This Week in High Fashion: LG Fashion Week...What Trends??

Toronto Fashion Week has been through many facelifts over the years that it's been running as NY Fashion Week's dirty little love child that no one talks about...first it was just plain old Toronto Fashion Week, then L'Oreal Fashion Week, and now, LG Fashion Week. Somehow the association of spotty and unreliable satellite connections goes hand in hand with the fashions that are coming out of Toronto this season.

Now, "Selling Out" is usually a term reserved for sports teams and rock bands, with no apologies made...and now the same thing is happening for fashion. At LG Fashion week, it's easy to see who's driving the creative boat...and as usual, it's the people with the most money. Or the biggest entourage, you be the judge.

Designers of note showing at this season's LG Fashion Week (aka the one's that I'll be bashing): Joe Fresh, Evan Biddel, Lucian Matis, Barbie by David Dixon, Bustle Clothing, Cocolilly, Attitude, Pink Tartan.

http://www.lgfashionweek.ca/Designers.aspx

Joe Fresh Style -- If you're not familiar with this label, obvoiusly you haven't been shopping in a small town before. Dominating the landscape of small towns and suburbs everywhere, Great Canadian Superstore has a fashion line. Yes...a fashion line. A fashion line that shows at Toronto's Fashion Week. Now if you're waiting for it all to get better, like I am...it doesn't. But LG Fashion Week is cool with it...then again, wouldn't everyone if they were getting paid a whackload of money? Sure you would be. Don't deny it...money talks. Especially in Toronto. There are furry earmuffs on this runway...I do NOT approve.


I'm sorry...are those earmuffs?


I know someone with a dogskin coat that would go PERFECTLY with that purse!!!

Evan Biddel -- How can you NOT love Evan Biddel, this author is proudly addicted. BUT...laying it all on the table...WTF is happening with this collection? Bag dresses, crazy eye bleach worthy prints, shiny material that looks like it belongs on a baked potato, and some structure that even McQueen would be like: "bitch...please". Now don't take this the wrong way...Biddel is fabulous...loved him since day one on Project Runway, and he cuts and sews everything by himself...but I think I can see where he got a little angsty about his work...or a little too stoned to go on.


I'm al for structure...but this is just stupid. Is it a raincoat? A child's play area? I'm confused. I also wonder how much glue gun time was put into this.


It's the pants that are freaking me out the most. OK that's a lie...everything is freaking me out at this point.

Lucian Matis -- Another Project Runway alumnai...and another longtime love. Matis' designs are generally flowing, beautiful, delicate garments for flowing, delicate, beautiful women. No problem. This collection however...is not. It's hard, it's strong, it's feminine, yes...but Matis' woman is definitely STRONGER this season than in the past. My issue...is the borrowing from other catwalks and hoping that no one notices. I see Lagerfeld inspired lines, Chanel suits in luxe fabrics, and baroque designs that look like McQueen's final collection. I'm ok with this...but I HATE recycled runway. *YAWN*

Compare to Chanel's Winter 10/11 collection...all that's missing is furry boots. And Lagerfeld.


Subtle hints of McQueen...it's not his fault.

Barbie by David Dixon -- Now, the name of this line makes my gag reflex pinch a little, but that's another story for another day involving childhood issues and a revulsion for pink and everything Barbie stands for. "Barbie", is touted as a ready to wear collection for "real women". Which is a little hilarious to me, but then again, I'm seeing a LOT of knee socks and romper length dresses...do "real women" wear this stuff? How does one expect to be taken seriously in a raspberry pink dress with a chartreuse wrapped pea coat? Oh, and knee socks. *giggle* However, the mod-inspired 60's look of the collection is refreshing with the avalanche of 80's crap that's been falilng off the runways lately. That part of the 60's can come back...it's allowed. I permit it.

Chartreuse pea coat? CHECK! Age Inappropriate knee socks? CHECK! Barf bag? oh no...


Oh the knee socks...and an age inappropriate dress with too many bows...I'm having a "Clueless" flashback to 1994.

Bustle Clothing-- Designed by a couple of bitchy laywers from Toronto, I'm convinced that Bustle clothing gets to show at LG Fashion week because the creative director is a perma-judge on Project Runway Canada. Convinced. He has to look legit right? What better way than to buy your way onto the runway? There's a lot of back scratching going on behind the scenes here...which isn't surprising. Fashion is seedier than the brokerage industry sometimes. Bustle's collection this season is for men...and not just ANY man. NO...the man who is OK with wearing several layers of cashmere and velvet. Velvet blazers...fine...velvet SUIT?
Please, ladies, don't do this to the men you love. They won't thank you, and they'll wash it in the regular wash instead of drycleaning it. I promise.

EW. Seriously. Would you date this? I wouldn't.


Shiny waxed suit...not MY idea of hot...but then again, I haven't been wrong yet.


GAH.
Cocolilly --If Madonna's "Like a Virgin" suddenly started playing in the background right now, I wouldn't be scared. There are pasties on this runway. Lindsay Lohan's Ungaro collection had pasties and it was PANNED. Perhaps because Cocolilly has frilly lacy pasties it'll be different...but I doubt it. But really, what goes better with a pouffy prom dress than...you guessed it...PASTIES! Cocolilly collection can be summed up in 3 themes...lace, 80's cutouts, knee socks. *BARF*

I swear I've seen this on Demi Moore on a worst dressed list somewhere in the early 90's. I swear.


Lacy Pasties!!!! BLUE SHOES!!!!!

Attitude by SEARS-- Yes, that was capitalized for a reason. SEARS is showing at LG Fashion Week....HOW did this happen. You too can see models decked in ill fitting skirts and blouses of polyester blend material strut their way down the runway of a prominent fashion week. Ther isn't much more to say about this collection...there were a few shining monents of chockingly well fitted tweed-looking wool-blend suits that were actually flattering...aaaand that's about it. Oh...and some lace and knee socks.

EWWWW BAGGY VINYL GLOVES!!!


This is the only thing I like off of this runway, and it's so Sears it hurts me.

Pink Tartan -- "Pretty, Polished, and Elegant" In a trashbag. Trashbag looking material is making a comeback...Biddel, Pink Tartan, they're rocking it. I know I'll be lining up to get MY form fitted trashbag dress to wear to the clubs. Question...how does a skirt that looks like it was made out of a ratty bearskin rug get squished under the "Pretty, Polished and Elegant" tagline? Also...structure is wonderful...sometimes it can be fabulous...but when did jodhpurs with wired out hip enhancements come back to the runway? John Galliano can get away with this...Pink Tartan, not so much.

There are so many things wrong with this...so so many. I have to admit I'm not understanding the "lets turn women into cylanders" trend...not hot.


Oh, I'm SO glad they got the garbage bag material memo. SO GLAD (TM).

All in all, what can we take away from Toronto Fashion Week in this 2010 Collection Review? Knee socks? Let's not and leave it for the school age girls. There are many lessons to be learned from LG Fashion week...and not all of them are about Fashion, but that's what we'll stick to for now.


One day, I'll tell you all how I really feel.