fourONEsixSTYLE

Taking a page from NYC’s Fashion Week, celebrated in midtown’s Bryant Park, Toronto’s week of runway shows is also back in a prime pedestrian intersection, Nathan Philips Square. I’ve been around for the Liberty Grand shows and Muzik too but this venue excites me a bit more. Likely it’s because the best fashion I see in Toronto is on the streets, where style is most exposed. It’s also where, rubbing shoulders with strangers all day long, fashion plays the biggest part in your identity, you can play it up or play it down, be anyone you feel, swathed in the sweet cloak of anonymity.

L’Oreal Fashion Week begins its showing of fall collections for 2008 on March 17th.

Among the other exhibitors at this weekend’s Interior Design Show is a smart Toronto upstart called Bookhou Designs. The two partners, Arounna Khounnoraj who focuses on textile and sculpture and John Booth who designs furniture, marry their talent to create beautiful handmade products for your home that seem so obviously Canadian in their adorable and unassuming way.

Pillows and playthings are adorned with owls, chickadees or meadow sprigs, while lamps and benches’ curvaceous lines appear playfully constructed. I’d seen their pieces about town in places like The Paper Place (887 Queen West) and Red Pegasus (628 College Street) but enjoyed browsing their site for a better look at what they do. I’d love to see Bookhou’s textile line grow to include bedding with the same bright prints they use for journals, as above. Stop by their booth at IDS07 to see what more is in store.

all eyes
Originally uploaded by 416style.

While all I can think about is a trip to Brazil next week and which summer clothes I can bust outta my closet, Fashion Week at Liberty Grand this week is all about Fall. I only had the opportunity to see Comrags, a poular Toronto brand, and while I found there were inspiring pieces throughout I felt I’d seen the theme before. My girlfriend called it… While I’d sum it up as orphan Welsh school boy style. Women, in just below knee length pleated skirts, were wearing what looked like their dad’s shoes. Nice jackets and soft boho shirts were worn with leather harnesses reminiscent of archaic school book holders, or leiderhosen or a shoulder holster for a firearm. Never figured out what that was about.
Best part of a Fashion Week event is always crowd watching, some socialites, some reporters, some buyers and a bunch of us wannabes everywhere. Toronto is still really conservative about its fashion and it shows in the crowd. Black everywhere, little decoration except a silly logo bag and no one who really dares try something new. There were quite a few people who looked pretty slick but no one in the crowd could bust something different, take it to another level and become what Fashion Week should be all about…inspiring others to try something new. Express yourself people.