FASHION Magazine

Judging from the three traffic-stopping cocktail dresses at the Kellogg’s Special K Start Something Fabulous presentation, red just might be the new black. Hosted by Monika Schnarre, this event brought New York–based designer Cynthia Rowley to Toronto’s LG Fashion Week for the first time following a nation-wide search to find three everyday women who exude self-empowerment and a passion for life. “These women were chosen because their personal stories speak to so many [of us] and really demonstrate that living a healthy, balanced lifestyle is achievable,” said Rowley. Besides having their photos splashed across Special K boxes (coming to a breakfast table near you), this winning trio also modeled their custom-made little red dresses for a packed crowd in the tents. Veronic Bertrand (from Rockland, Ontario) rocked an asymmetrical hemline; Mika Fryling (from Burnaby B.C.) sported a one-shouldered look; and Melanie Boucher (from Ottawa) showed off flirty ruffles.

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Even though the weather outside was miserable, flowers were in bloom at Sarah Stevenson’s Spring 2012 presentation at LGFW. I’ve seen Stevenson do floral before (her Spring 2011 featured pastels and hand-painted prints) but she does it well. This time around, the flowers were bright and inspired by springtime in her native Toronto. To create the prints, Stevenson combined different mediums mixing photography and digital manipulation a la Mary Katrantzou and watercolours and pencil crayons. Tiny blue and red bouquets covered sundresses and purple and blue petals fell to white on dresses and skirts. One standout dress had leaves draped on one shoulder and matching green butterflies on the front. Accompanied by perfectly mussed-up braids and bright lips, models looked like they emerged from a secret garden. Stevenson’s fresh take on her familiar floral prints had me longing for gardens in springtime on a gloomy October day.

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Far from bug eyed, the direction for hair and makeup at Vawk focused in on specific parts of Sunny Fong’s “insects and architecture” inspiration. “For me, architecture is a lot of windows and reflection, so I went with a gold reflection, like the sun,” said Eddie Malter, official makeup artist of L’Oreal Paris, when describing the gold shadow (Wear Infinite Eye Shadow Quad “823”) he applied inside the eye and along the crease. Then, to capture the essence of insect antenna, Malter applied Lineur Intense eyeliner in “Carbon Black” to the lower lash line, extending the line out. However, the crowning moment was a pair of custom Maddox eyelashes made from paper—applied to just one model for the show.

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Caroline Néron’s Spring 2012 presentation was the kind of runway show that I probably fantasized about as a child in the ‘90s, but haven’t expected to see since. There was a live singer, a live drum beat, a wind machine, and a story of slinking goddesses falling to earth. (What?!)

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A 9:30 p.m. time slot during LGFW could be runway suicide for a designer, but not if your name is Sunny Fong. This pint-sized fashion powerhouse packed the tents on Thursday night for Vawk’s Spring 2012 show. (In the past Fong has presented his collections in a more intimate setting at the Art Gallery of Ontario.) His gorgeous pleats, diaphanous fabrics, rosy blush tones, and earthy tie-dye prints (think moss green paired with ivory) were as fresh as a spring breeze, but his anything-but-boring basics, namely a blush toned trench coat, quietly showcased Fong’s strong suit—tailoring. His curved “Beetle” frock and sweeping “Butterfly” finale dress gave a nod to all beautiful winged things, while a handful of resort looks that paraded out at the show’s start­ were given the Midas touch à la intricate laser-cut gold-leather waist cinchers. He even tried his hand at swimwear, sending several sexed-up one-piece bathers (cut-outs are the new bikini) down the runway. Like his light-as-air tiered skirt, it’s clear Fong has many layers.

We’re making self-spotting a little more difficult today, by focusing mostly on some fabulously put-together midsections (the bag, the coat, the works, from the shoulders down that is…) Spot anything familiar?

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Paying homage to her French roots, Montreal’s Marie St Pierre transformed the studio at LG Fashion Week into a tea party of French delights, complete with macarons and tunes from Paul Martin and Serge Gainsbourg to show her Spring 2012 collection. The installation layout had a podium in lieu of a runway and models stood statuesque, sharing a podium with six mannequins. St Pierre’s collection of mostly dresses was relaxed but refined, with long hemlines and exaggerated folds of sheer jersey. Leather rope hung from collars and hemlines, giving sheer black dresses a cool-girl edge. Since black and white took reign in many of the looks, our eyes popped when a red trapeze dress and emerald draped frock were thrown into the mix. We’re sure St Pierre’s easy, elegant dresses (minus the gold bathing caps the models were wearing) are guaranteed to show up on ladies at many a fete this spring.

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By Jessica Borchiver

Let’s forget about brights, colours, and patterns for a moment—it’s not on Sid Neigum’s spring agenda. Just like his LG debut for Fall 2011, the Edmonton-born and New York–based designer stuck to his strengths on Wednesday, making yet another strong statement collection with black pieces (a select few with a hint of dark teal polka dots and burnt orange), as well as exaggerated black felt eyebrows and overstated chunky—yet barely walkable—opened toed heels.

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The beauty at Pink Tartan was certainly ‘60s and sultry—we’re talking double-lined eyes, thick eyebrows, and “lots and lots and lots and lots” of mascara. Is it hard to guess that the inspiration was Brigitte Bardot? Eddie Malter, official makeup artist of L’Oreal Paris, applied La Couleur Infallible eye shadow in “Flashback Silver” inside the crease of the eye and then used a brush to smudge the shimmery shade down. Lineur Intense eyeliner was applied thick, and almost straight across on both the eyelid and under the eye, creating the perfect winged look.

The last stop in our studio invasion series was to the East side studio/apartment belonging to Vawk‘s Sunny Fong. While bright light shone in through the wall-to-wall windows, the team was busy at work on the Spring show. Set to be shown at 9:30 p.m. tonight, Fong hinted that the collection is inspired by everything from architecture, to moths, to grasshoppers!

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