Top 15: World MasterCard Fashion Week, spring/summer 2013

November 12, 2012

By Hannah Yakobi and Katia Ostapets

Photography by Tara West

Another fashion week has wrapped up and, as always, FAJO Magazine‘s senior editorial team has prepared an in-depth report of the shows seen on the runway this season.

Take a look at some of our favourite collections.

Pavoni

There are very few shows that make the audience “ooh” and “aah” as much as Pavoni’s runway presentations. Partly, this is because of the style of clothing these designers focus on – a gown with a train that spans at least five feet is bound to be memorable.

For their seventh season, Mike Derderian and Gianni Falcone decided to create a collection that was lavish and luxurious. Cocktail dresses were present too, but most pieces that were particularly eye catching included gowns with plenty of ruffles, layering, sparkle, tulle and sequin. This was a very glamourous presentation, definitely not for the girls who don’t like to be the centre of attention – lots of feminine shapes, a bit of a Grace Kelly touch and a definite princess feel.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Arthur Mendonça

Celebrating 10 years in fashion, Arthur Mendonça returned to Canadian runways this season with impeccable tailoring. He had an Asian-inspired collection that centred around pencil skirts, obi belts of varied width, and plenty of viscose, cotton and silk.

There were also a couple of kimono-inspired numbers and the colour spectrum ranged from cream to royal blue and black. Overall, the collection was very much about evening wear with some bright boyfriend-style blazers and tuxedo pants, as well as wrap skirts.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Pink Tartan

This collection was a picture of youth and femininity. Headlined by celebrity model Charlotte Free, the show consisted of pretty cream, light pink, sea-foam green, and metallic 50s and 60s-inspired garments.

Baby doll dresses, cigarette pants, corseted crop tops and structured 50s skirts with Mohawk hems were paired with Parisian ladylike hats and architectural heels.
– Katia Ostapets

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Evan Biddell

It’s disappointing when Canadian designers are dubbed as the local versions of another well-known name. For example, Biddell is often referred to as the Canadian Alexander McQueen. This is unnecessary for many reasons, primarily because he is talented in his own right and despite McQueen’s genius work, these kinds of parallels that were frequently mentioned in the audience during his show meant nothing.

Biddell had a very strong collection this season, with many prints and layering. He paired his clothing with statement jewelry and bright red lips that made the runway presentation really pop. There was also plenty of pop art, leather, thigh-high slits and plunging necklines.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Bustle

The Bustle boys are wild this season. In a Hawaiian-vacation-meets-African-safari theme, the collection consisted of tropical print shirts, camouflage shorts and sweaters, metallic linen suits and PJ fabric trench coats.

The designers showed their sense of whimsy by incorporating an illustration of zebras on several shirts, worn under suits. The collection was colourful in blue, green and coral, often in the same look. Always ready with an entertaining show, Bustle completed the ambiance with safari hats and vintage cameras as accessories, and giant fake elephant tusks decorated at the start of the runway.
– Katia Ostapets

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Lucian Matis

Matis is undoubtedly one of the most sought after designers in the Canadian fashion industry. His collections are always very contrasting and it is impressive to see the spectrum of designs he has produced to date. Matis’ spring/summer 2013 presentation featured a variety of bright, mosaic-like prints that were reminiscent of the work of Spain’s renowned architect Antoni Gaudi.

Corset-style crop tops, floor-length gowns, peplum dresses and plenty of leather took centrestage. The colours of choice were primarily red, cream and various shades of blue. The presentation progressed from very wearable pieces to more creative and eccentric ones. However, regardless of whether they were wearable or not, the line was perfectly executed, so it was no surprise when Matis received a standing ovation.
– Hannah Yakobi

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VAWK and Vawkkin

Vawkkin this season expanded with a wider ready-to-wear line for a business woman. Sunny Fong presented plenty of suits with flowing fabrics and structured tailoring.

The VAWK line featured a mixture of black sexy gowns, an impeccable red pant suit and chic cocktail dresses in black and eggplant. The collection ended with a show-stopping deep purple gown.

Loving a good conversation piece, Fong also incorporated a golden cone brazier à la Madonna that will be the talk of the town for weeks to come.
– Katia Ostapets

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Adrian Wu

Although Wu maintains his signature style of large shapes and spherical dress sectioning, he is also creating clothing that is becoming more artistic. The designer said that his current collection was inspired by video games, primarily Bioshock (we can only venture a guess as to whether it was also related to his love for Lana Del Rey’s song of the same name). It consisted of dresses that were balloon-like and made from polyurethane. Wu said he aimed to “draw the audience into a distorted romance novel with ravishing colourful gowns resembling human deformities.” He also added a whimsical touch to his presentation with live performances by singer Caitlin Comeau-Jarvis and pianist Patrick Dilkie.

