News » Cherry Velvet
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Moving on up!
Published Jun 12 2020 in Canadian Designer, Cherry Velvet, Cherry Velvet Dresses, Customer Appreciation, Fit, inspiration, Made In Canada, Made in Vancouver, sizing, Staff, staff updates, Vancouver-designed, what's new
We have some big news....!
After many years in Vancouver, we are moving our operations to New Westminster. We close our doors in East Vancouver, at the end of June. We will definitely miss the bright and creative atmosphere of this neighbourhood; it was always so inspiring to be surrounded by local artists.
We've made so many memories in this studio. One of the first notable ones is our #stunningatanysize shoot which we made right before we moved into our fresh new space.
Since then, we've done so many photoshoots and events, What a pleasure it's been to be here. <3
Cherry Velvet's "Pucker Up Party" Valentine's Day Event, 2016
Our Men's Shirt Launch, 2017
“What about Studio Shops and Personal Shop Appointments?”
For the time being, it will not be possible to shop in person. However, we will be holding Pop-up Shops and doing events when it becomes safer to do so. The best way to find out what's happening with us is to sign up for our Newsletter (Not to mention 15% off, if it's your first online order.)
Getting Your Best Fit OnlineDuring this time of transition, we encourage you to shop online. We are always happy to help with fit and answer your questions.
"The very best way I can accurately help you with fit is to email your measurements. It is just as important to me as it is to you to ensure your dresses fit!" ~ Diane
Please also be sure to check out each style's specific fit guide (found on each product page).
Don't have a tape measure? Click here for our printable, handy dandy solution!
So that's our big announcement! :) We're so excited about the future ahead, and we always appreciate your continued support.As always...more new dresses coming soon!
XOXO
Diane Kennedy & The Cherry Velvet Team -
In Support of Anti-Racism & BLM
Published Jun 05 2020 in Anti-Racism, Black Lives Matter, Cherry Velvet, ethical, Ethics, local, opinion, plus, shop local, women in business
Out of respect and solidarity, we would like to use our public platform to reaffirm our values and share our support for the Anti-Racism movement.
Cherry Velvet is an inclusive company, not only dedicated to endorsing the rights and respect of women and all sizes including plus size, but also respecting people of all ethnicities, cultures, and faiths. We recognize Canada as a cultural mosaic and we appreciate everyone's contributions to our local community.
Diversity is fundamental to ensuring the strength of our communities and we are grateful for its part in building a safe place to call home.
It is important to think critically. Our words and actions, no matter how small, have more meaning than we can imagine. This goes both ways. They not only represent us but contribute to our society as a whole. Even the smallest pebble will ripple across a lake.
We believe there are many routes toward change, and one of them is education. This is the only way we can unravel the harmful values deeply rooted in our society.
As the world recognizes this significant, pivotal moment in Black History, we offer our humble support by sharing a few links related to the Black Lives Matter Movement. We hope these links will be valuable to our readers; whether you wish for more information, want to help but may not know where to start, or know anyone who may be in need of these resources.A Day In The Life: How Racism Impacts Families of Colour
Ways You Can Help :: Black Lives Matter
Black Women In Motion
The Black Health Alliance of Canada
The Black Legal Action CentreWe encourage you to take a look at these links, and within your means, take positive action (share the links, make a donation, or support local Black-owned businesses, etc.)
XOX Cherry Velvet -
Cherry Velvet + Fluevogs
Published May 29 2020 in Canadian Designer, Cherry Velvet, Dresses, Fluevog, John Fluevog, Vancouver
It's the age old question...Which comes first - The shoes or the dress? 😉
It's no secret that our designer, Diane, has a bit of a thing for a certain local company...you may know them as Vancouver's own Fluevog Shoes! Our customers also follow suit (or is that shoes?), often pairing our lovely frocks with this fabulous footwear. In fact, it's not unusual for some of our customers to buy a new pair and then turn to us for a matching dress.
