MFW: BEST IN SHOW

MONTREAL FASHION WEEK KICKED OFF MONDAY AND WITH IT THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE INDUSTRY WILL BE RECEIVING $2.4 MILLION FROM THE CITY OF MONTREAL AND QUEBEC. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE $82 MILLION ALREADY PLEDGED FOR PRO MODE. THE MANDATE FOR 'MONTREAL FREESTYLE' IS TO PROMOTE THE CITY'S DESIGNERS AS A COLLECTIVE ON THE WORLD STAGE, UNLIKE PRO MODE WHERE THE MONEY IS HANDED OVER DIRECTLY TO THE INDUSTRY. SADLY, THE STORY HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWING THE ACTUAL GOING-ONS ON THE RUNWAY, ALL SEEMING RATHER COUNTER-INTUITIVE.

ON MONDAY NIGHT, PHILIPPE DUBUC, PRESENTED HIS F/W 09 MEN’S COLLECTION. BLACK, BLACK, AND MORE BLACK, DUBUC SHOWED WHAT HE KNOWS BEST, AND WHAT HIS CUSTOMERS HAVE COME TO LOVE HIM FOR: TRADEMARK SLIM CUT SUITS TUCKED INTO STREAMLINE UTILITARIAN BOOTS. THERE WERE, HOWEVER, SOME NICE, SUBTLE SURPRISES OF SHEER UNDERPINNINGS, CHUNKY KNITS WITH OVERSIZED COLLARS, JODHPUR-STYLED PLEATED PANTS, AND TOUCHES OF DOVE GREY.

PHOTOS: JIMMY HAMELIN, MONTREAL FASHION WEEK

THE COLLECTION, VERY REMINISCENT OF COSTUME NATIONAL, WAS MINIMALIST, MODERN, AND RELEVANT. COMPRISED OF UTILITARIAN AND MULTI-USE PIECES FOR OFFICE-TO-PLAY DRESSING, AND ALL RATHER PAIRED DOWN.

MARIE SAINT PIERRE SHOWED HER LATEST COLLECTION ON THE FOLLOWING NIGHT TO WELL DESERVED PRAISE ALL AROUND. THE COLLECTION WAS DOMINATED BY RUFFLED KNITS LAYERED OVER LATEX LEGGINGS IN CONSTRASTING SOFT COLORS AGAINST INKY BLACKS, RESULTING IN A NICE MIX OF TEXTURES: LATEX, KNITS, SHEERS, RAW SILK. IT ALL MADE FOR A NICE STATEMENT ON OPPOSITES. THE EVENING WEAR WAS THE STAND OUT OF THE SEASON—LOVELY, FLOATING HALTER PRINTS WORN OVER SHEER UNDERPINNINGS AND LATEX LEGGINGS, AND ARCHITECTURAL FLOOR-LENGTH GOWNS.

PHOTOS: JIMMY HAMELIN, MONTREAL FASHION WEEK

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS THAT DESERVE A MENTION INCLUDES THE SURPRISE GUEST WALKING AT SOIA & KYO—NONE OTHER THAN ÈVE SAVAIL, JEAN-PAUL GAULTHIER’S FORMER MUSE OF THE 90s, AS WELL AS SOME CUTE, BUT RATHER SAFE, LOOKS FROM BODYBAG BY JUDE.

PHOTOS: JIMMY HAMELIN, MONTREAL FASHION WEEK

THE BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK, WITHOUT A DOUBT, WAS GAGNON’S CLOSING RUN DOWN THE RUNWAY WEARING A BLACK YEDDI-LIKE HOOD.

THE OVERARCHING THEME THAT CAME OUT OF MONTREAL THIS SEASON, HOWEVER, WAS PLAY IT SAFE, DO WHAT WORKS.