Adhesif is having its grand opening launch party on Saturday, May 29 from 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm! To celebrate their beautiful new space at 2202 Main St. (@ 6th), designer Melissa Ferreira is inviting everyone she knows (and through the magic of the internet, this includes you, dear VIA reader) to partake of the wonderful goodness that is Adhesif. Bring some friends and enjoy homemade treats, drinks, music, art by Anthony Wilson, entertainment by a surprise guest, and 20% off all Adhesif designs.
Melissa is mysterious as she models these one-of-a-kind fingerless mittens. You want them, don't you?
Though Melissa's passion for vintage fabric, patterns, and material is entirely self-taught there is no denying her mother's influence on her. She describes her mother, whose own background as a seamstress has helped shape her vision, as everything from a "confidante to a consultant in terms of design ... she knows how to put things together." As Melissa showed me around her workroom she proudly pointed out an intricately constructed wool coat and broke down some of the fine levels of detail it contained. "This is turn-of-the-century construction and will last you for decades. A lot of designers don't know how to sew ... it boggles my mind."
Owls abound.
Adhesif embraces sustainability and style, incorporating 50-100% of materials that are recycled - everything from vintage denim, old t-shirts, silk scarves, bolts of fabric, buttons, findings and "bits and ends that just get tossed." Melissa tells me about the years she spent as a buyer for a popular Vancouver vintage store and describes rummaging through endless piles of discarded textiles housed in massive warehouses not open to the general public. During this time in her life, the eye for style she already had was allowed to develop into a more sophisticated appreciation for her craft. Through hands-on experience she was taught by the people she worked for and learned about, for example, different stitching techniques from other eras. So the question grew into, "how can I mass produce one-of-a-kind clothing?"
And with that came Adhesif.
Re-worked coin purses.
Everything becomes something else. Vintage clothing with a modern twist.
This headband took a day to construct and is made with vintage neckties.
Melissa's attention to detail is clear - there are no "throwaway" pieces here. Draping, darting, and thoughtful construction tailored with an eclectic aesthetic is the best definition of her work. Adhesif's investment, staple pieces individually crafted with reclaimed materials is wholly antithetical to much of the current consumerist trend in fashion. Cost is not necessarily an issue for her or her clients. "If you make a woman's body look beautiful, it (the garment) will sell."
Grassroots couture.
Purses.
Melissa imbues a sense of community with her designs and her business and is pleased that Adhesif offers a boutique service for its clients, including alterations provided at no extra cost. Custom work is also welcome. For the level of work that goes into each piece, she strives to "make it affordable. There is always something for everybody and I don't want to exclude." Layaway is also an option.
More purses. Because there are never enough.
If you've read this far then you're obviously in it to win it. And what is "it," exactly? How about a pair of one-of-a-kind angora and wool fingerless mitts like the pair Melissa is modeling so mysteriously in the photo above. These babies retail for $50 but Adhesif is offering a pair to one lucky (and keen) Vancouver is Awesome reader. All you have to do is enter a comment below (by 5:00 pm tomorrow, Saturday May 29)to register your name. The first person to arrive at the store to tell Melissa that "Vancouver is, in fact, Awesome" will be able to pick a pair of fingerless mitts from the fabled selection for themselves.
Good luck!
