Following Trish Ewanika to the ends of the internet

There is much fuss made about so-called influencers on Instagram. The criticism is that these people are paid in free products and trips to promote a covetable lifestyle. But Instagram doesn’t have to be a cynical space. There are accounts like Trish Ewanika’s that are fun to follow because you can tell that their creators’ purpose is not to sell but rather to share their joy in the world and all the things in it.

Another reason Ewanika is our Instagram crush. A lot of us come from someplace else. The designer and shop owner grew up in Winnipeg, but came to Toronto to follow her fashion dreams. Still, she says, Winnipeg is a geographically isolated city that was instrumental in developing her aesthetic integrity. 

Ewanika’s Instagram reflects that cool but cozy culture of a northern city. Her own designs and those of the other labels she champions share a simple but not stark style. But her feed is more about celebrating not just fashion but all things beautiful: friendships, art, nature, and life in general. Which is why we don’t covet her lifestyle, rather we feel like we are part of a group of fellow celebrants. Every day we are treated to a painting that seems to perfectly match our mood or a dress that seems to capture the spirit of the season.

Ewanika graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in Human Ecology—the study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social, and built environments—so it makes sense that her online presence is so captivating.

by Rhonda Riche, Editor, Femke, Fall/Winter 2018