Designer Dimanche: David Dixon

The best is often saved for last. For most fashion experts, David Dixon’s s/s 2012 collection – the second last show before Denis Gagnon – was a pure delight. He delivered beautiful cocktail dresses, feminine gowns and blouses/pencil skirts combos while staying true to his colour palette of choice : pastel yellows, whites and blacks. The restricted use of these colours made for a harmonious collection.

Larger-than-life butterfly prints were spotted on a few blouses and floor-length gowns. Personally, I found the collection to be too typical. The designs were elegant but lacked that avant-garde or adventurous feel I like to see in designs. The lines were classic and lacked sculptural properties. Most gowns and cocktail dresses looked straight out of a regular prom dress shop where I could actually see David Dixon’s collection make profit. Moreover, I thought the butterflies were, in my eyes,  not such a good addition to the collection. Don’t get me wrong, butterflies are pretty but, in this case, they came across as a childish and poor design choice. There were a couple pieces I could see friends wearing, but never did I come across a design I would want for myself. Dixon is nonetheless a talented designer, but in upcoming years, I’d love to see a creative shift in his designs. Perhaps David Dixon, similarly to Judith & Charles like to stay true to the norms and designs that will remain classics until the end of time. Everyone has their own design style after all and everyone will have diverse opinions on such matter.

-Claire Miglionico


Photo source: Real Style Network

Designer Dimanche: Judith & Charles

On the fifth and final day, guests got a peep at Judith and Charles’ spring/summer 2012’s collection. Instead of showing off the new collection in the usual runway format, Judith and Charles opted for an installation in the studio space where guests were able to admire the clothes up front and personal. The outfits were set up on simple mannequins which were lined-up on a raised platform in the middle of the studio space. Among guests were Fashion TV’s Jeanne Beker and Canadian fashion model Stacey Mckenzie. All guests were treated to gift bags which were piled up near the entrance. Most did not hesitate on grabbing one (or two) on their way in. Judith and Charles stayed true to their style: classic cuts with pastel colours mixed with pops of bright hues like oranges and yellows which are very typical colours for spring and summer. The collection was made up of long-fitted blazers, pleated skirts of cream-coloured hues and sleeveless tops paired with cropped shorts. I dearly admired the bright yellow blazer paired with a black jumper although it reminded me a little too much of something my mother would of worn in the 80s.

The studio space made for the perfect place to mingle, grab a glass of champagne and look at the choice of outfits with other guests. Judith and Charles has a flair for simple, elegant and timeless pieces and although I wasn’t expecting much from the installation, I greatly enjoyed the feeling of not having to rush into my seat. Instead, I was able to soak Judith and Charles’ collection piece by piece and think more highly of their modern and fitted designs.

- Claire Miglionico


Photo credit: Jenna Marie Wakani for Fashion Magazine

Designer Dimanche: Anu Raina

Designer Anu Raina is the perfect example of the kind of diversity we have here in Canada. Raina’s Indian roots are fully present in her s/s 2012 collection “Murano” as beautiful splashes of colour were omni-present in her designs. “Murano” was inspired by glass chandeliers made in Murano, Italy and their play on light and colour.

I love colour therefore this particular collection was a favourite of mine at fashion week. Raina is not only a textile designer but also an artist and therefore her designs were like pure work of arts.

“My work is my art and the fabric is my canvas,” she says.

She has a rare artistic sensibility that was wonderfully rendered in her bright blue palazzo pants, dainty peter-pan collars, swirls, vibrant florals, 60s-inspired T-shirt dresses and a floor-length dress with a watercolour-like chandelier design. For fabrics, she uses silk, viscose and linens. I like the simplicity of Raina’s designs, the free-flowing movement of her garments, and her styling the best. No jewelry was sighted on models and her outfits were coordinated with great minimalist taste. The yellow-green tye-dye tee-shirt dress was paired with the perfect suede booties of deep blue shade and was a great style inspiration. Anu Raina is undeniably a Canadian designer to watch out for.

