I got a call from my friend Lara while at work on Wednesday saying she had an extra ticket to Montreal Fashion Week. After closing the store and throwing together an outfit I hopped on my bike and gunned it down to the Old Port to catch two collections: the nautical-inspired romantic looks of Eve Gravel and the jackets and coats of Soia & Kyo.

I loved Eve Gravel’s combination of harem khakis and loose tops with girlie details like lace, sheer fabrics, and some of the models’ flouncy long curls. The relaxed pant styles were very wearable and came across as incredibly stylish in contrast to just about every fit and fabric of pants you see on the street. Standouts for me in this collection were the mid-thigh length shorts in black khaki paired with a baggy off-the-shoulder sweater and the leather zip-up bodysuit worn with low-rise khakis and exposed hips. I definitely could have done without the seventies hipster cord headbands since they’re such a played out touchstone at this point, but the rest of the styling was well done.

I was a bit less wowed by Soia & Kyo’s collection of jackets, which included some very covetable takes on the classic leather jacket in colours like black, purple, grey, and orange. They featured nice details like oversized studs and belts and looked great worn over babydoll dresses, though at times the undergarments outshone the jackets themselves, like in the case of an amazing pair of sheer beige harem pants. The trench coats were incredibly boring and the feathered flower hairpieces brought the whole collection down, along with Keds sneakers that made the models walk really awkwardly. But I appreciated some of the other accessories like knee-high leather boots, white socks with heels, and a few pairs of cute fingerless leather motorcycle gloves.

- text by Tessa Smith, photos by Lara Kaluza and Tessa Smith

So, I’m sad to be missing the David Livingstone talk at the Bata Shoe Museum on Wednesday, but I’ll be judging Fashion POP. I’m pretty excited for my second year as the Michael Kors of the Montreal fashion crowd. It’s going to be hard to choose from six handpicked up-and-coming fashion designers, each presenting a six-look mini-collection. (See our little preview down below! Who do you want to win?) The winner gets $1000, as well as a $500 gift certificate from Le Château and a feature in our very own publication. The event is free and open to the public, Wednesday, September 30th, 8PM (doors at 7) Espace Reunion (6600 Hutchinson Street). Come early for a good spot!

WORN also has a table at Puces POP Oct. 3rd & 4th, 11am - 7pm at St. Michel Church Hall (105 St-Viateur O). Come say hi!
hearts, Serah-Marie

girlfriend material by Charlotte Eedson
AU COURANT, LADYLIKE, SENSIBLE, REBELLIOUS, ROCKER

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Cat Power!

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Cotton, but I’m a big fan of the planet so I will work with anything sustainable, discarded, etc. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

What tools are you using to make your line?
A sewing machine my parents bought me at Sears, my trusty thread stand and PMA (positive mental attitude)!

How did you learn how to make clothes?
How did I learn to make clothes well? A tailoring course and a teacher named Tonia Weber, bless her heart (and patience!).

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
That’s a toss-up! Erdem dresses, Jeremy Laing basics, and Dace weekend wear!

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Le Chat Clothing by Flavie Lechat
youth, childishness, monsters, pyjamas, comfort, psychiatry

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Emily Haines (the singer from Metric).

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Mostly silk voile and very light wool. I used to have this huge passion for fleece, but I’m trying to discover other materials and move toward higher qualities of fabrics.

What tools are you using to make your line?
A plain stitch machine and a serger, a mannequin, scissors and needles.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
My mother taught me at the age of eight and I have never stopped since. I don’t think I’ve spent a day without touching my machine since that time.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
I love LIFETIME Collective brand from Vancouver!

Betina Lou by Marie-Eve Emond
feminine, pretty, timeless, fitted, chic

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Audrey Hepburn.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Finding nice fabrics and trimmings is one of my favourite parts! I like to work with natural fabrics (wool, cotton, silk, linen, and blends of these fibres) and sustainable fabrics (organic cotton and bamboo). I prefer solid fabrics, without prints or patterns. I do like some subtle and classic patterns such as stripes, mini-plaid, mini-herringbone, or mini-houndstooth. I try to find fabrics that can last for more than a few weeks (I think it’s worth paying a little bit more for quality).

What tools are you using to make your line?
Even though I have an industrial sewing machine, I still sew most of the time with a Kenmore machine that my grandmother gave me when I was 14 years old. I work closely with my size 2 mannequin dress form. Other than that, I need music, plants, daylight, and my laptop.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
I learned how to sew by hand with scraps of fabric that my grandmother would give me when I was a child. She eventually taught me how to use a sewing machine. I started designing clothes for myself when I was a teenager and tried to make my own patterns. Then, I got a job as an assistant costume maker at age 16. I finally went to LaSalle College and studied fashion design.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Pink Tartan

Contradict by Rachel Chan
futuristic, structure, strong, sleek, flowy

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Lara Stone.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
Silk chiffon, PVC, any jersey, satin, and silk charmeuse.

What tools are you using to make your line?
A sewing machine, an overlock machine, a serger, boning, shoulder pads, and an iron.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
High school and Lasalle College

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Travis Taddeo

La Fête by Emily Brunet
graphic, elegant, stark, unisex, recreation

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
Cary Tauben.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
All types of silk. Silk is the king of fabrics.

What tools are you using to make your line?
My grandmother’s sewing machine and patience.

How did you learn how to make clothes?
I was living in Spain and this Swiss girl Ophélie taught me the basics. The rest I taught myself.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Denis Gagnon.

