FASHION Magazine

As natural as it may seem, it’s hard to find a designer these days whose aesthetic is rooted in the shape of a woman’s body. Adrian Wu is breaking boundaries by embracing it. Born in Burlington, Ont., the self-taught 20-year-old designer is already becoming known for the dichotomy of his subtle accenting versus his signature waistlines built up with voluminous piles (and piles) of upholstery. Opting mostly for draping and cutting into patterned raw silk, Wu’s pieces feel inventive, fresh and totally unique.

After teaching himself how to sew in 2009, and deferring acceptance to the Istituto Marangoni School of Fashion in London in 2010, Wu showed his Fall 2011 collection at the Vancouver and Ottawa Fashion Weeks. Recently he opened a boutique and studio to call his own, and we suggest picking up a Wu creation now. He’s likely to become the next great.

Adrian Wu is available by placing orders at adrianwu@adrianwu.com and at the Adrian Wu boutique (1455 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ont., 905-334-1215).

See Adrian Wu’s Resort collection »

Loud, colourful, and frothy are some of the words that come to mind when describing London-based Felicity Brown’s pieces. Though that doesn’t denote a collection of gaudy ’80s prom dresses; Brown’s oeuvre is much more tasteful than that. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, the designer’s ability to master texture is key to her allure.

Though temporarily overshadowed by Spring’s ode to the thrills and frills of the decadent ’70s, have no fear: Minimalism is still being championed by the likes of Phoebe Philo at Céline, Raf Simons at Jil Sander, as well as a number of young designers such as Central Saint Martins grad Tze Goh. Born in Singapore, he moved to New York to study at Parsons New School for Design and eventually relocated to London, where he is currently based.

Following the establishment of her eponymous signature line, Montreal-based designer Audrey Cantwell has moved on to a new project: a label called Ovate. A graduate of Lasalle College, the designer began manufacturing pieces under her own name during her last year at the school. Cantwell, now 22 years old, started working on Ovate just less than a year ago, constructing each piece in her studio with natural materials such as silk, wool and leather—the majority of which are sourced locally.

After having spent most of her formative years in daylong dusk—she was raised in Alberta and studied for a time in Finland—Jessica Mary Clayton now brightens our fashion landscape by illuminating the oh-so-standard palette.

Against too many blacks, whites and a mess of monochrome, Clayton’s most recent line plays a lively riff on the classic prototype. Her latest collection features a broader greyscale, a scheme well known and well loved by many Canadians. Done by Clayton though, grey is translated with a sweeter, softer spin.

The art world was an important starting point for the New York-based jewellery⎯or rather, ring⎯label Bande des Quatres. Started by Erin Wahed, a native Montrealer and recent photography graduate from New York Unviersity’s Tisch School of the Arts, she has collaborated with her mother, Janis Kerman, who manufactures each ring in the collection. Inspired by everything from photography, sculpture, painting, architecture and industrial design, Wahed abstracts these various influences and transforms them into reductive rings composed of geometric forms and fashioned out of 18K gold, silver and semi-precious gemstones.

Consider Kirsty Ward’s penchant for blending sharp silhouettes and severe structure with the most romantic of shades and fabrics a beautiful exercise in contrast. After completing her masters at Central Saint Martins and working a little over a year under the wing of Alberta Ferretti, Ward started her own label in 2010. Most likely a combination of the avante garde aesthetic that CSM has become known for and Ferretti’s floaty femininity, Ward’s new line straddles to perfection.

By Gillian Pryor

Dutch designer Erik Frenken knows a thing or two about manning a high fashion label. After working as the head of womenswear at Viktor & Rolf, the designer relocated to Amsterdam to take the helm at Avelon early last year. The label, which was on the brink of bankruptcy when Frenken took over in early 2010, has since extended into some of the most solidly covetable womenswear and menswear lines we’ve seen in ages.

After studying history at Northwestern, Chicago-based designer Christina Fan switched gears to create her label C/FAN in 2008. Originally consisting of winter jackets and basic tees, Fan’s collections have evolved into uniquely inspired separates all evoking equal parts Saville Row and flowing romanticism.

For those in fashion, Antwerp is immediately associated with the Antwerp Six⎯a group of avant garde designers who graduated from the super-prestigious Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts during the early ’80s (Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck to name a few). Since then, Antwerp has become a breeding ground for innovative design⎯and jewellery designer Heaven Tanudiredja is no exception.

Kym Ellery is one of those designers who is her own best model⎯one look at her own style, and the connection to her label Ellery becomes clear. A magnet for style snappers, (including Garance Doré) and a graduate of talent-factory Central Saint Martins, this Australian is magnet for girl-crushes, and we’re certainly not immune.

At just 25, Dion Lee is the latest face in a crop of designers helping to make Australia a driving force in contemporary fashion. After graduating from Fashion Design at the Sydney Institute of Technology in 2007, Lee has already impressed the likes of Net-A-Porter who began carrying his line last year.