– Claire Miglionico


Photo source: http://suhaag.com

Designer Dimanche: Lovas

Wesley Badanjak is the creative director behind his fashion label Lovas. He says one of the greatest fashion advice he has ever received was to follow his instincts, not trends. This advice was certainly followed for his s/s 2012 collection which was apparently inspired by his travels through the Caribbean sea. The collection stood out with an all-ethnic cast of tropical models, breezy blouses, hues and grandiose feathered head pieces. Badanjak stuck to oranges, corals, white, black and sand colours. He created a chic island girl look completely unique and distinct from other fashion week designers. Sometimes the supposedly tropical look took on another appearance: the coral shift dress paired with a beaded belt in combination with the model’s long messy braids made me think of romanticized Pocahantas fashion more than that of an island girl.

Anita Clarke from Toronto-based fashion blog I Want I Got was quite impressed by Badanjak’s island-inspired collection. In a one-on-one interview conducted by Calgary Fashion’s Daniela Codreanu, she said:

“Wesley and I have an understanding. He knows that usually his stuff is not my style. I appreciate that it’s always well made. He is very excellent at making clothes and putting [them] together. Construction is always fantastic, but THIS time it was like [a] perfect storm. The style was on to what I personally would like. Everything on that runway I would wear!"

It’s true. Every runway outfit was not only beautifully crafted but extremely wearable. The feathered head pieces were a highlight: they were the perfect addition to a long ruffled black dress and a 60s mod shift dress in black and white stripes on sand .

– Claire Miglionico

Photo source: fashion windows.net 

Designer Dimanche: Label

Label is a collaboration between designers Shawna Robinson and Natalie Sydoruk. Robinson is a freelance wardrobe stylist & aspiring artist while Sydoruk is a fashion design graduate from Ryerson & a model. Together, they dreamed of designing comfortable, sustainable and wearable clothes and Label became just that: an “au naturel” clothing brand dedicated to creating clothing ethically. Whenever possible, organic, renewable or reclaimed fibers are used. Label’s garments are even produced on Canadian soil in Toronto, “with t-shirt designs printed by hand”.

Their s/s 2012 collection was like looking at the ultimate eco-conscious hipster wardrobe. It was composed of neutral tones like whites, grays, soft pinks, lavender and teal. The garments contoured the body flowingly making every outfit seem extremely comfortable and light. The collection was Bohemian-inspired (models sported their hair loose on their shoulders) and nature-themed. Tree branches bordered the studio runway and once models were done strutting, they directed themselves to flat gray stones where they showcased their outfits. Among the outfits were a light pink drawstring dress with cut-out shoulders, a sheer maxi black dress and a black and silky drawstring shorts jumpsuit.  The outfits were paired with organic-inspired necklaces, wooden cuffs and geometric blocks. Every single piece was elegant, feminine and absolutely daytime wearable.  Plus, what’s not to like about designers who keep mother nature in mind  and who have an impeccable taste in music? When the song New Theory by Washed Out came on, Label and I became instant best friends.

– Claire Miglionico

Photo source: http://seenolabel.com/

Designer Dimanche: Tosca Delfino

Tosca Delfino’s luxury swimwear show was a highlight of the week. Swimwear is sometimes not as easy to showcase as full attires but in this case, designer – Delfino – strived for a fashion show to remember.  Delfino has had “over 10 years of international experience working in the fashion industry”. She has worked at the prestigious fashion house of Missoni and with fellow Canadian designer Arthur Medonca. Her stint at Missoni is highly reflected in her choice of colours, prints and patterns of her swimwear and beach apparel for her s/s 2012 collection. Her “aquatic creations” are said to be inspired by her love of art and travel. As a result, Delfino has even developed her own prints. The runway show opened up with a video of a model in Tosca Delfino swimwear skydiving in the Cayman Islands. It made for an unusual but amusing opener. The choice of music was excellent with chills running down my spine when Adrian Lux’s Teenage Crime accompanied catwalking models down the runway. All models sported nude pumps and hair was loosely styled for the perfect beach look.

