a SPRIZE member, shop one day earlier starting on March 17th. Print out the below coupon to take advantage of this offer.

The Velvet Room Boutique (2248 West 41st Avenue) “Design A Dress” contest is open to aspiring designers who have less than two years trade or professional experience and are 18 years or older.

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Choose one of the below events and submit a design for a dress that fits the criteria described. Participants may include sketches, pictures, flats and fabric selections in their submissions. Participants may submit designs for one or more of the categories for a maximum of three submitted designs.

• Gala: Design a floor length dress for a black tie gala or awards night (size six)
• Wedding: Design a dress that can be worn to a daytime wedding and evening reception (size eight)
• Birthday: Design an age appropriate dress that the Birthday Gal can wear to her 40th or 50th Birthday Bash. (Curvy size eight)

Initial submissions are due at 6pm on Friday March 26, 2010. For more information, click here.

In the fashion industry, trendsetting can be compared to a pyramid. High fashion and couture, starting at the top, and their runway looks for the upcoming season are way beyond the budgets of the average shopper (and MMV reader). But as time passes, these trends trickle down the pyramid as assessable ready-to-wear fashion available at our favourite clothing chains.

Described somewhat as a “fashion visionary”, being a fashion globe-trotter is part of Barb Atkin’s job description as the Vice President of Fashion Direction for Holt Renfrew (737 Dunsmuir Street). At Holt Renfrew’s Spring 2010 Media Preview, Barb gave a presentation about forecasted fashion trends for Spring/Summer 2010 and brought back to local media, her insights and observations about upcoming trends, neatly packaged into 4 easily-understandable “looks”

Billabong is having a one day sample sale on Thursday March 4, 2010 from noon to 6pm. Sale includes clothing and accessories for mens, womens and little girls and will take place at #226 – 1868 Glen Drive (across from Home Depot).
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Can’t believe it! It seems just like yesterday when Two of Hearts (3728 Main Street) opened in the Main Street shopping district. This Valentine’s Day will be their one-year anniversary and they are throwing a party! On Saturday February 13th, starting at 6pm, visit Two of Hearts for door prizes, champagne, cake and modelling competition. See below for more details.

The “Snooze You Lose” sale at Aritzia officially starts today, February 4, 2009. I checked out the downtown locations this morning, and saw silk skirts for $50, ribbed beaters for $10, slight discounts on the TNA hoodies, reductions on winter coats, but not much of a price reduction in terms of new stock. In fact, if you’ve been to Aritzia in the past week or so, items have already been put on sale and even though the official start (according to posters around downtown) is today, prices haven’t been noticeably cheaper than what they were in the past week.

Old news, old news, but I wanted to point out that Aritzia has just recently opened its new flagship store location on the second floor of Pacific Centre in Downtown – right in time for the Christmas shopping season! I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet though… have you?
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For Dorinha Jeans up to 70% off, check out the Dorinha Jeans Warehouse (#2014 – 1396 Richard Street) in Yaletown between December 10 and 13th. Sale hours: 9am to 7pm.

On Thursday, December 3, from 5pm to 9pm, shop at Boudoir (1230 Hamilton Street) before the all-access Yaletown Shopathon. Enjoy 20% OFF, complimentary cocktails & gift wrapping all night long! First 10 pps to arrive will also receive a $25 gift certificate towards clothing. Beat the public and get first dibs on all the fancy, beautiful clothing at Boudoir. As you know, they only carry limited sizing of each style. RSVP at rsvp@myboudoir.ca.