Hand-painted model preparing for the IMAGOzine show | Backstage @ Jet Exhibit

…the nature of survival and the ways clothing negotiates limitations. The social, political, cultural and economical aspects of a place on the edge, raw, uncomfortable, unsettling, shifting and extreme.

(first I must say that the choice of music in nearly every fashion show so far this week has been amazingly suitable and awesome)

In its third night, the “alternative” in fashion really started to show through in the experimental collections shown. I unfortunately missed the first set of shows (Breeyn McCarney’s Circus Couture, NEVA, UND’s futuristic military, Harsh Designs, Tassoni Brasil accessories), but got more than a contemporary eye-full with the next two sets of seven!

And Gutter it all seemed to convey – from youth. inAsia’s miles and piles of wound up cassette tape and film reel on clothing to the dramatic ‘Salvation’ show that had vicious models in chunky towering platform boots, strapped with guns and swords featuring goth designs of Asphyxia, Magdelina and Empire. This show ended with a child model blowing herself up with a grenade.

For the lengthy 20minute finale, IMAGOzine put on an over-the-top thriller with hand-painted, bloodied-faced suspensful performers in a variety of eerie fairytales. There was the Little Red Riding Hood hand-painted cape with wolves; a three-tiered cake girl and some scary angel-like, skeleton men.


The Queen West girls at Magpie, Cathy McDayter and Angela Mann expectedly presented an substantial edgy collection complete with silver sequins, deconstructed silk tanks and leather jackets made up of many many painstaking pieces. Although this collection is completely different from other things I’ve seen (they don’t follow any themes and are inspired by whatever), its equally well-constructed and super fierce!

Now onto the more cheery experiments:

In Jocelyn Teng’s Jet Exhibition, a line of girls constricted in painted canvas (?), hopped in wee jumps down the runway in an entertaining exhibit of artistic impression.


Kirsty Mckenzie recruited the ever-entertaining Lena Love (above in blue wig) to join the showcase of gawdiness at its finest: colorful, printed crushed velvet shirts and leggings, all adorned with platform shoes covered in flowers . This was a super fun show with tons of energy!

Tags: FAT 2009