The collection had a vintage concept and a tribal indie chic-inspired look. Most two-piece swimsuits had hip hugging bikini bottoms that brought us back to the 60s. There were many tye-dye inspired patterns and a couple cute ocean blue swimsuits with prints of white whales. A maxi skirt paired with a black bandeau swim top and bottoms depicted the CN Tower in a canvas-like way. The tribal chic look was highly depicted with a similar maxi skirt on which a tribal women was printed. Each piece had a look of its own and the additional cute beach headwear, sheer tunics, sunglasses and skirts incorporated among one and two-piece swimsuits kept things fresh and funky.

- Claire Miglionico


Photo from http://giancarlowho.blogspot.ca 

Designer Dimanche: Ashtiani

The ultimate summer staple: the pistachio silk georgette maxi dress. 

Golnaz Ashtiani continues to wow the crowds with her sophisticated classic beauty influences and precision cutting.

In April 2011, she won TFI’s new label competition for her f/w 2011 collection based on Tamara De Lempicka’s art decoratifs paintings (a one-of-a-kind inspiration I might add).

Her s/s 2012 collection took on new explorations:  “1960’s-era fashion and lifestyle magazines” and the classic Hollywood blockbuster with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn Roman Holiday were Ashtiani’s creative sources. The final result was a 15-piece runway show filled with delicate drape detailings, shiny silks, violet and pistachio hues to die for and modern tailoring that gave authentic pieces a present-day approach.

I am not usually one to rave about the colour violet but Ashtiani changed my mind instantly: she made the colour look wearable. She coordinated the hue with vanilla whites, lemons and cream “crepe de chine” for a contrasting effect. A favourite violet-based outfit of mine was the belted violet silk vest paired with a vanilla white structured dress with soft pleats in lemon. I completely adored the perfect combination and the square-shaped vest Ashtiani crafted. I could go on and on about her designs because I surprised myself wanting to explore my ultra-feminine side I often repress. Another ultimate piece I must write about is the pistachio silk georgette maxi dress with soft pleats. It was the last run-of-show dress. Its delicacy, sheerness and the soft pleated cut-out front will remain imprinted in my mind for a good while. What a style-inspiring collection it was!

– Claire Miglionico

Photo source by:  chantalenadeau.com

Designer Dimanche: Amanda Lew Kee

Amanda Lew Kee graduated from Ryerson University’s bachelor of design in 2010. In 2008, she started her own jewelry line which then progressed into women’s ready-to-wear. For her s/s 2012 collection, she incorporated green plastic visors that instantly made me think of Lacoste. Lew Kee’s designs were no where near Lacoste’s conservative cuts but the tennis/sporty influence was there. It was as if Lew Kee had raided Lacoste shops across the country and revamped its collections entirely with gold zipper detailings, kaleidoscope-inspired prints, electric blues and silks.

Amanda Lew Kee, photo by Jenna Marie Wakani for Toronto Life

The runway show was composed of fifteen summer-ready outfits of various kinds. I liked how Lew Kee thought of creating an entire and exciting wardrobe instead of focusing only on key pieces such as dresses or dress shirts. Dress shirts were present and so were tennis skirts, biker shorts, pants, maxi and razor back dresses. This collection was by far one of my favourites because of its nifty designs. A model strutted in a silk dress shirt and white leather front biker shorts. The details were simply amazing: from the bust up, the shoulders were covered in sheer white silk while the rest of the dress shirt was patterned in blue, orange and purple kaleidoscopic prints minus the cuffs that were also kept white. As for the biker shorts, the white leather surrounded a centered band of see-through material on each thigh front which fitted tightly around the thighs hitting right above the knee. Each outfit was paired with glossy all-black saddle- or brogue-like shoes.

