Safe & Sound

Sassy
Dec 4, 2022
4 min read

Updated: Dec 5, 2022

Editorial Shoot by PatternNation

Home to us means building community, being with family and friends, engaging with our peers, growing our customer base, connecting with our following and so much more.

The Safe & Sound editorial shoot captures our homecoming to Coquitlam in the greater Vancouver area and the growth of our team of designers. PatternNation is a fashion design brand and creative platform specializing in one-of-a-kind and upcycled ungendered streetwear and abstract art. PatternNation is a creative platform that celebrates individuality and self-expression and aims to build a stronger community for artists, designers and colourful humans in the tri-cities area, Vancouver and beyond. PatternNation was founded by queer artist Cyd Eva in so-called Vancouver in December 2016. Her partner Costa Besta who is Zulu from Durban South Africa came on board as co-designer in March of 2017. We ran the brand between Vancouver, Durban and Cape Town until our return to Coquitlam, BC in 2021. We are so happy to officially announce the growth of our team of designers as we combine forces with Brianna Klassen who previously ran the brand Glad I Exist.

Cyd and Bri both grew up in Coquitlam and have been making art together since the age of 7, with shared passions for colour, pattern, art and fashion. We have each developed our own distinct design style as we grow as artists and fashion designers. While Cyd was living in South Africa building Pattern Nation with Costa, Bri was living in Bangalore India for 5 years where she designed numerous surface pattern designs, 9 of which she made into leggings which are now sold through PatternNation along with her one of a kind jumpsuits and upcycled designs. During the COVID pandemic Bri, Cyd and Costa all moved to the lower mainland, for Cyd and Bri it was a return to the city that we raised in as we are both descendants of european settlers on unceded coast salish land. For Costa he was no longer a visitor in so-called Canada but a permanent resident embarking on his journey to building a home as a new African immigrant. Due to various factors including increasing housing scarcity and unaffordability we all rent basement suites from our parents, including Cyd’s mom Lindy Sisson aka Mama Pattern who is also a part of the PatternNation team. The location of this shoot takes place at the seating area in front of the Safeway on Austin Ave in Coquitlam, which was demolished and rebuilt while Cyd and Bri were living abroad.

We believe in supporting slow fashion and local designers therefore we strive for unique pieces of wearable art with everything we create

The majority of the clothing in the shoot was sewn by Cyd, Costa and Bri in their home studio at Cyd and Costa’s house, each piece is one of a kind (other than the leggings) and made from a variety of upcycled and original art fabric. We believe in supporting slow fashion and local designers therefore we strive to create unique pieces of wearable art with everything we create. All of our clothing is either made in house or produced as sustainably as possible by sewers in South Africa or India while one or more of our team are in that country. Now that we are all based in Coquitlam and have combined forces as designers, we have the opportunity to create a home base and build and foster our community in the Greater Vancouver Area. We host gatherings for other creatives and designers at our home studio in Coquitlam, produce and are involved in events in Vancouver to connect with other creatives in the city. PatternNation’s one of a kind clothing and accessories are on sale at the stores Blim and Pressure Point in Vancouver and at Good Vibes Space in Victoria. Despite the changes we see happening all around us, the gentrification of greater Vancouver and the isolation that sometimes comes with living in the suburbs, we are all so grateful to have affordable and supportive places to call home.

Everyday we are learning, unlearning and creating our relationship with this beautiful land as our home as settlers of colonial descent and as new immigrants on indigenous land

This editorial shoot was created because we loved seeing this colourful public seating in front of our local grocery store and thought it is exciting that more art and creativity is happening in our otherwise sleepy burb. After many months of wanting to shoot at the Safeway, the timing aligned while the talented artist and photographer Scott Groller was visiting Vancouver from California. During this shoot we all truly felt a sense of love and security being together on a beautiful sunny day, dressing fabulously, surrounded by vibrant colours at our local grocery store. I think you can see that joy in the shots we captured. Everyday we are learning, unlearning and creating our relationship with this beautiful land as our home as settlers of colonial descent and as a new immigrants on indigenous land. With immense gratitude we live, work, love, laugh and create on this land, not taking for granted that we feel Safe & Sound.