Wu’s work is unpredictable and fun. It would be great to see him push the envelope further and experiment with more materials and shapes in the future. Of all designers in Canada, he is probably one of the most capable when it comes to combining art with fashion.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Mackage

Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan are a personable duo, who always speak about their work with passion. Their latest collection sported a lot of leather in various forms – from full leather pieces to leather shoulder accents. The designers used very soft leather that worked well with their primarily pastel and black colour scheme.

Maxi shorts and belts were popular for the ladies, while for menswear, the designers opted for jackets and shirts with leather collars.

It can be risky when an entire collection revolves around the same fabric, but the duo made it work quite well thanks to their experimentation with length, colour and zipper detailing.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Korhani Home

As always, Korhani turned carpets into wearable art and the runway into live theatre. Divided into three parts, the first portion of the show featured a Mod Chanel-like look, with 60s hair and graphic fuchsia, orange and black prints.

Next came the flappers with their 1920s white and light green frocks with gentlemen in smart tuxedo jackets.

Finally, the show-stopping finale had a Mexican flair, complete with flowers in senioritas’ hair and live macaws.
– Katia Ostapets

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Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh was mod this season too. A play on black and white was at the centre of the collection. All types of psychedelic textiles like the joker’s diamonds and various hypnotic prints were featured in many looks.

Feminine trapeze dresses, simple white suits and cigarette pants were paired with clean ponytails and clear clutches. Splashes of colour like neon green, blue prints and metallics created points of interest.
– Katia Ostapets

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Triarchy

The sibling trio – Adam, Ania and Mark Taubenfligel – like to have fun. Maybe it’s part of the West Coast residents’ character (they are based between Vancouver and Los Angeles), or maybe it’s because they are just a fun bunch. Perhaps, it’s both. Either way, the Taubenfligels know how to dress up a pair of jeans and do it in a funky way.

Their latest collection featured plenty of sex appeal: models were frequently topless, covered up in rope that served as their tops, each sporting a pair of trendy jeans. Some folks didn’t quite get the concept and found it distracting, while others said it added a kinky touch. I’d argue that the use of rope brought the focus back to the pants, which is exactly what the show should have been about. Jeans can get dull and too casual. But not on the Triarchy runway.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Rachel Sin

Rachel Sin’s newest collection is what a young modern career woman would want to wear. With a focus on black, beige, grey and navy staple pieces, the main accent colour was coral.

Pencil skirts with peplums, leggings and contemporary variations in the dress pant were styled with versatile tanks and lace T-shirts. Paired with tuxedo jackets and blazers with zipper detailing, the looks were polished and the several sexy dresses provided options for the weekend.
– Katia Ostapets

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Unttld

This Montréal-based duo produced an excellent collection that, a couple of weeks after the show, is still widely talked about in Toronto. With plenty of capes and flowing loose pieces, this was another Asian-influenced presentation that showcased clothing made from silk, rayon and leather.

In terms of their colours of choice, the designers opted for a lot of black, punctuated by several white numbers and a finale line-up that included metallic oranges that almost looked like sun rays reflected in a mirror – very cool and very well-tailored.
– Hannah Yakobi

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Mercedes-Benz StartUp

Mercedes-Benz StartUp fashion show this year featured eight talented designers from all over Canada, who were mentored by industry experts and competed for the chance to win the competition.

Lauren Bagliore envisioned a woman in black and white as well as neutral prints that draped the body while still maintaining architectural elements. Pure Magnolia by Patty Nayel infused the show with glamour and exquisite evening wear as well as bridal gowns. Dreamboat Lucy showed a very wearable collection in a variety of prints accented with orange.

Well-crafted and fluid, Nicole Campre’s garments in white, pale grey and coral gave off a relaxing air. Showing both the dangerous and debonair side of James Bond, Christopher Bates brought to life the “Dressed To Kill” collection that featured coloured leather jackets, his signature dress shirts and smart tuxedo blazers. Malorie Urbanovitch’s woman was feminine in muted greens and blues, vintage shapes and a little bit of sex appeal.

Structured pencil skirts and peplum tops were paired with flowy silk blouses and shorts in the Caitlin Power line. Finally the winner, Duy, showed a remarkably commercial collection with memorable pieces, including a red dress and a classic blazer, as well as a white and sea foam gown that mixed the structure of the peplum top with a white skirt.
– Katia Ostapets

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