With last week’s so-called rogue fashion collections packed up and away, this week marks the city’s official Fashion Week. As per usual, the kick-off show arrived from Holt Renfrew, which always manages to draw a lively crowd with plenty of bold-faced names spilling out from its midst.
As folks sought out their seats — actual chairs, for once — at a snail’s pace, the front row filled up with the likes of Stacey McKenzie in bold yellow, a brocade-clad Ainsley Kerr, and Barbara Atkin in all-black with a leopard print clutch. Suzanne Rogers was the belle off the ball, with an emerald green frock acting as the backdrop for a spectacle of a necklace that would cause most to sharply inhale. Meanwhile, Sylvia Mantella opted for a short lace number, and elsewhere we spotted Dan Levy and Kirk Pickersgill settling in.
Still feisty at 175 years young, Holts mixed and matched more than usual with their designers, opting to style things a bit rather than only send out head-to-toe looks plucked from the runway. Choosing garments from this season, the show opened with a cap-sleeved fur coat from the house line that read more like a haute dress. A series of high-end looks marched down the runway: Jil Sander, Peter Pilotto, Lanvin and Alexander McQueen were but some of the designers featured. We loved a Maryam Keyhari necklace paired with a Judith and Charles dress; a look built on a pair of rag & bone jeans was ideal for the downtown girl; and a colour-blocked Céline coat was simply stunning. Next season we hope to see the styling pushed even further.
Pink Tartan is another of the week’s most highly anticipated shows. After swilling on some bubbly, the crowd returned to the runway room to take in Kimberley Newport-Mimran’s looks for next spring. Pink-locked model Charlotte Free started things off on a high note: a full skirt in cotton candy pink was matched with a butterfly-dotted bustier which conjured up visions of Damien Hirst’s paintings. A sliver of midriff and a gondolier’s hat set oh-so-slightly askew set the look alight.
The next looks that trounced out were just as strong, with barely a sidestep to be found (only Julian Schnabel should be caught in pajamas, even if they are covered in butterflies). Palette-wise, the pale pinks turned into minty greens, which progressed into silvery jacquards and finally, a bolder pairing of gold and black. Another full skirt — this time in gold — was a luxurious statement, while a sumptuous fur top had us rethinking eveningwear (much like that Holts coat). The entire collection was what we would imagine a modern-day Marie Antoinette would swirl around in and, without a doubt, the bar was set high on day one.
Tomorrow: Adrian Wu and Bustle
