Hilary MacMillan at The Glass Factory / Fall 2013

Spring is creeping closer and closer - it's time for some serious Fashion! Just last week here in Toronto I had the privilege to attend the Runway debut of local designer Hilary MacMillian for her Fall 2013 Collection.

Premiering at The Glassy Factory just off the Queen West strip, MacMillan boasted an aesthetic that played with glistening gold textures and damask opulence in wearable, urban forms. Creamy, off-whites and rich blacks were dotted with bright, blood reds and cool beiges (a perfectly balanced palette of what Fall neutrals should be) in classic pencils skirts, tailored 50's-era coats, and light-weight trenches. We absolutely loved seeing gold take centre stage as it beamed forward from all that neutrality; and especially the intricacy of the gold, patterned in finely detailed textural sequins in trim and even full-body forms; adding glamour, richness, and a glitzy, 80's touch to a generally clean-cut aesthetic.

Accented with the lightest fabrics (what looked like it could've been soft Chiffon) and classic Fall textures like Fur and Leather; Hilary's showcase was strong, concise, and well executed. Congratulations on your Runway debut Hilary! Hope to see all you have to offer Toronto in the future.

All Images Courtesy Magnet Creative

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Monochromatic Fantasy at One King West / Lucian Matis Fall 2013

We were enamoured from the moment we walked through the entrance. The opulence of one of Toronto's most iconic buildings, One King West, evoked a grandeur and a prestige only a Collection by Lucian Matis could rightfully equal. Huge columns arched by massive bay windows and stunning gold crown moulding throughout. I'm sure you all remember Matis' majestic and jaw-dropping Collection during Fashion Week last year at the Fairmont Royal York; we thought it was the best of the year. This year, one of Toronto's most celebrated Designers took us in an entirely new direction.

A private showing to an invite-only crowd (thanks for inviting me Lucian!), Monochromatic Fantasy took place in the Grand Ballroom of One King to a packed house of industry professionals, celebrities, designer guests, and media. We were treated to hors d'oeuvres, Bailey's cocktails, and delicious treats pre-show. Once runway began, in an unexpected twist, Matis presented an exclusive Bailey's creation gown to start the show as almost, I can only imagine, a nod to the prestige of his last showing. Featuring the same, repeated aesthetic of incredibly detailed, hand-cut patterns and a brilliant gown; this starting dress was a glimpse of nostalgia; and it, like it was in the past, was quite epic. 

Monochromatic Fantasy was everything the name suggested; a stark, clean palette presented with an air of regal majesty. Huge gowns in the crispest, angel white were dramatic and powerful in shape but simple in essence. Minimalist forms and minimalist colours evoked an aesthetic that was a total departure form the over-detailed, over-worked, and over-shiny that we are often accustomed to with a man of Matis' talent. Instead we are treated with something a little unexpected but equally great; it almost acts like the energy of the Collection as opposed to the grandeur of the material or the aesthetic itself. The clothes acted like images, and the Collection, like all Fashion Shows, existed perfectly in that moment. The white was flowing and bright, the cool greys were sharp and architectural, and the blacks were rich and chic. Dotted with textural elements of over-sized fur and the occasional matte leather, Monochromatic Fantasy was a nod to the greatness of true simplicity; something that it is uniquely difficult to do. Something like this requires the best trained hand and perhaps an even greater eye; without the option of bedazzlement or intersecting lines to create balance - the balance, the harmony of the form, becomes entirely dependent on the form itself. No line can be sewn out of place and no shoulder can be shaped differently; it calls for absolute control and absolute grace in execution. That is true craftsmanship, and simplicity of this caliber can be achieved be no one less than a masterful technician.

All incredible images Copyright 2013 to Michael Ho (Michael Ho Photography)

A brilliant, bright, powerfully soft presentation. Thank you again Lucian.

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Day 1 at World MasterCard Fashion Week / Chloé Comme Parris

Opening night at World MasterCard Fashion Week saw iconic, sister-lead Design team, Chloé Comme Parris, return to the tents with an epic Fall 2013 Runway presentation. Embodying an attitude, aesthetic, and feel that was a nod to an unrefined and urban 90's era look; Chloé presented gunmetal graphics, over-sized fits, and schoolgirl stockings re-imagined to a classic soundtrack.

We were enamoured from the very beginning. Strutting out to Nirvana, knits tied around their waists, thigh-length dresses and over-sized moto-jackets; easily adaptable, retro fits. But, I should say, smartly adapted for a modern Fashion era by using mirrored graphics, patterned stockings, shiny shoes, and fantastic, glossy leather! An awesome palette of dark olives, sheer, and black dominated the Runway; while the 90's came out brashly in midriff cut tees, spaghetti-strapped dresses, and brazenly cut coats. I can't really say too much beyond that. Describing the Collection as is is the best I can do; and just saying that I absolutely fell in love with the feel. It felt like looking into the past a little bit, but it was so modern and wearable in today's evolving market. Listening to the music and seeing the girls; sweaters around their waists and braids in their disheveled hair, took me immediately back to Summer in the 90's; just cooler. It was wicked, urban, so hip, and it didn't pretend not to be. It wasn't subtle, but it was unique. A wicked presentation.

