Vancouver Fashion Week: Runway Reviews Part 2
April 5th, 2009 | Published in Event Report
Words by Maria. Above photos by Lumondo Photography
The second day of shows at Vancouver Fashion Week was reserved for eco-friendly and sustainable fashion with “Eco-Friendly Design” day and later turned into an Asian-inspired affair dubbed “A Night in Shanghai”. The night featured local boutiques with their newest Spring wares that market mostly to the Asian populace and also highlighted Shanghai designer Helen Lee. Helen Lee’s collection also made an appearance the next day during the “International/Contemporary/RTW” showcase. Look for her collection review in Part 3 of String Magazine’s VFW coverage.
Above photos by Yvonne Chew.
Hawks Ave
Hawks Ave. combined a street grit, rock n’ roll attitude with the TLC of natural fibres. The collection was fun, youthful, and a completely new take on the sustainability trend. Sure, the whole line was pretty much jersey fabrics, like many sustainable lines are, but the modern styling, detailing, graphics, and colours really took it to the next level. The vests, short at the back and long at the front, sported a bangin’ eagle graphic on the back that inspired thoughts of wild nights and motorcycle riding. Definitely an energy boost in the sustainable market, something that Vancouverites are sure to appreciate.
Above photos by Yvonne Chew.
flora&fauna
Inspired by earth’s creatures, Pauline Siu’s collection is like a love letter to Mother Nature. Jellyfish, starfish, and honeycombs adorn her designs, all with a hidden environmentalist message. Her creations are uncomplicated and practical, and for her debut collection Siu stuck to an subtle colour palette. Her designs’ essence really lay in the details like the asymmetrical hem of a blouse and the tucking in the sleeves of a dress. A very easy sell to the Vancouver girl with a major crush on Mother Nature.
Above photos by Yvonne Chew.
Global Ghetto Organics
This collection of organic garments was as simple as they get: models unzipped hoodies at the end of the runway to reveal mute coloured waffle tops–the most interesting pieces being the native art-inspired hoodies and a gold bison graphic top. This is with good reason; however, as Global Ghetto Organics is very much focused on producing organic basics that are both practical and of high quality–and their sustainable practices would make any many enviro-head around the globe swoon.
Above photos by Yvonne Chew.
Adele Wechsler
Adele Wechsler’s eco-couture bridal collection was definitely a favourite during this very environmental day at VFW. Her designs were whimsical and oozed of romanticism, something that is essential in any bridal collection. There was almost no glossy satin in sight, giving the collection an air of natural beauty. There were a couple of dresses with flower embellishments that flopped around a tad too much as the model walked, but the other details were superbly executed: from the sheer ribbons placed at intervals down the length of a gown, to the intricate pintuck stitching on the train of another. Adele Wechsler will definitely reap the rewards of her hard work, especially at a time when “Green Weddings” are such a hit.