Lew Kee has already worked closely with the entertainment industry. She has worked with HBO’s True Blood, Deadmau5 and has been recognized as “a designer to watch” in publications such as The Globe and Mail, Teen Vogue and FLARE Magazine. We might as well start watching her closely too!

– Claire Miglionico


Photo Credit: fashionist.ca 

Designer Dimanche: Chloe Comme Parris

The name Chloe Comme Parris  has a poetic ring I’d love to give to a fashion house of my own. I quickly got attached to the name and then to its contemporary designs. Earlier in the month, I had read a story by Sarah Nicole Prickett in the October 2011 issue of FLARE Magazine which labeled Chloe and Parris Gordon, 23 and 21 in age – the Toronto-based sister duo behind Chloe Comme Parris – “up-and-coming designers." A few photos from the fall 2011 collection had me instantly hooked. A breezy long-sleeved and loose-fitted almost floor-length black dress made me think of Mary-Kate Olsen’s sense of dress. In the story, Chloe explains she’s always had a fascination for Louis XVI fashion: “[the men] wore velvet leggings with coattails and vests. So they had structure on top and then a skinny leg. I think that’s how women want to look today – or at least, we do”.

Chloe Comme Parris’s s/s 2012 collection took on a different influence than that of Louis XVI. Some say the collection gave off a modern-day Victorian vibe. The audience was greeted to a multicolored splash-painted runway and a few paintings which hung on white walls. The “artist”-inspired decor gave the initial thought of a paintbrush-inspired wardrobe, but instead guests were greeted to either head-to-toe outfits in soft hues, dark hues and sometimes mixed and patterned hues. The collection had great diversity from all-white cropped pants paired with a buttoned collarless jacket to flowy Victorian blue outfits to a comfy grey sweater with a long patterned prairie skirt in soft hues paired with the “must-have” backpack the sisters fight over. Each outfit had jewelry designed by Parris while Chloe focuses mostly on textiles. Chloe Comme Parris’ s/s 2012 collection sometimes resembled Denis Gagnon’s similar fun and youthful inspirations he had for his s/s 2012 collection.

- Claire Miglionico  


Photo credit by Jenna Marie Wakani for Toronto Life

Designer Dimanche: Krane

Fresh and innovative design concepts are often lacking in men fashion hence why I am always happy to see more emerging designers focusing on our beloved, yet at times, unfashioned men.

Ready-to-wear men fashion tends to stick to the conventional and “safer” roads known to the North American average Joe. But for Ken Chow – creative director and founder at Krane – his designs go beyond the normative rules, re-interpreting classic pieces in men fashion all-together. Krane’s s/s 2012 collection was showcased in an innovative and creative way. Although I overheard the photo pit complain about how difficult it was to shoot the show, to me, it was the perfect interactive and conceptual presentation we’d been missing all week.

Cute indie nerds walked the runway in vintage boyish looks and uniforms very reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s. Chow’s minimalist approach was prevalent in his re-invention of the white dress shirt: leather harness-like straps englobed the shirts and  boldly-coloured zippers were sewed onto the front of shirts.  Bow ties, gelled hair combed to the side, Wayfarer style sunglasses and Doc Marten boots made for an eclectic/classic with a modern twist look.

Models would swagger to the end of the runway to pause mid-way in front of a display of mismatched whites and blues on their way back. Models would adopt poses at various angles: sideways and face-to-face with the audience (for detail viewing I presume). Some adopted a rather swervy route passing behind other displays to pick up bags of different shapes and forms to then hook them up onto these very same displays. Once all bags were hung, bag-less models came by to unhook the bags and carry them away.

Adorable waxed cotton and leather carry-alls and a light grey-green jacket that converted into an over-the-shoulder accessory were also sported by our nerds.

For me, this show was a breath of fresh air because Krane does men fashion the way it should be done: innovative and fearless.

