Day 1 at World MasterCard Fashion Week / Pink Tartan

Pink Tartan presented their Fall 2013 showcase last night at opening night of World MasterCard Fashion Week right here in Toronto. Presented at almost overflowing capacity, Pink Tartan showcased beautiful florals, 50's-60's era dresses and elements, and brilliantly coloured fur.

Pink Tartan is often praised for their beautiful femininity and classic shapes - this Season the Designer took that even further by adding totally Seasonal retro elements throughout. If it wasn't that 60's-era hair it was that 50's cut dress. Beautifully lined with a modern edge in touches of glossy leather, black leather, and bright power-pigments like Candy Pink, Superman Blue, and that beautiful Olive Green we've been seeing so much of recently; Pink Tartan's aesthetic was classically feminine for the Autumn Season. And, much like Bustle, it was refreshing to see Pink Tartan play with pigments that go beyond the seriousness of Fall Fashion - the bright tones are more reminiscent of what we adopt for Spring; which makes it that much more engaging, that much more bold, for Autumn. A nice touch.

The fur was epic, to say the least. Pink Tartan is known for using fur quite often, but not as often as they did last night. Bright jackets in Deep Browns, Bright Blue's, and Calico Golds dominated the Runway. We especially adored the White fur dotted and striped with beautiful Black lines - it was easily the stand-out piece of the entire Collection. Golds, Silvers, and Greys were a tour-de-force amidst the brightness, and the Chanel-cut tweeds were professional, sharp, and classically 50's. Very nice!

All Credit for the amazing photos go to George Pimentel

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Haider Ackermann Rules Paris / Winter 2013

There are few words powerful enough to properly describe the aesthetic, power, and presence of a designer like Haider Ackermann. Often admired for his talent of creating harmony through contrasting elements of medium, inspiration, era, and even social class; Ackermann has even been compared to the late and legendary Yves Saint Laurent himself, who did much the same during his time. He is regarded as one of the most notable and interesting designers to ever emerge out of France; debuting his first Collection to significant praise in 2001, having even been approached by powerhouse mavens the likes of Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Margiela, and Dior.

This year at Paris Fashion Week, Haider Ackermann presented his brilliant Winter 2013 Collection following the same vein of power and presence in the industry. A beautiful, slick palette of Winter greys, charcoal blacks, shiny leathers, and gunmetal elements dominated the aesthetic. It was architectural, stark, and brilliantly composed through variations of textural layering, contrasting prints, and large, billowing, and flowing forms.

As usual, I absolutely adore the wrap forms. The hottest trend this Season is in full swing and I couldn't be happier! The draping knitwear is so tundra meets glam, and so super chic in a really lax way. It takes street wear into high fashion territory and is a celebration of the coolest silhouette of the year - over-sized, over-shaped torsos with those fantastic long and lean legs. A retro nod to an 80's-era fabulous while maintaining the urban, modern, youthful street style that is so trendy into today's evolving Runway scene. Androgynous, baggy, masculine-inspired suit pants ground some of Ackermann's strongest forms; accented by easily the most powerfully cut coats this season. A masterfully composed presentation!

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Trending for Fall! #Teal

If you've been paying any attention to the colours of Autumn slowly emerging this Season than you'd know that we're going much further than metallics, blacks, camels, and reds like we've seen on the runways of Fashion Weeks around the World. In fact, it's a re-interpration of Spring's hottest colour! Do you remember? We couldn't shut up about how much we loved Mint this last Spring Season. And now? Say hello to it's cool, older sister - Deep Teal.

Teal has emerged as one of the hottest colours of the new Season. A pre-fall refresher, this tone is not quite turquoise, not quite emerald, and not quite full teal; but a rich, foresty amalgamation of all. Vibrant, bold, and mature; our favourite colour for Autumn is bright enough to solidify any statement piece in stunning expressionism, but refined enough to tastefully be worn head-to-toe. Here are some fantastic examples of Deep Teal, or what some are calling Dark Ultramarine, on the runway, on the streets, and on the red carpet; featuring Elie Saab, Chanel, Sonia Rykiel, Yigel Azrouel, and Jay Godfrey - done with taste.

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Ajak Deng is a Metallic Phenom #Obsessed

I've worshipped Ajak Deng for a while. The Sudan-born, Melbourne-based model is one of the strongest, boldest faces in the industry; and has walked for everyone from Chloe, to Lanvin, to Givenchy, to Marc by Marc ever since her breakout at Paris Fashion Week in 2010. She also happens to be an incredibly talented Editorial model and, since her launch, has participated in some of the best Editorial spreads in North America and beyond.

City Dweller features Deng in an industrialized landscape of intersecting lines, stark monochromatics, and reflective metals and textures. There is an obvious juxtaposition to the robotic nature of her imagery set against an evolving and ironically organic urban landscape; but what's more interesting is that she is the object rather than the subject. She isn't the human, she is the building. She is the architecture and the statue, and in that, almost alien. Shot by Julia Noni and Styled by Barbara Loison for Obsession Magazine, Deng is stoic and powerful in Couture Chanel, Balmain, Balenciaga, and Prada. 

Photos courtesy of Fashion Gone Rogue