The second Atlantic Fashion Week was much more focused than
October’s event. Gone are parties, and blending of retailers and
national designers; instead, two nights highlighted local fashion
designers. Perfect.
Friday night, the Olympic Centre was almost completely full, as
crowds gathered around the runway under lightly billowing white
sheaths. Most of the five NSCAD students that showed (Jere Brooks,
Alison Seary, Pam Onecia, Danica Olders and Robyn Stephens) have
studied textiles, resulting in experimentations with patterns, colours
and lines. The other trend among these savvy students is their
ecological awareness. Olders’ recycled-material pieces would fit right
in a 1920s speakeasy. Her flapper dress, made of golden beer-bottle
caps, was a crowd-pleaser. Considering how much it must weigh, it had
movement, and the red-haired model was gorgeous in it.
The first professional designer was Monica Nauss, who had
form-fitting dresses, including a thin-strapped one in a
vintage-looking floral fabric reminiscent of silk dressing gowns. Nauss
used zebra print—it was nice to see zebras getting props over
leopards. Laura Chenoweth designs her line on Agricola, but works with
an Indian collective to make clothing from certified organic cotton and
non-toxic dyes. Many pieces she showed in October were relaxed and
flowing—we saw more body-conscious fits and the introduction of
organic corduroy.
Lycheelime is NSCAD grad Brittany Naugler’s baby. She does
one-of-a-kind pieces, most of which have darling embellishments, and
there were some nicely draped and exposed backs. Sunsets on the
Eastside are Charlottetown’s pride. These three designers, without
formal training, debuted their first line at PEI Fashion Week when they
were still in high school. Their youthful energy really shone.
Orphanage headlined. After speaking to Kim Munson, I was excited to see
her recycled leather spats and sleeves. It was clear that the models
loved wearing her reconstructed clothes, and they poured on the ‘tude.
Munson is at her best when she does sexy Glamazon. She also did a
series using reused suit jackets. I love the idea of taking traditional
corporate wear and transforming it into feminine clothing.
First up on Saturday was Katrina Tuttle, who, for someone so young,
is so strong in her vision. Tuttle showed showed several flirty
dresses, skinny, sexy pants and wee bubble skirts, in dusky blues, and
deep grays and oranges. She combines tweeds with shimmer, which gives
daywear a fun little twist, like a superstar librarian.
Next up was Veronica MacIsaac. I wasn’t sure what to think; her
parents own a successful custom-kilt company in Cape Breton, and her
work is marketed as a combination of Celtic traditions and contemporary
design. I’m still not sure about the screenprinted Celtic knots, but
MacIsaac’s tartans are a great interpretation of tradition.
Lisa Drader-Murphy, designer for Turbine, is the most experienced.
Drader-Murphy also designs her own jewellery and handbags. There were
knee-grazing tulip skirts, and a series of velvet and ribbon wide belts
that would dress up the old standby black dress that you can’t afford
to replace.
Anna Gilkerson’s Deux FM closed out the weekend, and didn’t
disappoint, with her eco-chic line. I wanted to touch those alpaca-wool
sweaters, created by a Peruvian knitters’ collective, which looked cozy
but cute over a bikini or tights. Again, beautifully draped
bubble-skirted dresses, silky sheaths and loungewear, with solid
colours, screenprinted details and flattering necklines.
Even though Saturday’s AFW show happened during Earth Hour, it was
refreshing, over the past two nights, to see how many designers are
incorporating environmental concerns into their overall philosophy,
proving that ethical can be sexy but not trashy. Take that, PETA.
Send your pretty dresses to
suec@thecoast.ca.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2009.