News » Cherry Velvet

Frocks In The Time Of COVID-19

Published Mar 17 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Dresses, New Arrivals, new dresses, Norma, Studio Shop

During this complicated time, we have still decided to open up for shopping on the 20^th and 21^st of March. We’d like to talk about this decision, and the current state of things.

Here at Cherry Velvet, we typically don’t have much close contact. There’s only 4 of us (Hi from Diane, Logan, Tracy and Julia!), and we sit about 12’ apart in the office. We only have customers in occasionally, on scheduled appointments and, twice a month, for our studio shops. As it is, we’re usually pretty isolated.

But we have fun here so it’s okay!

We’ve decided to open up for shopping amidst the current COVID-19 situation largely because… we’re not that large! Your regular shopping mall retailer will, each day, receive hundreds of customers and be manned by over a dozen staff members. But the nature of our business means that much of it is done online, and only a limited number of shoppers come by when we open up.

In our province (British Columbia), social gatherings of over 50 people have been cancelled for the time being. That said, our studio’s capacity is about 10 people at maximum, and we normally have under 5 guests at a time. It’s a comfortable shopping experience, and you will still maintain a reasonable distance.

Hugs were allowed around Christmas time, but not currently encouraged ;)

We will, of course, maintain our standards of hygiene, and have our bathrooms equipped with the most luxurious, delicious hand soap (by Barefoot Venus) for all your disinfecting needs. We also gently ask that if you or someone very close is ill, that you stay home and rest for this one! You can always shop online!

Another reason why we’d still like to open up shop is that we’ve just received brand new frocks in super exciting prints! We have not made these available online yet (although we’re hoping to soon), so the best way to see them at the moment is to come try them on in person!

We believe that, in this trying time, we should not fall into despair. Even during periods of seclusion, dressing up for the day and treating yourself well can have a powerful impact on your mood.

So, wear a pretty dress and lift up your spirits!

We’ll make it through this!

XOX Cherry Velvet
Judge Not Our Bodies!

Published Mar 13 2020 in Billie Eilish, Body Positive, celebrities, Cherry Velvet, inspiration, Lizzo, Rihanna

It’s so inspiring to see the latest celebrity news about body positivity, and how things evolve in real time. Let's talk about the people and events that drive this change!

Of course, we could describe the scandals and infractions of the Victoria’s Secret brand, which has been dropping in sales and share value in recent years. But we’d rather talk about a big game-changer in the underwear industry, as a type of “anti-VS”: Savage X Fenty by Rihanna. The famous singer idealized her radically inclusive lingerie line, featuring all sizes and colors of women in her products. But even more significantly, for the past 2 years the brand has put on NYFW fashion shows that promote body positivity in an unprecedented manner. Small, large, trans, pregnant, and practically every other type of woman of every color have been seen on the catwalk, wearing Rihanna’s designs. Her message is clear: every woman can be sexy.

Not only is she championing body positivity, but she’s also currently the richest female singer!

Also making loud statements about body acceptance and self-love is breakaway singer Lizzo (winner of 3 Emmy awards). The plus-sized artist writes songs that promote the idea that she – and women like her – are sexy, desirable, and beautiful. More than just preaching it, Lizzo also lives by her word, performing and dancing confidently with her body on full display. In August 2019, her show at the VMAs made headlines for flaunting her and her plus-sized back-up dancers' beauty unabashedly. Give her music a listen, and we can almost guarantee you’ll feel more powerful and confident!

Her VMAs performance also included a giant inflatable bum! Fun!

Our last mention is of young musician Billie Eilish (who scored 5 Grammys this year, including Album of the Year!). Billie became famous with her first hit single in 2015, when she was only 15. Even though she was just a teen, her body was sadly the focus of many headlines – some even discussing the size of her bust. She soon became known for her oversized, masculine clothing, which was often misinterpreted as an opposition to the so-called “slutty” style of other popstars.

Just this week, Billie (now 18) made headlines for her body once again. This time, though, it was through her own narrative. On the first concert of her new tour, she played a video of herself stripping layers of clothing to the sound of a voiceover. In it, she criticized social ideas of how women should dress, and bravely states that she will be judged no matter what she wears, and therefore will not be ashamed of her body, and will dress how she likes. The statement is in line with past interviews, where she has brought up feeling uncomfortable showing her body, largely due to the media attention.

“If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut. Though you’ve never seen my body, you still judge it and judge me for it. Why? We make assumptions about people based on their size. We decide who they are, we decide what they’re worth. If I wear more, if I wear less, who decides what that makes me? What that means? Is my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?”

Inspiring words! You go, Billie!

