I know I’ll get slack for this tardy mention – but now that the hot hot summer weather is upon us and we needn’t cover up beautifully colorful clothing with over clothes – it’s a great time to showcase Toronto-based designer Ashley Rowe’s Splatter Tees ’sure to get you noticed’ – available online or at Chasse Garde, 1084 Queen Street West. Each tee involves a three day process: 1. splatter (by hand) 2. dry 3. bake 4. wash 5. dry (again) – custom looks available.

We met and have been aware of the intense talent of Toronto-based fashion designer Zoran Dobric even before his Toronto Fashion Week days and regular National magazine profiles. His Fall 2010 collection of signature Dobric printed sheer tunics and folksy skirts garnered a little more media attention (he is very low key) in this fashionable time of designer graphic prints and collaborations – although his artsy, painted creations have been hand-detailed and meticulously decorated, with their avant-garde slash Eastern Euro flair for many years.

For the Fall 2010 collection, Dobric collaborated with designer Aleksandar Skoric to produce many of the textile prints. Photos from both Spring and Fall 2010 Collections.

Angle Media Group, a video, animation and motion graphics promo company, launched Expert’s Angle – a series of short video blogs where they interview experts in different fields to get a better picture of their work.

Video: Modrobes founder and owner, Steven Sal Debus and his new line of organic, recycled and sustainable fabrics.

Y’all remember Modrobes in Toronto? I loved the fleece track suits (maybe 2000/2001) and actually sported my most comfortable cotton lined, baby blue polar fleece pants and hoodie for years

Initially, Modrobes were made for and marketed to students – but there was a time I recall every nurse, skater and raver in the city in Modrobes. And then, it was gone.

Until recently. After an education in sustainable garment making and then a stint on Dragons Den, founder Steven Sal Debus relaunched the brand and re-opened a shop on Queen Street West in Toronto (620 Queen St. W) with a new vision of ‘clothing the modern world’ and offering eco-sportswear mainly marketed to urban cyclists. Apparently, the new riding coats are selling like hotcakes…

New Modrobes Sustainable Garment Shop, 620 Queen St. West, Toronto

“The 7 Keys to Divinity” Collection by Cristofer Carrado is “fashion with a philosophical message. Each Key in the Collection represents a characteristic of becoming Divine. By wearing each symbol you are ultimately attracting this energy to you.”

I receive many e-mails from designers all over the world – but this, a practically heartfelt message from Toronto-based designer Cristofer Carrado caught my eye with all its talk of ‘law of divinity, attraction and energy…’

After an ambitious career in promotions and marketing, the then young Carrado was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer – a stumbling stone but detrimental point in his life that seems to have allowed him greater drive and passion. He moved to China to study textile and design, then returned to Canada, started C5, a children’s charity and the rest is history.

I’m personally not into wearing clothing with the designers’ name sprawled all over it, but I like these tees and the story behind them. Occasionally, Carrado auctions off outfits to raise funds for his charity.

For more, read http://www.cristofercarrado.com/divineonline/concept >>

http://www.thomasclothing.net

[FAT] Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week closed with a ‘Mad Maus’ After Party – conceived/inspired by artist Gibran Ramos who’s leading an ‘international movement where fashion, art, design and electronic music collide with our fascination for pop culture”. At occasional Mad Maus parties, guests are asked to ‘re-interpret the era’s aesthetic and to make a hat with mouse’s ears.’
All photos either John Lee or Stan Olkha for Digitalfabrik

The fourth and final night of FAT burns with creative energy.  The entrance is a whir of camera clicks as Carolee Custus, Sai Sivanesan, and Susie Love turn a live photo shoot into performance art with “Joy is My Muse”.  Take a few more steps into the event and catch a glimpse of b-boys are rocking out in the middle of the bar.  There is a collective cringe as heads spin on the concrete floor, but they bounce back as b-boys do.

The cringe continues as some designers show vision and wit, but a want of basic sewing skills.  (A hint to young designers – if your sewing isn’t up to snuff, seek out the expertise of the Portugese, Vietnamese and Eritrian ladies who used to press the pedal to the treadle when our upscale condos used to be clothing factories).   As a last resort, one can always throw a real pig’s heart into the hands of a model on point….  (We never said [FAT] was for the faint of heart!).

