L'Oréal Fashion Week – Day 5

As L’Oréal Fashion Week wound down in Toronto, we made our way to the tents one last time to indulge in warm-weather wear (especially welcome since the thermometer has dipped into single digits!).
Toronto Fashion Incubator winner Eugenia dazzled fashion fans with her collection of ‘cocktail attire.’ The pieces were classic yet edgy, with pleats adding visual appeal and volume to the clothing. Made locally with organic fabrics, the clothes were versatile and appealing to both fashionistas and eco-conscious women alike!
Nada Yousif’s collection screamed glam New York rock ‘n’ roll! Black fringed skirts, rainbow tulle skirts and black and gold lamé skinny pants were all paired with ribbed tanks spray-painted ‘I ♥ NY.’ Floor-length, fitted gowns added an air of sophistication to an otherwise edgy collection.
Young designer Janet Hill debuted a punchy and playful collection (sold in some of Toronto’s toniest boutiques!). Tie-dyed silk in fluoro brights and saturated solids were expertly cut into flirty tunics, billowy blouses, slinky camisoles and swirling, satin one-shoulder dresses (smartly dressed down with simple flats). Paired with ankle-length dark denim, her look exudes sweet summer style.
The inspiration for Mellinda-Mae Harlingten’s collection came from three seemingly unrelated genres: 1920s garçonne, 1970s bohemia and Native American beauty. The pieces were simple, yet luxurious and feminine. The colour palette was soft and romantic. Flowing silks were paired with structured pieces such as plaid vests, and soft, white cashmere sweaters added comfortable elegance.
At Lucian Matis, cream silk dresses in both body-conscious and boxy cuts were printed with large, digital, pixelated, red flowers giving them a futuristic, graphic look. Lots of embellishment (ruffles, pearls, beads and delicate acetate squares) adorned many of the eye-catching pieces, making it a standout collection.
Afshin Feiz – new to the L’Oréal Fashion Week lineup – was an instant hit with a supremely romantic runway presentation. Evening gowns as light as air seemed to catch the wind and billow up behind the models like clouds of smoke. With juxtaposing rows of tiny ruffles and heavy silver chains, the pastel-coloured clothes seemed to float down the runway. The designer also offered flirty, cut-out cocktail dresses, and chic pantsuits with long jackets, roomy pants and sexy bustiers.
Last, but certainly not least, was Montreal designer Denis Gagnon. Simple swaths of jersey were artfully woven, twisted, pulled and puckered into spectacular cocktail dresses and evening gowns, each more stunning than the last. Gagnon played with draping, asymmetrical hemlines, shots of vibrant lipstick-red against raspberry, leather pieces and lamé. Competing for the spotlight were his daring accessories: vertiginous, vinyl platforms, chunky, resin necklaces in organic shapes (think feathers and floral bouquets) and black, leather bubble bags for Fullum & Holt.
- Caitlan Moneta, Assistant Editor, Fashion; Devon Thom, Fashion Intern

L’Oréal Fashion Week – Day 4

Fashion-week essentials in hand (coffee cup, camera and notebook), we hit the tents to see what the Day 4 designers had in store.
Born from the vision of two talented designers, the League of Lovers & Thieves show reflected an appreciation for the architecture of nature and the universe. Soft, organic fabrics were draped over the body, but detailed enough to give the clothing structure and form.
Evan & Dean showcased a clever combination of colours, textures and shapes. From glistening whites and charcoal greys, to bright corals and golds, each piece was adorned with bold flower appliqués – truly functional, wearable art!
Effortless drop-waist dresses and fluttering accordion-pleat skirts made their way down Renata Morales’s runway. Punctuated by oversized, black-lacquer, bouquet headbands, the dresses-only collection was incredibly intricate. The faint glimmer of sequins beneath layers of gossamer, the landscape and quirky cartoon prints and the heavily appliquéd bodices were simply stunning.
Best known for their super-soft leathers, Rudsak certainly didn’t disappoint. Their loyal followers will delight in secret-agent trenches, skin-tight stovepipes, tough biker jackets and supple shoulder bags. If you’re not ready for a head-to-toe leather look, new for spring are waxed cotton, twill and nylon pieces with subtle skin details (think piped pockets and trims).
Stay tuned for more L’Oréal Fashion Week coverage from the front row!
- Caitlan Moneta, Assistant Editor, Fashion; Devon Thom, Fashion Intern

