David Dixon and Barbie Fall 2009
Rev up your air-kissers: Fashion Week officially got underway with the Holt Renfrew media cocktail party. Upon arrival we took the escalators up to the newly-facelifted third floor–contemporary never looked so chic. The walls have literally been brought down to reveal an au courant open-concept floor plan that highlights many of the lust-worthy labels that even those struck by this downward dog economy still covet.
After a brief, and I mean “hi-bye” brief, speech by FDCC Prez Robin Kay, a few chosen Canadian designers showed one juicy look from their respective fall collections: Greta Constantine, Mikhael Kale, Jeremy Laing, Denis Gagnon and Philip Sparks.
One large Evian bottle and countless, “Let’s catch up at the tents” later, we sprinted over to said spot for the evening festivities to begin…or rather be delayed.
Five second tent tantrum: Why oh why was the David Dixon show almost an hour late? Take a page from Giorgio “always-on-time” Armani and don’t make your adoring fashion fans while away the minutes tweeting about The City finale.
Coolest tent addition: The Barbie confession booth. Pop inside for a Speakers Corner-inspired moment to recall your fave Barbie memory, whether it be that you owned 200, the Dream House, the Salon and the Winnebago or that you are still in therapy because mommy dearest thought that playing with them would affect your future as a feminist. Whatever the case, the booth is brilliant. And bien sur, it’s perfectly pink.
On to the shows:
David Dixon
Best moment: when the lights finally went down
Longest moment: the slideshow of never-ending images
Fall faves: the organza feather shift dress with a hit of sequins at the waistline, the white dinner jacket with peaked shoulders, the wool sateen suiting (love the layered peplum), the grey plaid pencil skirt, the fluid watercolour-print dress and the flapper-inspired skirt with feather, sequin and bead accents. Dixon dished out perfectly structured shift dresses à la Roland Mouret that we would wear just about anywhere, but the slick patent leather skirts left us scratching our heads as to which dress code they fit into.
Bottom line: Dixon churned out yet another elegant collection and despite the long wait the crowd took the FDCC Fashion Week theme – Show Love – and did precisely that.
Immediately following Dixon’s fall show a group of male models took to the runway sporting “Ken who?” tees, each carrying a tray of mini champagne cans with pink straws, that they handed out to the fashion flock. Looks like Barbie, now 50 and still fabulous, has parked her pink Corvette outside Nathan Phillips Square and is about to take the runway outfitted in David Dixon’s Barbie capsule collection that will be sold at the Bay come fall.
While we didn’t get to see any pink tulle Paris Hilton-inspired frocks or any white poodles with pink leashes, Dixon delivered on his girlie floral chiffon dresses, grey plaid peacoats, ruffle lace dresses and ribbon gowns.
The houndstooth pieces were cute, very ’60s-inspired leisurewear Barbie and clearly the white bias ribbon finale gown was very bridal Barbie. But where, oh where, was Malibu Barbie? The swingy full ponytail, the fabulous faux tan, the sparkly jewels, the cropped clamdiggers? Alas, it seems as though ol’ Babs has traded in her signature tube top and oodles of tulle for something a little more..ahem…”age-appropriate?” Or perhaps the old gal is simply moving forward with the times and subscribing to the post-bailout school of thought. Wearable equals retail sales. Ah, we knew it! Underneath all of that fabulous fizz–the blonde locks, the glossy pink lips and the second skin pants–there has always been a smart, business-savvy woman. Now that is something to raise a glass to indeed.
Until my next jottings, xo
What was your favourite look of the day? Check out our slideshows below and tell us in the comments:
DAVID DIXON | BARBIE by DAVID DIXON | SEE ALL FALL 2009
Watch our runway video and interview with David Dixon
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