Fashion Student Spotlight: Justine Elves's Juxtaposed proves fashion and function can co-exist

By Laura Hutchison

Justine Elves grew up in a small town on Vancouver Island, where her high school sewing instructor persuaded her to apply to Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s fashion design and technology program.

Following high school, Elves took a year to travel and develop her portfolio. After completing her first three years at KPU, she had the opportunity to intern at lululemon athletica, which led to a contracted position. Elves is currently working on her final collection, Juxtaposed: a technical, ready-to-wear brand with a focus on combining fashion and function. 

Juxtaposed will be unveiled at 2016 The Show: The Final Cut, presented by Tamoda Apparel Inc., on April 6 and 7 at the Imperial Vancouver (319 Main Street). Thirty-five other lines by Kwantlen Polytechnic University fashion design and technology students will also be showcased.

All five shows have now sold out. For event details, visit kpu.ca/2016fashionshow, or follow @kpu_fashion on Twitter and @kputheshow on Instagram.

You can also follow @juxtaposeddesigns on Instagram. 

Laura Hutchison: Describe your collection.

Justine Elves: Juxtaposed is a brand that believes fashion and function can coexist; where the compelling unseen qualities of technical fabrics come together with minimal and effortless silhouettes. By combining these elements, I have created a technical, ready-to-wear brand.

LH: What was the inspiration behind your line?

JE: The inspiration behind Juxtaposed was the concept of minimal, pronounced details. By keeping the silhouettes and designs minimal, the details become the emphasis of the garment in an elegant way.

LH: Can you tell me about your creative process?

JE: My creative design process is all over the map. I tend to extensively research for inspiration, whether it be through trend forecasting or becoming inspired by existing fashion. From there, I gather all of my research and start sketching. Once production is under way, I continue to make changes to the garment. None of my garments are fully designed until the final piece is produced.

LH: What are your plans after graduation?

JE: After graduation, I intend on landing a design position within a Vancouver-based company. I want to design clothing that has a purpose in people’s lives, steering away from the fast fashion industry. In the near future, I hope to land a design position internationally to gain global experience.  

LH: What aspect of design are you most passionate about?

JE: Over my past four years at KPU, I have developed the urge for design. What I enjoy most about designing is that there is no right or wrong way to do it: a design can never be complete, there’s always room for growth. I love the process, from researching to sketching and seeing how a design can be developed from something as simple as an experience.