Brittany Sammy
Contributor
If you are interested in fashion-forward thinkers, attitude, and clothing to die for, “Canada Cool”, the theme for this year’s LG Fashion Week, would be your one-stop shop.
The tents were full of inspired fashion fans, as well as the heads of all the major Canadian media publications. There were the friendly and encouraging icons and media moguls at the fashion show as well, like Stacey McKenzie (model, fashion diva, and personality) and Jully Black, a well-known musician who asked all those around her how they were enjoying the week.
As I attended the Toronto tents at David Pecaut Square all week, I really got to see the highs of upcoming spring and summer fashions, and two designers that really hit the mark this year were Jay Manuel with his line Attitude, and Sunny Fong with his line Vawk.
These two shows had the crowd in an uproar of love.
Jay Manuel, creative director on America’s Next Top Model and the host of Canada’s Next Top Model, ruled the runway this fashion week. His collection showcased confident and adventurous garments which stunningly strutted down the catwalk on the most gorgeously styled models. Not only was the show divine, but it was sold out.
And for good reason. The runway was very unique with dry ice lining the runway. Real, smoking, dry ice. Manuel’s Attitude has definitely grown into something fantastic, as this is only his second collection. But because he’s so familiar with the industry and the wants of consumers, it feels like he has been a part of design for years.
The label itself, which is carried at Sears, is meant to boost confidence in all women. Manuel’s beautiful garments are not meant to overshadow the woman, but simply help to bring out the bold and beautiful attributes she already has.
Attitude’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection brings forward the celebration of what LG Fashion Week’s designers wall calls “the modern jet-set age”. Manuel’s collection streams from prints and luscious fabrics inspired from the 1930s bygone era. A visual example of the bygone era can be seen throughout Audrey Hepburn’s wardrobe in My Fair Lady.
The crowd adored the amount of thought put into every piece, from the quality, to the impeccable fit of each item on the models. The accessories—from summer sandals, to must have bags, and chic hats—offered a vast variety of options, which makes it very easy to mix and match the whole Spring/Summer 2012 collection.
But Attitude wasn’t the only collection that impressed this year, Sunny Fong’s Vawk was up, and growing popularity as the week went on. Sunny Fong, the winner of season two of Project Runway Canada, created Vawk to inspire a woman’s wardrobe. His collection, sold at Holt Renfrew and “The Row” section at The Bay, is a pricier option compared to Manuel’s Attitude, but Vawk is a more delicate and formal collection.
The theme for this year’s collection was a more fashion-forward twist on fantasy. The flowy nude garments, for the most part, whimsically glided down the runway and resembled the movement of faeries. It was as if they were as light as a feather. The feminine silhouettes, fitted in the bust and loose through the waist, looked as though they were made of too fragile a material to wear on anywhere else but a runway. The pieces were all extravagant and elegant, but most of all, looked dreamy. Though Vawk had a more serene feel than Attitude, it was still a great show to watch.
“Canada Cool” was much more than a fashion event; it was a way of grouping together all the fashion lovers of Canada, from Montréal to Toronto, to showcase a love of art, talent, and Canadian heart. All of the designers and special guests were the exemplar of Canadian talent.
From the runways to the stands, there was always something to see. I simply loved dressing up in what I thought was a fashion forward outfit while being stunned by the avant-garde and creative combinations that the ladies and gents of the crowd had to showcase.
Canadian fashion connoisseurs have a willingness to experiment and accept all the surprises that individuals and artists have to offer and for that, I think we all deserve a stand ovation.
