IT'S OFFICIAL. LA BRADERIE DE MODE IS BACK FOR SPRING 2009, HELD ONCE AGAIN AT THE MARCHE BONSECOURS FROM APRIL 16th TO THE 19th. THIS SEASON'S PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE EVE GRAVEL, BODYBAG BY JUDE, MACKAGE, MARIE SAINT-PIERRE, STATION 8, RUDSAK, AND MANY MORE--ABOUT 50 OF QUEBEC'S DESIGNERS IN TOTAL. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP SAMPLES AND OVERSTOCK MERCHANDISE FROM ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL DESIGNERS AT GREAT PRICES. YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR SPRING WARDROBE--WOMENSWEAR, MEANSWEAR, KIDSWEAR, BAGS, HATS, JEWELLERY, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES ALL AT 50% TO 80% OFF.
BASK IN OUR WEALTH OF DESIGN TALENT AND TAKE SOME TIME DISCOVER SOMEONE NEW. BEST OF ALL, THE DESIGNERS THEMSELVES ARE OFTEN ON HAND DURING THE EVENT, ALWAYS WILLING TO CHAT WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS. BE PREPARED FOR LINEUPS AND CROWDS, THOUGH, AS THIS SHOPPING EVENT HAS GROWN ENORMOUSLY OVER THE YEARS AND NOW WELCOMES CLOSE TO 8,000 SHOPPERS OVER THE FOUR DAYS.
GRANTED, LIFETIME COLLECTIVE IS A VANCOUVER BASED COMPANY. HOWEVER, THEIR DESIGNS, AND THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE BRAND, IS TOO GOOD TO PASS UP WRITING ON. LAST WEEK, THE BOYS BEHIND THE BRAND WERE AT OFF THE HOOK TO LAUNCH THEIR SPRING 09 COLLECTION, ALONG WITH THE NEW BOOK IN A CONCEPT ART INSTALLATION/POP-UP SHOP/MEET-AND-GREET PARTY.
CERTAINLY AN EYEFUL, AND PROBABLY IN NEED OF AN EXPLANATION. WHAT ONCE WAS A BASEMENT T-SHIRT PRINTING OPERATION IS NOW A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE INDIE FASHION SCENE. LIFETIME COLLECTIVE, IS JUST THAT, A DESIGN COLLECTIVE WHERE ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, SKATERS, AND OTHER INDIES COME TOGETHER TO CREATE. THEIR WORK IS THEN SHOWCASED THROUGHOUT THE COLLECTIONS ON COUNTLESS GRAPHIC TEES FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, THROUGH THESE TRAVELING ART SHOWS, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE PUBLICATIONS OF THEIR BOOKS.
IN THEIR EXPANSION ACROSS INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, LIFETIME HAS ALSO, OVER THE YEARS, EXPANDED THE COLLECTIONS FOR MEN’S AND WOMEN’S, NOW COMPRISING HOODIES, JERSEY-KNIT JUMPERS, JEANS, AND, OF COURSE, THE SUPERFLUOUS GRAPHIC TEE.
AVAILABLE EITHER ONLINE OR LOCALLY AT OFF THE HOOK AND BOUTIQUE FLY, WHERE I HAPPENED TO BE ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND SHOT THESE IMAGES.
TOMORROW, MARCH 19TH FROM 10 am TO 9 pm, BOUTIQUE FLY IS HOLDING A SAMPLE SALE FOR LOCAL DESIGNERS EVE GRAVEL AND STATION 8. FIND GREAT DEALS ON THIS SEASON'S SAMPLES, AS WELL AS OVERSTOCK FROM F/W 2008. WHAT BETTER WAY TO JUMP START YOUR SPRING SHOPPING THAN WITH A SHOPPING PARTY? ON TOP OF FAB FINDS AT AMAZING PRICES, THERE WILL ALSO BE REFRESHMENTS AND COCKTAILS ALL SET TO GROOVY TUNES.
