Vancouver designers and brands have made a huge showing at the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards this week amid the distraction of COVID-19.

Nominees for the 2020 prizes include cool-comfort footwear brand Casca for the Joe Fresh fashion-innovation award; Herschel Supply Company and Wolf Circus for accessory designer of the year; Arc’teryx for outerwear brand of the year; and charity-minded Obakki for the fashion-impact award.

Winners were supposed to have been announced at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto on May 29, but due to social-distancing measures, the awards have been postponed to the fall.

We thought we'd celebrate the local lines anyway by spotlighting a few of our favourite spring looks from the brands. (Note many of the stores listed here are closed for safety in these coronavirus-afflicted times; we're just listing them for when the cloud lifts again.)

CASCA

What: Avro Knit runners in burgundy ($198), breathable and cushiony in a colour that will let you break out of your black-and-grey winter rut.

The brand: The Vancouver innovators want sneakerheads to buy fewer shoes to help the planet. How? By designing high-comfort shoes that can step easily into all walks of your life, from work to hiking.  The line combines classic looks with 3D-printing tech, offering customizable insoles: its FoorB3D lets you scan your foot with the Casca App. Other pluses: treads with the grip of a boot. and sustainably-made leathers.

 Where: Online and the Vancouver flagship lab (4166 Main Street).

HERSCHEL SUPPLY CO.

What: Neon pink Heritage backpack ($69.99), a blast of much-needed colour in these dark times, perfect for picking up a few essential supplies or toting your work-at-home strategy to the park (note the laptop sleeve).

The brand: Founded in 2009 by brothers Jamie and Lyndon Cormack, ubiquitous Herschel has gone global--as in 70 countries--with its classic and studio collections. Breaking out when hipsters around the world embraced its high-quality, lowkey backpacks, it 's grown to encompass duffle bags, luggage, raincoats, T-shirts, and more. 

Where: Online and at its flagship at 347 Water Street.

WOLF CIRCUS

What: Sophia Pearl Necklace in Silver ($198), a cool way to adopt this year's biggest jewellery trend, with freshwater pearls and a cute recycled-sterling-silver toggle.

The brand: The sustainable, female-powered Vancouver line is all about attainable, understated luxury. It employs recycled metals and hand-fabrication and lost-wax casting in its Railtown studio. Founder and creator Fiona Morris famously launched the line out of her home in 2011 with a wolf ring. She's gone on to sell internationally and nabbed last year's $100,000 award through the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Design Entrepreneur program in New York City.

Where: Online and at stores like Blue Ruby, Hills of Kerrisdale, Hey Jude, Much & Little, and Walrus.

ARC'TERYX

What: The ultralight Alpha pullover in a blast of colour to offset misty Coast Mountain hikes--tourmaline/phoenix. The look is made from technically advanced Gore-Tex made from reclaimed raw materials ($670).

The brand: Founded by Dave Lane and Jeremy Guard in 1989, the high-end North Vancouver-based outdoor clothing and equipment company is driven by extreme adventuring, meticulous craftmanship, and cutting-edge technology. Arc'teryx released a long and meaningful statement on the coronovirus crisis and its effect on business, as it closed its retail outlets (but not e-commerce) this week: "We hope that you can find sanctuary in connecting with any form of nature you have access to during these unusual times – even if viewed from a distance or a place of optimism for what’s to come.."

Where: Online and at 813 Burrard Street, with an factory store at 2155 Dollarton Highway.

OBAKKI

What: The hand-dyed rayon-and-modal indigo scarf ($110) is silky soft and drapes in a perfect, loose, I'm-not-trying way. It also supports the women of Uganda's Bidi Bidi, one of the largest refugee camps in the world; they use a natural indigo-dyeing process that's passed down from generations. Obakki runs a tailor and textile training facility in the heart of the resettlement area.

The brand: Treana Peake founded the company in 2005 as an extension of her dual passion for travelling and humanitarian work. The heart of the brand is the Obakki Foundation, a registered charity that focuses on providing clean water and livelihood initiatives in Africa.

Where: Online and 261 E Pender Street.