Toronto World MasterCard Fashion Week Day 3

Prior to FW, Travis and I were most looking foreword to Day three. Highly anticipated bangers like G-SUS, Pink Tartan and Mackage presented and did not disappoint. It was a long, rainy day, but nothing brightens up the mood quite like a glam fashion show. Another mood  brightener? Watching all the action backstage. Travis and I had the pleasure of hanging with all the talented models, Maybelline makeup artists, Redken hair stylists, Essie manicurists and other VIP fashionistas. Here’s the recap of all the glittering, pretty things of the day.

Christopher Bates
Trained in Milan at legendary Istituto Marangoni, Toronto-based menswear designer Christopher Bates is an intrepid designer achieving a meteoric rise in the fashion industry. His fall/winter 2014 collection is titled Noctem. He was inspired by Oscar Wilde’s infamous character Dorian Gray and his clandestine, hedonistic escapades into the night. Bates considered what Gray would want to wear in this day and age.

Music: Techno and house; Justice remixed by A-Trak
Mood: Mature, composed
Hair: Natural and combed back
Models: Older gentlemen
Colours: All shades of grey, burgundy, blue, accents of warm cinnamon brown
Textures and Textiles: Leather, soft knits, cotton blends
Patterns: pinstripes, patches of chunkier knits on a slimmer knit, a medium-sized allover square print
Favourite Look: The dapper older gent with a big white beard looking sharp in a head to toe navy, small scale square patterned suit
Overall Feel: Bow ties and well cut suits felt sophisticated and for the man who knows how to dress, while perforated leather pants added an element of edginess

Outclass
Canadian-made menswear sensation Outclass makes its runway debut in the studio venue at David Pecaut Square. The fall/winter 2014 collection titled ‘Out Of the Woods’ takes inspiration from the textures and hues of Ontario’s northlands. It also makes reference to the brand’s remarkable transition from indie label to the forefront of Toronto’s menswear fashion scene. 

Music: Gorillaz’s ‘Kids With Guns’, Kanye’s ‘Flashing Lights’
Mood: Casual. streetwear style
Hair: Natural and combed back
Models: Looked like good looking Toronto boys just kickin’ it
Colours: Burgundy, red, blue, mustard, emerald
Textures and Textiles: raw-looking denim, wool, cottons
Patterns: gingham, plaid, a tiny all over floral print
Favourite Look: A red and black leather sleeved varsity jacket with 416 stitched on the back
Overall Feel: Cool, casual, relaxed vibe with a few ‘something extra’ pops, like a leather detailed scarf

Klaxon Howl
This season’s collection is inspired by the revolutionary Constructivist art movement. “Geometrical…non-mimetic…objects built rather than cast or carved” are some of the terms applied to the work of the Constructivists. Although it started as anti-art form it would become an important and recognized one. Like the constructivist doctrines which were a list of rejections, so too are Klaxon Howl’s of anti-fast fashion, consumerism and off shore manufacturing.

Music: 90s rock – David Byrne and Brian Eno’s ‘Jezebel Spirit’ set the tone
Mood: Prohibition era-esque, made modern with a big orange structure in the middle of the runway
Hair: Long beards were a common sight on the runway
Models: Sported newsboy caps and hipster sunnies; one walked with a turban and another with a white-haired wig
Colours: Navy, olive, neutrals
Textures and Textiles: Leather detailing, wool, chambray
Patterns: Abstract camo, graphic polka dots, plaid
Favourite Look: A super stylish fishing gear getup featuring camp pants, a beige suede jacket and soft khaki green pocketed vest
Overall Feel: Overalls and newsboy caps lent a 30’s feel, while tailored suits and awesome outerwear made the collection modern and felt fresh

G-SUS
G-SUS industries’ fall/winter 2014 collection, dubbed ‘Tour Des Alpes’, represents a coming together of two worlds. Taking influences from nature and cultural heritage–including Alpine folklore and the Swiss cross–Tour Des Alpes combines the classic and modern with original graphics and bold, statement colours.

