It's not plastic, it's Plastique

The Toronto Star runs a feature on ex Oakville native Brylie Fowler who has launched international fashion glossy Plastique in London. "A fragile fashionista she is not" says Star stylist Derrick Chetty.

He notes that this is but one other Canadian who is cutting a swath in publishing, citing Tyler Brulé 's Monocle and rocker Bryan Adams with the Berlin-based Zoo.

"London was missing something. We have Pop and Dazed and Confused but don't have anything like V or W magazines that sell a lot of copies," [said Fowler]. "Basically, a magazine that has the chic vibe of Paris but the commercial viability of a New York magazine.

"It should be relevant in New York, Paris or Toronto. A lot of London mags are very East London. It makes a reader feel like an outsider, that they can never really be part of that world. It should be for anyone, in any city. That's very important to me."

Fowler graduated from the Toronto's International Academy of Art and Design and started out styling photo shoots, working at one point for fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier. She landed a junior editor gig with the alternative fashion bible, Citizen K in Paris and the experience inspired her to start her own magazine.

Her magazine (now on its 2nd issue), says the Star story, "is a mix of high fashion, art and culture, with heavy doses of irreverence and cheek. Articles range from pubic topiary to a famous Dutch tattoo parlour.

"This is me, front to back. It's the way I see the fashion industry," she says. "It's not plastic, it's Plastique," she says switching to a French accent.

"It's fresh, it's slightly bitchy, shiny and a bit Warholian. It connotes sleekness and like the material plastic, it changed a lot of stuff in the world."