Toronto Fashion Week fall/winter 2011: Installment I

March 30, 2011

By Hannah Yakobi

Photography by Kalynn Friesen

It’s safe to say that the LG Fashion Week this year is bigger, busier and more stylish than ever. Think glass catwalk, mannequins with QR codes, intricate chandeliers in the lounges and even more elite from the fashion world.

The theme this year focuses on the business of fashion and is aptly titled Work It.

As the week progresses and designers present their fall/winter 2011 collections, the photography pit is growing astoundingly large (and full), and certain shows are so packed that guests outnumber the seats.

In our first instalment, we review some of the best collections so far.

Pink Tartan

Military chic is a strong trend at Pink Tartan.

The fall/winter 2011 sees an interesting departure for designer Kimberley Newport-Mimran, as her favourite fuchsia and pink shades take a back seat to darker, softer colours.

The show opened with a puffy black dress that was very prom-like, with thin straps and a waist-clenching belt. The collection was dominated by a strong influence of military chic with a gothic touch. Smoky eyes, military hats, knee-high laced up boots – this was sexy luxury with a tough twist.

The colour scheme widened with a focus on dark but matte colours. Black, navy and forest green took centrestage, with an occasional surprise in the form of cherry purple and, of course, the ever-popular colour in the fashion world – and dare we say the new black – grey.

Models paraded down the catwalk in calf-long coats, turtle necks, lace see-through blouses, aviator glasses, as well as silk pencil or floor-hugging skirts. The amount of fur used was highly limited. A nice touch was a silk forest green jumpsuit. Add high heels to the combo and you’ve got an image of a high profile executive who is so sexy she could make any other woman eat her heart out.

The piece that stood out the most, however, was the model who had an exceptionally thick cream-coloured woollen scarf wrapped several times around her neck. This was a risky move for Newport-Mimran, as it signalled, once again, a big departure from her normally highly feminine collections. But the truth is that it worked. And it worked so well. The entire ensemble was very à la Alexander McQueen.

Joe Fresh

Joe Fresh presents a lot of bright-coloured pieces.

Kimberley Newport-Mimran’s other half – her famous designer husband Joseph Mimran – presented his own collection immediately after hers. To say that his collection popped would be an understatement. It made summer look boring compared to fall.

Mimran’s colour choices were reminiscent of autumn tree leaves – rich, striking and memorable. Carrot coats, white bell bottoms and orange parachute skirts were just some of the pieces in his fall/winter 2011 line. Skinny jeans made their comeback in a form of a golden-navy number. Golden leather flats were paired with Russian fur hats. Multi-layered belts and totes returned as well, as did kitten and medium-length heels.

The focus of the collection was on the 60s and 70s. The white office blouse, with simple but elegant tailoring, was also popular.

Extra long necklaces were dropping as low as the model’s thighs, and occasional lustrous fabrics made their presence noticeable through the use of oversized flower sequins.

Towards the end of the show, Mimran suddenly injected black into the collection. Again, however, this was done through the use of bright and sequined fabrics.

Bustle

Plaid dominates the catwalk at Bustle.

Designers Shawn Hewson and Ruth Promislow certainly know how to entertain. Their show had several wooden sleds placed on the catwalk that models, including Aliya-Jasmine Sovani of MTV Canada and Wilder Weir of Cosmo TV, used as pit stops for posing. Fake snow dispersed from the ceiling added to the outdoorsy feel of the collection.

The men’s line dominated the catwalk. Straight-cut coats, grey and black melton, and multiple button work were just some of the trends the duo presented. Their collection was lumberjack-influenced casual wear in melange with a very preppy look (some models held a glass with scotch).

Plaid was strongly prominent, as were suits and pin striped jackets. The latter were often paired up with skinny jeans.

There was also plenty of layering and patterns. The overall feel of the collection was à la millionaire club, but with a funky twist.

For women, Bustle suggested medium length winter coats, vests, turtle neck sweaters and an occasional pair of sunglasses and high heels for a trendy touch.

With the variety of colours, fabrics and trends showcased today – designers have set the bar high. It will be interesting to see how others measure up in the days to follow.

The LG Fashion Week was photographed at the Heritage Court by Kalynn Friesen. http://deedee.jobrary.com