Nicole Sjostedt

 “Any friend of Jody’s is a friend of ours” was the comment made while shopping at one of her vendors on Main Street in Vancouver. Nanna, now owned by designer Jody Phillips, started out as a joint idea with a university friend who later decided to head back to school to become an art teacher. The name “Nanna” simply refers to her grandmother, who Phillips contends “is immensely creative and she taught me to sew.”

From handbags to clothing, Phillips finds that after eight years in the fashion industry, she is still learning the ropes. “I had this one design disaster I created called, ironically enough, the ‘Jody’ shirt — it just never fit right, but I have to say, it was a great seller. You live, you learn, you create better designs.” When asked to describe her collection, she says, “Overall, it’s flattering pieces that are simple, clean, and comfortable.”

For Fall 2007, in addition to her handbags, she has included four great pieces in the collection: the cozy sweater, the form-fitting jumper, a slim leg pant (which she loves), and a basic, long-sleeved, long-in-the-body, everyday shirt. The Fall collection ranges from $65 to $100 and is available in Vancouver at Hum and Liquid, in Edmonton at Nakomis, and in Toronto at Frock and Fleurtje.

Her view on sustainability is to keep informed and to make socially conscious choices. “I don’t mind being small right now and just nurture my stores.” She wants to focus on producing a small, well-made collection that is quality first over quantity for her stores across Canada and the few that are in the United States. “I have a great relationship with my manufacturer in Vancouver. He’s local, so I can see how everything is being made, and that’s important to me.”

She’s come a long way from her university days as a fine arts student, becoming one of Vancouver’s most beloved local designers.

Website: www.nanna.ca