Showing posts with label Lace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lace. Show all posts

4.05.2012

Toronto Fashion Week Day 5 - Travis Taddeo and Arthur Mendonca

On the final day of Toronto Fashion Week (not the actual final day...there were still the secrete ShOws - yes, it's spelt like that.) there were two collections that really stood out. The first was the super fun and edgy designs by fellow Montrealer Travis Taddeo. The other, a sexy lady 60s line by Ryerson alumni Arthur Mendonca.

Travis Taddeo's F/W 2012 collection, entitled Doomed Generation, was the epitome of edgy, badass, and freaking radness. I think I've called like 55 lines badass so far...and for that I apologize because when compared to Taddeo's line, no one gets near his badassiness. The line featured a lot of leather pieces and fur trim (poor baby animals...). The colours - fiery reds, ash greys, black, and white (hint of metallic silver) - really spelled out the rawness and dooms-day idea of the end-of-the-world theme. The first few pieces that came down the studio runway were super badass-chic, simple but sexy. There was a lot of black leather mixed with mesh and black fur. Can you say sexalicious? I can. I think I even said it out loud at the show..(oops. There goes my coolness. Out the window). The red leather biker jacket and pencil skirt combo really did it for me. It was bold and shiny and the orange fur trim took it to the next level. Taddeo also showed a lot of metallic silver and white for f/w on white and silver leather panelled pants and metallic skirts. Taddeo did a great job of creating a line that any 20-something fashionista would die to have in her closet. The collection was super wearable. It was as if Taddeo did it backwards (cause he's that cool) and came up with a line of streetstyle-for-runway. Fashionistas first, models and industry second. Loves it. 

Maxi dress with cut-out
photo: Elayne
leather-trimmed cargo jacket with black mesh top and leather pants
photo: Elayne

 Fur-trimmed leather biker jackets
photo: Elayne

White mesh top with metallic silver panelled pants
photo: Elayne
Red biker jacket with orange fur trim (poor baby animals :(...)
photo: Elayne
The lovely Travis Taddeo donned his own dooms day leather panelled cargo jacket at the end of the show. Lookin' like a badass. I like!

Designer Travis Taddeo in leather panelled cargo jacket
photo: Elayne
The Arthur Mendonca fall/winter 2012 collection also took to the runway on the final day of Fashion Week. With a line inspired by the 1960s housewife and Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, Mendonca showed highly tailored garments pumped with sexy appeal and bright colours. The show opened with a shiny fuchsia patent leather rain jacket, which was highly feminine in colour but rather masculine in tailoring. The collection consisted of several menswear-inspired looks in a variety of pinks and neutrals. Mendonca paid homage to Clockwork Orange by sending models down the runway in bowler hats and double-breasted trench coats. The designer also managed to channel the film’s sex appeal with bondage-like dresses with leather bodices, latex gloves, and lace stockings. The 1960s housewife aspect of the line came through in the form of a fuchsia paisley print sheath dress, white silk pleated A-line dress, knee-length pencil dresses, and a wool draped dress in sea blue that was shown with a matching sea blue fur sash. In contrast with the edgier black and brown leather garments, Mendonca made sure to incorporated several bright colours into his fall/winter line such as an array of bright lace overlays in sea blue, purple, pink, and yellow and a few vibrant blouses in neon and metallic baby blue. This line could transform any career woman in to the office goddess. Do it ladies! Throw those pinstripe pantsuits away and power suit it up with Arthur Mondonca!

Dominatrix Barbie anyone?
photo: Dress to Kill

photo: Dress to Kill
Bondage gown
photo: Elayne
  
Leather bodice pencil dress with fur circle scarf and bowler hat
photo: Elayne

Pink power suit with double-breasted buttons and bowler hat
photo: Dress to Kill
Sea blue wrap dress and fur sash - and the photo pit. (hey guys!)
photo: Elayne
Coloured lace overlay
photo: Elayne




3.17.2012

Toronto Fashion Week Day 1 - The Grand opening by Lucian Matis

Toronto Fashion Week started off with a bang of glamour and luxury at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel where Lucian Matis ( runner-up on Project Runway Canada)  showed his rather Black Swan-ish F/W 2012 Collection.

torontolife.com
Opting for a more dramatic setting than the tent at David Pecaut Square, Matis showed his dark, elegant yet edgy collection of evening wear in one of the hotel's ornate victorian ballrooms. The collection, which consisted mostly of black gowns, featured dense handwoven lace, feathers, sheer mesh and nude underlay.  Entitled Nature's Art in Symmetry,  the designer's romantic designs were inspired by the beauty of nature. The dense lace effect, which appeared on full-length gowns and as detailing on almost every piece, was Matis' hommage to the beauty and symmetry of butterfly wings.

torontolife.com
The highlight of the show was a floor-length lace gown with a plunging neckline and a dramatic thigh-high slit that evoked the very essence of '40s glamour and haute couture. There were also a number of sheerer garments that gave the collection an edgier aspect which mixed well with the elegance of the lace.

flare.com
torontolife.com
Matis also showed a lot of dark green feathers. His collection included a full feathered dress with wing-like sleeves and ball gown with a black bustier top and full feather-covered skirt, both of which were impressive but rather costume. The models also sported dark green or black talon-like nails à la Black Swan.

torontolife.com

flare.com
Overall, the Lucian Matis show was romantic, elegant and edgy and had the opulence of a show that could have taken place during Paris Haute Couture Week.

torontolife.com


11.05.2011

TFW S/S12 Day 5: David Dixon- black and white classics with a hint of yellow

The David Dixon show was packed. Canadian fashion people flooded the runway room as soon as security opened the doors. Among them were Fashion Television's Jeanne Beker, and former model and judge on Canada's Next Top Model, Stacey Mckenzie. The collection was feminine to say the least. Dixon showed mostly black and white, but threw in a bit of yellow to give his otherwise monochromatic collection a bit of spring colour. There was a big emphasis on female curves, with form fitted satin pencil skirts in both black and white (all below the knee), and several black evening dresses. Dixon also showed black lace and mesh button-ups (in black and white). The yellow accents came in the form of a sheath dress with plugging back, and below-the-knee laser-cut skirts. The one piece that really stood out to me was a white pencil skirt with black panels. It's a new take on the always popular pencil shirt.

the highly anticipated David Dixon runway show 
yellow accent- form-fitted sheath dress

plugging back
yellow laser-cut skirt  
white mesh top with white satin pencil skirt

black mesh button-up with white satin pencil skirt

black and white dress with black lace overlay

black mesh button-up, white pencil skirt with black side  panels