In this day and age, it’s sad that women are still not allowed to just be themselves in peace. Our bodies are subjected to judgement and shame. Even young girls still face this issue. But there is hope that we can change things. Celebrities and brands can help shape culture, and that is what we want to do with our dresses. All bodies deserve love and respect.

Keep loving yourself, unapologetically.

XOX Cherry Velvet
NEW DRESS ALERT! :: Introducing The Leanne

Published Feb 28 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Design process, New Arrivals, New Dress, prints, what's new

May me introduce you to our freshest creation... The cool, new girl in town...
Welcome our latest dress - The Leanne!

We've named her after one of our most committed (and tall!) customers :)

Leanne has photos of all her Cherry Velvet prints in her phone. Isn't that smart!

As always, it was of the utmost importance for us to design a frock that flatters. That’s why our designer, Diane, always makes 2 different patterns for each style; one for regular sizes, as well as one for plus sizes. This ensures the scaling is a perfect fit for every size.

With this design, we aimed to create a new classic. We wanted a dress that is the ideal canvas to feature new, exciting (and most importantly, beautiful) prints. A look that’s a crowd pleaser. Gorgeous garb with new, BIGGER pockets.

Can we all get a hell YAY!?

In this first release of The Leanne, we picked some wonderful prints that had our hearts fluttering in excitement. We’re sure there’s a print that will make your heart flutter, too!

To demonstrate its beauty, we created these simulated images - These frocks are still factory-fresh and have not had the pleasure of having their own photoshoot yet.

Let's begin with our "Infinity & Beyond" print. Space themes have always been highly requested, and galaxies are both beautiful and awe-inspiring. It's no wonder this subject seems to captivate so many; We're all made of stardust, after all.

From the highest height of space, to the deepest depths of our wonderous ocean, we present our "To Dive For" print! This look is all about the unique vastness under the sea, featuring beautiful reefs and colourful marine life.

Some would say this print reminds them of the classic Windows 2000 screensaver. Points for nostalgia!

Looking for something sweeter? When you set your eyes on our "You're My Jam", which is a classic "strawberries on the vine" print, you can practically smell the Smuckers! Don it, and it dawns on you; the thought of picnics in the sunlight, daisy chains and decadent fruit pies cooling on a windowsill.

...At last (but not least), our two final offerings:

Full of tropical treasures; these vibrant themes will bring summer fun with you, wherever you go. BUT! These two beauties are still unnamed, so make sure you follow us on our Facebook and Instagram, and participate in our popular, upcoming "Name That Print" contests!

We hope you love our Leanne dress, as much as we love Leanne, herself. ❤️
It was our pleasure to announce this dress with prints it will come in and we hope this teaser has tickled your fancy!

The Leanne is available online right now - click here to see it!

Come try it on at our next Studio Shop:

Friday, March 6th - 2pm to 7pm
Saturday, March 7th - 11am 5pm

XOX Cherry Velvet
The Survey Shakedown

Published Feb 20 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Cherry Velvet Dresses, customer feedback, Dresses, pricing, prints, sizing, survey, what's new

As many of you know (almost 300 of you in fact!), we asked you, our wonderful customers to do a survey. We wanted to know what you think, so we can better provide you with the frocks that will most delight you. Thank you so much for your participation. We have a lot of fun and interesting statistics to share!

First of all, congratulations to the 13.6% of you that's part of the "Cherry Velvet Collector’s" Club. You've got yourselves more than 10 different dresses of ours over the years!

It’s not a problem, really. It’s a solution!

And thank you to all who have responded our survey from far and wide. We even had a respondent all the way from... Russia!? Spasibo! (That's "Thank you" in Russian 😊 )

Here's something we found out about your style preferences: 60% of you are all for short or cap sleeves. Over 70% like their skirt right below the knee. And about 70% like your skirts either full or A-line, with many of you requesting very full or straight skirts. It’s clear to us that many of you enjoy a very balanced fashion - not too much and not too little!

And finally, the juicy stuff:

Our most popular prints are, by far, the florals and the polka dots. These timeless classics have been remixed in many ways over the years, and we always make sure to bring them back! We currently have many of those available, including the Doris in Black & Red Polka Dot or the Chrissy in Bird of Paradise for example.

Here are some hot takes from what you requested.

1 - Cats Rule and Dogs Drool

Not by a lot, but cats still definitely took the lead here: Cats got 23% preference, and dogs only got 14%. It's nothing to bark at, but it's certainly the cat's meow to hear!

2 - You really looooooove Space

With an incredibly high amount of mentions – between stars, space, and galaxy, we have just about 20 specific requests for Space themes. Don’t worry, ladies, we’ll keep them coming (out of this world)!