Norwegian Wood by Angie Johnson
layered, modern, excessive, edgy, dark

If your line were to have a muse, who would it be?
If Patti Smith actually cared about fashion I like to think she’d wear a few of the things in this collection.

What fabrics do you like to work with?
I actually really enjoy working with almost any fabric, but some of the highlights in this collection are: scalloped lace, double sided jersey, yarn dyed plaid, satin, chiffon, sheer jersey mesh, elastics, and fringe.

What tools are you using to make your line?
My trusty sewing machine, serger, and my own two hands!

How did you learn how to make clothes?
It all started when my mom taught me to embroider at age six, and has never stopped since. I credit most of my ability to my mom, many many books, and lots of practice. I also went to university to study clothing and textiles, but the “learning how to make clothes” part of things was pretty much taken care of before I got there.

Who is your favourite Canadian fashion designer?
Jeremy Laing

So that’s all the ladies - who are you rooting for to win?

There’s a certain glamorous aspect to being at a fashion show –- any sort of fashion show. As long as there’s pulsating music and the flash of the photographer’s cameras, I’m sure you could parade a line of models down the runway wearing nothing but cardboard boxes and it’ll still have the feel and excitement of Parisian haute couture. So I was excited when I found out I was going to the Ryerson School of Fashion show at Toronto’s LG Fashion Week (and no, I am pleased to report that none of the designers used cardboard). I attended the show with Worn Crush, Norwegian Wood’s Angie Johnson (who was recently recognized for her fringe necklaces in this weekend’s National Post), and my old friend, Erica, who, in her own words, “likes fashion, but doesn’t really follow it.” It was interesting to attend an event with two women of very different fashion industry perspectives (although I can safely say we were all equally fawning over the Barbie exhibit taking place just outside the show – Holly Golightly Barbie, anyone?)
from other projects in order to create a new piece.

The show consisted of six former students who graduated from Ryerson’s School of Fashion 2008 program: Kat Marks, David Chou, Dayna Phillips, Sara Duke, Heidi Ackerman and Sidney Holloway. I had no idea on what to expect for the runway. Considering how my own DIY capabilities extend about as far as stringing painted macaroni together and calling it a necklace, it’s always inspiring seeing people my age turning out much more complex visions.

The first designer, Kat Marks, was by far the most experimental. She seemed to draw her inspirations from other avant-garde designers: her thermoplastic back braces extended into exaggerated hips (very Balenciaga-esque), and the over-the-top ornaments on the shoulders (ranging from gilded wings to black padding so heavy that the models had to prop them up as they walked) was reminiscent of the Comme des Garçons Fall 2008 show. In contrast, David Chou took a much more minimalistic approach to his collection (which was Erica’s favourite because “it was the most wearable”). While his silhouettes were simple, his charm lay in the subtle detailing: sleek blazers with layered lapels, pencil skirts with ruched pockets and darting on the back of the hem, and slim trousers with a bit of frill going down the back edges.

Heidi Ackerman had designed a set chunky knit sweaters in warm colours like orange, deep purple and cream. Angie observed that “it’s nice to see a Canadian designer recognising our cold weather and doing something creative with knitting.” Although I agreed, the practicality of one particular sweater dress lacking arm holes — modeled by a girl who seemed terrified of the possibility that she might trip — was definitely up for debate.

The show ended on a fun note, with a collection that can only be described as “snazzy.” Pillbox hats covered in sequins with huge bows and veils, a fur vest that seemed to be dipped in glitter, lots of little black dresses with bedazzled sashes and a white gown with fur stole and a train on the end; it was a bit ironic then, when the designer Sidney Holloway (who participated in the Fur Council of Canada’s fur mentorship program) came out in an Iron Maiden t-shirt and a Harley Davidson cap.

Overall I was left impressed with the show. Each designer already seemed to have a distinct style and technique that it was easy to forget they only just graduated fashion school. There was enough variety between the designers that Erica, Angie and I, three women with different tastes, all walked away liking elements of the show, something that doesn’t happen often (except for of course that Audrey Hepburn doll). It was refreshing to see an eclectic mix of clothes showing in our own city.

text by Anna Fitzpatrick, photography by Sidney Halloway, outfit by Lexi McKenna

Designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (also fondly known as JC/DC) has turned the fashion world upside down with his one-of-a-kind designs. From crafting a teddy-bear coat for Madonna to designing threads for the Pope (yes, the very leader of the Roman Catholic Church!), JC/DC is the architect extraordinaire of chic.

This French designer (whose birthplace was originally Morocco) began his career at a very early stage: by the age eight, his collection of art and other assorted crafts had grown considerably. Perhaps this early interest in art influenced his exploration into fashion design and weaving elements of art into clothing. Or perhaps it was a childhood interest in Lego that is to be credited for his 2009 Spring/Summer collection that debuted with an animated Lego fashion show.

JCDC Versus LEGO from Four H on Vimeo.

The collection is filled with bold and vibrant colors, with tees drenched in pop culture references. From polka dots to sculls, this collection is contemporary and yet holds true to JC/DC’s signature style. JC/DC is best noted for pushing the fashion envelope through his whimsical creations that revolutionized ideas of what was traditionally deemed “fashion -compliant”:

“From this first collection in the ’60s, Castelbajac has treated his work as a perpetual art project, a meandering commentary on contemporary society referencing pop culture (as in a dress shaped like a Coca-Cola bottle), street culture (graffiti prints) and everything in between.”
-Laura Hensley