TAKE IT FROM ME, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, TASTY COCKTAILS MIXED WITH THEIR INCREDIBLY WARM STAFF AND GREAT DEALS CAN LEAD TO SOME SERIOUS LOOSENING OF PURSE STRINGS. RARELY, IF NOT EVER, HAVE I SUFFERED BUYER'S REMORSE WHEN GUIDED BY OWNER ARIANNA RABINOVITCH, BUT, ALL TOO OFTEN, HAVE I RECEIVED A SHOCK TO THE HEART WHEN OPENING MY CREDIT CARD BILL.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THESE LOCAL LABELS, THIS IS A PERFECT WAY TO DISCOVER THEM. EVE GRAVEL HAS BEEN DESIGNING HER NAMESAKE COLLECTION FOR 14 SEASONS. THE 29 YEAR OLD GRADUATE FROM THE RICHARD ROBINSON ACADEMY OF FASHION IN OTTAWA DESIGNED UNDER SOME OF THIS CITY'S GREATS, INCLUDING KEVIN ALWOOD OF NEVIK, BEFORE JETTING OFF TO EUROPE FOR A SHORT STINT. THERE, SHE ENVISIONED A LINE THAT WOULD BECOME EVE GRAVEL. HER SOMETIMES ECLECTIC MIX OF FEMININE FLIRTY DRESSES AND DRESSED-DOWN BOYISH LOOKS HAVE HAD FASHION INSIDERS CLAMORING EACH SEASON. STATION 8 IS EVE'S FORAY INTO MENSWEAR, TEAMING UP WITH FRIENDS AND PARTNERS MARIE-CLAUDE GUAY AND MARIE-NOELLE HAMELIN. THIS 3 YEAR OLD LABEL IS IS THE MALE URBANITE'S UNIFORM--A LITTLE DRESSED-UP MIXED WITH A GRUNGE FLAIR, AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO ATTRACT LOCAL GRAPHIC AND TATTOO ARTISTS TO CREATE IT'S ORIGINAL PRINTS.
BOUTIQUE FLY: 1970 STE CATHERINE O. AT DU FORT 514 846 6888 INFO@BOUTIQUEFLY.COM
SPRING IS DEFINITELY ON ITS WAY--THE WIND COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN IS EVER SO SLIGHTLY WARMER, THE SNOW IS MELTING, THE SQUIRRELS ARE MAKING BRIEF APPEARANCES IN THE PARKS, AND LOCAL DESIGNERS ARE FINALLY SHOWING THEIR NEW COLLECTIONS. THE FIRST LADY OF INDEPENDENT MONTREAL DESIGNER'S, VALÉRIE DUMAINE, LAUNCHED HER NEW COLLECTION ONLINE THIS WEEK. AND WITH IT A NEW ECOMMERCE BOUTIQUE.
DUMAINE CAN STILL BE FOUND AROUND THE CITY AT SUCH LOCAL FAVORITES AS THREE MONKEYS.
SPRING AT DUMAINE IS SWEET PRINTED DRESSES IN VARYING SILHOUETTES, FROM THE FLOWING TRAPEZE TO THE ULTRA-TAILORED, SHORTS, AND SOME GREAT DENIM PIECES. THE COLLECTION HAS A NAUTICAL THEME, AND, AS ALWAYS, A STRONG 1940s VIBE. THIS SEASON, ANOTHER DOMINANT TREND, DUMAINE HAS UTILIZED MORE SUSTAINABLE FABRICS WITH BAMBOO AND LYOCELL APPEARING IN EVERY FORM FROM JERSEY KNITS TO SUITING.
THE HOTTEST PIECE FOR SPRING, THE JUMPSUIT IN ALL LENGTHS AND SHAPES, ALSO MAKES ITS APPEARANCE. BELOW ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES OF THE TREND WITH A DUMAINE TWIST:
ALTHOUGH NOTHING NEW WITH ITS WIDER LEG AND PAPERBAG WAIST, THE ALEXA PANT IS A GREAT DENIM ALTERNATIVE. THIS SEASON, HOWEVER, THE LEG HAS NARROWED SLIGHTLY FOR MORE EASILY-WORN FIT.
