Author: Kevin Bourne

Last weekend, Canadian Fashion Weekend Pre-Fall 2017 hit Canada’s capital region as hundreds came together to celebrate Canadian fashion. Opening night was held at Le Shoppe in Gatineau, Quebec and featured Ottawa ready-to-wear designer, Ines Kljajic, and Richard Robinson Academy of Fashion Design graduate, Michèle Beaudoin. According to organizers, “Michèle creates one of a kind, custom made gowns. Through her designs, she likes to tell a story, which makes all of her pieces have their own personality. She likes to play with textiles and experiment with new techniques. From classic and elegant, to avant-garde and edgy, her designs are always…

The world needs a saviour. At least that’s what human nature and pop culture tell us. We see it in the popularity of superhero movies and other battles of good vs. evil that have played out on the big and small screens for years. Another prime example is the last three U.S. elections which were special for minority groups. One of the characteristics of minority groups, which tend to feel unheard, underrepresented, and forgotten, is that they’re always looking for a hero to save them and give them a voice. These saviours validate you and make you feel like you…

Kevin Bourne recently had the opportunity to sit down with digital artist, and Canada Goose and Xbox collaborator, eepmon, to talk about his creative journey, collaborations, and advice for upcoming artists. Kevin Bourne: I’m here with Eric Chan, aka eepmon- a digital artist born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, doing great things all over the world. We’re sitting here at Bridgehead down on Rideau Street, talking about art and creativity. So first, just tell us a bit about your journey and how you got to where you are today. eepmon: So I was born in Ottawa, Ontario. As far back…

Pay attention to those nagging ideas that won’t leave you alone.

Kevin Bourne recently had the opportunity to do an interview with up and coming entertainment entrepreneur, TapDiesel, where they talked about his current projects, goals for the future, and who and what inspires him to create. KB: So where did you grow up? TD: I was born and raised in Ottawa. I then moved to Zimbabwe for 5 years and came back in 2001 when my dad retired from Foreign Affairs. KB: Where did you go to university and what did you study? TD: I went Carleton University and studied Human Rights. KB: So briefly, what’s the vision for Ring…

This past weekend young world changers from 196 countries gathered in Ottawa, Canada for the One Young World conference. Over the past six years, One Young World has attracted an impressive list of counselors, from Sir Richard Branson and Jamie Oliver, to Ariana Huffington. This year was no different as Canada’s capital city played host to some of the world’s leading influencers. The summit started with the star-studded opening ceremonies on Parliament Hill as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hollywood actress and activist, Emma Watson, and other counselors took the stage. There was a sea of flags from all the countries…

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged $3 billion dollars to “cure, prevent, and manage” all diseases. Some question the donation but overall reactions are positive. The Guardian reported: The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will focus on some of the world’s biggest killers, including heart disease, cancer, infectious diseases and neurological diseases. One of its biggest investments is to be a $600m “Biohub” at UCSF, which will bring together scientists and engineers from Stanford, Berkeley and UCSF – who haven’t collaborated in this way before – to develop tools to treat diseases. The second focus will be…

Rock had John Lennon, R&B had Marvin Gaye and Hip-hop, we had Tupac. Like Lennon and Gaye, as an artist Tupac used his craft and platform to bring social awareness and change the way people think. Like them he also died too soon. Today marks the 20th anniversary of Tupac’s death which has some of us reminiscing about where we were when we heard the news (and reflecting on how old we’ve become). Tupac has been one of the most successful recording artists in the world, selling over 75 million albums worldwide. His 1996 classic All Eyez On Me is…

For a long time I despised Apple with its loyal fanboys and cult-like culture. Over the past few years their announcements were nothing more than software updates and iPhones and iPads in varying sizes. Oh yeah…and a watch. Before yesterday’s product announcements I passed Apple off as lacking true innovation, but they made me a bit more of a believer. A bit. When it comes to design, Apple has always been innovative and daring. From the beginning they pushed the envelope with their designs for the original Macintosh and iMac computers. Having the monitor and CPU in one unit, which…

The model that has driven the fashion industry is changing. Fashion weeks all over the world are dying, most recently in Toronto. The internet is providing designers, and really creators of all kinds, with the opportunity to showcase their work to potential clients directly for very little cost. As a result, shoppers are choosing to spend more of their dollars online. Consumers have also grown to love fast and affordable fashions made popular by H&M and Zara. Every year brands that we’ve grown to love are dying or changing the way they do business. Last year, Parasuco filed for bankruptcy…

Make the decision and just do it!

Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, isn’t typically known as a hotbed for hip-hop culture but it’s slowly carving out its own niche. At first glance you’d ask what a government town like Ottawa would know about hip-hop but when you really think about it, it’s a match made in heaven. Hip-hop started as a non-violent way to express your thoughts on what was going on around you. It was social commentary at its finest; it was intelligent, angry, political, and rebellious. As the national gathering place for the country’s politicians and bureaucrats, there’s already a bit of an irreverent f*@! you,…