ULTRA F/W ‘09 Collection Debuts at Show Off
April 24th, 2009 | Published in Event Report
Words by Scott McKeown. All photos by Yvonne Chew.
No one likes a show off. This is untrue, however, when the people doing the flaunting possess unique talent and creativity. On April 17th the Yaletown Roundhouse Community Centre was the venue for Show Off, an event that showcased the talents of local artists, musicians, and designers. The night began with guests trickling in, picking up cocktails and then cruising through art neatly displayed around the room. After a longer than expected wait the night really kicked off with a performance by The Tito Deville Band. The band shook up the room with several of their tracks, which they describe as “electro rock.” Though the band radiated with energy whilst they played through their intense set list, the audience seemed less vibrant. In a runway environment it may have been better suited if models were to walk down the runway to the fierce beats of The Tito Deville Band.
After the band’s set list, several top local retailers showed collections currently available in stores. The list of presenters included Boys’Co., DIPT, Stussy, Paris Angel Fashions, F as in Frank, Good Foot and Mental Wealth. The range of garments was mainly focused on streetwear—nothing new or innovative, just what many people in Vancouver sport day to day. Boys’Co. alternatively focused on a range of intelligent designs and style, consequently presenting a well rounded showcase of the lines they carry. Many of Boys’Co.’s models were outfitted in some of the hottest jeans in the market right now. The denim labels included Nudie and the Canadian-based company Naked and Famous. After watching several runway presentations the audience took a break and turned their attention to local b-boy crew, Now or Never. The dance routine brought out rampant cheers and applause with dancers performing all sorts of tricks.
Again audiences took their seats after a well accepted and exhilarating live performance to focus their attention on the night’s long awaited ULTRA collection debut for Fall/Winter ‘09. Christopher Bates, ULTRA’s designer, is a home-grown designer with international training. Having previously worked in another industry, Bates had a desire for a career change and set his eyes out on fashion. With a dream in hand Bates packed up and headed to Milan were he would attend the prestigious Instituto Marangoni. There he learned what he now knows about fashion design and took back those skills along with a more European aesthetic to the Vancouver market.
The first look of his F/W ‘09 collection was an ensemble made up of a pair of grey jeans and a jacket that appeared to be strategically paint splattered. The day looks then moved through to jeans with all sorts of design elements ranging from blue denim with sheen, frayed hems, tailored fits, and denim that had panels in contrasting colors inserted into the inner thigh area. Bates also designed coats and jackets with cuts that appeared to be military inspired. His closing look for the day pieces consisted of a pale blue leather jacket that stood out from the generally monochromatic colour scheme of the collection thus far.
Day moved into night as Bates began presenting his design work for the night owl. Again, there was a military theme and interesting washes on the denim. Pairing destroyed or seemingly dirtied denim with well cut tops appeared to be a contrast Bates enjoyed. One outfit had a striking asymmetrical jacket paired with jeans that looked like they had been dirtied pre-show—it was an intriguing juxtaposition of ideas. Bates also created many put-together looks suitable for professional wear. The looks included a suit and a three piece tuxedo fit for any black tie event.
After watching the latest ULTRA collection on the runway it was clear that Bates has a strong European style and aesthetic. Though his collection was created with a real eye for design, sharp tailoring, and innovative ideas, it may find itself to be a hard sell with the average Vancouver man, who is not as fashion-forward as we’d like him to be. Having said that, Bates’ collection could very well be “the future of menswear”, as his collection’s motto so boldly states.
And as Bates took his last bow on the runway to finish off the show, it was evident that the crowd was satisfied with the night’s long list of talent. It is enjoyable to see that Vancouver is home to so many different creative individuals in different industries, and they can come together to present their work in a format that appreciates both art and entertainment. Hopefully with the success of the night, producers will be motivated to continue this event. It is conceivable that as time progresses, year by year the event will become stronger with experience. With that in mind hopefully this celebration of talent will grow into one where any artist can show off.