Recently, one of our regulars, Jacqueline, was considering purchasing a pair of colour blocked beauties (called "Fellowships Sandra") and asked if we had a dress that would compliment them. Challenge accepted! Diane suggested our Waterfront Dress in Fables which turned out to be a perfect match!
With an antique vibe, this literary print features heirloom fairy tale covers (with such titles like Pinocchio, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.) You can practically smell the leather bindings. Add these Vogs and you have a perfectly happy ending.
Why stop there? Jacqueline went on to fall in love with a couple of our new Brooke dresses. She requested a personal shopping appointment and brought with her a bagful of beautiful shoes, including a pair called "Hopefulls Bliss". In the past, we haven't had a dress to match this particular shade of pink. But our Brooke in "Love Triangle" dress fits the bill admirably.
Fluevog Shoes just celebrated their 50th anniversary, which is an incredible milestone. To celebrate, they designed a pair of platinum gold shoes, called "Minis Zaza" and Diane was lucky enough to score a pair herself. When they arrived in the mail, she immediately knew our Brooke in "Sherwood Shimmer" would be "The One".
So many of our dresses have a subtle touch of gold in them - They make beautiful pairings for these stunning shoes! Check out below, some of Diane's favourite pairings: From left to right - Our Waterfront Dress in Regency, Angelina in Dragonfly in Amber, and Brooke in Sherwood Shimmer.
Congrats to John Fluevog for his amazing achievement of 50 years in business. It always brings us great joy to see our Cherry Velvet dresses paired with his beautiful "Works of Shoes".
XOX Cherry Velvet
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Dressy Drinking
Published May 22 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Cocktail, Cocktail recipes, Drink recipe, Drinks
With this season's bevy of bevvie-themed dresses, it's a great opportunity to "shake" up your drink repertoire and "stir" in these recipes. With summer on the horizon and plans with our besties just starting to come together, these delicious retro cocktails beg to be sipped alongside your prettiest sundresses. And don't forget the cherry on top!
Need to chase those grey clouds away? Gloom Chaser is a delicious cocktail recipe that's actually featured right in the print of our Kitschy Cocktails frock - alongside many others!
Make your stay-cation all the more tropical, complete with a pineapple slice and teeny umbrella. Picture this: you and your pal sipping this fruity treat on a hot summer day. How pretty is the Blue Hawaii?!
Put a Ryan Gosling movie on in the biggest TV screen in your house and dream of romance that little bit more vividly with this sexy drink from the movie "Crazy, Stupid, Love". Tasty!
Which of our boozy frocks is your favourite? Express yourself in these fun, colourful prints, and enjoy a little pick-me-up in style! We'd love to see your rendition of these concoctions, so make sure to tag your photos with #cherryvelvet!
Drink responsibly and enjoy,
Cheers!
XOX Cherry Velvet
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A Pin-Up Perfect 14
Published May 08 2020 in A Perfect 14, Cherry Velvet, Elly Mayday, Kerosene Deluxe, Paper dolls, plus size
It's no fake news that the Plus Size industry has had its share of criticisms and judgment. As a brand dedicated to size inclusivity, we at Cherry Velvet were very honoured to be a part of a fascinating documentary called, “A Perfect 14”. #flashbackfriday #7yearsago
If you happen to catch it, you may see some familiar faces – Both Diane (our designer) & Logan (our Art Director) are featured, as the documentary's crew covered several of our photoshoots. Two of their main subjects were some of our first models – Elly Mayday and Kerosene Deluxe.
These wonderful girls have been representing plus-sized women and inspiring us for years. They were even the inspiration behind two of our classic paper dolls!
Elly Mayday
If you haven't heard of Elly Mayday, her story is a bittersweet, yet inspiring journey. If you're new to Elly, we've featured her in our blog before - you can click here for that post. We've even had a dress named after her!
Kerosene Deluxe
This alt-fashion bombshell has been internationally featured in many magazines, ads and fashion shows. She believes in promoting beauty through diversity, and has traveled the world campaigning for self love and human rights.
