TFI New Labels Competition @ the Elle Show – This Thursday, April 24, 2008 at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto.

From the TFI News Jan/Feb News:
Tickets for the ELLE Canada gala benefit in support of the Toronto Fashion Incubator are ON SALE NOW at www.elleshow.ca!

One of the following four candidates will walk away with the top prize of valued at $25,000.

Adrienne Butikofer’s collection (above) is inspired by the emancipation of women in the workplace during WW1. Adrienne is a Winnipeg native who studied fashion design at London’s Fanshawe College. Her line features separates and streetwear retailing from $60 to $390, and can be found in Montreal at Le Marche; in Toronto at Magic Pony, Nathalie Roze & Co. and Propaganda.

Inspired by the traditions of the “handmade”, combined with a passionate belief that clothing should be treasured, Montrealer Eugenia Leavitt describes her clothing as, “romantic yet modern, combining artistic, feminine touches with clean, simple designs”. Pieces retail from $110 to $425 and can be found at Meli Melo in Montreal. Eugenia studied fashion design at the International Academy of Design in Montreal.

Calgary-based designer Lara Presber studied architecture in Milan at the Domus Academy campus of the University of Wales. For fall 2008, she is inspired by the exploration of the juxtaposition between the feminine and soft figures of Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempika’s subjects with their masculine and greyed-out architectural backgrounds (see above). Separates range from $125 to $700 retail and can be found at The Velvet Room Boutique in Vancouver.

Ashley Rowe’s miss rowe collection of fashion-forward coats and separates (above) was inspired by her mother’s vintage looped-wool coat, which has a rock&roll-meets-English-dandy appeal. Ashley is a George Brown College graduate and former intern at Flare and Fashion magazines.

The back side of Toronto Fashion Culture – as it walks away from you, into your dreams….

The new ZINK Canada magazine has been floating around for a month or two now (sold @ Indigo among others) but I only recently acquired my copy ($6) chock full of Canadian features, Canadian designer ads and multiple photo shoots put together by Canadian stylists et al…

However, with all this emphasis on maintaining relevance of the premiere Canadian issue – the cover (and feature photo editorial) contradicts the message: Covergirl Reid was shot by New York-based Canadian photographer Geoff Barrenger; New York-based stylist Tracy Cyprow used an American designer dress (Betsey Johnson) and hair and make-up were contracted out to American agencies.

Editor-at-large, Adrian Mainella, ‘gets to the bottom of Canada’s fashion dilemma’ pointing out our problem of a lower GDP (we spend less than others); our turn-on to international labels; lack of branding; and no ONE relevant national fashion week (for international buyers).

The mag covers beauty, music, gadgets a little food and travel and many fashion spreads. 4 issues/year.

by Liza Zawadzka

The last night of [FAT] gets off to a raucous start as desparate fans steal front row seats – tossing seat-saver coats and bags aside and defending their view like it was the Gaza strip. The theme of the last evening was Conflict and revellers were incidently slightly more on edge and
moody…

The show started with a modern dance performance (I know – I usually gag at modern dance too – but the dancers are amazingly interesting). An artist drums on a computer snare drum, a video of Chinese drummers in military uniforms plays in the background, while a dancer winds yellow caution tape around the audience. Perhaps the work suggests a caution to the Olympic organizing committee to “think before you do”!

Asphyxia and Magdelina showcase their clothes with zombie models covered in “blood” (albeit glittery pretty blood) and the most creepy and amazing special effects make-up. The designers create a contemporary collage of Victorian materials – a tarnished silver ballgown, vintage velvet sparkling with jet, and ancient lace tangled and mangled to create a most interesting net effect. Vanja Vasic works with heavy white cotton outrageously cut to reveal an entire boob or butt cheek. Her deconstruction/reconstruction of fabric cut and sewn back together in thousands of layers of soft feathery ruffles is astonishingly beautiful as much as it is obsessive.

If you’re looking for something to wear to a Yuri party then Red Barron has the perfect outfit in heavy white canvas ensembles complete with plastic bubble helmets and the NASA logo emblazoned in strategic places. Fashion diehards give Jessica Nicholson a standing ovation for her fearless collection which includes a video of anti-globalization protests and a cowl-backed dress made from a Palestinian scarf. Jewelry designer Jiame Galinea sets off the collection with witty necklaces, bracelets and headgear made from delightfully colourful lego pieces. Vecerra presents a small but interesting collection of plaster body cast corsets and a silver Barbarella short suit. Thanks to [FAT] for giving artists an opportunity to play, experiment and speak without limitations!

NOW Magazine presented a runway show @ FAT: Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week featuring some of the people who’ve been snapped for the paper’s weekly style section:
“MyStyle is about your style whether it’s built around your favourite ratty Chuck Taylors, the red vinyl fetish jacket you picked up at the One of a Kind show, a great vintage frock or some designer accessory that would actually earn a snap of approval from more label snooty shutterbugs.”