FAT alternative fashion week 2011 day three

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.