A bright spring in Vancouver

Day 1

Joseph Ribkoff
Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan opened the show with the first VFW offering, Joseph Ribkoff. The mood was set with a slew of playfully bright asymmetric cut tops offset by structured and mature white trouser-pants. Utilitarian features like the zip were left intentionally exposed on top of tailored jackets and coats. The wrap-around dress, introduced by Diane Von Furstenberg during the early ’70s, was readapted into a series of wrap-around tops with dark prints reminiscent of those found during the grunge heydays. Delicate flute-work around sleeve openings in flamboyant colours reinforced the playful nature of the collection.

Kings & Paupers
Kings and Paupers has aligned itself within the premium denim business and takes pride in maintaining traditional Japanese methods to develop modern, high-quality denim wear. During this showcase, they have included jeans in various shades of indigo with detailed pocket stitching in a contrasting mahogany orange thread. Cuts are low and straight.

Mermaid Moon
A kaleidoscope of colours and prints were present within the collection of Mermaid Moon’s latest offerings, making the direction of the collection difficult to pinpoint. Aqua, orange, teal, brown, green, grey, pink and mustard were a few tones of the chromal spectrum present. Silhouettes were simple and odd, including hoods attached to dresses and a skirt-pant hybrid reminiscent of ancient Chinese silk trousers.

Musa Shah
Musa Shah commenced the men’s portion of the evening with an exotic fusion of east and west Asian origins. Traditional Indian men’s shirts were reworked with a modern take that was both loose and structured. Heavy linens and raw silks were made into side to front closed trousers, with tonal contrast playing heavily with the deep colours present. Luxurious wools and gentle ruching were stand-out forms.

Papillon
Papillon focuses strongly on producing well constructed and modern dresses appropriate for social occasions and this VFW line-up was not a disappointment. Prints were the object du jour with an assortment of both muted greys and colourful exuberant patterns. The range included lengths that were both floor-length and shorter.

Valerio Moda
Valerio Moda impressed the crowd with his excellent attention to craftsmanship and detail that went into each of his men’s leather jackets. Classic, sleek and tailored styles were combined with sportswear. Bow ties, colourful candy coloured shirts, bold silk scarves, fedora hats and suede loafers accessorized the collection.

Brittany Wacher
A confusing assortment of materials was paraded within Brittney Wacher’s collection (right) but, despite this discordance, the pieces worked in an oddly produced symphonic harmony. Delicate laces, linens, mesh and PVC were materials of note that reinvigorated the crowd for Day 2’s collections, prompted by her atypical designs. Coats and lingerie constructed of clear PVC alongside the opaque nature of lace and high slashed hemlines highlighted and sensualized certain aspects of the female form.

Byron Abad
Byron Abad presented a slew of simple silhouettes with detailed accents, clearly demonstrating the skill set of this students-only term at LaSalle College International. Red, white and gold stripes were intertwined into a mesh and plastered across various parts of the body, with silk cottons draped haphazardly on to the forms.

Parade
Henry Parade’s collection was a merger of fast fashion and loungewear, with pieces easily translating to the landscapes of the gym or the seaside. The mood was captured in each model’s yoga-esque pose towards the runway’s end. There were natural motifs present with earth tones and gentle drape-work, accented alongside laser cut-outs, hard edges, fringing and studded decals.

Janine Desjardins
The colour scheme of Desjardins’ work consisted of dark hues combined with off-whites, complemented by a generous offering of exuberant colours. The silhouettes were simple and reminiscent of English designers’ sensibilities with a concentration of resolve in the areas of quality finishes and luxurious fabric choices. Waists were styled high and produced in an assortment of bright chequered cottons and wools. Light drape-work, a full corseted dress and tailored jackets round up the remainder of her mix.

Kam & Lee
A collection of helium balloons suspending sheer cotton served as an additional set-piece to the male and female showcasing of Kam & Lee, reinforcing wonderfully the urban and experimental æsthetic of their collection. Shredded white denim shorts were paired with panelled lace on top of chainmail trouser decals. Bulbous silhouettes formed with heavy linen were layered and emphasized the hips, neck and chest areas. Capelets for both men and women were included with chain fastenings. The colour palette was of muted grey and its derivatives with tasteful accents of hot pink throughout making this collection one of the most resolved collections of the evening.

Laurie Jacouty
This collection by Laurie Jacouty was very sophisticated, with tones of muted beige upholding the foundation of this collection’s colour palette. Navy blue was sporadically inserted into this mix, leaving a distinction of contrast that was not left unnoticed. Patterned panelling, clearly sought out for its clear mimickry to lace-work, was applied alongside lace itself, with beautifully silk draped vests alongside equally wonderfully hung trousers. Panelled asymmetric cropped jackets constructed with silk chiffon sleeves were a highlight.

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Kings & Paupers; Mermaid Moon


Musa Shah; Papillon


Valerio Moda; Byron Abad


Parade; Janine Desjardins


Kam & Lee

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Eeli Y is a writer for Lucire. Vicki Matias is a senior writer for Lucire.