L’Oreal
Fashion Week Diary 2005
By Sonja Andic
Makeup Artist and Style Fashionista
Day 1 – Monday,
October 17, 2005 – Shan
Okay, coming from London, England and having been to London Fashion Week,
this Toronto L’Oreal Fashion Week had a lot to live up to. So, I
decide to take the plunge early on Monday, the first day of the Toronto
shows with an appropriate outfit of course.
I’m
wearing: Black & white herringbone jacket with huge sleeves
from Arrogant Cat, London UK. Black skinny leg jeans by Lee Jeans. A red
leather L.K.Bennett shoulder bag and alligator green high heels.
Why am I telling you
about what I wore? Because if you want to take my fashion advice and show
comments seriously, you need to respect my fashion savvy right!
Honestly, some of
the outfits I saw some on the front row journalists during the week made
them unqualified in my book to comment on any fashion.
As I saunter into
Muzik, I am instantly struck by the immense space. Muzik,
a new exhibition space on CNE grounds, is a recently renovated old horticulture
building that was a big mess before and is now very stylish. Once inside
you are in a huge, cavernous hall that is topped by a gorgeous glass dome.
This large open area is set up for clothing displays, cocktail lounge
areas, two long cocktail bars, a DJ spinning funky music. Huge sparkly
chandeliers encased in black mesh dangle from the ceiling. There are large
Sony flat screen TV’s everywhere you look, running endless playback
of fashion shows. It is all too wonderful!
The vibe is very friendly
compared to London I must say. Well it is a Toronto show right! Not even
in the door five minutes and I am chatting away with a photographer, some
lovely people from L’Oreal, and the super friendly team and organizers
at the Media Tent. There is a good mix of gals and guys, of all ages and
fashion persuasions. All of this chatter and people watching is great,
because the show I am here to review, Shan, is running late. Well, it
is the first night and it is fashion; it’s supposed to run late.
Can’t understand why people get upset really.
SHAN
The Shan show is highly anticipated, because it is swimwear. There is
a crush of people and media wanting to get in this show. What folks will
do to see a bit of jiggly model flesh! Okay, I will talk about the clothes
now I promise!
 
The Shan show was
like a Farrah Fawcett calendar exploding to life. Strong 1970’s
vibe going on. Loved the hair and makeup, it really worked to pull it
all together. The women’s swim suits, again very 70’s Bond
bikinis and maillots, also would not have been out of place at a girly
slumber party with the tiny touches of ruffles and the soft, feminine
palette of color in light coral, buff mellow yellow, chocolate, and moss
green. Another highlight was the use of psychedelic paint splatters on
beach cover-ups, and the cute but sexy snakeskin motif with pink, mint
and baby blue trim.
Where this collection
got wet, and not in a good way, was with the floral prints which reminded
me of some wallpaper design I once saw in granny’s bathroom. And
the show also let me down at its end when someone [who was responsible
for this?!!] chucked all the models on the runway in dull black swim suits
accessorized with long, black, cheesy 80’s styled hooker boots.
I was speechless! Everything had been going swimmingly until then.
As for the music,
the show started with music that placed one in a tropical sort of setting;
crickets chirping, running water, perhaps birds... But this lasted throughout
the whole show and I was starting to wonder if I should be having a facial.
Part of me wasn’t even thinking about the show. I wanted a cup of
tea and a hand massage. As the show was sooooooo late starting, the music
just made it all seem so canned and honestly the audience looked just
dead.
Okay enough said about
that show. On to Day 2...
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