ATIQ

Born in Afghanistan, raised in the former Soviet block & Netherlands, Resident of Montréal.

Designer, Painter, Philosopher, Aesthete.

Far East cultural ambassador, Atiq imports inspiration from China and south Asia, infusing his collection with turbans, tunics and kimono-style jackets. Stopping at nothing short of excellence, his pieces are forged with utmost attention to detail. A sharply-dressed gentleman himself, Atiq rubs shoulders with Montréal creatives in the Old Port & on the Plateau. A man of ambition, Atiq is a force to be reckoned with. Seeking to expand our culture's vision, he is one of the few who are reconfiguring our boundaries to incorporate the empire of the future: China, India and beyond.

His mandate: To infuse Eastern influences with the sensibility of the West.

For more:

www.trilliondollarface.com

http://art-iq.blogspot.com

CLOTHILDE

Montréal darling, Clothilde grew up among the creative class. Aspiring to a career as a concerto violinist, she abruptly changed course and channeled her artistry into architecture. Drawing inspiration from her eclectic upbringing, concepts alone are what drive her designs.

The ideas don't have to be built, she says, I just want to conceive them.

JUSTIN

The sun sets over Parc Avenue, casting a golden hue on the east side of Montréal's Anglo main vein. Longing for the last of the day's warmth, I walk my dog in the shadow instead. Past the dep, I'm headed south. Taffy reaches the end of his energy close to the #80 bus stop on the corner of Parc and Bernard, and it's time to turn homeward. Justin is perched on the bench with a classic plaid bowtie.

An aficionado of all things Ivy League, Justin finds solidarity in Rock & Roll music and Yale paraphernalia. Sourcing the bulk of his wardrobe from none other than NYC boutiques, Justin collects local designs as well. His style mandate: Only the Cream of the Crop.

www.justinkok.com

KATIA

Early summer, St. Laurent street sale, Katia and I were attending a mutual acquaintance's vernissage. Taken by her turban, we quickly exchanged emails then realized the shoot a month later.

A friend's design, her fringed skirt is as eccentric as the dozens of her dramatic expressions. Pressed to select only one representation of beauty embodied, I chose that which displayed all the elements of her charismatic style :

1) Angled beater - check;

2) Nails - check;

3) Second hand fur - check;

5) Sass - done.

BEN

I first spotted Ben on the debaucherous streets of Club Main, dandily sporting a bow-tied Oxford carefully tucked into a pair of pre-Second World War long shorts. Running into him later at Salon Officiel during a Coupe Bizarre launch, I invited him to the Studio.

An aspiring architect, a working hair stylist, and a closet novelist, Ben told me about his dream of designing skyscrapers and related some of his 20-something anecdotes. Formally recording his fictionalized biography under a pseudonym, future readers can be sure to become engrossed in an audacious account of a Nameless Generation character.

DAVID

You might see David riding around town on a City of Saints staple, namely, the fixie. Catch him at a loft party somewhere in the no man's land between the Mile End and Park Ex, outside a SNAP Magazine launch party on the Plateau, or snapping early morning photographs with his vintage analogue camera. Head down to Old Montréal and dine at a four star hotel...he might have cooked your meal. A man of many faces, David will be leaving us for the City of Glass, where he will delight many a palate from a Van City kitchen.

MYRA

Sporting a bowl cut with a beige bomber and combat boots along the de Maisonneuve bike path, Myra agreed to join the ranks of the City of Saints project. Shooting in the midst of July's suffocating heat wave, she told me about her 9-5 battle stories, and the tiresome commute from Montréal's shopping hub where she lives to the city's garment sector on Chabanel. Having already launched a collection with a major fashion label, this aspiring designer is well on her way to victory!

http://myrale.blogspot.com