L’Oreal Fashion Week Toronto- March 17th – 22nd, 2008

The motto? “Wear in the World“. Ugh, back at the 30,000 square foot tent at Nathan Phillips Square. We have to say that we are not really feeling this venue. A congested room full of people being herded into different, barely marked line-ups, with passes that are not fully explained, makes for an unhappy fashion mood disorder. The environment is chaos for the observer, until we are shown our proper seats (first come first serve) in the FDCC section. Perhaps the FDCC could look into obtaining the Metro Convention Centre, or Muzik as the next site of L’Oreal fashion Week. This fall expect the colours – blue and purple – in all hues to dominate wardrobes every where. Monday Mar 17th

Joe Fresh

The Joe Fresh Style label is… well.. a supermarket line. This entity is a product that pretends to be nothing else and is mass marketed with dripings of style. With Joe Mimran behind the label, it remains focused. For fall there was a British element in equestrian looks – slim jodhpur pants and fitted jackets. Throw in youthful rockers with flat-front tartan trousers accessorized with skinny bowties and toques and you got Burberry for the budget set. When Mimran came out at the end wearing a highow mix of those $49 tartan pants with expensive velvet loafers and a tuxedo blazer, he showed yes, it might be supermarket, but how you wear it makes it shows your personal sense of “swag”. Mar 18th

Lucian Matis

This Project Runway Canada runner-up has excellent dressmaking skills and is a talent that knows no limits. Inspired by his first visit to China in December of 2007, Matis made the serene sophistication of basic black the star of his first full commercial collection. The show opened with a ’40s femme fatale, noirish coat and then wafted into the ’70s disco era with a jersey dress, a full-skirted dress reminiscent of the ’50s and a flapperish dress from the ’20s. The ’80s were also accounted for with a glamourama sequinned dress. There are a few pieces in grey and white. Everything else is in black cashmere, silk, alpaca wool and novelty fabric blends. Known for his detailed work and Parisian-inspired flavour, Matis says, “I definitely experimented until I got the mood right. The clothes are simple, silent and subtle,” says Matis. “It’s all about going back to basics.” View video here. Mar 18th

NADA

The ’80s soap opera Dynasty provided the inspiration behind the Toronto-based designer’s bold fall collection. However, Nada Shepherd wisely avoided the campy high-powered styles favoured by the series’ catfighting divas Alexis Carrington and Krystle Carrington. Instead, Shepherd focused on a snappy career-woman-on-the-rise feel: jewel-toned wrap dresses, sharply tailored pinstriped pant suits and wide-belted shirt-dresses. Office-smart looks for a career girl scaling the corporate ladder, one more intent on proving herself with a serious work ethic rather than sultry schemes and boardroom back- stabbing. Power dressing, but thankfully no major shoulder pads. For play, it was more punk and disco Debbie Harry: a purple charmeuse print of smashed glass with chunky, zig-zagging leather zipper tapes and lots of short dresses. Many of the looks had a repeating elongated diamond and triangle shape, colour-blocked in black, magenta and electric blue dresses or as a panel of silver disco studs inset at the waist and shoulder. Mar 18th

BUSTLE

“It’s made beggars of many and millionaires of a few.” Opening with a sound clip from a 1954 television production of Casino Royale, Bustle’s Shawn Hewson and Ruth Promislow again gambled on tailoring in their Bustle collection of menswear for this fall. A casino table placed at the beginning of the show with the models coming out and taking a seat was cute, and so was Stacy Mackenzie playing the dealer. “We’re not talking about playing slots at the MGM grand,” says Hewson. “We’ve taken our inspiration from that high-pedigree lifestyle. From horse racing to skeet shooting, it’s the aspirational adventurer that makes this fall collection so cool.” Top Canadian model Andrew Stetson started the show off right in a dark satin, stripped suit. There many three-piece suits as well, with appealing fabrics, some nappy stuff in polar bear white, and bib-front shirts in checks. The women’s roomy legged dress pants with suspenders flowed much nicer that some of the rather stiff, and tight pieces the men wore. See video here. Mar 18th

