Toronto: Calgary’s Paul Hardy goes to the fashion circus for fall

Calgary’s Paul Hardy swooped into Toronto last night with his fall collection. And in doing so, he expressed a frustration felt by many Canadian designers.

“I‘m tired of how fractured our industry is nationally,” Hardy remarked after the show. “Every city has its own fashion week and it feels like a circus. Designers are spending tons of money for a show and who are they doing it for? Sponsors and people who pay for tickets to see the shows. So I’m putting out money to entertain people who don’t buy my clothes.” Hardy remedied that this season by having some of his top Calgary clients attend the show.

Read the rest of the entry and see the collection after the jump.

Hardy addressed the fashion circus with…a fashion circus! Working from images of ringmasters, aerialists and bareback riders in the book The Circus 1870-1950 (Taschen), Hardy offered riding jackets with deep folds, flapper dresses dotted with ostrich fronds, leather jumpsuits and dramatic feather and long-haired fur vests.

There were also plenty of tricks and illusions in the all-black or -grey collection, including mink sleeves that can be worn alone or attached to the body of a jacket, and patent leather fringe with the breezy consistency of plastic. Finishing touches included the tie-on rhinestone necklaces that sell like hotcakes at Hardy’s Calgary boutique.

“I love that what Paul does is not mass-produced,” commented Raechelle Paperny, who flew in with her 13-year-old daughter for the event. Paperny met Hardy when he was a personal shopper at Holt Renfrew and has stayed loyal ever since. “We spent today shopping for special occasion dresses, even at Louis Vuitton and Prada, and nothing compares to what Paul does for the price. Plus I am teaching my daughter how important it is to give back to local artisans and support Canadian design.”

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