Canada's Hottest New Label

The Toronto Fashion Incubator and Elle Canada hosted the annual New Labels Competition Thursday night, kicking off the Elle Show - a three day trade beauty and fashion trade show for consumers.

The evening began with the customary Vin De Pays D'oc wine reception which kept all non-VIP guests busy as the show started one hour late! Fortunately we kept busy chatting with Project Runway Canada winner Evan Biddell, who is unfortunately not adjusting well to life in T.O. (he may leave for London at any moment!) We watched as both fashionable ladies and men sauntered around in bright yellow and purple outfits and shoes. And noticed all the fabulous contemporary hair cuts on women in their 40s (everyone should follow suit!)

Over the past few months, judges Nathalie Atkinson, National Post; Kathy Cheng, marketing Wing Son Garments; David Dixon, fashion designer; Mary Jo Looby, retail consultant; and Rita Silvan, editor Elle Canada have been determining how innovative, well-made, marketable and appealing each of the four contenders clothing lines are.

After actually planning and making the clothes for the show, designers have been busy casting models, doing fittings and making adjustments and working with stylists who really help make the entire collection look fresh and coherent on the runway. As well, each designer filmed a brief video blog/documentary that were shown before each collection was presented which provided much insight into inspirations and processes.

The Finals



Architecture + Fashion
Lara Presber's architecturally pleasant skirts and dresses were favoured by many (even judge Nathalie Atkinson was seen nodding in approval during the show) but didn't take home the prize. Inspired by an art deco painting, Presber conjured up sharp pleats counter-balanced with gentle hues like flat gold and gunmetal grey. Styled by Costa Pavlu of Judy Inc.

The Winner
Cocktail wear viewed through the kaleidescope of the past or something or other...in her video, winner Eugenia Levitt describes her line as 'fun' (for playing bridge perhaps). 'Sweet' is more suitable a word for this collection of silky dresses and skirts in navy, ivory and purple dotted with hand-made rosettes. So many rosettes in fact that Rolyn Chambers dubbed the line as the 'Where's Waldo of Rosettes?' Next on shoulders, next on hems, on bums, in hair... Marketable, well-made... Styled by Juliana Schavianatto, Plutino Group.


Hipster High Five
Among competitors all showing elegant and feminine clothing, it seemed the talented Adrienne Butifoker barely stood a chance - even with silky skirts and an amazing horizontal layered LBD. That's not to say we didn't love the wearable paper bag waisted pants, sack skirts, 70s look blouses all in black, navy and burnt orange. Probably my fave - So very Queen Street. Or Nylon Magazine. Styled by Alissa Krost, the Artist Group.

miss black
All black - the entire collection (her debut spring collection was all white). Making Ashley Rowe to Izzy Camilleri what Mui Mui is to Prada. A gigantic loopy wooly coat, leather tunic, heart-shaped bustier dress - all paired with skinny leggings. A consistent collection seemingly based on geometric shapes we all know: rectangle, triangle, square silhouettes - so nothing particularly new. With enough business sense (or money) to acquire a PR firm, miss rowe wins most likely to succeed. Stylist George Antonopoulos, Artist Group.

All photos by Christinal Pal, TSF.com principal photographer

Linda Lundstrom DXA Award

Toward the end of the month, the Design Exchange celebrated the DXA awards. Winners were from across Canada and across all design disciplines. A special recognition was given to Linda Lundstrom for her commitment to the triple bottom line of design – social, environmental and economic sustainability. Not only does Linda manufacture locally in a 40,000 SF state of the art facility, she is a proponent of the lean manufacturing process, reuses off-cuts to create new products and uses non-polluting fabrics. She also donates overages to women’s shelters.

Lundstrom supports the First Nations community through donations and the use of native trappers. In 1988, Linda Lundström established the KIISHIK fund. KIISHIK in Ojibway means "light", and carries out initiatives to shed light on and create awareness of Native culture and heritage in the classrooms and the community of the Red Lake, Ontario district.

Lancome Color Design Awards

Lancome is a huge supporter of Canadian fashion talent and continues to support Ryerson students through the Lancome Colour Designs Scholarship established in 2005.
Read article and see photos here.

Winners: Make-up = Evgeny Loukianenkov (Toronto)

Fashion Innovation award = Ae-Jee Lee for her fantastically fun bubble mini dress (middle)
Fashion Colour & Texture = Stephanie Mahseredjian for her gorgeous gold evening dress.

Desperately Different wins TFI New Labels Competition

On Wednesday, March 22 Sonja A. and I strolled through Yorkville to Hazelton Lanes for the anticipated Elle Canada/Toronto Fashion Incubator New Labels Competition.

New Labels' winners usually experience a great deal of media attention and new found fame; never mind the great prizes that includes cash, an Elle magazine photo spread and a rack at the exclusive TNT Blu!

Katya Revenko of Desperately Different managed to take the cake; not an easy task I must add as the other three semi-finalists presented absolutely polished collections.

For photos and a complete write up about the event, click here.

Cincyn Fall 2005

Cincyn is Toronto's most talked about label lately - especially after coming in first place at the tfi/Elle Magazine New Labels 2005 design competition last Spring. The winning Fall 2005 collection was inspired by the victorian/edwardian silhouette of Sherlock Holmes and his would-be lovers.

Looking beyond the incredible over-excessive use of fur, the collection features knickers and high-waisted trousers, animal prints and tweeds, and lustrous gowns in chiffon and charmeuse.

At the show, super cool styling helped gain well-deserved attention, I'm sure, as window pane knickers were teemed with custom "CinCyn" brass belts, and all accessories from belts to shoes to walking sticks were perfectly in place.

Beckerman winners at Gen Art Fashion Competition

Toronto label Beckerman joined 34 other design finalists in the prestigious Gen Art fashion competition and was featured in the New York Times:

Front Row Sisters, Sisters, By ERIC WILSON, May 19, 2005
THEIR collections are as aesthetically antithetical as those of Calvin Klein and Bob Mackie, but Rodarte and Beckerman were the most talked about new lines in Tuesday's design competition organized by Gen Art, the nonprofit arts group that showcases young designers. They also share a common thread in that both lines originated in the childhood dreams of sisters.
Read the full article at the New York Times...

Beckerman was also featured in Fashion Magazine, May 2005.