- Shaun Simpson
Akshay Tyagi is in the middle of putting on snaps and sewing zippers, the tedious but crucial tasks he enjoys least about fashion design. He has 16 outfits to prepare in time for THAW, his first solo collection, which debuts Saturday, 7pm at Bus Stop Theatre. But this isn’t your typical runway show: Tyagi is partnering with Camerata Xara, the popular young women’s choir, who will perform that night wearing his custom-made designs. Sixteen singers will debut new pieces, and the other eight will wear performance gowns designed by Tyagi.
Tyagi previewed four of the pieces earlier in the fall as a finalist at Argyle Fine Art’s Off the Cuff fashion competition, and he will also be closing Atlantic Fashion Week’s emerging designer night, Wednesday at the Mercedes Benz showroom on Kempt Road. Built with ethereal layers of cool, pale blues and wintry greys, the collection is inspired by the frozen tides of Nova Scotia shores. “Just before the storm comes, and when it’s about turn into spring, and the ice cracks,” says Tyagi. A conceptual designer by nature, Tyagi has worked hard to “push the functionality. They’re a lot more wearable, but there’s still that edge.”
In addition to Saturday’s performance with Xara, which promises to be multi-sensory experience, Bus Stop will also be hosting a three-day show and sale of work from local artists and designers including Marie-Hélène Bélanger, Emily Lewis, Robyn Stephens and James Neish, from Friday to Sunday, noon to 5pm. Scarves, belts and other pieces from Tyagi’s collection will also be available on the Sunday.
Tickets for THAW are $10, available at Seeds Gallery, by phone at 494-8301 or email seedsgallery@nscad.ca.
This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2009.