Style Q&A: Color Me Courtney blogger revamps HBC Stripes with new collection
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Fri, 08 Nov 2019 19:00:45 +0000
Courtney Quinn knows how to play with colour.
The New York-based creative behind the blog Color Me Courtney expertly mixes and matches bold hues. And now, she’s turned her colour play to the iconic stripes of the Hudson’s Bay.
Part of a limited-edition collaboration, Quinn has reimagined the brand’s HBC Stripes in 28 new pieces including women’s clothing and coats, accessories, and more. There are even a few coordinating items for dogs, too.
We caught up with Quinn to learn more about the launch, which hue is her absolute favourite, and the pieces from this collaboration she can’t go without.
Q. How would you describe your personal style?
A. Definitely colourful, bold and playful. I like to play with patterns and just kind of wear things that stand out.
Q. What’s the most colours you’ve worn in one look?
A. Oh, I have worn rainbow outfits that have pretty much every colour of the rainbow. I have a skirt that kind of has a spectrum and goes in like every colour. It’s really similar to the umbrella that I have in the Stripes collection that kind of touches on every single colour.
Q. What would you say to people who are afraid of wearing colour?
A. I would say that you deserve to be seen. Wearing colour usually makes not only you feel more happy, bold and confident, but it also makes the people around you notice you. And it usually makes them smile.
Q. Do you have any tips to introduce colour into a wardrobe?
A. I think there are two different ways that you can start. One is to start with patterns. Or, if you’re more of a solid person, I would say to start with the colour red because it’s an easy colour that looks good on everyone.
Q. Which hue is your all-time favourite?
A. That’s hard, that’s like picking a favourite child, if I had children. I really like yellow a lot, it’s one of my favourites year-round. I like red, as well. It’s an oldie-but-a-goodie that looks good on everyone. So, if I had to choose, I would probably pick between those two. But if you were to ask me tomorrow, I would probably pick a different colour.
Q. What made the Hudson’s Bay a good fit to collaborate with?
A. It was great because it was a seamless, natural fit. I’m all about colour, pattern and playfulness and they do the same with their stripes. So, it was just like a great, natural fit between the two of us. And, it was a really easy, fun collaboration for me to take this heritage brand and kind of mix it up and play with it a little bit in a Color Me way.
Q. Did you feel any pressure playing with such an iconic motif?
A. Luckily, I got to work closely with the Hudson’s Bay team and they kind of held my hand. So, I was able to come up with ideas and then we would come up with a way that was best deliverable that met this heritage brand with all of its iconic history — but also made it new and now. And, they’ve done that so well with all their different collections and collaborations. So, it was kind of just another piece of the puzzle in doing it this way.
Q. Lastly, which is your favourite piece in the collection?
A. I can’t pick one, but I can tell you three favourites. I really love the faux-fur coat with the striped lining. I think it’s great because you can wear it all the time, for year’s to come. It’s classic. And it’s faux fur, so everyone is going to be accessible to wear it. And then it has that pop of lining on the inside. I also love the mittens as a great gift-able. Especially with the heart on the palm. It’s just such a fun moment. And then I love the umbrella, too, because I feel like it’s a piece that you can get now and keep for years. And, it is a really fun play on the iconic stripes colours, but also gives you an ombré effect of colours in between.
HBC x Color Me Courtney Heart Palm Mittens. $25 | Hudson’s Bay; thebay.com
HBC x Color Me Courtney Women’s Faux Fur Jacket.
HBC X Color Me Courtney 16-Panel Walking Stick Umbrella. $30 | Hudson’s Bay; thebay.com.