Credit for the amazing photos to George Pimentel and FLARE

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Alexander Wang doing Alexander Wang / Pre-Fall 2013

Alexander Wang, one of my ultimate Fashion idols and the recently appointed creative head of Balenciaga, just released his own Pre-Fall Collection for the 2013 Season. Masterfully composed of bulky knits, slickly-cut coats, and beautifully draped monochromatics in rich, tundra greys and crisp whites (in a way only Wang could do), the Collection is a brooding and sophisticated departure from the otherworldliness of Wang's typical aesthetic.

I love Wang's unique ability to play with youthful athletics in such a crisp way; adding really interesting textural elements in subtle ways that become bold when it pops away from all the minimalism. The slight drape over the collarbone, the blocked shoulders, the powdery, dusted sport coats, and the asymmetrical zipper. It's an edge that evokes an air of ultimate chic at the same time; something I absolutely love seeing in Fashion. The pieces are ideal for that spark of coolness that hits just before your Autumn coat needs to come out, and is the perfect Collection for the inner-city woman both professional and artistic. It's divine, and all I can say is that I really wish I could wear that sleeveless military coat!

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Givenchy / Pre-Fall 2013

I've been behind on my Runway! Well, not actually, just behind on my writing. The Blogosphere lives with or without me, and the last few months of prep and planning of some very exciting freelance work (the likes of which you have yet to hear about!) has most definitely kept me more than occupied. So I apologize! Regardless, Fashion is having an incredible start to the Fall Season for 2013. And what better way to break the cycle than a feature of one of the most celebrated Pre-Fall Collections of the Season? We love it, all of it.

Riccardo Tisci is perhaps one of the most brilliant creative designers to emerge out of Europe within the last decade. As head of Givenchy, Tisci's aesthetic is almost always a unique and characteristic mixture of romanticism and neo-modernity. There is almost a simultaneous softness and sharpness to his clothing that exist together in perfect balance; creating a new elegance even in the presence of bold, geometric forms or obtusely graphic prints - Givenchy for Pre-Fall 2013 is no exception to that rule.

We are nuts over these fantastic geometric forms. But it's not just the boldness and hardness of the lines; it's all in the finesse of the placement, the detailing of the composition. The way Givenchy pulls your eye from one corner to the other; a balanced movement accented by a field of bright, contrasting neutrals and triangular forms - on an immaculately tailored piece. The theme of the triangle is something that has caught me eye lately, and something that I've adopted myself for a while (check the logo!). There's a reason for the beauty of this shape, and it's emergence in Fashion again is something I can't help but celebrate. It's an incredibly powerful form - the three pointed shaped - balanced on all sides but always peaked on one at the same time, depending on how you view it. It's perhaps the most beautifully composed geometric form, and I've been seeing it take a strong lead on many designs this season; a prominent element, from the cuts of intersecting triangles on a pair of trousers to the heel of a great boot (above image).

Tisci's palette this Season was simple and quite neutral, which isn't any large departure from the rest of the Fashion world. I am happy about the Tan though; I feel Givenchy used Tan in a very powerful way this Season, balancing the Collection almost entirely and using the power of monochromatic Black and White as harmonious, balancing elements. The hardness of the forms again take centre stage - thick rectangular cut-outs, over-sized triangles, and even chevrons. I absolutely love the idea of taking these prominent elements from the 80's but re-creating them into a modern elegance, not necessarily something purposefully loud. Givenchy has done here with geometric forms what few other design houses could - creating hardness with softness. There is nothing quite as elegant, in my eyes, as a slick coat or a fantastic pair of trousers that hug just right.

Without getting too obsessed with the textural, geometric palette of the Collection; I should also talk about it's obvious and adorned play on androgyny. I've been saying it for a while, androgyny is Fashion, and Givenchy Pre-Fall is a perfect example. Feminine elegance and tailored, masculine forms. From the way the trousers cut off at the base of the heel, to the choice of footwear, to the duffle, to the Winter Jacket - this Collection is incredibly androgynous. But as I said before, it's masculine with a unique finesse; an elegant detailing and an unlikely balance. It's both at the same time, and it's insanely perfect.

Catch it! Those fantastic, white trousers under the gown! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. We love everything about. Givenchy Pre-Fall is ridiculously modern, with a finished edge that evokes a softness only Tisci could ever produce. Our favourite so far; if the rest of the Season is anything like what we've seen, then we have quite a lot to look forward to. Finally, my favourite Season for Fashion is back again! I'll be covering Toronto and even, just maybe, a little bit of New York this year (wait till you hear about it!) for Fashion Week. So keep it locked for the best, the bold, and the talented.

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