It’s not often that fashion shows come with disclaimers but there one was at the bottom of the program for Adrian Wu’s World MasterCard Fashion Week show on Tuesday afternoon.
“Dresses may be worn but are meant to be a sculpture for décor or interior design displayed on a mannequin.”
So that explains the squeaky, shiny, bulbous looks fashioned from polyurethane sculpted around plastic wrap forms, and somewhat clarifies the $4200-plus price points on the line sheet.
The Demoyo collection that followed in the studio runway room focused on a much more wearable approach to creating clothing with a sense of craft. Designer Paidemoyo Chideya crocheted full-length skirts and cocktail dresses and mixed them with tailored pin cord pieces.
My highlight for the day was Ashtiani. Golnaz Ashtiani started making pastel hues her signature long before minty green and lavender started popping up on every second Spring 2013 runway. Starting with a 1960s inspiration, Ashtiani created pieces in standout contemporary fabrics like a white hologram PVC cut into jackets and mini skirts and a striped cotton with an open weave inset into peplum tops.
Crowd favourite Evan Biddell’s 6 pm show was a dizzy lineup of just 14 looks starting with a maxi dress in a mashed up animal and peacock feather print.
At the finale show for Mercedes’ emerging designer-nurturing competition Start Up, Montreal’s DUY beat out seven other labels from across Canada to take the top prize.
On today’s schedule: Big fashion week backer Korhani goes head-to-head with late calendar addition Greta Constantine at 7 pm before the biggest show of the week, Joe Fresh, steals the catwalk at 9 pm. Also: Matis, Whitney Linen, Lucian Matis and Mackage.
