Leshem Rae is a fourth year graduating designer from the Fashion & Technology Program at the Wilson School of Design.

Her final collection, appropriately named REMEDY, is focused on reducing everyday stress for today’s working women while still providing stylish designs that can be worn to the office. It is designed to evoke a sense of calm by using alternative remedies such as pressure points, weight, and utilizing fabric with beneficial properties. This allows the target market to feel a sense of grounding and calm in everyday life, whether it be in a high-stress working environment or regular days.

REMEDY will be unveiled at the 2019 The Show on April 18 at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU) newly opened Wilson School of Design building in Richmond. The beautiful and innovative $36-million building houses a range of design programs including the fashion-design-and-technology program.

Event details and tickets can be found online.

What’s the most helpful thing you learned at KPU?

I have really taken to the production component of the program: learning how to create clothes from scratch and problem-solving is a very empowering practice for me. Learning about draping in third year changed everything for me—it allowed me to create more with my hands, and gave me confidence to create anything with great fit and design.

What word best encapsulates you as a designer?

Intentional.

What aspect of design are you most passionate about in your creative process?

My creative process typically begins with fabric. The endless combinations of colour and texture is definitely where I become the most inspired. Working with fabrics is a tangible medium, and I get excited about the potential of each fabric. Being able to design appropriately for the fabric and the target customer is when it really comes together.

Can you explain your line’s focus on wellness?

The wellness aspect came directly from the research. After looking into possible methods of reducing stress, I found that there were many holistic methods that have been effective in reducing stress and anxiety. My clothing focuses less on western medicine and more on the woman who believes in a holistic way of healing the mind, spirit and body.

What was the inspiration behind your line?

It has always been important to me to help others through my work. It is a commonly known fact that stress is increasingly on the rise, and I saw an opening to help in this space. After doing some research, I found that white-collar working women between the ages of 35-45 hold the highest amount of stress.

The goal was to design modern-stylish clothing that is comfortable, workplace-appropriate, and also reduces stress levels. This collection uses natural fibers such as wool, silk, and rayon modal with SeaCell Technology, which all provides its respective benefits to the wearer.  I am very proud of every element that has gone into this collection because it serves a purpose for our customers, and I believe that she will love REMEDY clothing.