Through the Thunderbird Marketplace I will be at the Spring One of a Kind Show (#OOAKS14) in Toronto. When I applied I’d already been thinking about what my spring collection would be about and I was excited to share it at #OOAKS14. This is the Strawberry Girls Spring Collection, a reminisce of my Berry Fast.

Inspiration – from food to fasting

With spring on its way (and after a very long, hard winter), I’ve been thinking about food a lot, mostly about where it comes from and harvesting it, which reminded me of when I had to gather food for something important, for my Berry Fast. The Fast is a coming-of-age ceremony to learn the teachings, importance and responsibilities of being a woman – an important acknowledgement because sometimes I long for those days of being a kid, and sometimes I still feel like a kid.

sage paul strawberry girls collection

Strawberry Girls Collection, Field Shirt and Shorts

I was thirteen when I began my fast. I was still running around in my shorts and tee’s, playing baseball and other field games. To start the fast we went to a farm just north of the city to pick berries. I vividly remember picking and freezing the strawberries, they were my favourite, they have always been my favourite, and I couldn’t even have the tiniest nibble – tragic to my young self! There was much growth during that year; navigating and being led through new territories in life, the fast taught me to have patience, to understand and acknowledge change and to respect my surroundings and myself.

After the fast I still felt like a girl but I could understand more clearly these big changes I was going through and my evolving role within the world. The yearend feast to break the fast took place in the backyard of my family’s apartment, off a side street from Queen and Spadina, with a few girlfriends, aunties (mostly adopted), my mom and elder. I wore a dress, which is custom for many ceremonies, but this time it was something I would wear as a young woman.

The Collection – Strawberry Girls

As I sifted through those memories, reminisced with family, did some research about the berry fast in general, I couldn’t shake remembering what it felt to be the young girl during that time; the naiveté she holds of the world, the sweetness she sees in the world, the intense desire she has to grow up and everything she learns during that profound time in her life. Coming of age. That is what this collection is: remembering that open-minded time of growth in between the pleasure of youthfulness and the curiosity and desire for womanhood. A Strawberry Girl.

Getting ready for the show! – Win a PAIR OF TICKETS to the OOAK

Now, as I get my collection together, I prepare for the one of a kind spring show with only one week left! In the thick of winter changing to spring, seeing the growth of my inventory – that sweet girly collection – and getting the nitty gritty done, my mind races – will I have enough inventory? Have I remembered everything? I need to pick up bags, people will need bags to carry their brand new shorts in. I love those shorts! I wonder when I’m getting the photos from the photoshoot? …. And so on.

It’s been a lot of fun, mostly because I live for the intense hustle of creating and the time I get to reflect on my past, traditions, culture, family, community and city. The emails from the organizers of the One of a Kind Show and the Thunderbird Marketplace are flying, right down to every last detail. The other day I got something in the mail – a package from the OOAK team – and it included some tickets to the show! Tickets are $14 at the door, $12 in advance or $11 in advance with this discount code: ASDfh2p Definitely buy tickets for you and your friends and come check it out! I’m giving away a pair of tickets too, here’s what ya do to win! (A random winner will be selected on Friday, March 21)

  1. Like my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sagepaul
  2. Share my Facebook page (see above link)
  3. Comment on the CONTEST PICTURE on my facebook page (you’ll see it when you’re there)

I’ll see you at the show!  I’ll have the Strawberry Girls Collection available, which includes the Field Shirt and Shorts, Transition Tank and Skirt and the Breakfast Dress.  Still waiting for my photos from photographer, but I was able to get one of the Field Shirt and Shorts, which is at the top of this post.

Huge hugs,

sage