FASHION Magazine

By Jennifer Campbell

Around here, we’re getting pretty jaded about these high/low designer collaborations. We’d never begrudge anyone their Abaeté for Payless pumps (least of all because we love them ourselves), but it’s starting to feel like enough. Don’t get us wrong, getting designer wear for mall prices is really excellent, it’s just not as exciting as it was in the olden days of 2004.

For a city you can hide in the palm of your hand, it’s mysteriously possible for its citizens to be right in the thick of citywide event and not have a clue. Halifax’s first dance with fashion week was no exception, passing by without stirring up much more than a light breeze. An event needs deafening buzz to catch this city’s attention and it seems this time around, the vibrations were at just the right pitch.

On the evening of October 29, Vancouver’s fashion cognoscenti rolled down Robson Street and through the doors of the newly-renovated BCBG MaxAzria boutique (1080 Robson St., 604-681-3733, bcbg.com). FASHION magazine was there to help celebrate the grand reveal.

When eight strong-jawed men came lumbering down the runway in body-consuming pieces of pleated and stitched vinyl, bold panels of canary yellows and gunmetal greys, and highlights of clear cut-outs and airy silks—the fruits of designer Akshay Tyagi’s (akshaytyagi.com) labour—I knew this city’s latest go at a fashion week wasn’t in vain.

You know what I can’t get out of my mind? Strange, giant bracelets covered with thorns! Big leaf necklaces! Harakiri’s (harakiridesign.com) work on Denis Gagnon’s latest runway (View a slideshow) show has haunted me like a wild dream of daring accessories coming alive. In order to exorcise my obsession I’ve decided to share it you, dear readers, so everyone can start focusing on what makes a perfect outfit (and what everyone seems to forget): les accessoires, ma chère.

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

At the Janet Hill show Friday, Ryerson fashion students rushed to fill the front row seats (likely vacated by too-tired journalists), self-consciously snapping photos of each other and wide-eyeing the cluster of real photogs at the end of the runway.

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

Vancouver’s Mellinda-Mae Harlingten just showed her sixth season of cute ultra-basics, so someone must be buying them. They’re certainly wearable.

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

At League of Lovers and Thieves, a collaborative interplay between Toronto designers Sonja Den Elzen (Thieves) and Dana Kiyoko Takeda (League of Lovers), hearts were stolen with ease and grace.

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Casselman

This season, everything is coming up roses for designer Renata Morales who sent models down the runway in an array of ethereal, candyfloss frocks.

FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

Fifteen minutes late is no longer fashionable. This I learned the hard way, arriving to Carlie Wong’s sophomore outing just in time for her standing O. It wasn’t hard to see where that came from, once we caught up with runway footage of the “Glamourous Gangster” collection.

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Casselman

Today at the tents people are talking about:

– The Toronto Star article about FDCC prez Robin Kay’s rather, er, foggy moment – Sore feet – The K-Swiss shoes in the Evan Biddel gift bag- Which after party to hit (The answer? Joe Fresh Style at Fashion House)

On with the shows…

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

Let’s start at the end: when Jason Meyers closed out his Spring 2009 collection with a wedding dress in bright white silk the rest of the show suddenly made sense.