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.
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.
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.
TONIGHT AT THE FULLUM & HOLT FULLUM STREET SEWING ROOM, DENIS GAGNON PRESENTED HIS FALL/WINTER 09 WOMEN’S COLLECTION, INCLUDING NEW DESIGNS FOR THE MONTREAL-BASED LEATHER GOODS COMPANY. THE ROOM WAS OVERFLOWING, WITH THE CITY’S FASHION CRÈME DE LA CRÈME, AND YOURS TRULY, PACKED INTO EVERY CORNER POSSIBLE.
THE INDUSTRIAL SPACE WAS NOT, AT FIRST, AN OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR THE SHOW, WITH A PAINTED RUNWAY FLANKED BY SEWING MACHINES. BUT ONCE THE LIGHTS DIMMED AND THE LOOKS STARTED DOWN THE RUNWAY, I COULDN'T ENVISIONED ANY OTHER SETING. VOID MODELS, INCLUDING GIRL-DU-JOUR RYAN MARTEL, FLOATED TO SWELLING OPERA AND CHORAL RENDITIONS OF DEPECHE MODE AS SPUN BY FASHION WEEK ALUM CHRISTIAN PRONOVOST.
SPRING 09, AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW, MARKED THE BEGINNINGS OF THE COLLABORATION. FOR FALL/WINTER, IT WAS MUCH OF THE SAME BUT WITH A DARKER COLOR PALETTE. THIS SEASON, THE STANDOUT COLOR WAS, HANDS DOWN, A RICH LIPSTICK RED.
THE COLLECTION WAS MONOCHROMATIC BLACK, DOMINATED BY MATTE LEATHER PIECES WITH STITCHED DETAILING LAYERED OVER SEQUINED, FISH-SKIN LIKE LEGGINGS. HEADS WERE ADORNED WITH HANGING BEADED DETAILING ON FITTED HOODS. THE BEADING WAS REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE COLLECTION, FOUND ON EVERYTHING FROM SHOES TO LAPELS. HAIR THAT WASN’T TUCK INTO HOODS WAS TEASED INTO FAUX-BOBS. STARK FACES WITH LIPS AND EYES PAINTED SKIN TONES WERE FRAMED BY STRONG EYE BROWS. THE SHOW ENDED TO CHEERS AND A WELL DESERVED STANDING OVATION.
ALTHOUGH ARGUABLY NOT GAGNON’S BEST COLLECTION TO DATE, IT WAS, WITHOUT QUESTION, THE STRONGEST OF THE WEEK. BOLD, EDGY, STRONG, IT WAS EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD COME TO EXPECT FROM THE DESIGNER. IT’S NO WONDER THAT HE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE CITY’S MOST BELOVED AND ANXIOUSLY-AWAITED DESIGNERS. GAGNON PROVED THE HE CAN STAND ON ANY WORLD STAGE.
I ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE TELIO DESIGN COMPETITION, WHERE 25 FASHION STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY PRESENTED LOOKS. I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT A LASALLE COLLEGE STUDENT TOOK THE TOP PRIZE.
IT'S OFFICIAL. LA BRADERIE DE MODE IS BACK FOR SPRING 2009, HELD ONCE AGAIN AT THE MARCHE BONSECOURS FROM APRIL 16th TO THE 19th. THIS SEASON'S PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE EVE GRAVEL, BODYBAG BY JUDE, MACKAGE, MARIE SAINT-PIERRE, STATION 8, RUDSAK, AND MANY MORE--ABOUT 50 OF QUEBEC'S DESIGNERS IN TOTAL. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP SAMPLES AND OVERSTOCK MERCHANDISE FROM ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL DESIGNERS AT GREAT PRICES. YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR SPRING WARDROBE--WOMENSWEAR, MEANSWEAR, KIDSWEAR, BAGS, HATS, JEWELLERY, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES ALL AT 50% TO 80% OFF.
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