Local Toronto Artist and Musician Reveals His New Accessories Line Just In Time For TIFF

At a first glance, Steve Dubois looks like just another tattooed skate kid with a rock band and a pipe dream. Sure, you can tell by his clothes and his confident swagger that he fancies himself an artist, maybe even a creative savant. Like every other 'dude' in a vintage shirt and slouchy toque, Dubois probably see's himself as a unique talent, the alternative stud, God's proverbial gift to woman.

When in truth, he's only God's proverbial gift to women's fashion. And that thing about a creative savant? Well, that’s probably just a happy coincidence.  

At only 27 years old, Dubois has it all figured out. He's found a job that he loves, and a woman to inspire him. XXVII, the name of his jewellery line, means 27 in roman numerals. This line, his labour of love, is a tangible testament to his coming of age, his self discovery as an artist, and his love of fashion.

Inspired by the textures, quality and strength of his chosen materials, Dubois has crafted two collections within his line, "Pockets" and "Love Bites". Coming into fall, where silks, satins, and light, femmy fabrics are being paired with leathers, studs, and edgy garnish, the release of XXVII's collections could not have been timed any better.  

Today, Steve Dubois shares his thoughts on female fashion, his inspirations and his hopes for the future exclusively with WOMAN.ca.

W:  At 26, you weren’t sure about your future.  A year later, at only 27, which is coincidentally the namesake of your line, everything fell into place. What suddenly gave you that clarity about your future?

SD: (laughing) I don't think I have clarity just yet, but I have passion and direction which is essential for me. On my 27th birthday I got a book on Robert Johnson, you know, the blues guitarist, and he is part of the twenty-seven club, you know, famous musicians who passed away at 27. Like, Kurt Cobain, Morrison, Hendrix, Buckley, those guys. So I thought to myself these people have accomplished so much at such a young age, what have i done? I'm a very creative person and I felt I have been selling myself short.

W: Why jewellery?

SD: As I child I used to play pirates and I would raid my mum and grandma's jewellery chests for loot. I wouldn't wear anything, just admire it. I've always been a fan of jewellery, how it effects an outfit or even projects someone's mood. It's pretty powerful.

W: How would you describe your line?

SD: Raw material beaten, torn and summated into classic creations.

W: Designing is obviously heavily  rooted in creativity. What do you do
 to tap into that creative vein?  

SD: My mind can be very annoying, its racing a mile a minute, kinda like flicking through channels on a television. I need to create an environment that will focus my chatter brain. This usually means lighting some prayer candles, cracking a bottle of San Pellegrino and listening to some blues or, I don't know, anything haunting.

W: Who are some of your style icons? Who do you look to for fashion cues?

SD: My mum for sure! She's a younger mum so I grew up with someone who cared a lot about fashion and music, from mod to punk to new wave and even early house music. I got to see many sub cultures first hand through her. They have always caught my eye, the over abuse of leather and denim. Many fashion trends were taken from them and they had to just use what they could afford. Which is actually kind of what I do.

W: Ok, I have to ask, you’re an artist - do you have a personal muse?

SD: My girlfriend Alison is definitely one. We have a very honest relationship, so I run most of my designs past her first because she's a woman with great taste and wont sugar coat anything for me either. I have many inspirations but few muses.

W: You're releasing your lates line just in time for TIFF! If you could see one of your pieces on the red carpet, who would be wearing it?

SD: Easy. Zooey Deschanel. She's gorgeous.

W: What is one thing you have done, professionally or otherwise, that you are most proud of?

SD: Putting myself out there with my company and having great feedback on my designs. Criticism is difficult for an artist because you feel that art should have no limit or right/wrong answer. But as a designer you have to listen to criticism because you have a market that you depend on to love and appreciate your pieces.

W: What is one thing you have done, professionally or otherwise, that you are least proud of?

SD: Not getting into jewellery design sooner actually. I wish I could go back to the end of high school and say to myself, 'hey Dubois - go to school for jewellery design and learn as much as you can on every plain.'

W: When a woman wears one of your pieces, how do you want her to feel?

SD: I want her to feel confident, pretty and unique. Every woman has her own style which is why I try and do limited runs of each piece, each piece is hand made so they all have their own identity.

W: What would you like to see woman pair your pieces with?

SD: Well I have two lines right now; my "pockets" and "love bites" Both are versatile for any outfit, be it a loose T-shirt tucked into your favourite vintage jeans with leather sandals, or just hanging out with a classic black dress.

W: As someone in fashion, you know what it means to 'wear something well'. What is one thing that every woman wears well? What is one thing that every woman should try and wear
 once?

SD: Tights or pantyhose are so versatile they can be trendy, classy, or sexy for anyone. Also, find a well fitting leather jacket. I think women in leather are hot as hell.

W: From a man’s perspective, what would be the best style advice you can offer a woman?

SD: Be comfortable! You can see when a girl is feeling uncomfortable pretty fast - whether its high heels or a revealing neck line, you can see she's not happy.  I endorse trying new things but try only what's comfortable so you are able to carry yourself like the beautiful woman you are.

His line is available at Franny Vintage and online, and will soon be appearing in select Toronto style boutiques. His side project, a quarterly publication which is also called XXVII, will be available on September 11th at select locations. It's a unique compilation of works by Toronto artists and icons, profiling music, art work, and style around the GTA.

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By Carli Mia

Carli Mia, Editorial Administrator
		About the author:
		Carli Mia, also known as Carli Rothman, also known as Carli Stephens, also known as Carli Mia Stephens Rothman, is a graduate of the Ryerson School of Journalism and currently lives in Toronto . Born and raised in Winnipeg, Mb., she enjoys maple syrup, self-deprecation, Michael Jackson (dead or alive), and WordMole. She has a mom, a few dads, and a lot of brothers and sisters. She's a blogger, freelancer, video correspondent, dog-lover, and, of course, Editorial Administrator at WOMAN.ca!
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