sadly i missed breeyn mccarney's showing of paper garments due to a work shindig, and just barely made it on time for the 9pm runway shows. seatless, positioned under the armpit of a photographer, and in flats (why, why!?) resulted in less-than-optimal viewing of the runway - a real tragedy because this was the day that i was most excited for. alas, there were no photos taken, and no space to scribble notes, so forgive me if my descriptions are slightly off.
heidi ackerman and lindsay sinclair blew me away. new favourite toronto designer combo: people should be screaming their names from the rafters. both have matured greatly since their last combined showing, and the results were breathtaking. ackerman's collection was feminine and flowing, but she didn't lose that urban edge and the architectural approach that she's known for. her use of fabrics including (apparently) tybek, silk and mesh had a serene beauty that her previous collections have not been able to capture. grey shift dresses with white bars were recognizably ackerman, while more dramatic pieces took her in a new direction - such as the full-length sheer bodysuit(?) that contoured the body before veering off into a bat-wing shape, resolutely steering clear of any sex-kitten association. each piece was set off by sinclair's ash and poplar sculptures, with standouts including ones that curved over a model's shins before extending past the calf, and a dramatic neckpiece that was solid in the front and separated into horizontal strips at the back. best of all was a sinuous sleeve composed of three curving strips of wood extending from shoulder to wrist. stunning. i'm in love.
anastasia lomonova is another one to watch. with models sheathed from head-to-toe in red and grey bodysuits, and the palette of the clothing being dark, the collection was as dramatic as it was well-executed. each piece was wearable and the draping was done masterfully. unimaginative viewers were overheard critiquing the bodysuits ("i would never wear that!"), while cheers aplenty were heard from the balcony above as male models strutted their stuff in the 'female' pieces.
i also quite liked the ruth weil collection, comprised mostly of painted silk dresses. designer hillary sampliner's brightly coloured silks (in yellows and blues - right?) were paired with sheer black overlays (the thing it would seem), or were seen on their own. one thing i would change would be to lose the sheen on the overlays - i felt it distracted the viewer and added nothing to the looks. overall, sampliner shows much promise.
yup. this is where i'll be on july 26th. the site carries a bunch of up-and-coming canuck designers, a number of whom i saw at FAT alternative fashion week. labels i'm most excited about include breeyn mccarney (breeyn.com), caitlin power (caitlinpower.com), OR by angela chen (orangenyc.com), and, heart's pumping faster now, heidi ackerman, a true fashion maverick (heidiackerman.com).
while up at yonge and eg scouting a store, i stopped into a shoe place and these puppies caught my eye. vibrant cobalt blue wedges made from seamless plastic with a peep toe and an ankle strap? yes please. wedges are perfect for stomping around town in - or biking in - and these ones are padded inside for extra comfort. i do wonder how they would wear in the sun though... pain or not, they're a refreshing take on a summer wedge.
i popped into upc boutique in yorkville yesterday to check out biddell's new (and more affordable) collection, brethren, which saw its debut the night before. much of it had already been snapped up by hogtown's resident biddellites; the remnants included two trains of thought which didn't seem to be particularly connected. slouchy, gothy, urban pieces with shredding and sheer panels were spotted next to far more polite dresses that gave off a 50s vibe. to me they seemed to belong to two different collections; both however were equally as seductive. grey racerback dresses with sheer black edging had an alexander wangish feel, while tops which saw sheer bits extend into a skirt made me long to throw on some high-waisted panties and hit the town. a bronze crinkly dress with a nipped-in waist and an oh-so-high hem would bring a bit of edge to an afternoon cocktail fling. i was slightly put off by the finishing on one garment (a bit of a wobbly stitch), but overall i quite liked what biddell had to offer.
all vintage but for vest from zara
pants from zara, bra from urban outfitters, top from h&m, and i made the necklaces myself
mango leather jacket, korean pins, dress from my mother bought in the 80s
vintage jacket, h&m faux leather shirt, pants from mango, boots were a present from a friend!
emily woudenberg
emily woudenberg
jessica clayton
