The Good
World MasterCard Fashion Week sure is lucky they got Lucian Matis back under their tented roof. With high-profile names like Joeffer Caoc and David Dixon missing, the number of ‘must-see’ shows on the schedule had otherwise dwindled to a dangerous low. And Matis did not disappoint. He presented a collection of Moroccan-tile print pantsuits, sheer skin-coloured blouses (no nipple pasties this season!), and crocodile-embossed leather. From high-waisted shorts to a theatrical ball gown that one big-name socialite requested to view backstage, Matis had the usually fickle Fashion Week crowd under his spell.
Last Night’s Leftovers on Glameroids
“Adrian Wu up. Squeaky foil numbers. Like last night’s leftovers on glameroids,” tweeted my boyfriend. I couldn’t have said it better myself as beehive-haired models held painted polyurethane (picture Styrofoam on steroids) over their bodies and disharmoniously squeaked and eeked down the runway to the tune of “Moon River.” In the literature, Wu claimed to be inspired by the idea of “dystopia.” In real life, the audience was just confused. Look Fifteen had a listed price of $10,500… and a disclaimer that “dresses may be worn but are meant to be a sculpture for décor or interior design displayed on a mannequin.” Whatever the intent (and with Wu there’s always intent), it didn’t translate well this time around. He’s one of the most gifted young designers in the country, but like any young talent, Wu needs editing.
Hey Fashion Critics, Get Over Your Daddy Issues
In the fight to promote fangirl-free fashion journalism, I’m no stranger to complaints about critical show/product/opening-of-a-scented-envelope reviews. Most of the time, PR reps approach me in professional manner, we talk it out, and everyone goes about their business. We’re all grown ups here, and I understand that publicists have clients they must to answer to.
Then there’s the PR rep that sent me an utterly sexist and classist tirade at the end of last week.
An excerpt: “What we read was completely distasteful and appears to be written by a pre pubescent teenager with parental issues- not unlike say someone with a “blog” titled hipstermusings….oh wait, this is her blog. It seems the musings of a hipster belong on what we came to create as a high fashion runway, because at the end of the day, that is what we are selling. Not chandeliers, or someone else’s collection from 2010 or Halloween Costumes, just simply exquisite fashion.”
And finally: “Its quite sad that when we finally get a label worth praising because it will be the one that can surpass them all, it has to be criticized, stepped on and defamed. The mother of all mother terms comes to mind here; if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all- but you started it first so my suggestion- drop the hipster back off on Queen west.”
Don’t like what I quite frankly consider a moderate, but critical, review? Fine. Want to let me know that? Go ahead. But, as the PR rep of a luxury brand FOR women, it’s downright disgraceful for you to call a 22-year-old female journalist a “pre-pubescent teenager with parental issues” and equally offensive to assert that “hipsters” have no place watching or commenting on high fashion. You might sell luxury dresses, but you can’t buy class.
If you’re sexy and you know it…
At a packed-to-the-walls show on Friday evening, Travis Taddeo proved once again that he’s a name to know in Canadian fashion with sexy draped jersey dresses and cutouts aplenty. Taddeo’s minimalist approach saw him forgo fancy embellishments for elaborate knotting, and sky-high stilettos for high-top sneakers (courtesy of a collaboration with Aldo). Fitted leather jackets and S&M-esque harnesses topped off the edgy collection, proving that ‘urban fashion’ doesn’t have to mean Urban Behaviour.
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Sabrina Maddeaux is Toronto Standard’s managing editor. Follow her on Twitter at @sabrinamaddeaux.
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