BY GLORY OMOTAYO AND OLIVIA HOE
Ottawa’s Fashion Week Fall/Winter collection ran from Feb. 6 to Feb. 8 at the glamorous Hilton Lac-Leamy and sent fashion lovers’ hearts aflutter and inducing the rest of us into a serious state of stylistic envy.
The excitement in the air was clear, as stylish guests took to their seats while an eruption of chatter filled the room. Beverage in one hand and camera phone in the other, audience members braced themselves for a good show and boy, did they get one.
Up and coming designer Céline Brideau started the runway off with a collection that displayed a careful take on the grunge trend. Pairing heavy, woolen layers with structured silhouettes, Brideau explained that she was going for something dark, but feminine at the same time. She cited her vision for the collection as “a lady lost in the woods,” and her choice of dramatic red eye makeup and disheveled wet hair only added to this grungy feel.
Brideau wasn’t the only one who took the attention away from the clothes with hair and makeup. Models for the Sukhoo Sukhoo show upped the drama with silver mesh covering their faces, with high, oriental-styled buns. Metallic accents ruled this show, though it surprised with plenty of floral detail.
A number of showings also displayed female empowerment anthems. Set to the rhythm-fuelled radio hits by artists like Cher Lloyd, the Joseph Ribkoff collection got most of the front-rowers bopping to the beat and tapping their feet. Models emerged in pairs and sashayed in unison, wearing oversized shades with flashy gold-chained accessories that screamed for attention. The message rang loud and clear: the Joseph Ribkoff woman is sexy, confident, and independent.
Janie McLaughlin also stamped her runway with a seal of powerful, every day woman approval. Redefining the business suit with some 1960s vibes, McLaughlin’s label, Janie McL, saw everyday women with a variety of body shapes strutting down the runway in clothes which mixed classic retro orange and maroon shades, complete with poof buns and drawn-on moles.
What’s a fashion show without a game changer? Sporting urban edge with a dose of rock and roll, the KEN|YA collection by Godfrey Mensah radiated street cool with bomber jackets, plaid shirts, and leather staple pieces. Taking it to the next level, Mensah then joined forces with designers Tolu Ogundare and Ebenezer Osei Afriyie for the Beaucoup Fashion House collection of edgy camouflage prints, boxy silhouettes and chunky boots. “Our style is (of) a very European kind and we get a little bit of that and there’s a little bit of London swag in Toronto,” they explained of their brand’s influences.
One show that surely left its mark on the runway was Serendipity. Models perfectly channeled the haunting beauty of porcelain dolls as they seemed to glide down the runway with heavy blush and crimson lips. Mesmerizing all with its ethereal charm, the delightful mix of floral patterns, silk pink ribbons and sheer fabric in the line created the sensation of a magical garden party nobody wanted to leave.
With first-rate designers and a colorful array of themes and inspiration, Ottawa Fashion Week certainly did not disappoint. It’s one big celebration of fashion that Ottawa can be proud of.