PART 1: THE UNSUSPECTING UNDERDOG FROM CANADA
In Canada, circa 2010, Stevie Crowne was founded as a teenager who had the need to express myself through customized streetwear that I would DIY in my own wardrobe. Coming from underprivileged socioeconomic, working class roots; charity shops were the creative escape to reimagine clothing that made me feel powerful, fearless, and unique. DIY punk culture, glam rock, and self realized rebellion was heavily ingrained into the design DNA; being bullied from a young age allowed me to adapt quickly into a braver persona than I had felt once I realized my calling for it. The brands first drop was called “WarPaint” a signature debuted with upcycled embellished deadstock leather, denim, and military garments and accessories. My influences at the time drew from avant garde musicians and pop stars, retro-pop culture, and club-kids. I saw clothing as armor; a way to equally protect and express myself in a world felt unsafe as a queer youth; born in a hostile, conservative, non-supportive environment.
In 2012, at 18 years old, I attended a diploma fashion program in Vancouver, where after a semester I dropped out to produce my own runway presentation in 2013. From here on out, I began traveling all over Canada, applying for showcases and opportunities in each major city. I would attend nation-wide fashion events and cultivate an underground cult-like following through organic networking; creating makeshift studios in my apartments where clients would visit for demi-couture appointments. In 2017, I accomplished 7 showcases, followed by 2018, where I saw the highest volume of sales to date since 2010. I was running full company operations with the assistance of contracted project based interns.
Between the years of 2012-2019, the Stevie Crowne brand produced runway shows, campaigns, fashion films in Saskatoon, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal while simultaneously being sold through limited edition popups and stockists. Organizations to co-sponsor these showcases were Saskatchewan Fashion Week, Vancouver Eco Fashion Week, and Fashion Art Toronto, alongside several indie showcase productions such as Pride Toronto and Youth Day at Yonge Dundas Square. By 2018, our brand was also classified as one of the top ten sustainable brands two years in a row by Fashion Takes Action, Canada’s sustainable design authority. Just before making the move to Europe, his work was featured on Canada’s Drag Race on long time client Scarlett Bobo.
Mainstream press was received on CTV (TV, online, print), CBC (TV, online, print, radio), Shaw TV, Fashion Magazine, Flare Magazine, Metro (Online, in print), The Daily Mail, Star Phoenix, The Toronto Guardian, Blog TO, and alongside dozens of independent fashion blogs, online and in print magazines nation wide.
PART 2: AGAINST ALL ODDS
In Q3 2020, I boldly applied for a passport alongside a rushed 2 year visa, and made the move to London. During my initial 2-week quarantine, I incorporated Stevie Crowne Limited with companies house, created 2 small capsule collections in between lock-downs over the next year, networking through social media platforms I traveled to Italy summer 2021 to manufacture my debut LFW collection, which would later gain a slot on Fashion Scout’s SS22 + AW22 digital schedule during LFW, and also was invited to showcase in the Hong Kong Centrestage Fashion Summit showroom. After this, I was successfully awarded a London Fashion Week digital profile in Q2 2022 from the British Fashion Council. By Q3 2022, we debuted on the London Fashion Week runway and were invited to become a member of the BFC.
Shortly after, I made the move to Paris to expand our networks, manufacture and release a special edition 10 look capsule collection. During this time, we collaborated on an art film which would be later showcased in ASVOFF film festival at Dover Street Market Paris. We also partook in numerous global consultancies with B2B and demi-couture clients, and strengthened our presence with localized manufacturing and showrooms. Very quickly after launching AW23, I received a last minute runway sponsorship opportunity to bring our AW23 Phoenix collection to Seoul, Korea. After showcasing during Seoul Fashion Week, I began sourcing for clients and upcoming SS224 Polaris collection. We shot on location campaigns alongside working with local investment groups to widen the span of out B2B collaborations in the beauty sector. Afterwards, I relocated to Bangkok to partake in further consultancies and styling opportunities.; all while shipping worldwide to my clients, and participating in another Hong Kong Fashion Summit showcase. We ended up moving to Tokyo in Q4 2023 and partnered with local investors to release SS24 globally on all platforms on January 1st, 2024.
Mainstream press, coverage, and design work during this period was published in Vogue Britain (events), W Magazine, Attitude magazine, Buzzfeed, ASVOFF film festival, Untitled Magazine, Hooks Magazine, the London Fashion Week website, multiple LFW CityWide consumer facing campaigns, FAB UK magazine, Maybourne Hotel Group Magazine, 10 Magazine, Clearpay promotional campaigns, Not Just A Label coverage, Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong, A Thirty Seconds To Mars music video, BBC1 reality TV shows, Ten Days In Paris, World Microphone China + UK, alongside several well performing and viral social media posts (1-3 million views).
EPILOGUE
Stevie Crowne as a brand was born ahead of it’s time in terms of sustainability and creative direction; being morphed into what it is today by remaining authentic to the times while pivoting our branding through meaningful D2C activations. Reaching global platforms and networks, receiving top tier opportunity, and achieving steady fiscal growth each year has been done by cultivating honest connectivity with our consumer networks.
We were a part of pioneering the next generation 2010’s sustainable movement nationally in North America, shipping worldwide by 2017. Our style has always been rooted in haute punk deconstruction with an infusion of upscaled glamour. This served as a catalyst to where we are now in 2024; heavily incorporating high street with demi-couture style.