Marlene in Written in The Stars / Dita in Golden Galaxy

3 - You want Dinosaurs, Books, Music, and Geometric Prints

What does that say about our audience?

Maybe you're a math-loving brainy bunch, with a palaeontology hobby, erudite music training, who love spending time in libraries familiarizing yourselves with the classics of English literature!

We're not sure we can find a print specifically with all those factors in at once (what a print it would be, huh?), but we hear you! We'll make sure to incorporate (or perhaps already did... mua-ha-ha!) these very hotly requested themes into our next seasons. Stay tuned!

And the most unexpected requests were...

Krakens and Yetis.

Nothing against them, but those prints might be hard to find!

Best friends forever

Q&A

On our Survey, you also had the chance to tell us anything you like, and it was so delightful to hear your feedback and concerns. Most of the comments were so sweet - we were smiling all day reading them!

We’d also like to answer a couple of the more frequently asked questions here. Although we’ve addressed some of these before, we’re more than happy to revisit them.
- Manufacturing issues (slight fit inaccuracies)
All our garments are handmade, very carefully by local seamstresses here in metro Vancouver. As such, we can often deliver a much higher standard of quality than clothing manufactured overseas. There can, however, be some small variations from seamstress to seamstress. No different than getting your latte from different baristas There is also the off chance that a garment can get the wrong size label. While it is RARE to see a manufacturing flaw, they do happen, so please inform us immediately so we can fix that for you.
- Limited sizing
All our dresses are limited edition runs; if you love a style, you may want to grab it in your size quick. We enjoy knowing that as each limited run sells, our clients will have the satisfaction of knowing they are one of a few to own that special print.

As much as our mission statement is to provide amazing dresses so you can be lovely and stunning at ANY size, it is not always possible to have every print in every size. Running a fashion business that produces ethically poses some unique challenges that brands which manufacture overseas won’t face. Costs can often be prohibitive, and there are minimum quotas and specific requirements when it comes to placing orders. In general, we try to have a broad selection of sizes. We do, however, occasionally opt to produce fewer in certain sizes or skip them altogether for these reasons.
- What’s up with the pricing?
The pricing reflects much more than just the fact that most of our dresses come in limited edition availability. Our frocks are ethically manufactured in the same city as our headquarters, Vancouver BC, Canada. Wages in Canada are much higher than other countries and our minimum wages are very much on the rise (which is a good thing for workers!) Our production does not rely on certain “more affordable” options, we choose the best quality zippers and fabrics we can get our hands on. It’s ethical production, and that's how we've chosen to function. We strongly believe this is a necessary step for the fashion industry. We want no part in the suffering of workers in unsafe conditions. Although our garments may take more saving up for, we 100% stand behind the fact that they are worth it.

We always love to hear your feedback, please feel free to write us and tell us what you think!

XOX Cherry Velvet

P.S. Hope to see you this weekend at our Warehouse Sale / Studio Shop:

Friday Feb 21 from 2-7 pm

Saturday Feb 22 from 11-5 pm

@1635 Powell Street, Vancouver BC
The Retro's In The Details

Published Feb 07 2020 in Accessories, Cherry Velvet, Modern Vintage, Retro, Staff, Style tips, Tips, Vintage

When wearing our modern vintage frocks, you may be inspired to bring a little more of that old-times-past inspiration into your look. Many of us, in fact, try to dress retro every day. But outside of the perfect dress, we often want an extra detail to give our outfit a definitive mid-century look. And whatever it is, it must fit in our busy routines.

Like, who's got the time to set their hair in pin curls every day?

Unless you have one of these.

The ideal solution for your daily dose of retro needs to be quick and easy, something you can throw on effortlessly. Luckily, our staff has a few ideas!

Julia loves giving herself a DIY mani in red for that extra vintage feel. That usually lasts her about a week. Another excellent way is to go get your manicure professionally done in gel polish like Diane, and that small time investment will last you a whole month. Plus, it's a nice little treat to yourself.

For all your immediate vintage needs, red lips are the way to go! It works well even with clean, neutral make-up. With a quick swipe, you can get much closer to the iconic look of decades past, so make sure to always have one with you! Julia loves the NARS Annabella, Diane is a fan of MAC Russian Red (classic!), and you can even get some authentic vintage shades in gorgeous packaging from Bésame Cosmetics.

