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Jeremy Laing – Fall 2011

The moonscape print long jersey dress appeared to get the most cameras attention, well-fit and sexy. Another stunning and eye-catching piece was a silk tulle cowled column dress with a hand of glory on the chest. The suits in Mr Laing’s collection also showcased his architectural talents with his precise cuts. Overall it was a very nicely-constructed and sophisticated collection.

story by Kerry Kong
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

It is interesting to note that if you photograph into the light a person who is facing away from a bright window, the light that finds its way onto their skin looks more than a little bit like moonlight. Dualities exist in nature and legend and design, and it is in their contrast that we often find the most fascinating ideas. Toronto-based designer Jeremy Laing, known for a use of heavily geometric ideas in his work, recently found himself preoccupied with ideas about the winter equinox and the lunar eclipses, and from this he has produced a Fall 2011 collection that references binary notions of moon and sun. Much as Luna and Sol don’t appear together in the sky very often, when they do it is oddly stimulating and somewhat awe-inspiring, and it really works beautifully into what he has created. Continue reading “Jeremy Laing – Fall 2011”

Tim Hamilton – Fall 2011

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

Tim Hamilton is sort of rare item as a designer. Yes, he does both womenswear and menswear, but he does more men’s than women’s, which is fairly unusual. His aesthetic works equally well on both sexes, mostly because of his tailoring, which is loose, easy, and is very comfortable. As you can see from our photos, though, it is not unstructured or slouchy. This is not cheap clothing. What a Tim Hamilton design is that makes it unique and worth the money, is bold. Mr. Hamilton’s work always smacks of a defiance which makes it turn heads. This season his exceptional prints and splendid trousers carried the weight of that message flawlessly. There’s a subversiveness to his work that makes him really enjoyable to cover season after season. So the checklist: high quality fabrics… check, tremendous fit and finish…check, distinctive and rebellious… check. It’s official… Tim Hamilton is cool. Continue reading “Tim Hamilton – Fall 2011”

Jad Ghandour – Fall 2011

The femme fatale has a new designer.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry

Lebanon has a long tradition of fine fabrics and even finer designers. Georges Chakra, Reem Acra, Elle Saab, and now Mr. Saab’s protégé, Jad Ghandour. This show is his international launch. A first collection is an contradictory event. On the one hand, you’ve had a longer time to prepare than you will ever have again, so it’s usually the best work a designer can create. But what do you create? What is you at your best and will also get you that lovely initial retail attention which is so important out of the gate? Mr Ghandour made a strong and obvious choice in the little black dress. These dresses, though black, were difficult to describe as “little” and are more aptly described as D.B.D. (Dangerous Black Dress). When you name Joan Crawford as your inspiration, and succeed in nailing it, you set a tone so loud it’s unmistakable. The parade of black leather gloves, black wide sun hats, corsets, and stunning powerful dresses that opened the show put any doubt to bed. The femme fatale has a new designer. Continue reading “Jad Ghandour – Fall 2011”

Katie Ermilio – Fall 2011

Modern day elegance that is ladylike but girly is hard to master. When you are the granddaughter of Grace Kelly’s clothier, it might be a little bit easier.

story by Dana Varon
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

Modern day elegance that is ladylike but girly is hard to master. When you are the granddaughter of Grace Kelly’s clothier, it might be a little bit easier. Continue reading “Katie Ermilio – Fall 2011”

Jean Michel Cazabat – Fall 2011

Jean Michel Cazabat is in his shoes. Each of his designs are very strongly a direct representation of what he feels, how he thinks. When we spoke, he told me that his heart and his art is still very much in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. This shows in his shoes, but interestingly enough his work is not retro. It’s bold, sexy impressively sculpted, and balanced in its adornment and detailing, but it doesn’t immediately claim an obvious influence. Mr Cazabat’s shoes contain an erotic energy even in his more practical designs.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry

Victor de Souza – Fall 2011

Consummate perfectionist Victor de Souza was still sewing things onto garments as the girls got dressed backstage at his Fall 2011 show, but what came down the runway was finished and refined. His tailoring skill with wool and silks was more highly evident than in any previous collection.

