Darleen MasakhweWhat: I’ll Call You Tomorrow Concept Shop
Where: ANNMS Shop (10355 82 Ave NW #200)
When: Friday, April 14 – Thursday, April 20
Tickets: Nah. Just stop by and say hi.
Strolling past one of the many red brick buildings that line Whyte Avenue, you’ll come across a seemingly innocuous door. Walking through it and up a set of steps takes you into a white-walled streetwear shop — the letters ANNMS are visible on the walls. There you’ll spot two guys hanging out among an array of carefully arranged pieces of clothing and accessories. They’ll introduce themselves as Raeland Mendoza and Fabrice Young before welcoming you into their collective world of I’ll Call You Tomorrow.
I’ll Call You Tomorrow (ICYT) is, at its most basic, an Edmonton collective trying to bring people together through creativity. Having previously hosted events around the city like DJ sets, parties, and media/art installations, Mendoza and Young are now working on a new project: a temporary concept shop they’ll be hosting from April 14 to 20 in the retail space of ANNMS.
“The space (in ANNMS) speaks to me because of the minimal part of it,” Young says — the white walls, steel pipe clothing racks, and wide windows are about as minimal as it gets. “But there’s a certain level of mystique with what we do and how we operate ICYT. It’s the same thing with this space, you have to search for it. When things are always in your face all the time it’s not really as fun as it’s supposed to be.”
Now you might be thinking to yourself, “a small, artsy collective here in Edmonton? I thought this kind of thing only happens in Toronto or Montreal!” And, to some degree that’s a valid thought. Edmonton’s creative scene can often look bland on the surface, with the majority of your newsfeed being filled with notifications of upcoming indie-rock shows and paint nights. While this “Deadmonton” perception is something the creators of ICYT acknowledge, it’s also something they’re eager to try and address.
“We don’t really have that strong and established creative scene yet (in Edmonton),” Mendoza says plainly. “(The goal then is) figuring out our version of what creativity means to Edmonton, versus trying to copy something that already happened in Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal.” Mendoza is clear in his aim to be part of giving Edmonton a creative voice of its own.
While the mission is admirable, it can be easy to miss what ICYT does in the city. On paper, Mendoza explains the operation as an intersection of music, fashion, and art brought to life through their various shows, parties, and now the concept shop. But it goes further than that, as the project aims to inspire anyone to get out and see the potential of their own city, providing a platform for people’s interests in music, fashion, trends, and culture to collide.
“(ICYT) is about bringing people together through as many meaningful experiences as possible,” Mendoza says. “You’ll see indie kids dancing with hip-hop kids and everyone has their version of what their flyest outfit is. It really is an amalgamation and it’s sweet to see.”
At the concept shop, ICYT’s usual mash-up of culture and mix-and-mingle attitudes will be on full display (Mendoza and Young invite shoppers to hang around for a drink and a chat), but so will their first-ever merch collection. Titled “ICYT MERCH CAPSULE 01,” the run of clothing and accessories will include hats (or as they refer to them, “Souvenir Caps”), two versions of tote bags, an ICYT script t-shirt, a range of limited edition prints, and lastly a “NO CALLER ID” long sleeve to commemorate the partnership between ICYT and ANNMS. Mendoza is sure to note, however, that all these items will be exclusively available for purchase at the concept shop.
For many people, it can be easy to write off events such as this if you’re not regularly involved in the scene — but as Edmonton grows and diversifies, it’s becoming increasingly hard to use the time-worn phrase “there’s nothing to do here” as an excuse to not explore your own backyard. Young and Mendoza view ICYT and their concept shop as the perfect chance to do just the opposite, encouraging people to experience Edmonton and its people in an environment they might not be used to.
“Just get out there. Go to that spot that you’ve never gone to before or you maybe just saw on Instagram but never checked out,” Mendoza advises to those who might be hesitant. “This is a place you can experience a community. You can be like, ‘Ooh, this does exist’ and it could be where you’ll find the vibe that you’re looking for,” Young finishes.
For those who do end up going, Young and Mendoza encourage you to pick them out from the crowd — both try to meet their guests, remember names, and learn from people’s experiences in order to keep improving. But also be prepared to stay a while, because as Young reminds, “(The shop) isn’t just a place where you come to pick up a t-shirt and go.”
