WCFW March/April 2012- Collection Highlights

After long last, I have finally had the time to sit down and write my collection highlight post! Hurray! Since I am doing a summary post-WCFW, I will only be doing highlights of collections that really stood out for me, otherwise this post would be HUGE (or split into multiple parts, and that would mean it would come even later after the event). I also will not be posting about days I did not attend.

Day 1

Stanley Carroll (womenswear)

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As expected, Carroll presented an incredibly strong collection. The S/S line featured bold colour-blocking paired with body-hugging styles, some lovely looser draped dresses in both colour and black, and an a-ling jacket in a silver and a large floral print. 

Bonus:

The winner of the emerging designer competition, Nicole Campre, is also among the ten semi-finalists presenting at the Edmonton portion of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Start-up!

Day 2

Isabella Milan

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I was enchanted by the gorgeous gowns, the detailing and construction was incredible! A few of them wafted down the runway. Wafted! Also, I love that she included a gown with cape, perfect for winter weddings.

Nazila Couture

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It's always a treat watching this designer's clothing come down the runway, the colours are always spot on, and the sequins and detailing are never overdone. It was nice to see a few spring dresses among the mix, opening up the market. 

Lisa Marie- Straight Laced

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A nice collection, would probably be well suited to high school graduates looking for a feminine dress for their banquet. Nice detailing and beautiful fabric choices, I only wish the collection had a stronger theme holding it together. 

DrailD

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Easily my favourite collection of the night, this collection was excellent. While many described it as being very "Lady Gaga-esque," it was clear that the designer had an excellent understanding of garment construction, and maintained a beautiful balance between architectural elements and gorgeous, simple designs. Standout pieces included his silver studded corset.

Day 3

Maggie Walt Designs

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The largest collection shown during the week, Maggie Walt presented a collection that provided an essential balance between presenting variety and continuity. Fabrics and colours were beautifully chosen, and nearly all of the pieces were very wearable. Also enjoyable was her method of presentation- a combination of runway and scenes, it was possible to see the collection all together AND see each piece individually.

Day 6

MaNoKin

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This collection was INCREDIBLE! Fabric choices were flawless, the silhouettes were impeccable, and the entire collection fit together perfectly. The browns and beiges chosen were mixed with fantastic textures and patterns- making the pieces neutral, but not plain and boring. The details in the garments were delightful, especially in some of the great shoulder accents, including some which were almost like feminine epaulettes.

Pout Clothing

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The designer did an excellent job of mixing their asian influences with other modern elements. As well the balance between the floral fabric with the other solids was lovely! The collection was striking, and many of the pieces would work for many women. A standout piece was the lovely red blazer with contrasting black lapels (rumour had it this piece might be reversible, although I am skeptical, since this would be difficult to achieve with the type of tailoring necessary for this type of garment.)

Dionne Dionne

photo is my own

A nice collection of pieces, but lacked cohesiveness, as it included t-shirt/pencil skirt combinations as well as formal gowns. Despite this, all of the pieces were beautifully constructed, and looked fabulous. The definite highlight was the beautiful hand-painted detailing on the finale gown!

Malorie Urbanovitch

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Always a local favourite, Edmonton has come to expect nothing but hte best from Urbanovitch. Not one to disappoint, she wowed the audience with her A/W collection, which consisted of rich earthy colours. Simple and chic, her minimalist designs were well cut and proportioned, including the large ruffles placed on the bottom of a few pieces.

Day 8

Stanley Carroll (menswear)

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Perfection. Easily my favourite collection of the entire week, Carroll's menswear was impeccable! Using a colour palette that was bright and fun, but still wearable, combined with delightfully different cuts and silhouettes, this collection pushed the boundaries of menswear, while still remaining wearable and appealing to a broad male audience. Favourites included bright tailored pieces, paisley pants, and the man-skirt!

Angeliquw Chmielewski

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Returning to Edmonton, this FIT-trained designer presented a very strong, androgynous collection. With incredible construction, beautiful leathers, and wearable designs, pieces from this collection could fit in almost anyone's wardrobe. Colours were, for the most part, muted, allowing the primary focus to stay on the fabulous cuts! (And with some of Edmonton's best modelling talent walking in the show, some say that this may have been one of the strongest runway shows ever to be presented in Edmonton!)

Emogene Couture

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Beautiful '50s inspired gowns. Lovely lovely lovely. I was most impressed by the PERFECT fit of each dress on the models, a difficult achievement for such tailored pieces. The construction on each piece was perfectly done, with beautiful darts and seaming. Fabric choices were all lovely, although they lacked cohesiveness in terms of the entire collection. These dresses would be divine for a grad or bridesmaid's gown.

Laura Dreger

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I loved the bright colour scheme she chose, and I love how it carried throughout. I felt the entire collection was cohesive, but still presented a variety of styles, and could appeal to a wide range of ages. While the show was very disco-era, I believe that in a different presentation, the clothing would have been equally beautiful, and would probably show itself to be very wearable, and not seem as era-fashion-y.