By Susie Wall
Turnabout Style
LINK to online article

Ok, so Diane, how cool is that you and I can finally catchup and we aren’t in a rush backstage? I remember that’s where we met for the first time so many years ago …

I know, right! Life in fashion certainly runs a little crazy busy, but thank goodness for IG – can feel like a bit of a stalker but at least we can keep in touch with each other! (laughing)

And when I think of mad Style Over 40 in Vancouver, and just style in general – your sense of chic and individuality pop into my mind so often, Di. How do you describe your vibe?

Gee, thanks. There’s a duality to my style I guess: classic with a twist of avant-garde. I think my fashion choices really come from my days as a model. Living out of a suitcase for months on end made an all black wardrobe necessary out of self defence. But as a model, you need to stand out from everyone one else. I got tons of inspiration from the designers and stylists that I worked with and I started to introduce interesting textures and proportions into how I style my own looks. I love finding creative ways to make pieces play together rather than a head to toe, one designer look. And of course, top it off with a crazy huge pair of statement earrings!

Always with the earrings! Ok so let’s talk about your work as a personal shopper at Holt Renfrew. To me it’s the perfect canvas for you to connect with people but also to make use of your style and culture skills.

I love my job! Not only do I spend my days surrounded by the most amazing fashion but I get to create a fun and creative space for my clients. Usually the first reaction when I tell people what I do is “I’d love to shop all day for a living,” But it’s so much more than just shopping for someone … it’s Personal … I know, statement of the obvious :)Everyone has such busy lives and are so pressed for time. Whether I’m putting together a whole outfit for an important special occasion or simply updating denim, it’s my goal to find not only what my client is looking for but also to show them new ways to style and wear the pieces they are adding. Trust and honesty are a huge part of what I do so when I introduce something that’s outside of their fashion wheelhouse, it’s important that I make sure that they honestly feel amazing in what they wearing. I never settle for “it’s okay”.

I could not agree more. So let’s move onto uniforms. So far this season I’m living in shiny snake skin loafers, high waisted jeans, matte pale peach super long nails and floaty tops. Is there a uniform for “Diane Gagne, Summer 2019” that you’re already favouring?

Love that look! Although there’s no way I could do the long nails!

You crack me up.

Like I mentioned earlier there’s a duality to my style – at work I will wear mostly black. I started doing this because when I’m with a client I stand next to them in the mirror – if I wear something that’s too visually strong, it becomes more about me than them. I stick to long skirt or pants as it’s a pretty physical job and I need to be comfortable and be able to move. But weekends are another story … big denim love for high waisted straight leg (roll’em) or cropped wide denim, sock boot trainers or classic Birkenstock/Teva style sandals and super soft asymmetric oversized tees. I’ve also added a cool pair of khaki cargos to the mix… and  get this … I don’t wear black!

On weekends black is banned! Ok so at Turnabout, the relationships we have with so many generations of clients really drive our sense of community. I know this concept of connectivity must run deep with you.

It does … I’ve been in the industry for over 35 years and it’s amazing to see how people’s lives have blossomed. You have to take pride in what you do and it’s that integrity that draws people to you in the first place. How we look to ourselves and others is such a massive thing … it is Personal. There’s so much trust being put in my hands and it needs to be honored – and why it makes me happy when my clients love our relationship so much that they refer their friends and family to share in the experience.

What are a couple of your biggest catwalk lessons that you still draw upon today?

I can’t even think of how many outfits I have tried on in my lifetime! But in an instant I knew whether a look was so perfect that I could make it sing without any effort or whether I had to call out all of my acting skills to make it work. I use that every day – when a client steps out of the fitting room I can immediately see if it’s a winner and that they love it or whether it’s a “nope”. That’s the power of fashion – remember that not everything is for everybody – it’s empowering. Besides … it’d be a super boring world if we all dressed the same way!

And thanks Susie … it’s been fun to have this fashion catch up!

Adore you, Di. Thank YOU!

By CLAUDIA KWAN
The Vancouver Sun
LINK to complete article

During her time in the fashion industry as a model, stylist, fashion show producer, and merchandiser, Diane Gagne has seen many waves of change. Take, for instance, the era where serious feminists were burning their bras and eschewing cosmetics.

“Fashion was seen as frivolous back then, but I always see it as an important form of self-expression,” she says. “You need to please yourself first with what you’re wearing, and if conforming makes you unhappy, don’t do it.”

She disagrees with the idea that fashion isn’t important, or that it’s only entertainment. In recent years, she explains, ethical consumption has become en vogue in the multi-billion dollar fashion industry. And questions around working conditions in the garment industry, as well as the types of materials being used, have changed the choices consumers are making.

There has also been a lot of focus on conscious consumption; it’s a concept Gagne agrees with wholeheartedly.

“Whether you’re shopping at a place like where I work (Holt Renfrew) or fast fashion, you have to put thought into what you’re purchasing. It has to have a purpose, whether it’s $10 or $10,000.”

And what now of the pushback of controlling what women wear through arbitrary dress codes, or shaming women for their choice of outfit? It’s become a massive issue on social media, where women can be attacked on multiple fronts for wearing form-fitting or skin-revealing outfits.

Gagne says it’s a fine line.

“If you’re dressing for yourself and choosing to wear something highly provocative, you have to understand that it’s a free world, and others are allowed to have their opinions,” she says. “If you deliberately want to be outrageous and get a reaction out of people, that’s your choice. The difficult part is when you have a pre-set idea of what you would like to get back, and you get something else.”

She says the rules have relaxed for social occasions like weddings and funerals, but even there people must make judgment calls about how their outfits might affect others. Gagne says if a wearer deliberately chooses something to offend or cause distress, it says something about the wearer.

But still, says Gagne, the world is constantly changing and so are social mores. She believes it’s important to have conversations about inclusivity and personal style. She applauds the growing awareness of the need for diversity in product offerings. Clothing manufacturers are tapping into the market for stylish plus-size clothing and for makeup in wider ranges of colours and tones.

As a former model, Gagne also has some words of wisdom when it comes to physical beauty. She tells girls they should only get into modeling or acting if they truly don’t care what people think of them; if they’re not comfortable with constantly being judged it’s probably not the right choice for them.

She also says it’s important they don’t value themselves for the way they look.

“In my modelling days if people made comments about how I looked, I would say thank you and then leave it. Being attractive doesn’t speak to who I am, it’s an observation,” Gagne says. “So when I talk to my niece and different young girls I say, yes, you’re beautiful, but what have you written lately, or what are you making? It’s important to show appreciation for things other than the way they look.”