Vancouver fashion brand excited to connect with their local customers in person

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It was 10 years ago that Vancouver fashion brand Smash + Tess started what they cheekily call the romper revolution. Like another West Coast iconic brand that transformed workout and casual wear when it launched yoga leggings, Smash + Tess created the one-piece, drapey, casual outfit that could take you from lounging on the sofa to going out for dinner in true laid-back coastal style. Their romper was imagined as a garment that could work for every body type. A decade on, they’ve branched out beyond the defining garment that made it a national brand name.

“I describe the romper revolution as more than just fashion,” explains Ashley Freeborn (Smash), company co-founder along with her mother Teresa Freeborn (Tess). “It’s a feeling. It’s a community. So, although we don’t have as many rompers as we once did, that’s the core of who we are. It’s about wanting to feel good, deserving to feel good but also to feel chic, elevated and on trend and all of it. I would say that we’ve really branched off now. That same DNA of how we’re here for comfort still exists but now we’re offering so many skews.”

Smash & Tess is primarily an online store with boutique stockists across the country. So when the Vancouver Fall Home Show approached them about participating, they thought it was an ideal opportunity to connect with their local customers in person. They will have a pop-up shop on site where people can see the clothes, try them on and get advice from brand reps on how to style the garments. They’ll also present a fashion show on Saturday afternoon (at 1 p.m.) that Freeborn is envisioning more as a Q&A session that will showcase how to wear and style the pieces rather than a traditional runway show.

“I’m constantly on social media trying on the clothes, showing how I style them because I think some women don’t have time to think about that or they’re not interested in that, but they also want to look put together and professional,” she says.

Just as the collection is geared to encompassing a range of body types, it also appeals to a wide age range. Freeborn describes it as very multi-generational. Both she and her mother, who is 70, participate in the design process and every single piece of the line is scrutinized by the two of them and the younger cohort on their team. Their largest demographic is from ages 25 to 55, she says.

“We live in our Smash + Tess. I go through every piece. I try on every piece and so does she. We’re part of the main design sessions. We’re very, very hands on in every single piece that we make. It has to look good on her body, on my body. We have fit models come in different sizes. That’s really important that it fits every body not just a size small but every size in the perfect way it was designed to fit.”

Asked what she’s loving from the recent collection, and there’s no hesitation in her answer. She’s obsessed (her word) with the chambray shirt from the denim range. “ It’s like an oversized button-up shirt and I’m wearing it all the time — under things, over things. It’s just that perfect blouse to take you literally all year long. I’m living in it. It’s very soft and very cute.”

Freeborn says the brand strives to make their clothes both timeless and transcend the seasons. She notes that their sweaters, like the popular ruffle cardigan, “are designed to be a little lightweight so you can wear them as your main attraction through winter but in the spring it’s that perfect layer to throw on over your dress.”

As for the home show, she envisions Smash + Tess’ presence as an opportunity for people to become better acquainted with the brand. “I’m hoping to chat with customers and potential customers. We are Vancouver born but a lot of our business is elsewhere. I’m pretty excited to be local and get to know some of our local peeps.”

The Vancouver Fall Home Show runs from Oct. 15 to 18 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at vancouverfallhomeshow.com.