FASHION Magazine

See the PARKLUXE 2014 show and party photos » Like what you see on the runway? Why not buy it right after the show? For PARK, it’s less Moda Operandi with its deposits and pre-orders, and more about making in-season purchases directly from the designers at post-runway popup shops. On October 4th the concept came […]

The post Inside Calgary’s Parkluxe 2014: 20 photos of the city celebrating the best of its design talent appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Just when you thought you’d take some recovery time from Black Friday, we have news of some of our favourite homegrown designers gearing up for end-of-year sample sales and noteworthy pop up shops and holiday promos. You watched their designs sashayed on the Fall 2013 runways and made notes of your favourite pieces: now’s your chance to get that wishlist into your closet at discounted prices.

See the Caitlin Power Spring 2014 collection »

Showing for the first time in the big time runway space at World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto, Calgary-based designer Caitlin Power debuted a French Caribbean-inspired collection for Spring 2014 last Thursday. Tribal and afro-centric rhythms set the tone for 25 looks made for the contemporary career woman.

Clinging to her signature sleek and sophisticated aesthetic for next season, Power opened her show with a strong two-toned chartreuse and olive knee length coat. Delicate blouses were paired with bottoms made of contrasting heavier fabrics. Suit jackets and dresses were given a plunging V-cut neckline that didn’t compromise the practicality of the pieces. Leather showed up on the runway in differing finishes like a snakeskin print in a glossy ruby shade on a skirt and as an accenting panel on a jacket. The designer’s mixing of matte goosebump textured leather with shine gave depth to pieces that could easily transition from day to night. A magnetizing finale of three strong-walking models in leather dresses proved Caitlin Power’s ability to draw in the modern woman.

Not to alarm you, but this is the second-last weekend before Santa rolls into town. For those of us who’ve yet to finish or even start the gift shopping ritual (Oh, hi!), we’ve got studio sales, sample sales, flash sales and holiday sales, some coming with the a much-needed glass of champers. See our list […]

The post The Weekend To-Do: We’re shopping till we drop with special sales by Calla, Jeremy Laing, Bridge + Bardot and more! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See all the looks from the Mercedes Benz Start Up finals! »

And the winner is: DUY! Last night, the search for the Spring 2013 winner of the Mercedes Benz Start Up competition came to a close and Montreal designer Duy Nguyen was crowned the victor.

Pitted against seven other designers from across Canada, Nguyen’s dreamy pieces impressed the judges (including our editor-in-chief, Bernadette Morra) and secured his spot at the top of the podium. The DUY Spring 2013 collection was California girl meets New York, pairing structured suits with flowing chiffons and short-shorts with strong, collarless blazers. Nguyen was inspired by the French who are “very easy going” yet the collection was not necessarily reflective of Canadians—but worry not, as he told us that “fashion is about dreaming.” There was also a tinge of nostalgia, as silhouettes were very ’80s with crocheted knit tops and a modern version of the mom jean. The palette was simple and airy with seafoam greens, crèmes and baby blues but was punched up with a bright red-orange dress and short suit that featured cutouts. These pieces were winners in their own right.

See what’s inside the bags of the brains involved with fashion week »

Packing a bag for Toronto Fashion Week should be considered some sort of art. The contents of the bag must be able to transport the owner from work, to shows, to more shows, and to after-parties, therefore having the essentials on hand is, well, essential. This week, we’ve taken a look inside some of the organizers of rogue fashion week, including The ShOws mastermind Paola Fullerton, and three-member team spearheading The Collections: Dwayne Kennedy, Brian A. Richards and Mel Ashcroft. We’ve also snuck a look into Caitlin Power’s bag—the Calgary-born designer showed her collection as a part of the Mercedes-Benz Start Up competition at World MasterCard Fashion Week last night. The contents of these It bags (which range from Chloé to Chloé Comme Parris!) have one thing in common: they all serve as fashion week survival kits.

See the PARKLUXE fashion show and party photos »

A large metal door retracted into the ceiling at the end of a long runway, and a Mercedes Benz SLK 55 AMG Convertible (we checked) roared into view, casting a dark silhouette, the high beams momentarily blinding the audience. Another sleek silhouette, tall and lean, stepped from the machine and took a powerful stance before 400 guests.

By now, Calgary’s non-profit organization PARK (Promoting Artists | Redefining Kulture) has secured a reputation for hosting premier fashion events in Alberta (see our spring coverage from their emerging designer event, PARKSHOW). On Saturday night, the second annual PARKLUXE, which features four stand out Canadian designers who share a high-end market, pushed the envelope with a conceptual show at the Hyatt Auto Gallery Mercedes Benz in central Calgary.

Toronto-based designer Caitlin Power (a Calgary native) drew from the audience a collective gasp of admiration, as her bold, structured line kicked off the Fall 2012 collections from Anne B. Accessories (Calgary), Nicole Campre (Edmonton), and Lauren Bagliore (Calgary/New York). The latter designer gave us something to dream about, closing the show with a grand total of 34 looks, all luxury leather, draping, wool, and Bagliore’s signature Italian black matte jersey.

Traditionally this weekend has always been about the turkey dinner and the turkey drop (may you not be on the receiving end). Beware the tryptophan-induced food coma because this long weekend there are plenty of fashionable, non-turkey related things to get up to: shopping sprees at the mall, runway shows in the prairies and the birthday of a beer baron.

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

Calgarian fashion darling Caitlin Power showed a (literally) out-of-this-world Fall 2012 collection yesterday. Extraterrestrial models sported Rooney Mara bleached eyebrows and the most covet-worthy black lipstick we’ve seen since Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2008!

Fabrics focused on the techy-stiff with an abundance of neoprene and airy sheers. The most amazing women’s pieces were the precision-cut silk button-ups (especially a cream confection with lime green piping). Likewise with a series of sheer toppers complete with voluminous arms and band detailing. These sheers looked best when worn risqué over nothing.

The word “designer” permeates Kara Chomistek’s world from head to heels. This cool 24-year-old biomedical engineer designs orthopedic equipment and her own namesake clothing line. In her spare time, she dances with a semi-professional salsa troupe, in addition to teaching cha-cha, tango and jive. She is also the co-founder and president of PARK (Promoting Artists, Redefining Kulture), a non-profit organization launched in 2008 that promotes local designers and artists through designer forums, industry mixers, and fashion and art shows. When attending evening affairs, this glam go-getter slips into spotlight-stealing labels, including Lanvin, Miu Miu, Valentino and local designer Paul Hardy. “Fashion allows me to achieve balance in my life,” she says. “It’s another medium for me to use my creativity. Similar to art, I like to wear unique or unusual pieces that can spark a conversation.”

See her shopping picks »

View the photo gallery »

The future is here—and if this is what it looks like, sign me up. Calgary native Caitlin Power made everyone take notice with her first showing at LGFW. Boxy white leather tops and dresses, printed blue and black leather, and cutout dresses and pants kept simple silhouettes fresh and It-girl worthy. I made a mental note on a cropped sheer blouse with a longer back and an orange collar, also shown with blue detailing. The mixed fabrication, impeccable tailoring of the clothes, and spot-on styling confirmed that Power is a new designer that you should all keep tabs on.