Tuesday, March 25, 2014

FASHION EVENTS - TORONTO

By Lynda Castonguay


World MasterCard Fashion Week - Day 5

Stephan Caras Fall/Winter 2014 (Photo by George Pimentel / Getty Images)


NARCES - STEPHAN CARAS - MATTHEW GALLAGHER


NARCES

Being inspired by the union jack was not on purpose, but rather something her creative mind stumbled upon in a most inherent way. Her lineage does tie her to the designer to the Royal Family and this exposure, although it did somewhat shape her fate as a designer, if her life were without, would not change the matter of her fact - which is she is a designer through and through.

Narces designer Nikki Wirthensohn found a muse in British women and used their national flag and a mix of other hues to showcase a range of pleated a-line dresses, slender fitted gowns, and flirty slinky frocks. It was an all age appropriate collection, in my humble opinion.

First up, a red satin pleated a-line dress with some back exposed; a similar dress also in a union jack blue velvet. A black sheath was adorned with gold embroidery from shoulder to hem. There was a flouncy skirted dress in a light navy with black sequined banding. And what had to be my favourite was her loosely draped white dress with red floral sequined embroideries.

Nikki played with the necklines be it by lowering the back, giving a gown a cowl, stylizing the front or simply widening it with a boat neckline. These fine adjustments are what made it so regal. And who is more regal than the Brits.



NARCES Fall/Winter 2014-15

Photos by George Pimentel / Getty Images













Designer Nikki Wirthensohn (Photos by George Pimentel / Getty Images)


Stephan Caras

For his fall winter collection, Stephan Caras concentrated on three things he loves most: black, back, and fuchsia. And so he did... in a very literal way.

Backs were exposed, necklines were plunged and thighs were uncovered. A textured black fabric paraded down in a strapless fitted gown with a mermaid flare. Another gown had the same fit but in a chevron textured fuchsia fabric with a faux crop top upper bodice. 

From fully covered to baring a lot, Mr. Caras went this other way with short shorts with flared hems, a high waisted pair in the black webbed texture fabric coupled with cinched jackets with pointed peplums at the waist in double layer.

His middle point between the two were gowns with sheer cut outs - some giving just a peek, other cut outs baring the shapely contours of a woman’s waist and thigh.

But what’s an evening wear show without the ultimate ball gown - a black satin halter top with an exaggerated lower black half onto which a range of pink flowers methodically stitched.

Take me out to the ball gala!


Stephan Caras Fall/Winter 2014-15

Photos by George Pimentel / Getty Images












Designer Stephan Caras (Photos by George Pimentel / Getty Images)


Matthew Gallagher

After the show, the fashionite next to me said that if this were the only show she saw out of the entire week, she would be utterly satisfied. That is how great Matthew Gallagher expressed himself this season. 

Inspired by ancestry and the Edwardian and Victorian periods, Matthew spun these elements together into a collection of authority, of reminiscence, of a dream escape, of mystery and of history. 

To the tune of Lane 8’s remixed Nothing You Can Say, a squared mullet dress with full sleeves and a stand collar in soft white took over our first runway breaths followed by a a light beige satin pleated skirt with an interesting rounded seam and a matching sleeved top/jacket with dropped shoulder seams and a folded neck warmer. This same beige also expressed itself in a fitted dress with faux straps falling down the arms creating an opulent sweetheart neckline. Slits were thigh high and the fragility of a woman’s neck were disclosed with Victorian inspired style lines. Another definitive Victorian, but now modernly twisted, touch were the rectangular cut outs on the fronts of dresses with lace-ups.

Matthew really played with princess lines to get these spectacular fittings and the romantic flares and flounces. But in the same fitted breath, a billowing cape dress cascaded down the runway, so too did a burgundy pancho and camel shawl coat.

Hist deep shades of green and burgundy, rich creams and browns, and other such delicate hues came together perfectly and surfaced as a modern look back at periods far out of our each.

A fashionable history lesson.


Matthew Gallagher Fall/Winter 2014-15

Photos by George Pimentel / Getty Images









Designer Matthew Gallagher (Photos by George Pimentel / Getty Images)


More from World MasterCard Fashion Week:


No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...