Rachel Gorenstein fine-tunes Rachel Mara line

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      One could argue that Rachel Gorenstein is genetically predisposed to running a successful fashion business. Her mother was a clothing designer and collector, which led to Gorenstein and two of her brothers opening four apparel and giftware stores called moulé over the past couple of decades—two in Vancouver (1994 West 4th Avenue and 1062 Homer Street), one in Portland, and one in Winnipeg (the siblings’ hometown).

      So when Gorenstein launched her own clothing label, Rachel Mara, in 2002, it just seemed like the natural progression of things. As expected, the line was well-received almost immediately—both critically and commercially. Yet after several years of running her flourishing line, Gorenstein decided to take a hiatus.

      “I took some time off to push the reset button and think about why I’m doing this and why I love it,” says Gorenstein, calling from her Portland home office.

      Thankfully, she had a great team in place to keep things operating without skipping a season.

      “It was just a conscious step to the side,” says Gorenstein, who never planned on quitting altogether. “This is in my blood. It’s my life, so walking away wasn’t really an option.”

      After six months, Gorenstein’s meditative journey brought her back to her roots—not Winnipeg but Morocco. That’s where her mother found the fabrics that inspired her own clothing line back in the mid ’80s. It was that trip down memory lane that reinvigorated Gorenstein and got her back doing what she does best.

      Which brings us to her latest collection. Based around the vibrant colours of North Africa, the Rachel Mara spring-summer 2013 collection is all about silk tunics, tanks, and blouses in bright tangerine oranges, eye-popping fuchsias, and rich emerald greens ($54.60 to $126).

      Anyone familiar with the label knows that well-tailored tops like these are nothing new for Gorenstein—they’re kind of her thing, actually. But she really does just keep getting better and better at fine-tuning them.

      “I think it’s an understanding of what women really need and really want and what makes them feel beautiful,” Gorenstein says of her label’s evolution, “so it’s just giving them more of that.”

      These standout pieces, which are all manufactured in Vancouver, are sold exclusively at moulé stores and online.

      As for the fall, Gorenstein is completely switching gears.

      “I’m actually turning to a more dramatic and dark place,” she says. “It’s inspired by Hitchcock and his leading ladies—Kim Novak, Janet Leigh—so there’s a little bit more of a button-down, ladylike aspect to it.”

      While her reference points vary from season to season, one thing that doesn’t change (as she learned during her break) is her love of design.

      “It’s amazing to create something from nothing and see it become real, then see someone try it on and love it,” Gorenstein says. “That whole process is pretty great.”

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