Q&A: 5 minutes with Rozemerie Cuevas
Twenty-five years in fashion makes you a veteran, but RozeMerie Cuevas and her label, Jacqueline Conoir, are far from retirement. Case in point: Cuevas recently upsized her Jacqueline Conoir Boutique & Studio (164 W. Fifth Ave., Vancouver, 604-688-5222, jacquelineconoir.com) to an 8,000-square-foot space and launched a younger, edgier line, called JAC.
What type of girl did you have in mind when you were designing JAC? “A cross between Kate Moss and Chloë Sevigny. She’s urban. She’s modern. She’s subtle. She has her finger on the pulse of things.”
Do you have a favourite piece from the collection? “I have two. One is a biker jacket made of fabric that is felted but pressed together irregularly, so there are holes in the fabric and an interesting finish to the bottom. The other is a looser-fitting pant, cinched in at the leg with zippers all over the place.”
What has 25 years in fashion taught you? “It’s taught me that pioneering an industry in a city where there’s really no fashion is very doable, but it takes time, persistence and the assistance of many people.”
How has Vancouver’s fashion scene changed since you started? “When we first started our business, no one would support local [designers]. Now it’s definitely shifting. People have a lot more respect for Canadian designers.”