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Beautiful basics define debut

LET'S face it; we all want to buy local, but sometimes, especially when it comes to fashion, that just isn't possible. Ladies need variety, and quite often we turn to the runways of London, Paris and New York for our inspiration.

LET'S face it; we all want to buy local, but sometimes, especially when it comes to fashion, that just isn't possible.

Ladies need variety, and quite often we turn to the runways of London, Paris and New York for our inspiration.

But luckily, West Vancouver designer Lindsay Walsh has just stepped onto the scene, and judging from the debut collections under her label Standing Armed, she understands what urban girls want - and need.

For fall-winter, Walsh, 29, focused on "classic cocktail hour" pieces, using plenty of black, as well as wool and silk, her favourite material.

"The Standing Armed woman is someone who has a secure job, some financial stability, they're well travelled, well educated . . . but they're really social and they have different activities they want to go to - wine with the girls after work or gallery openings," explains Walsh.

"It was really perfect to make pieces that are really classic, really focused on really great fabrics."

Although Walsh's esthetic is well-made basics, many of her designs include unique details.

The charcoal long-sleeved shift dress in a wool-silk blend ($435), for example, has a cutout at the back, giving it a sexy edge. Pair it with booties and leather leggings for the office, and then switch to sheer tights when you hit the town.

For a fancy dinner, try the black pencil dress with boat neck and deep V back ($395). Add gold accessories and red lipstick for some added oomph.

While Walsh was influenced by the East Coast for fallwinter, her ideas for springsummer 2012, which she recently debuted at a show in Vancouver, came from a little farther away - Morocco.

"I just love it there," she says, adding she travelled to the North African nation in 2007.

"I came across some paintings of gypsies, and I thought 'I love this combination of the way they layer up all these different fabrics.' There's all this rich texture and rich colour and rich print."

Her favourite pieces include the silk maxi skirts - "they're just such an easy thing to throw on" - done in chocolate and gold and multicolour prints.

For evening, she likes the silk Joovi dress in a dark brown print with belted waist and deep V open back.

The Dantela ivory lace sheath is another standout, perfect for a mid-summer yacht cruise.

Walsh, who was born in Vancouver and spent her teen years in West Van, said she's pleased with the work she's done so far.

"Seeing the pieces on the models and seeing it all work together, that's a moment where you're like, 'Great. This is really working.'"

Although travelling is a big part of her life, she says she's committed to working on her business from home for the time being.

"Vancouver as a city is just stunning. I feel really grounded here," she says.

"Maybe it's age or maybe it's just kind of where I am right now, but it's good to have a home base."

Standing Armed clothing can be purchased online at www.standingarmed.com.

mkrishnan@nsnews.com