LG Fashion Week 2010 - First Instalment: Lundstrom, Evan Biddell

I have to make a confession - I was sceptical about LG Fashion Week. I kept comparing Toronto to Milan and Paris and thinking that we are just not good enough to have anything resembling High Fashion. I thought about Crocs-wearing teens and women with bad haircuts. I thought about Toronto not being "European enough" (dah, we are in North America). With these thoughts I set off to my first-ever day of contemporary Canadian fashion to see Lundstrom and Biddell shows.

I've arrived with my friend Ilona about 30 minutes ahead of the first show. The Allstream Centre at the Exhibition may not be the most glamorous venue, but it is easy to find and large enough to accommodate an event like the Fashion Week. The building is newly renovated, with high ceilings, lots of lighting, and an abandonment of unused space. Admission services and coat check were quick, and we are allowed into the fashion "temple".

I am greatly impressed by the set up and the amount of work and thought that went into it. Even though some of the elements aren't to my taste - like all-gold furniture sets - I find it fascinating how beautiful and comfortable the main event area is. The highlights include a Barbie booth with a nice little exhibit of dolls dressed and styled by various Canadian designers, hair and makeup stations, and a corner boutique that sells items by 17 designers that are participating in the event. The two long bars at either end of the hall are well-priced and have a decent selection of mixed drinks, wines, and beers. The crowd is great - lots of designer frocks, mile-high heels, mind-blowing jewelry, and lean tanned bodies. Although some guests are making their statements with haut couture gowns that aren't necessarily that "haut", I do feel proud to be a part of the event that brought all the gorgeous people of Toronto together.
A little past 8p.m. we are invited to the runway hall. The space is very glam, with satin chair covers and two huge screens on either side of the runway. We find good seats, get our cameras ready, and prepare to be blown away by the show.

Lundstrom collection made a huge impression - it's schick and sophisticated and timeless. Both me and Ilona love the coats and cocktail dresses. Lundstrom used classic colors and designs with an edge to make her pieces appealing to a wider crowd, although her main target is still 30+. Ilona suggests that it would be nice to have the models in the same age range, but I think that fashion industry is still pretty stiff when it comes to models, ages, and body type. None the less, the collection left a very good impression and a desire to own some of the Lundstrom garments one day.

Evan Biddells' show is more theatrical and "showy" in a good, entertaining way. He starts by presenting a short, B&W, vintage-inspired film that features himself in the last frame. The actual runway follows with innovative, futuristic, but still somewhat wearable designs. I am especially impressed by the diagonally-pleated dresses and tweedy shorts. The neon-printed fabrics are wild and catchy. It reminds me of an alien civilization when paired with blown-up hoods and puffy coats.

I crave Lundstrom's dresses on my back and pictures of Biddel's on my wall. These designers are very different, but both have make me proud to be Canadian, to support our own authentic fashion movement. One day we will be as big as Milan, and I hope that Fira&Capa blog will have at list a bit to do with that.

Stay tuned for more LG Fashion Week reviews in the next few days.

F.

P.S. The pictures are not that good, but we are working on getting good cameras and bringing our photography up a notch.