Evolving Art of Gift Giving

Skipping the traditional hustle of shopping, Krista Ference brings a new way to shop for gifts

A well curated closet makes a real difference in finding out exactly what clothes you feel good in. We often find ourselves buying similar items, patterns or colours as we are drawn to a certain style, making shopping mistakes, or creating clutter. That’s where the observant sense of style and personal brand of Krista Ference comes in. One look at Ference tells all about her distinguished style; her outfit is a perfect combination of trend, infinite elegance and a fantastic fit. She loves shopping, fashion, and finding a perfect wardrobe for her clients, but above all, she loves giving gifts to others, making her a perfect person to offer guidance when it comes to holiday shopping.

Her resources reach far; while Krista works with many local boutiques, and she’s also a part of the pilot project with Holt Renfrew. After closing their brick-and-mortar store here in Edmonton, they realized that this is a great way to have a representative in the city, making Ference the first stylist in the country to launch this special partnership. Working with both Calgary and Toronto locations to build a remote seller and stylist program, means that Edmonton still has access to Holt Renfrew’s items along with Ference’s expert advice, that comes as a complimentary service to her clients.

When it comes to gifts, Ference is a real expert, whether it’s Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthday, or any other occasion. First, she learns about the person she’s buying for and then takes it off her client’s plate. She then goes on a mission to find an item that the person would love. Once it’s found, it’s perfectly packaged and delivered, in the most personalized way possible. White glove service all the way, saving you time and delivering it with exceptional service. Entering a busy time of the year, Ference says it ramps up earlier and earlier every year. Gift guides start popping up as early as November 1st, but the real kick-off is Black Friday, after which the true holiday shopping begins. And it’s her favorite time. Once the gift is delivered, she makes a point of connecting with the client to check if the gift was a hit, and so far, it’s always been a success.

One of the nice perks of the job? She can shop for her family at the same time, and as a self-professed shopaholic, she finds a thing or two for herself. Fashion advice from Ference: remembering how special we feel when we dress up, head to toe, and adding a bit of sparkle. Maybe this is the year to bring back that decorum, light the candles, dress well, and we don’t need to have a house full of people to do that. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, but small things like a new candle, a cozy throw, and a nice outfit can significantly change our mood, and add a lot of joy. Another piece of advice; always look at your closet first. For this photoshoot, Ference pulled these pieces from her closet. “Even though our instinct is to run and buy a new dress or outfit each time the occasion arises, I strongly believe in building a wardrobe that has you covered for anything life offers,” says Ference. This helps us avoid the stress of finding that last-minute look, buyer’s remorse, or not feeling quite like ourselves in it.

Krista's Top Three Luxuries

1. A beautiful, well made coat. Two of my favourite designers are Moncler and Max Mara; they are coats to have forever.

2. A little sparkle and shine with a piece of jewelry or an evening bag. This feels like luxury because we still aren’t going to many events, but this sparkle feels lovely and hopeful.

3. Diptyque limited edition candle sets. One of them comes with a gorgeous gold tone carousel that sits atop the candle while you burn it.

www.yourlifestyled.ca

WORDS BY JELENA BOJIC | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JELENA KOVACEVIC