Do you love these? If you missed it, our other classic paper dolls (and new pin-up colouring pages) are all available here!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about the inspiration for our paper dolls!
A Perfect 14 is available on iTunes, Amazon, and many other video services. If you give it a watch, try to spot Diane and Logan on it as well as many of our dresses.
XOX Cherry Velvet
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Logan's Cherry-versary!
Published May 01 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Customer Appreciation, gratitude, Staff, Thank you
While sitting in our abodes in the past few weeks, (hopefully) dressed in our favourite frocks, we've had plenty of time to think. And although there is much to think about - like what you can name this new print at Cherry Velvet, or what to wear for your Netflix-on-the-couch date - there is also, in many of us, a new appreciation for what's most important in our lives.
As a business owner, a big part of my life is this company I've spent so many years building and so I find myself filled with gratitude for so many things right now.
In this moment, the number one object of my appreciation is certainly my staff. These swell folks have supported our business and myself through with their strength and positivity - creating wonderful posts, colouring pages, contests, and promoting the Cherry Velvet sweetness in so many different ways.
Thank you, Logan, Tracy and Julia! ❤️
The gang, currently not as physically tight *Photo taken Feb 2020This week, it's also Logan's 7 year work anniversary here at Cherry Velvet! I have so much gratitude for him as my longest employee - photographer, art director, creative genius, and official water gallon replacer (check out those guns!). He makes my (business) world go 'round with his fantastic, bright and fun ideas, always being there to fix any problem. He is not only a top-notch employee, but also a top-notch gent with his awesome, thoughtful character. Thank you, Logan, and happy Cherry-versary!
On top of all that, I can't forget how I am so grateful to all of YOU, my Cherry Velvet customers. Whether you're just stunning in your stylish frocks, or being hilarious and witty with your print name suggestions, and really just every time you leave a like and a thoughtful comment on our posts: we truly appreciate each and every one of you! We are so thankful for your support. You are the poof in our crinolines, the sweetness in our cherries, and the very reason we continue to do what we do. Much love to you all! ❤️
Stay strong and stay dressed!
XOX Diane -
Stay Dressed Challenge WINNERS!!!
Published Apr 24 2020 in #staydressedchallenge, Cherry Velvet, Contest, Gift card, Prize
These past couple of weeks, our #staydressedchallenge has received over 100 entries. It's been a uniquely wonderful experience, connecting with our customers in this way that's brought us so much joy. We've read message after message talking about how great it feels to put on something nice, even when just staying home.
With this contest, we found even more proof that treating yourself well has a real impact on your well-being. It's a privilege for us to be a part of this - to provide you the frocks that make your faces smile.
Your creativity, joy, and humour have amazed us and inspired us each day with every new entry. We could not be more thankful for the chance to get to know each of you a little bit.
Before we jump into the final results, we'd first like to showcase some beautiful entries. We could not possibly include every single entry here (unfortunately), but we most certainly appreciate everyone! Here's a few we think you'll enjoy seeing, though:
Domestic divas leaving no chore undone...
Families being brought together...
Brainy babes having a read...
Everyone staying hydrated...
And everyone just having wild amounts of fun!
We really recommend you browse the #staydressedchallenge tag on social media, and feast your eyes on the awesome entries!
And without much further ado... Here are the winners of the #StayDressedChallenge!!!
In 3rd place... @yyc_mamma_p!
In 2nd place... @mrspugbaby!
And in 1st place... @rainywindigo, with a staggering number of entries!
(Seriously, she made so many awesome and beautiful entries!)
Congratulations to our lovely, beautiful, creative winners!!
Experiencing this with you all has been amazing, and we really want to create more engaging contests like this in the future. Thank you all for gracing us with your beautiful, funny, charming, sweet photos and messages, and Stay Dressed!
Much much love,
XOX Cherry Velvet
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New Style, New Dress Fit!
