TORONTO FASHION WEEK; Joe Fresh Fall 2012

 Groovy baby!  Canada's most recognizable fashion brand, Joe Fresh presented their fashion show yesterday.    The collection had a lot of  1960's inspired silhouettes.  Mod mini-skirts and dresses, tight cigarette pants and cozy duffle coats were flattering to all.  The color palette was a rainbow of warm fall shades of maroon, orange, mustard and red, as well a cool palette of bright blue and green.  Black and white was used in the form of basics or over-sized houndstooth pattern.  Chunky knit hats, faux fur stoles and boxy handbags were the accessories of choice.  

This is always the most highly anticipated show in Toronto and most likely to have Canadian celebs in the front row. Fellow designer colleagues make it out next to the runway too, such as Pink Tartan designer Kimberley Newport-Mimran and designer Evan Biddell.  

While the patent leather jackets, sexy mini dresses and tailored coats look fabulous down the catwalk, what will actually be found in the stores might be very different.  Patent leather, wool and detailed knits could give way to vinyl, nylon blends and machine knits to hit their famed low price point. The tailoring that makes the models look sharp could be refit to accommodate a larger variety of bodies.

 Joe Fresh, by designer Joe Mimran started out as a supermarket clothing line known for its trendy styling.  Within the last year, it has made a big splash with shops on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.  Whether you like your jackets next to the juice aisle or one of the many people carrying the orange bag on the streets of NYC, one thing is clear.  Joe Fresh is a hit.

A rose for designer Joe Mimran from a happy investor?

Photos by David TW Leung

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TORONTO FASHION WEEK: Pavoni Fall 2012

Red carpet glamour came down the runway at David Pecault Square Monday.  The beautifully beaded gowns had intricate pleating or ruffles. The color palette was simple.  Rich dark reds, sexy black, champagne, ivory and platinum.  These dress masterpieces rival any Haute Couture catwalk in Paris, counting celebrities like Shaikira and Katy Perry as fans.

The designer duo, Gianna Falcone and Mike Derderian were childhood BFFs from Montreal.  They have already sold to clients all over Europe and the Middle East.  However, this is the first time the designers are showing in their home country.  The irony is they have yet to find a Canadian store to carry them.  While that oversight should quickly be rectified, for now it is clearly their loss.

Photos by David TW Leung

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TORONTO FASHION WEEK: Sarah Stevenson Spring 2012

Art imitates life. Fashion imitates art. Sarah Stevenson, a relative newcomer to Toronto Fashion Week presented a mix of all three last week.  This was the designer's third season to the city's official fashion events.  She took inspiration from nature's gifts, many from her own backyard.

Ms. Stevenson then created intricate floral artwork by hand.  The artwork was then meticulously reproduced in creative placements on dresses.  The prints are so vivid, they seem to blossom out at you right out of the fabric.

Speaking of her own backyard, Sarah makes a lot of effort to produce ethical, sustainable clothing in her home country of Canada.  A sponsor for the show were Cheeky Green Bags, which produce chic eco-friendly shoppers with the intent that they are actually stylish enough for you to want to tote them.

If you are feeling blue from the barren winter that lies before us, look no further than Sarah Stevenson's garden to cheer you up.

Photos by Ching Leung

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Lauren Bagliore's Barbarella Girls

Black, white and grey are the holy trinity of colors for the fashion crowds.That infallible formula was also on the mind of designer Lauren Bagliore for her Spring 2011 collection. The collection appropriately named,The Resurrection: From the Dark to the Light by Lauren Bagliore.

Stunning models in Barbarella-esque updos rocked hard bodies and flashed their flirty black liner winged eyes down the catwalk.

A black asymmetrical suit with Thierry Mugler like wasp waist was highlighted with a side panel of vertical thin nautical stripes adorned one model.  Another stern looking model wore a prim, fitted sleeve Victorian inspired blouse with a multiude of covered buttons and inset of leather down the center.  This was topped over shiny patent leather like dhoti pants. The dreaded dhoti pant seemed to crop up in a few designers collections we saw in Canada. 

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