Toronto Street Fashion
Off the catwalk, Toronto's fashionistas cleaned up in tiers, poufs, stilettos and plaids...

Fashion through the ages: Mendonca's '70s Gypsy's – Day 1

In Canada’s cultural and fashion center, Toronto’s Fashion Week is one of North America’s biggest fashion events. Thanks to title sponsor L’Oreal Paris and over 30 Canadian designers, the Fall/Winter 2005 bash was the most glamorous, professional and recognized yet!

In sync with international design trends, many of the FW ’05 collections included flashback fashions from the ‘60s and ‘70s all the way back to the turn of each century with Victorian necklines, empire waists and longer, fuller skirts.

Canadian favorite Arthur Mendonca’s ‘Global Gypsy’ collection was more of ‘70s resurgence as refined beauties sashayed down the runway in billowy peasant skirts, wrap blouses with sashes tied high around necks and waists and the most gorgeous teals, plums and satiny reds. (Tana D'amico (of Judy Inc.) and her team did a fabulous job of making the models look gorgeous with bouncy hair and impeccable make-up.)

Palm fronds and hippie-like patterned chiffon blouses and dresses added a little 'boho' to the show, while sexy and stylish pinstriped suits (love the lilac piping) teemed with satiny shirts and short jackets helped Mendonca to pull off one of the most polished, well-thought out looks off the week.

Other shows of the evening included top designer Paul Hardy and his decadent fairy tale collection based on the story, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'.

The showstopper, a dramatic outfit for the White Witch no less, is a long sheared pearl mink and white quilted silk coat, and at a mere $28,000 US is one of the most expensive pieces of the entire event.

On to Day 2: Beckerman, Denis Gagnon