Most of the designers are more fabulous than filmsy, however.  Felicia Burke (above) reminds us no fashion show is complete without a live MC who raps to an origami odyssey in poppy red and cerulean blue, the work has a wonderfully de Stijl edge.

Fiore pushes the performance envelope, abandoning music almost entirely, as models in a copper froth of meticulously feathered detail flit down the runway to the simple sounds of birdsong.  Brazilian artist Baby Steinberg (below) indulges in a hedonistic garden of joyous florals – tulips, hibiscus and peonies run riot in a frenzy of femininity.  For those who want a piece of FAT to take home, many of the designers are carried by the better boutiques in Toronto, and  for the first time, FAT offers a market for those who can make it out of bed on Sunday.

Cheers to Vanja Vasic and all the artists who make FAT the most dynamic event on the continent.

www.getfat.ca

by Rachel Schwab

Designer Dianna DiNoble of Starkers with model friends (l) Gail McInnes and (r) Ainsley Kerr

For the second night of Toronto’s Alternative Arts & Fashion Week 2010 - the theme was LUST and included hours of sheer, boned, feathered and silky wearables; along with miles of PVC, full-body make-up and even ‘Crotch Studies’, a photo exhibit by Benjamin Larose.

Starkers Corsetry by Dianna DiNoble led the fashion pack with an elaborate showing of gothic gals tied up in Edwardian blouses and 18th century corsets; decorated with feathers and ribbons; all set to a live rock opera by award-winning dramatic coloratura soprano Patrizia.

Diepo followed, showing a glamourous line of vintage-inspired underwear – bustiers, silk jumpers, camisoles -meant as outerwear for more the more feminine ladies among us. Next, One of Us Swimwear – love the one pieces that look like two with crisscrosses up the torso but you can design your own on their website. Pink Lady Fashion closed the first set with an “Anvil” collection, clothes adorned with chains and metal – and even more skin!

Even among painted ladies, leather and lace, Evan Biddell managed to steal the spotlight with his ‘refined’ collection of hyper-studded vests and full-body pop art prints. He handpicked his model friends that included Pastel Supernova, Leesa Butler of the FList, stylist Sarah J, Kealan Sullivan of 69 Vintage and Magnet Creative’s Gail McInnes, to name a few. After the show, the pack took their seats in the front row for the rest of the set.

Cherry Dewar of Dewar Couture (who previously worked with Evan Biddell) showed equally fierce warrior-like swimsuits (metallic-look), and leather-accented knickers and tops – all one-of-a-kind ’street couture’ pieces.

digitalfabrik photos by Stan Olkha

Jessica Clayton showed another fabulously moody black and white collection of tiered-skirts, lacy shirts and classic-styled sassy cocktail dresses, some embellished with a hint of sparkle from mini studs.

Unfortunately I missed the last set of Pippa, Fashion Whore and Artifice – and all the yards and yards of PVC in every color (even pastels), sewn into the most creative and playful (and of course lustful) looks for every inner-domanatrix.

Judging from the photos I saw, ImagoZine, as always, put on an over the top extravaganza of make-up, costume and performance – really, really elaborate and time-consuming. Check out some ImagoZine on YouTube >>

construct(this) is Heidi Ackermanʼs third collection presented at Alternative Arts and Fashion Week. This Spring/Summer 2010 collection explores and expands upon Heidiʼs obsession with architecture, futurism and abstraction.

Pulling inspiration from the Russian avant garde movements of the early 20th century construct(this) combines contradictory materials and patterns to create controlled chaos on the body. Experimentation with vegetable tanned leather, thin curved metal and deconstructed knits will create a provocative tension for the wearer and observer.

I won’t be attending the third nite of [FAT] Friday, April 23, 2010 and will be missing some amazing fashion shows including:

David Wigley
Youth.InAsia by Joshua Shier
Heidi Ackerman
Romandin by Cristina Sabaiduc

Anna Smutny will be doing a performance piece; DJ Discrete will make a rare appearance; and Christabel will be performing!

Liberty Village, 1 Pardee Ave. 6 p.m. to 1 p.m. Licensed! $30 at the door