In photos: 28 bold looks from Toronto Fashion Week, Day 1
Canada's best and brightest designers kicked off World MasterCard Fashion Week by showcasing their fall 2013 collections at David Pecaut Square
The Nirvana jam All Apologies started sisters' Chloe and Parris Gordon's fall 2013 show, but it's clear that the wunderkinds have nothing to apologize for.
You have to give these girls credit for tapping into what their generation wants right now - and it's all things 90s.
Their homage to grunge proved to be their strongest collection to date, playing on the strengths the two have honed in the short time they've been doing this designer thing.
Prints, a label signature, were ornate and almost baroque-like, but mussed up with darker hues and etched on leather. Hems were left unfinished, which in this case looked artistic not accidental.
They knocked it out with outerwear, too, especially in a glossy black patent anorak (but the motorcycle jacket and matching skirt made for an excellent uniform for disenfranchised youth).
Parris, who designs the label's jewelry, seamlessly integrated her designs into the collection by way of chainmail chokers and delicate necklaces. You couldn't picture the looks without them.
Designers Chloe and Parris Gordon.
Designers Chloe and Parris Gordon.
Designers Chloe and Parris Gordon.
Designers Chloe and Parris Gordon.
"I just love the idea of nothing is as it seems," says Kimberely Newport Mimran of her Pink Tartan collection. "Usually it's the surprise in the clothing but this time it's the surprise in the girl."
Newport Mimran loves a muse, and this one's offbeat: The mysterious bombshell blonde with a dark side. Think Marnie Edgar or Constance Langdon, Jessica Lange's creepy neighbour in American Horror story.
True to theme, she offered up the ideal wardrobe for the tortured heroine who came down the runway with an appropriately disheveled blonde wig.
Prints were a standout here, especially the moody ones like the first few florals that opened the show.
A strict blue skirt suit was a personal favourite.
A surprising departure from the label's sophisticated bent was the use of a mesh fabric in two looks - think athleticism for the unathletic, but it worked.
The show seemed to chart the woman's breakdown, slowly peeling off layers to find what's hidden underneath all those voluminous coats and capes (it was a black nightie slip under a fur coat, in the most literal case).
Designer Kimberely Newport Mimran.
Designer Kimberely Newport Mimran.
Designer Kimberely Newport Mimran.
The last time Camilleri took to the runway was in 2011 with her lush fur label IZMA, whose loss I've mourned (and swishy coats I've missed). Indeed, she's been pushing skins for years and it was good to see them back, though this time they were faux.
MIZ, her latest venture which debuted last night, is a line for boomer-aged women who can still get a heart racing.
Faux furs, liquid pleathers and sequined snakeskin were among the Camilleri classics present, but cut conservatively with the older customer in mind. "The cuts are different, because our bodies change," she said backstage, describing the line's roominess, especially in the waist.
Particularly clever was the way she dealt with covering up arms, a primary concern for her customer. Capelets and capped sleeves came off looking like design considerations, not afterthoughts.
The sheer (and there was a some of that) sexiness of the collection was a pleasant surprise, a factor that was important to Camilleri. "The woman who is 50 today is different than she was 30 or 40 years ago. They're still dressing very sexy, and that's where the fur, those luxe details come in."
Designer Izzy Camilleri.
Designer Izzy Camilleri.
Designer Izzy Camilleri.