L’Oréal Fashion Week – Day 3

With a jam-packed schedule in hand, we hit the big white tents to soak up some spring style on Day 3 of L’Oréal Fashion Week.
Carlie Wong (of Project Runway Canada fame) debuted a sophisticated sophomore collection. Ultra-feminine shapes, decorated with cascading ruffles, silky bows and ruching, were expertly played against industrial tones of grey, slate, stone and icy blue. The packed crowd couldn’t stop gushing about her gorgeous cocktail dresses and red-carpet-worthy gowns.
Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, Zoran Dobric’s collection was both geometric and feminine. The show was dynamic with a range of textiles – from cotton to georgette to chiffon – in a natural colour palette. Dobric’s hand-drawn illustrations screened onto the fabrics gave the show a beautifully artistic touch.
Thien Le proved he was the ultimate mix master at his latest show. Juxtaposing textures, patterns, fabrics and colours, he sent an eclectic collection down the catwalk. With botanical florals, hot tropical colours, animal prints, crystal embellishments, stripes and sequins, there was something for everyone!
Sparkle and shine ruled the runway at Andy Thê-Anh. Jewel-encrusted bib necklaces peeked out from underneath unzipped, structured peplum jackets; giant, cut-crystal broaches adorned softly draped dresses and severely seamed shifts; and beaded hairpins decorated the models’ slicked coifs. Other highlights included rows upon rows of sweetly pleated panels across feminine blouses, skirts and dresses, and three dreamy goddess dresses in shades of coral.
Zippers, ties, hoods, drawstrings and a generous dose of nylon signaled sport wear was in store for spring at Joe Fresh. Puffy balloon skirts styled with cute tennis tops, and slimmed-down sweatpants with little jackets and sweaters will make easy additions to our wardrobes. And since the navy, elastic and patent, peep-toe flats are only $24, we might just scoop up the patent platforms ($29) and tomboyish leather oxfords ($59) too!
Keep checking back every day for our complete coverage of L’Oréal Fashion Week!
- Caitlan Moneta, Assistant Editor, Fashion; Devon Thom, Fashion Intern

Image of L’Oréal Fashion Week venue on homepage courtesy of George Pimentel/Wireimage.

L’Oréal Fashion Week – Day 2

Winter winds and even light snow couldn’t keep us away from the tents to see the designers’ day-two creations.
Inspired by travel, the Diesel Kids collection, complete with an airplane set and in-flight safety instructions, had the models decked out for every destination. Ready for summer fun, the kids were outfitted in casual beachwear and ranch-ready pieces.
Back at The Studio, Jason Meyers debuted a series of black dresses cut from raw silk and black lace. He covered all the bases – from formal black frocks, to playful polka-dot cocktail dresses, flirty bubbles and ruffled, silk-charmeuse dresses in bright canary yellow and turquoise.
Extra-large, X-ray floral prints in dusty rose, crisp white and dramatic black, accented with shots of lavender and magenta, were splashed across both day and eveningwear at Michelle Turpin’s Karamea collection. Well-tailored jackets, classic trousers and jersey dresses were feminine, functional and elegant.
Joeffer Caoc’s “Nude” runway theme was bang on with the Spring international runways. A parade of loose and languid pajamas, soft crop pants and easy dresses barely touched the body. Minimal shifts were smeared with painterly swaths of black and grey or smattered with alternating stripes of matte and shiny sequins. A lovely shift of focus from past seasons filled with goddess dresses.
Against a backdrop of the South African plains, models sashayed down David Dixon’s runway (a mere 45 minutes late!) in classic shapes with a tribal twist. Horn buttons, alligator embossed belts and his own collection of strappy sandals for Town Shoes complemented blown-out florals and gauzy, translucent croc-print fabrics on shift dresses, coats and jackets. But the opening floor-length, head-to-toe fringe dress had to be the collection standout.
Stay tuned for more catwalk coverage!
- Kyle Gordon, Assistant Editor, Beauty; Caitlan Moneta, Assistant Editor, Fashion; and Devon Thom, Editorial Intern.

Watch live footage from the Joeffer Caoc show, courtesy of FASHION magazine!

Image of L’Oréal Fashion Week venue on homepage courtesy of George Pimentel/Wireimage.

L’Oréal Fashion Week – Day 1

Despite the downpour, Torontonians came out in droves for the opening of the Spring 2009 shows at L’Oréal Fashion Week. We ran over to the large tents at Nathan Phillips Square to catch the first show of the season, Alfred Sung’s bridal collection. Beaded accents, satin bows and streamlined silhouettes had us all dreaming of fairy-tale weddings. Signaling the opening of the brand new Studio tent, designer Katya Revenko showcased her Desperately Different line. The all-knit collection featured an array of fabrics – from organic high-tech to UV protective. With soft tones of lavender and aqua, the pieces were flowing, geometric and slightly edgy. Top Canadian model, Taryn Davidson, brought sexy-secretary-meets-Sandra-Dee to life at Pink Tartan. Silk head scarves, scarlet lips and classic structured bags, along with retro halter maillots, leopard-print wrap dresses and sorbet-coloured shifts were pure “glamour girl.” For the more impatient fashionista, Mango showcased its current Fall 2008 collection. The cozy sweaters, flirty dresses and metallic accessories are the must-haves of the moment. Stay tuned as the week unfolds at the tents!
- Kyle Gordon, Assistant Editor, Beauty; Caitlan Moneta, Assistant Editor, Fashion; and Devon Thom, Editorial Intern.

Watch live footage from the Pink Tartan show, courtesy of FASHION magazine!

Image of L’Oréal Fashion Week venue on homepage courtesy of George Pimentel/Wireimage.