By Julia Eskins

Photography by Kareen Mallon

Canada’s internationally revered design talent returned to present their fall/winter 2012 collections to a familiar audience at The ShOws in Toronto. The two-day showcase was held in Ritz-Carlton’s Grand Ballroom on Mar.19 and Mar.20, 2012.

Appropriately following the buzz of the Toronto Fashion Week, The ShOws resembled a homecoming celebration of Canadian designers who have since conquered the runways abroad.

Backstage at The ShOws.

London-based designer, Jean-Pierre Braganza, kicked off the final evening with an edgy collection dominated by purple hues, bold shapes, heavy knits and zipper hardware. Dramatic prints and metallic textured fabrics were inventively draped and darted to form long tail-like embellishments.

Padded shoulders juxtaposed hip-hugging dresses, while pops of purple, orange and red contrasted the sea of black and grey layers.

Puffy pompadour hair matched Braganza’s signature avant-garde aesthetic that earned him “protégé” approval from Karl Lagerfeld in 2008.

Jeremy Laing closed The ShOws with a cohesive collection of exquisitely tailored separates in neutral shades. The presentation marked Laing’s first full Canadian runway show, though the Toronto-based designer has a laundry list of international accolades, including a former internship with Alexander McQueen.

Combining oversized blouses, dramatic shoulders and subtle detailing, such as buttons up the back, Laing gave a fresh spin to the 80s silhouette.