Julia wears the Angelina dress in "Dragonfly In Amber", and the Dark Garden necklace and earring set

Tracy can always be seen wearing black winged eyeliner. We think she may have been born wearing it. She says it's her go-to retro look, and she won't spend a day without it! She uses the Marcelle 2-in-1 Retractable Eyeliner most often, and Diane's favourite is the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. Once you get the hang of it, it can be done in just a minute or two. After her health issues this past year, Tracy had to re-learn how to apply her eyeliner. If she can do it (twice!), so can you!

Tracy wears the Doris dress in "Briar Rose"

Even Logan, the lone male in the office, can often be seen sporting vintage accessories. From him, we hear that a nice hat will cover up any bad hair day situation instantly! ;) He got this dapper one at Goorin Brothers, but thrift stores are also a good bet for unique finds.

Cherry Velvet's designer, Diane, is always impeccably accessorized. Her signature items (other than Fluevog shoes) are her cat-eye glass frames. It's impossible to not look retro with those on! Diane gets hers at MOSH Framemakers and Clearly. For jewelry, she's often seen in Mirror Mirror Bijoux's retro designs (all handmade here in Vancouver, BC!).

Diane wears the Marlene dress in "Heaven Scent" and the Dark Mirror Ball necklace and earring set

There are, of course, many more vintage accessories you can use, but this selection is our staff's usual picks. We hope to have inspired you to get a little more of that retro feeling each day with these easy additions.

Let us know if you liked this post, and if you'd like to see more tips like this!

XOX Cherry Velvet
Frock Flashback: the Danielle

Published Jan 24 2020 in Cherry Velvet, Cherry Velvet Dresses, cotton dress, Danielle, Made In Canada, Vintage Inspired

The Danielle: A much-beloved sassy frock, produced in about 15 different prints over Cherry Velvet history. Named after a darling previous staff member and model, this design was released for the first time way back in 2015.

With so many versions of it, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at all the past Danielles! Plus, here's a secret just for you: A little bird has said we might be seeing this frock again this summer...

Image credit: Disney

One of the special features of the Danielle is that we often use one-way prints. This takes more fabric, but also means that we can use more unusual and striking prints.

This charming design features an alluring "V" neckline, with buttons that match the print, a pointed collar and best of all a unique peek-a-boo back. After all, your exit is every bit as important as your entrance! The full skirt looks lovely on its own or with a crinoline, and includes (as always!) hidden pockets in the side seams.

If you like it from the front, wait 'til you see it from the back!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, here is a gallery of all our past Danielles!

Let us revel in nostalgia...

Prints: Bazaar, Celestial Damask, and Red Rose

Prints: Hexi Dot, Bird Bath, and Bento Box

Prints: Rose Picnic, Cherry Luau, Poppy Lagoon

Prints: Silhouette, Shutterbug, and Black Geo

Prints: Beach Pugs, Rose Floral, Retro Star

We know, we know. They're so beautiful and fun. We wish they'd still be available too, but they are long sold out. However, fear not: we have exciting new things coming this year!

Did you enjoy seeing the history of our Danielle dress? Let us know if you did, and if you'd like to see more Frock Flashbacks.

Stay tuned for Name That Print contests, new releases, and other fun news!

XOX Cherry Velvet
Tell Us Your Deepest Desires!

Published Jan 15 2020 in cherry velvet, Cherry Velvet Dresses, customer feedback, new dresses, opinion, survey

In order to best provide you with the most exciting, flattering, retro-licious dream frocks you always count on us to, we decided to run a survey!

We know, we know. Answering a survey is hardly how anyone would choose to spend their time. However, we truly do want to hear from you. All your heart's deepest desires. And so... we came up with an incentive!

We wouldn't ask you to go the extra mile if there was nothing (other than perfect frocks next season) in it for you. This is why, once you complete your survey, you will receive a special code to shop with a 20% off discount*!

The pot of gold at the end of the survey rainbow!

The survey itself takes less time than it would to pin curl your hair. And it's much more pleasant and comfortable (depending on where you're sitting).

So for the good of Cherry Velvet fans as a whole, for the well-being of all vintage vixens, and for the glory of well-fitting frocks, we ask you to:

Please fill out our survey here!

It would make you our hero :)

Thank you!

XOX Cherry Velvet

(*Code valid until February 29th, 2020. One use per customer. Not to be combined with other discount codes. Not applicable to New Arrivals.)
Holiday Greetings!

Published Dec 24 2019 in behind the scenes, Canadian Designer, Canadian Made, Cherry Velvet, Cherry Velvet Dresses, Customer Appreciation, Employee Appreciation, Made In Canada, Made in Vancouver, Thank you, Vancouver-designed, Vintage Inspired, what's new

It's been another wonderful year, we thank you, all of our beautiful fans and customers for your support. It absolutely fills our hearts with joy to see our customers smiling; our dresses making you feel confident and ready for anything.

