“Vancouver is alternative” was a chant that could be heard from the audience on the first night of VALT – Vancouver’s Alternative Fashion Weekend.

The weekend, held at the end of November, celebrated wearable art with a number of local designers showcasing unique collections. Other art forms on display were dance performances, abstract films, live music and paintings.

Avant-Afi

Afant-Afi was defined by matching separates, bodycon dresses and bodysuits. Taupe, burgundy, silver and hunter green were among pops of colour, combined with nude or black mesh.

Samantha Stroman

Closing the first night, Samantha Stroman, a designer who specializes in corsetry, showcased a number of corsets paired with short and full-length skirts. Each model dropped a handful of rose petals as she walked down the runway. The fitted outerwear and structured skirts were highlights of the collection. Metal cage-like accessories adorned some of the models for the final looks.

Protagonist Menswear

Each model in this show wore a face mask that covered their faces below the eyes. Exaggerated black harem pants were paired with casual sleeveless tops or tailored, button-up pieces. The predominately black menswear line featured stripes, subtle prints, and tiny pops of bright blue and purple.

coidlyn wight

This presentation consisted of loose silhouettes in black and charcoal grey. Draping was balanced with tailored shorts and leather leggings. Knits and a few pops of subtle prints were recurring in the overall minimalistic, edgy collection.

Mikiko Katahira

Although it was a short show, there was an interesting mix of texture and well-placed cut outs. The white, black, grey and blush pink palette was very soft, and gave the collection a feminine edge.

Some key looks