– Claire Miglionico

Photo Credit: Peroni Moda Files 

Designer Dimanche: Juma

Alia (design director) and Jamil (creative director) Juma are the brother-sister effort behind the internationally-acclaimed unisex ready-to-wear and accessories line Juma. The unisex concept is an interesting one: Alia and Jamil wanted to create clothes they could both share. As globe-trotters having lived in Kenya, Russia, Los Angeles and Montreal, travel and art are among Juma’s top inspirations. Without any doubt does Juma cater to the hip younger crowd. After all, their line is highly influenced by young celebrities. Recently, they have created “custom printed outfits” for hip-pop queen Nicki Minaj. Similar colourful printed outfits were found in their s/s 2012 collection presented at Toronto’s fashion week. The runway show was an equally “in” show with “Pumped up Kicks” by Foster the People blaring through the speakers while models showed off Juma’s latest designs: re-imagined animal prints, geometric patterns and bright feather-peacock prints. The studio was lit purple and created a mod ambiance. The runway was surrounded by mannequins showcasing silk headscarfs of various prints (my favourite was the giraffe-inspired one!). Models’ hair were gilded in gold sparkles, a personal touch I liked very much. Designs seemed to be highly influenced by African tunics as most outfits were free-flowing, loose-fitting shirts and pants perfect for an urban summer getaway if paired with heels or the perfect beach or music festival outfit paired with a simple pair of flats. Juma’s designs were flattering. Definitely the kind of ready-to-wear I’d enjoy sporting!

– Claire Miglionico

photo credit: Sabrina Maddeaux

Designer Dimanche: Adrian Wu

Toronto-based fashion designer Adrian Wu

Adrian Wu was recently voted by iVillage.ca as one of the ten Canadian designers to watch for in 2012. His spring/summer 2012 collection created buzz like no other. Wu is unpredictable, daring and created one of the most peculiarly fascinating collection at fashion week.  Wu’s collection called “Creatures of the Photons” is said to have been inspired by the ambitious topic of quantom physics, and apparently, the models represented “evolution” of some sort.

"My theme was quantum physics, but at the same time, it was this conceptual idea of taking the modern silhouette and modernizing it, the whole idea of Parisian dress making,” he revealed backstage during an interview conducted by Daniela Codreanu.

"Creatures of the Photons" - Adrian Wu S/S 2012 at LGFW

At age 18, Wu taught himself how to sew and then shortly after, he started his own design company. He already has seven collections under his belt at now age 21. According to oy. & co – Wu’s marketing agency – “Wu is known for his layering in fabric and eccentric pieces such as French Couture styled gowns with focus on authentic 18th Century siecle des Lumieres craftmanship, fabrics and silhouettes.”

The runway was covered in what looked like circle-shape place mats of assorting colours and a live string quartet positioned at the centre of the runway accompanied slow-strutting models (due to their towering platforms). 
Wu told us he used the colours blue, green, and red for his dresses: “It was inspired by the orbs that circle the electron,” he said.

A male model opened the show in white platforms and a lace white shift dress. The show continued with a mix of male and female models wearing swelled up haute couture dresses. Few dresses were made for everyday wear, only perhaps Lady Gaga would give it a go at this point in time. Most models wore head pieces that looked like orbiting wires covering the front of their face like veils. Their mysterious significance was revealed by Wu after the show: “They were actually representation of black holes,” he said.

The three-dimensional aspect of each dress was a pure delight to look at as each were overwhelmingly covered in fabric, fabric and more fabric. A favourite of mine was the gorgeous blood-red ball gown with protruding baby-blue balls coming out the front at waist height. Such a bizarre of a design but what a beautifully crafted dress. See for yourself, and let yourself be mesmorized by Adrian Wu’s designs and the amount of time he must be putting into such amazing creations.


Please watch Adrian Wu's Fashion TV profile. It's amazing and gives you a great insight into the kind of designer Wu is. He considers himself more of an artist than a designer, talks about his boredom of life and how he defies social dress conventions: "Why can't men wear dresses?," he says. Wu is pure genius. 

– Claire Miglionico with interviews by Daniela Codreanu

Click on the photos for direct sources. Thank you.