There are many fashionable Calgarians who love to incorporate the latest styles and trends into their seasonal wardrobes. Not only do they follow everything that’s trending in the world of clothing and accessories, they also seek out those enviable unique pieces that will make them stand out in a crowd of well-dressed fashionistas. While the city is peppered with reputable jewelry stores, some people are looking to enhance their collections with pieces of custom jewelry courtesy of talented Calgary based local artists.

In order to find a great artisan who is able to make customized accessory pieces, start boutique shopping in some of the more popular locations in the city to see if any jewelry collections look appealing. Once you find something reminiscent of what you’ve been looking for, ask the merchant for some more information about the jewelry maker. Chances are they’ll be happy to brag about the designers they carry.

Here are some great local places to start your artisan-targeted browsing:

Uptown 17th Avenue
Known as one of the trendiest shopping areas in Alberta, Uptown 17th Avenue has over 2 kilometres of fashionable shops and privately owned boutiques to explore. Many people describe this stretch as a cosmopolitan hipster dreamland, and it’s one of the easiest places to find artisans and their creations in person.

Willow Park Village
For anyone hoping for a more relaxed shopping experience that presents them with a wide variety of shops in one location, consider Willow Park Village. It’s a very comfortable way to spend the day looking for your unique jewelry designer. There are dozens of fashion and accessory boutiques, with each one showcasing something different from the rest, so you won’t lack variety if you opt for this locale.

Seasonal Festivals, Craft Shows, and Cultural Fairs
Another great way to source local artisans is by checking out the local seasonal craft shows, festivals, and fairs that pop up throughout the year. Although these events sometimes have an array of artisans from across the country, there is still a very good chance that most of them will offer services for custom jewelry in Calgary if it’s requested. There are a lot of smallish offerings that can be found here and there, but for the best chances and the most selection, make a point of getting to these two extra-special events:

1. The Artisan Fair at Fort Calgary
An ideal fair for finding custom and unique handmade items, the Artisan Fair at Fort Calgary has been steadily gaining in popularity over the years. Every year, local artisans vie to display their finest work for sale and make themselves available to potential clients. It’s a great opportunity to talk to artisans directly, and see which ones are willing to work on private custom jobs.

2. The Lilac Festival
The Lilac Festival is run by the 4th Street Festival Society, and is widely-considered the best free festival in the city, and one of the core artisan events that offers abundant opportunity to see custom jewelry from Calgary vendors. The 4th Street venue draws thousands of visitors who traipse a 13 block festival radius to eat, shop artisan kiosks, and be entertained by local performers.

There are a plethora of places so seek out talented local artisans in Calgary, so it’s really just a matter of taking some time to find the one that suits your taste. You might unearth just what you’re looking for at one of the above-listed locations, or somewhere much less expected. Whatever you do, don’t hesitate to look wherever your whimsy guides you. You never know where you’re going to find your Faberge.

Learn more about Custom Jewelry Design

Calgary has a large population of trend-setting individuals who constantly seek new and unique items to bling out their wardrobes. One of the ways these trend setters ensure their styles are undeniably their own is by designing one-of-a-kind accessories. To find their divine inspiration for custom jewelry, Calgary fashionistas often travel around town soaking up the rich diverse atmosphere of Calgary’s trendiest areas and events. If you’re looking for your own inspiration, here are a few places to start.

Fashion Central
Contained in three beautiful historic buildings, Fashion Central is a unique shopping experience with a wide range of fashion and accessory boutiques filling three full floors. Here you will find some of the most fashion-forward names in the industry, making it the perfect location to draw inspiration for custom jewelry in Calgary.

Inglewood
Inglewood is known as “the go-to place” for anything one-of-a-kind. The majority of the shops found here are independently owned and filled with interesting fashion accessories and creative décor unlike other vendor that cater to mass market preferences. More than just fashion, Inglewood is also known as the place to find virtually anything designer, which offers ample occasion to find a muse for custom jewelry.

International Avenue
Just as the name suggests, International Avenue is filled with culturally diverse shops and restaurants that lure patrons with a variety of overseas offerings. On top of the year-round shops that are constantly replenishing their unique stock, there is also a huge annual celebration called Global Fest that happens here. During this festival, the locals are able to take in some truly incredible sights and sounds courtesy of all the venues and performances the participants offer up to represent their cultural heritage. This celebration is a wonderful chance to get ideas for design details and colour combinations for various accessory pieces to fill a collection.

Fourth Street
Fourth Street is mostly known for the incredible dining selection; however these 13 blocks also hold many well-hidden secrets that only locals or adept fashion-finders know. For a unique assortment of designer shops and trendy boutiques, a stroll down Fourth Street presents a wide selection of fun décor and design that are sure to strike inspiration for new jewelry styles. Between the delicious gourmet delights and the wonderful atmosphere, it’s no doubt that a visit here will end up with a special accessory idea in mind.

Kensington
This chic area of the city is one of the most sought-after communities for the young and fashionable. Here you will find exotic foods and fashion pieces along with an eclectic mix of design and décor from all over the world. Also known to be the artist’s location for creative inspiration, it’s perhaps one of the first stops that anyone should make for finding interesting jewelry designs.

Victoria Crossing
A historical district reimagined as an upscale shopping and dining area, here there are many trendy fashion and accessory boutiques to get the creative juices flowing to design custom jewelry in Calgary. With this area being built up more each year, it’s a great source for new and upcoming trends in the fashion industry.

When choosing custom jewelry for a truly unique accessory collection, always look to the areas that fashion lovers are most drawn to. These areas are guaranteed to provide incredible selection and offer a glimpse into the trends that are just around the corner, enabling you to design the most fashion-forward one-of-a-kind custom jewelry piece in Calgary.

Learn more about Custom Jewelry Design