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by Adrianna Favero

Consummate perfectionist Victor de Souza (one of modaCYCLE’s 10 Designers To Watch in 2011) was still sewing things onto garments as the girls got dressed backstage at his Fall 2011 show, but what came down the runway was finished and refined. His tailoring skill, particularly with wool and silks, was more highly evident than in any previous collection. Asked what he set out to accomplish between last season and this one, Sr. de Souza said, “well, I always wanted to do tailored, really well tailored clothes, and that’s what I added. We worked really hard at it. We have the perfect jacket, the perfect fit, the perfect everything, and I was all about that. And mixing things that I feel is really personal that I’ve been involved a lot with, the ruffles and the lily tails, and the couture elements.” Continue reading “Victor de Souza – Fall 2011”

Buckler – Fall 2011

The Buckler brand has moved away from denim and the change matures the cuts.

story by Colleen Vincent
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

Friday, February 12th, 2011 – 1:30PM – Grand St btwn. Mercer & Green

Andrew Buckler takes “Anonymous Art” to the streets. On a slush-covered cobblestone Soho block, Buckler Fall 2011 was an urban revelation. Inspired by urban art, an integral part of the city landscape, “Anonymous Art” uses clothing as canvas. The details are spare but striking, asymmetrical twin zippers elevate an old white crew neck sweater, a black cotton sport jacket transformed by a sleek leather bib, and a zipped neck grey wool cardigan increases practicality with handy thumb hole cutouts. Buckler creates an aesthetic which finds an alluring middle ground between fashionable and masculine. Continue reading “Buckler – Fall 2011”

Gary Graham – Fall 2011

Mr. Graham is a bit of a mad scientist who likes to alter and change the nature of his fabrics before he works with them. His clothes are unique on their own just because of this, but when you add in his love of mixing and matching his work becomes even more significant.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry

“Be mine sister salvation, juke joint jezebel’s comin for my cremation.” When industrial music powerhouse KMFDM wrote those lyrics almost two decades ago, they were referencing a particularly American female iconic woman, the backwoods siren. Poorer than poor and with mismatched homespun clothes, she nonetheless casts a bewitching spell on men and the American consciousness. Gary Graham’s Fall 2011 collection was made with this rockabilly razor in mind and this is a fairly typical muse for his work. Continue reading “Gary Graham – Fall 2011”

Siki Im – Fall 2011

Mr. Im’s Fall 2011 collection pulls a vibe to it where you can imagine places and people.

story by Dana Varon
photos by Stephen Bodi and Charles Beckwith

Siki Im is not afraid to take risks. He takes them with videos on his site that he calls “motion,” where he takes images, sound, movement, and atmosphere, and melds them together into a short piece of art. The clothing follows suit– Mr. Im’s Fall 2011 collection pulls a vibe to it where you can imagine places and people. This time and place drawing heavily on Native American culture and perhaps the folk that were not exactly in it but around it. Utilising a real dirt runway was a fit for this earthy collection that featured woven Indian blankets fastened as outerwear with large buttons, fitted worn in cardigans, a comfy large robe, and soft drapey pants that have strings and are cupped at the ankle. Continue reading “Siki Im – Fall 2011”

Vena Cava – Fall 2011

There was good movement, slick leathers, hot high-waisted midriffs, slinky sultry long dresses, and strong cuts in the shoulder area on many looks.

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by Adrianna Favero

The Fall 2011 Vena Cava collection by designers Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock was a fun show. They gave all the guests a copy of ‘Zina Cava, a pre-Internet style homemade fashion magazine. The designers met when they were 17 in California, and it was something they had in common early. There was nothing juvenile about the collection they showed on the runway though. There was good movement and a gliding appearance to the first look and then came slick leathers, hot high-waisted midriffs, slinky sultry long dresses, creative cutouts and criss-crosses, and very strong forms in the shoulder area on many looks. Many of their garments are tight on the torso and hips, the sort of dresses and pants that lend appropriate framing to a commendable posterior on a confident woman. There were subtle lines and patterns on a lot of looks, but they gave emphasis to the forms rather than overriding them, they were submissive to the cuts. Overall a very nice flow and some great outfits from Vena Cava this season. Continue reading “Vena Cava – Fall 2011”