Joeffer Caoc

Strong women wear Joeffer. A more somber colour palette and a random mix of textures a la velvet and satin, give this interesting collection a contemporary twist. “It’s all about mixing classic pieces with surprising elements,” says Caoc. “There’s a lot of black and lots of elements that allude to lingerie, but it’s Catherine Deneuve minus the hardcore S&M stuff.” Caoc’s signature, alluringly simple-looking origami folds, draped material, and one-shoulder looks are lovely. However, the lack of colour in this particular show leaves one feeling a bit gloomy. Mar 19th

Jeanne Beker, Bratz and Diesel Kids

Jeanne Beker, not only reported on all the style happenings at this year’s L’Oréal Fashion Week – she herself was news. She walked in the “Heart Truth Fashion Show” as part of L’Oreal fashion week and on March 19 at Diesel Kids’ premiere Toronto runway show at Nathan Philips Square, she launched her second book, “Passion for Fashion: Careers in Style”. To this end, she partnered with Bratz(TM) to bring her book to an entirely new audience of young fashionistas – the Bratz DOLL fans. The new “Bratz Fashion Reporter Doll” was inspired by Jeanne, and is packaged with a copy of Jeanne’s new book. The dolls name? “Jeanne B”, what else? The book-doll combination retails for $29.99 and is available at Toys R Us, Zellers and The Bay. Oh, and let’s not forget Jeanne celebrated her birthday on March 20th at Atelier. The debut of the Diesel Kids runway show unveiled 20 or so looks from the company’s Fall Winter 2008 collection for children. Apparently inspired by early Atari video games and the great outdoors, the clothing projected “resilience and comfort” and had a vintage and folky feel to it. The children out did the clothing with their own sense of style, and delighted the “by invitation only” audience members. View video here. Mar 19th

Comrags

Designers Joyce Gunhouse and Judy Cornish continued the theme of browns, various shades of blue, and grey. What was lacking of color was made up in interesting pairings. Tweedy school matron coats and Georgette dresses accessorized with bits of twig as brooches, faux fur, and custom John Fluevog men’s shoes! The finale grouping was a humorous series of floor-sweeping black coats caked in white (salt stains?), and the rubber galoshes. Bizarre, but totally Comrags. Mar 19th

Andy Thé-Anh

I absolutely adored the neckpieces made of stand up collars, furry tails and/or beads. Andy Thé-Ahn’s shows are all about glamour, and are usually reeking of the rich and privileged life. He’s toned it down a bit this season. Sheer teal and blue blouses and dresses. Slim black satin pants with 3/4 length, belted mohair coats, and stilletos on every pair of feet. Brown dresses with accessorized add-on leather sleeves, or brown dresses with sheer blouses built right in. Plenty of form fitting satin dresses in black, grey, or teal, and all with high-belted waists. Gorgeous, sexy, and sophisticated, but not too over the top. View video here and here. Mar 19th

David Dixon

A snowy backdrop and a scene of a long walk through some woods bare of leaves. David Dixon’s collection represent “the urban woman”, the woman in search of peace of mind. His show was a balance of options. There was a belted fluttery little black dress that was all laser-cut petals, and a purple plaid shirt dress made of heavy wool. A couple of grey herringbone suits, with trousers or skirt, that looked comfortable and flexible for office wear and evening wear. Wonderfully accessorized with plenty of hats, gloves, scarves, and belts. View video here. Mar 20th

Gsus

Dutch designers, Jan Schrijver and Angelique Berkhout of Gsus SIndusties know how to put on a fun show. I am sure they instruct their models to “go out there with attitude”. The show started off with a series of gymnastic flips from one of the male “celebrity models”, a Canadian dancer whose name escapes me. Going against the grain appeared to be the theme of the show. With stripes and tights, bright printed pants, hoodies, pleather, sometimes all put together for a look that only a few in the world can pull off. View the video here and here.