Rebel heart Hayley Elsaesser wowed the last two seasons with bizarre, out-of-this-world prints and too many bright colours to count. Unlike a lot of Canadian fashion that blends into the background, hoping to be “sellable,” Elsaesser’s designs aren’t for wallflowers. She just opened her first stand-alone store at Bayview Village mall, and we predict this season will be bigger and bolder than ever.
There are two corporate sponsored shows on the calendar: a Star Wars design competition and a Wayne Gretzky collaboration with Sears. Fashion insiders are still shaking their heads after last year’s Vawk–Subway (yes, the sandwich shop) debacle. What’s next, Pink Tartan for Fancy Franks Gourmet Hot Dogs? A Starbucks show where they spell editors’ names wrong on the seats? Please stop.
We’re excited to see some established brands return. Local vintage miracle worker Preloved celebrates 20 years with its first Toronto Fashion Week show in five years. We can’t wait to see how they elevate eco-friendly fashion next. Another big returning name is Lucian Matis, one of Canada’s most skilled evening-wear designers.
Night one sees young designers Matthew Gallagher and Sid Neigum show back-to-back. Arguably the two most talented up-and-comers in town, this is a great chance to see how they’ve evolved over the last six months. We predict a packed house.