We know none of the success we've shared with you wouldn't be possible without *you*, and to be completely honest, it wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable without you, either. So, once more, we want to express our great appreciation to you for being on this journey of fabulousness with us.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays, the merriest of Christmases and nothing but the very best for the New Year and beyond.

XOXO With Love from all of us Diane, Julia, Logan, and Tracy.
Slow Fashion for the Vintage Vixen

Published Oct 24 2019 in Cherry Velvet, Ethical Fashion, Slow Fashion

What is slow fashion, you ask? It is generally considered to be an approach to clothing production and consumption with a focus on fair practices and sustainability. Clothes that are made in a way that is better for those wearing them, those making them, and for the environment.

Since the very beginning, Cherry Velvet has been making dresses out of high-quality cotton that lasts. Dresses made and sold in our first year still exist and are worn today (and it's been over 8 years!).

Our designer Diane has 3 dresses out of that original bunch that she still wears, especially her very favourite butterfly print. This photo is originally from 2013. It still looks as beautiful now as it did then!

So why are we talking about this? You may know that fast fashion, A.K.A. cheap throwaway clothing, is filling up the landfills. Deliberately poor quality fabrics and manufacturing make for unsatisfying, poorly fitting, disposable garments that get quickly discarded, with an estimated 68 lbs of textiles per American finding its way into landfills each year. Fast fashion brands prioritize selling immense amounts of dirt-cheap apparel, no matter the real cost to society and the environment.

What makes us different?
- We lovingly pattern and grade in a way that will truly "spark joy" (as organization guru Marie Kondo would say) when your dress fits you the way it's meant to - so you'll want to keep it forever!
The quality and longevity of our dresses have been proven time and time again, as they've been loved for many years by our customers. And when bodies change and we need to start buying a different size, our dresses are in such a good state, they get gifted, sold and otherwise passed on - not tossed in the garbage.

We are so proud of manufacturing our dresses in BC, and providing you with a truly excellent dress you can be sure is worth your money.
XOX Cherry Velvet
Our Elly Mayday Story

Published Sep 26 2019 in #onehellovawoman, Ashley Luther, Canadian Designer, Cherry Velvet, Elly Mayday, Ovarian Cancer, Pin-up Perfection Photography

Today I'm remembering a time with one of our early models, Elly Mayday. Elly was an advocate for women's health, known for battling ovarian cancer throughout her modelling career. This weekend we are joining with Forever Yours Lingerie at their event, #onehellovawoman to fulfill Elly's wish for a high tea to raise funds for ovarian cancer research.

Looking back to our very first photoshoot in 2013

Amongst a group of lovely models, there was a young lady named Elly Mayday at her first-ever photoshoot as well. The location was a classic style Diner called Save On Meats. This was also the very first time we shot with Shimona Henry of Pin-Up Perfection photography.

Soon after, Elly began to model for Cherry Velvet on a regular basis. In 2014, after struggling for some time with symptoms that were not being diagnosed properly, Elly discovered she had ovarian cancer.

After Elly started her treatments with chemotherapy, she knew her hair was going to fall out, so she dyed it teal green: the colour of the ovarian cancer awareness ribbon. Elly made a video for us talking about her symptoms, and the importance of being your own advocate.

Elly lost her hair shortly thereafter from the chemotherapy. As a woman who had also lost her mother to ovarian cancer, I could imagine how difficult it would be to lose her hair at 25 years old, and so I wanted to do something for Elly. I decided to take her wig shopping. Can you even imagine being 25 years old and having your hair fall out? Just that alone would be so difficult to deal with, not to mention all of the other obstacles she faced.

We received a phone call from several of her friends who were planning a fundraiser and fashion show to help Elly support herself during treatments. The event was called Strut for a Cause. They asked Cherry Velvet to help surprise Elly and to get her "event ready" to arrive at the show.

Getting her party-ready and to this event...where she was greeted by friends, supporters and TV cameras was quite tricky to pull off without her suspecting what was going on. That day, Elly did a photoshoot with Shimona Henry with the goal of getting her into hair and make-up. Elly had lost so much weight at this point I thought perhaps she wouldn't have anything to wear so I designed a dress especially for her for that night and we named it after her, The Elly dress.

It was an amazing evening of fashion and friends coming together to show their love and support.

Elly continued to pursue her career in New York as a model and worked on a campaign to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Canada among many other achievements. Sadly, Elly passed away from ovarian cancer in March of this year, at 30 years old.

Elly left her mark on myself and our business. She will never be forgotten.

XOX Diane Kennedy, designer for Cherry Velvet