There’s an undeniable connection between Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»and California (above and beyond the three-hour flight). Increasingly, it’s present on a commercial level – we love our California brands here, from Vans to Fitbit, and Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»brands, including lululemon and Saje Wellness, have used California as their entry point into the US market.
For , it’s all about a shared attitude. “Both in California and Vancouver, there’s a real shift happening with the way we see our own health, a transition from health being a doctor’s responsibility to realizing it is really our own,” says co-founder Kate Ross LeBlanc, co-founder of Saje Wellness, which now has more than a dozen stores across California, with more to come.
Vancouverites and Californians also have in common their love of the outdoors – hiking, skiing, surfing and extreme sports. Cali brand Vans hosts its Park Series pro skateboard tour in just two North American cities: Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»and Huntington Beach, Calif. L.A.-based retro fashion brand also does well with customers here. “I certainly think you see a common appreciation for the outdoors and that lifestyle amongst people up and down the entire coast,” says Curtis Ulrich, the brand’s e-commerce manager. That translates to a casual aesthetic that’s common to both places; we have our yoga pants and hoodies, and so do Californians. “L.A. gravitates towards effortlessness and ease,” says Michael Africa, marketing and PR manager for Vancouver-based label , which has three stores in California. “What does well for us there is anything that’s easy to put on and get out the door.”
Vancouver’s fashion brands often open in New York first because that’s where the magazines are and, therefore, the credibility. But there’s a huge concentration of celebrities on the West Coast, and that can give a bump to a brand’s profile. “One of the big pros in L.A. is the celeb power,” says Africa. “The best influencers and most famous stylists are there. Jessica Alba has worn our pieces – that only happened after we expanded into California. When a celeb wears our clothing or a star stylist dresses their clients in it, and then those pieces appear in magazines or on Instagram, we often find our online orders are impacted.”
Commercial concerns aside though, why do so many Vancouverites love to spend time in California and vice versa? editor Bob Kronbauer, who lived in L.A. for several years, thinks it’s a spiritual thing. “The Pacific touches everyone from Santa Monica all the way up to Bella Bella, and, it's weird to say it, but there's something in that water,” he says.  And Kate Ross LeBlanc agrees. “When I’m in LA and seeking inspiration, I go to the beach and listen to the waves. In addition to inspiration, I’m able to draw an incredible sense of wellbeing from being near the ocean. I love that both L.A. and Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»are surrounded by it.”
