Local designer fest a Foxy idea

[attach]4285[/attach]There’s a new market in town, but it’s only here for one day.

Local entrepreneurs Suzie Chemel and Jennifer Ger, creators behind the successful locally made jewellery line, Foxy Originals, have developed an event called Love Local that features locally made and designed fashions, arts and crafts.

The show will take place Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Evergreen Brick Works’ outdoor Holcim Gallery.

The business partners have manufactured their jewellery locally since starting their company in 1998 and say it’s always been important to them.

It’s a misconception that you’re an amateur if you focus on the local, Ger says.

Indeed, the Foxy brand is living proof of that. It wholesales worldwide yet the business partners are still able to manufacture in the Toronto area by controlling their inventory.

Chemel and Ger say they’ve always wanted to do a show of this kind — they started their business by doing similar such events — but found that many craft shows are a bit old-fashioned.

Their goal was to create a curated open-air event that highlighted innovative, hip brands.

They capped the participating vendors at 25 as they wanted to keep the setting intimate. The show features everything from clothing and jewellery to art and even sandals.

There are also more experiential vendors like a “nutritionista” and a culture-geek walking tour guide. A full list of vendors is available at [url]www.lovelocal.ca[/url]

“There’s an appetite for people to support locally made products,” Ger says.

“It’s up to us to highlight the value of locally made.”