Published Apr 17 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Diane Kennedy, Dresses, fit, plus size, shift dress, women's
Did you know Cherry Velvet has a sister brand, Diane Kennedy? Our designer Diane originally designed each line for a specific customer, but we're starting to see a bit of overlap, a meeting of two worlds so to speak. You may have noticed the Diane Kennedy brand coats and capes on the Cherry Velvet shop in the past few months, and there will be more crossover items to come.
No matter the label, Diane designs classic, timeless styles that fit and flatter many body shapes and sizes.
Let us introduce you to the Waterfront dress. You'll notice a Diane Kennedy label and hangtag on these dresses, but other than that, there will not be any difference in the fabric or quality. Just like Cherry Velvet, all of Diane Kennedy's garments are consciously created and ethically produced in beautiful Vancouver, BC in women's regular and plus sizes.
With a slightly extended shoulder and a tailored fit around the armhole, it fits very similar to our Olivia dress through the upper body. It fits with room in the waistline (not too tight); while still coming in at the waist, it is more reminiscent of a looser shift style dress. It also has a higher, softened V neckline for coverage; a longer, mid calf length and quite generous inseam pockets. The looser fit and longer length are the most noticeable differences between a Cherry Velvet dress and this new DK style.
From left to right: Enjoy the paisley-like filigrees of "Regency", abstract teal brushstrokes in "Ocean", tropical leaves in "Palm", and vintage storybooks in "Fables".
We have more new dresses are coming throughout the season as usual. Diane is working in the office every day, shipping orders to make sure you can all get your hands on your dresses asap. Our business continues pretty much as usual, except for the social distancing keeping all our staff apart.
Thank-you so much for your orders. We are incredibly grateful for your support!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach us by email at info@cherryvelvetdresses.com!
Stay safe,
XOX Cherry Velvet
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Our Original Paper Pin-Ups
Published Apr 09 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Craft, Isolation activity, Paper Dolls, Pin-Up, throwback
Our long-time fans might remember our darling Pin-Up Paper Dolls, fun crafts for you and/or your little ones. Take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about some of our own "vintage" Cherry Velvet styles, and learn a little about the beauties who modelled them for us - and who were featured as our Paper Dolls.
Ahh, the 2010's... It's modern vintage nostalgia!
Ruby Roxx
Ruby was one of our original models, way back when we did our very first "diner" themed photoshoot. She's a Vancouverite, and a body positivity and mental health activist. As a model, she's been published countless times - including over two dozen covers for magazines and books! Ruby sincerely believes that beauty is not determined by a number on a scale or on a clothing tag. Her message is that all women are beautiful, no matter their size or shape.
Bianca Bombshell
Bianca comes from Vancouver Island, BC, and has been published plenty of times here and abroad too! Her work as a plus-size model included Lingerie, Pin-up and Fashion - which is how she came to work with us. Currently, Bianca is a mom with a passion for fitness, and works inspiring others through her YouTube channel as well as a lingerie model.
Do you love these? Make sure to head on over to our Pin-Up Paper Art page and download large sizes of all our paper dolls, as well as our coloring pages!
We hope these brought back good memories, or that you love them if it's the first time you see them! In these stay-at-home times, paper dolls are a fun nostalgic pastime. Please share photos with us if you cut these out and tag us on social media! #cherryvelvet
Miss your visits and love to you all from a safe distance!
XOX Cherry Velvet
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Colour Me Cherry!
Published Mar 27 2020 in Body Positive, Cherry Velvet, colouring pages, Customer Appreciation, inspiration, Made in Vancouver, paper dolls, pin up dresses, retro dresses, stay at home, vintage dresses
Long time Cherry Velvet fans may remember our darling Pin-Up Paper Dolls (which are also fun little crafts for you and/or your wee ones) so we've decided to follow them up with...colouring pages! We wanted to offer you a stylish distraction and bring some fun to your day!
Simply click on the images below to download and imbue some hues on these sweet ensembles!
We hope we sparked your creativity with this little activity. Please feel free to share. We can't wait to see your ideas and creativity!#cherryvelvet #colourmecherry
Much love to you our awesome customers. Stay safe and far apart!
XOX Cherry Velvet
