TORONTO – No boarding pass was required for the globe-trotting style journey which took place during Day 3 of Toronto’s World MasterCard Fashion Week.
Several homegrown designers unveiling spring-summer collections on Wednesday sought to capture the essence of a variety of exotic locales as an influential force in the themes, colours, patterns and fabrics showcased in their newest lines.
Joe Fresh: Following a fall-winter range inspired by the City of Light, Joe Fresh booked an express ticket from Paris and headed east for spring-summer, unveiling an Asian-inspired collection.
Colourful floral prints adorning pajama-style suits and a richly-hued red dress along with a pagoda-printed T-shirt offered the most literal interpretation of the collection’s theme. Flowers in all forms loomed large in the line, from the embossed patterning on a navy trench to large-scale blooms emblazoned on pants and brocade trim adorning the hems and pockets of jeans.
The affordable apparel brand maintained its approach towards showcasing an eclectic mix of womenswear offerings, highlighting ultra-feminine fashions like dresses and dainty separates alongside edgier street styles.
Navy was the dominant colour in the latest line from brand creative director Joe Mimran, featured in croc leather, silk twill and lacquered lace. The collection was sweeping in scope and seemed to offer styles for all tastes: the classics, like button-down blouses, varsity jackets and narrow-fit trousers alongside raw indigo denim separates like a jumper flaunting fraying edges. Outerwear offerings were even more striking with a slick red patent jacket, zebra print trench and a metallic silver moto-style jacket teamed with a matching skirt that slightly resembled armour.
Mackage: Among the colourful mix of classic biker, bomber and varsity-style jackets, the outerwear specialists at Mackage had some fun in teaming contrasting materials in their roster of staples, most notably the shimmering metallic sleeves on a distressed twill khaki jacket.
While the jackets remain the starring attractions in the range, co-creative directors Elisa Dahan and Eran Elfassy allowed other garments in the line to be featured players. For the men, it was all about texture and pattern adding extra oomph to herringbone quilted shorts and grey crackle print joggers. The women’s range had no shortage of skirts with standout visual appeal, with quilted herringbone, organza and black patent wrap styles in the mix, with many of the ensembles paired with an eye-popping mirror belt.
Matthew Gallagher: With a vibrant palette of corals, blues and creams, the Milan-trained designer brought the flavour of upscale, sun-drenched beachfront style to life in his latest line inspired by summers spent in the south of Italy.
There was an elegance and effortless cool to the garments which oozed luxury, emphasized by the models sporting retro-style shades and shimmering chandelier earrings on the runway to accessorize the looks. Draped jumpsuits and a succession of sleek dresses from body-contouring, long-sleeved creations and pretty patterned numbers to daring styles flaunting plunging necklines and open backs. Gallagher showcased his tailoring finesse with intricate folds on textured floral jackets and the pleating and tucking of flirty minis within the feminine collection.
Christopher Bates: With trips to Monaco, St. Tropez, Nice and the French and Italian Riviera under his belt, the Milan-trained designer sought to channel the luxury of the European playground for the affluent into his menswear line. The Toronto-based designer said the Riviera collection is inspired by the “elegant, nautical lifestyle” of the region.
Bates showcased plenty of looks for work and play for those seeking to cruise, party or just chill out yachtside. On the formal front, sharp, tailored suiting with a slim-fitting silhouette featured prominently with sleek tuxedo jackets and crisp blazers.
There were subtle hints and flashes of colour with trim dotting shirt pockets, elbow patches and the undersides of collars. Powder pink suspender shorts, check shirts and dual-hued sweaters added a vibrant punch of colour, with distressed denim, digitized camouflage pants and blue pinstriped shorts among the more relaxed offerings in the range.
Paria Shirvani and Axel K: A pair of designers shared the spotlight to kick off Day 3 with a combined showcase of womenswear from Paria Shirvani and menswear by Axel Kohler.
The Toronto-based Shirvani made a strong studio runway debut with her inventive use of draping and sculpturing of garments, featuring a mostly muted palette of black, cream and mocha punctuated with bright bursts of red. There was a striking contrast in the layering of translucent fabrics over matte materials, notably in the asymmetrical V-neck blouses, see-through skirts and a unique take on the wrap-front black pant with one leg entirely encased in sheer material. Cropped designs once again show their staying power for spring and summer, with Parvani showcasing midriff-baring tops and a dress with a belly-baring cutout.
Kohler featured some more daring looks for men, with body-conscious tanks, shorts and even wrap skirts in varying lengths featured alongside twists on classic styles: emerald green and metallic moto jackets, asymmetrical folds in collars and contrast panels adorning jackets.
Day 3 also featured presentations from Klaxon Howl and Triarchy.
Fashion Week continues until Friday.
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