As Fashion Week neared its end — drawing a sigh of relief from most — the promise of Arthur Mendonça managed to keep even the weariest attendees upbeat, with Nicholas Mellamphy, Fiona Green, Bernadette Morra and Jully Black all present. The show ran late, but the wait was worth it.
Opening with a fuchsia and black patent-leather coat, which featured a dolman sleeve, Mendonça’s main message for fall was sophisticated colour — with a dash of edge. Despite being styled with bowler hats and latex boots, the looks themselves were very ladylike. A two-toned wool and lambskin sheath was paired with a burgundy fur collar, creating vertical blocks of colour in contrasting textures. While some of the double-breasted jackets came off as a bit matronly, a pale pink dress starring tinfoil lace was arresting, and the teal stole slung over the shoulder made the look. Not all was colourful, though: a black V-neck crêpe de chine gown, edged in patent leather, featured a breathtaking racer back. As the designer came out to take his bow, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Travis Taddeo
Up next was Travis Taddeo, a young designer who drew a bevy of other young designers: Chloé and Parris Gordon, Ashley Rowe and Evan Biddell. Prefixed with a clip of the designer speaking about his muse — a “bit of a rebel…not happy, not sad,” apparently — the collection was titled “Doomed Generation.” Using shades of grey, white and black, alongside a vibrant fire-engine red, Taddeo wished to mimic a world exploding, which was a comment on the world in which we live.
Many of the garments had very simple silhouettes, some with a swirl of chiffon or silk cutting the hardness of the geometric lines. While this translated into great wearability, we preferred the pieces that had a little more flourish to them. A long-sleeved jersey tee with red fox-fur sleeves was an enviably casual way to wear fur, while a grey dress was printed with what looked like the aftermath of the previously mentioned explosion. Taddeo’s final look was the best: a red leather jacket featuring an asymmetrical zip and fox-fur sleeves, evidently a big trend for fall.
Joeffer Caoc
At the Joeffer Caoc show, which was held in the larger runway room, Post City’s fashion columnist Jeanne Beker looked very smart in all black, while Stacey McKenzie was as enthused as ever. We did, however, note a dearth of people on the media side — many, presumably, having had their fashion fill for the season.
Like Mendonça, Caoc also presented plenty of colour for fall: tweeds in burnt orange and olive green; marigold and fuchsia coats; a multicoloured dress in a painterly print. Waists were cinched with studded belts, and there were peplums galore. A series of looks mixing greys, silver and bronzes made up the second half of his show. We didn’t care much for the lamé looks (once again), but loved a dress with a draped collar that ran over the shoulder and dipped in the back.
RAD by Rad Hourani
The Fashion Design Council of Canada’s major feat of the week was luring Rad Hourani to show his ready-to-wear line RAD at Fashion Week. After sheepishly admitting that he hadn’t been to Toronto in 10 years, the expat designer — whose garments are manufactured in Montreal, though he resides in Brussels — sent an arresting series of looks down the runway. As a black-and-white video grid screened images from his previous collections, local musician Diamond Rings (a.k.a. John O), Stacey McKenzie — nestled next to Evan Biddell — and street-style photographer Tommy Ton readied themselves for the show.
Opening with internationally renowned model Liisa Winkler, a series of male and female models marched out with makeup-free faces and slicked back hair. Hourani’s work is aseasonal and asexual, with each collection identified by a number: last week’s was #5 for RAD. In his work, Hourani pairs black with an accent colour; last season’s blues made way for this season’s olives and hunter greens, resulting in a look that was both futuristic and militaristic.
Each model wore a number of garments, layered over either slim-fitting pants (for the men) or opaque tights (for the women). While layering often conjures up images of a loose, flowing silhouette, Hourani’s vision was executed with incredible precision. The majority of the looks were finished with a leather harness, ensuring that the figure was not lost beneath the layers. While each garment combination was just as impressive as the last, we liked a male model in a hunter green coat with leather sleeves, patch pockets and a triangular lapel, with a black hooded sweatshirt peeking out. For us, it was a flawless end to a whirlwind week.
Also in Fashion Week Diaries
Day One: Lucian Matis’ darkly romantic vision, Holt Renfrew lacks panache
Day Two: impressive looks from Adrian Wu, Laura Siegel and Sid Neigum and Chloé Comme Parris, Martin Lim, Lundström Collection
Day Three: Vawk, Line, Bustle, Mélissa Nepton, Joe Fresh
Day Four: Rudsak, Ezra Constantine, Pink Tartan, David Dixon