Toronto Fashion Week is one of the biggest in North America: a chance for style editors, buyers and Rachel Zoe-elbowed socialites to jostle for front-row seats at the prestigious runway shows. Even Joe Fresh Style debuts its collections here. And on Wednesday, Chloé comme Parris will make its first appearance at a sold-out show, after being touted as a young label to watch by the Globe and Mail.
The sister team—NSCAD grad Chloé Gordon designs the clothing, while sibling Parris creates jewellery–were favourites at the seemingly defunct Atlantic Fashion Week (the AFF Facebook page says the event is going through a “complete revamping”). According to Parris, busy packing on Tuesday afternoon before flying out that night, the duo is presenting 18 spring-summer looks. “I’m removed from everything that’s been going on in Toronto,” says Parris, who is in her third year in NSCAD’s jewellery program, calmly. “It will hit me once I’m there.”
Not ones for “matchy-matchy,” the sisters don’t design their pieces together, but they’ve always shared an earthy, rock-chic aesthetic: “Blame it on the bloodline,” says Parris. Chloé’s collection recalls “ancient explorers, how they dressed and the scenery and landscape around them,” explains her sister, while Parris’ jewellery is inspired by “modes of transportation.”
Although Parris prefers the look and functionality of luxurious silver, for this collection she’s playing with other materials, like a pearl necklace with wooden wheels, and also incorporating Plexi and leather into other pieces. Keeping up with a full workload at school plus managing the demands of Toronto shops who carry her line (which will only increase with all this attention) hasn’t been easy—”I was really scared at first about doing it”—but Parris found ways to integrate the production of the new collection into her NSCAD schoolwork. She also learned how to use the 3D modelling program Rhino with NSCAD instructor Greg Sims, which opens up some pretty neat creative possibilities for jewellery designers, and will be a big part of Parris’ fall 2011 line.
For live video of Chloé comme Parris’ runway show visit lgfashionweek.ca, Wednesday at 5pm.
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This article appears in Oct 14-20, 2010.