Music: Club house; a surprise live performance by Cylenz right on the runway
Mood: Hype!
Makeup: Bold – dark lips and smoky eyes
Hair: big beautiful gold bobby pins made V shapes down the front side of models’ hair
Models: Breezy and laid-back
Colours: Navy, red, brown, olive
Textures and Textiles: Tons of denim (as to be expected), knits; lots of outerwear
Patterns: Bold, allover patterns made their way onto skirt suits and leggings; stripes, and a few dresses with allover squares of different fabrics and finishes
Favourite Look: Looks completed with leather strapped backpacks made me reminisce over back to school shopping and loving when I found cool, fresh pieces to show off in the halls
Overall Feel: Blazers and cardigans lent a conservative feel, while scarves looped around models’ heads and denim with great finishes upped the edginess

PINK TARTAN
Pink Tartan, the brand synonymous with luxury and sophistication, will debut its fall/winter 2014 collection at World MasterCard Fashion Week.

Music: Jessie Ware’s ‘Sweet Talk’ remixed into a head bobbing tune
Mood: Ski resort chic goes glam for a night out on the town
Makeup: Barely there – a soft wash of brown eyeshadow was almost undetectable
Hair: Centre parted with lengths tucked into tops and jackets
Models: Looked every bit the part of a glam girl off the slopes, exemplified by the girls who wore all white shades – lenses included – with a slit of an arc for vision
Colours: Cream, white, black, red, camel, bronze
Textures and Textiles: Heavy knits, fur, high shine inky silver, and one seductively sheer turtleneck
Patterns: Fair Isle sweaters – some with Canadiana moose; lumberjack plaid, bronze brocade, sequins
Favourite Look: The nose-grazing turtlenecks and shoulder-to-waist fur shawls
Overall Feel: A very well curated collection with next level presentation; this show felt different. Every element was preeminent and the gorgeous day-to-night looks left me wanting more, more, more.

Joe Fresh
Canada’s Joe Fresh offers spirited, modern style that is confident and classic. With its easy sophistication and vibrant attitude, the Joe Fresh show is always one of the hottest tickets at World MasterCard Fashion Week.

Music: Indie rock/ pop; The Chainsmokers’ cult-pop hit ‘Selfie’, which obviously caused a selfie-frenzy in the crowds
Mood: Oh, Canada! What the popular, stylish folk will wear when next winter rolls around
Makeup: Rosy-cheeked, fresh-faced beauties
Hair: Softly tousled side braids, often topped with a long knit toque that featured a stripe of fur from front to back
Models:  Small smiles made for a feel-good vibe
Colours: Beige, orange, red, olive, grey
Textures and Textiles: Heavy-duty outwear favourites like puffer, trenches and wool coats; chunky scarves and knits, faux fur, waffle-knit long johns
Patterns: Head-to-toe monochromatic plaid, thick stripes, artistic, marbly allover prints, one scattered with a historical-looking man’s portrait
Favourite Look: A black sweater with a large print of a wolf’s face; the aforementioned fur-striped toques
Overall Feel: TONS of outwear and huge, chunky scarves and knits showed us keeping warm can still look cool

Mackage
Inspired by Mother Nature, Mackage looked to the forces of the earth to serve as direction for their fall/winter 2014 outerwear collection.  The collection reflects a focus on blending rich fall shades with innovative textiles and textures. From printed leathers to plush down fabrics, the collection will showcase silhouettes that cocoon and compliment the body while shielding it against natural wonders of the environment.

Music: Custom-created beats by NYC DJ Brendan Falls
Mood: Fall leaves were strewn all over the runway, which were cleared away by leather-clad, headphone wearing “janitors” halfway through the show, symbolizing the evolution to winter. The looks were all Model Off Duty, still looking chic as hell even in the dead of winter
Makeup: Simple and classic with some black eyeliner for definition
Hair: Long and loose
Models:  Sported headphones around their necks and ball caps or fur hats
Colours: Black, navy, olive, grey, flashes of fuchsia
Textures and Textiles: Quilted leather, boucle tweed, neoprene crop tops, wool, leather
Patterns: Plaid, camo
Favourite Look: There were far too many lust-worthy outwear pieces to pick just one – since living in your parka is the cruel reality of residing in the cringe-inducing polar-vortex temperatures of Toronto, a girl’s gotta have options