Nashmin This season at Vancouver Fashion Week we were thrilled to see so many talented BC based designers rubbing shoulders with incredible designers from across the world. Today we’re going to take a closer look at some of these local designers and their collections on the VFW runway.
LillzKillz
Lillea Goian from Vancouver kicked off the show on Friday with her brainchild ‘Profanity by LillzKillz’ – an explosion of colour and texture. Oversized checks in neon and black created an interesting collage with funky dice & 8 ball prints, acid PVC panels, and accents of snakeskin and candy-coloured fur. From the experimental garment construction (mismatched sleeves and oversized pockets) to the on-point accessories (chunky knee-high boots and dual-toned plastic chain-link), the look was cheeky, in-your-face and defiant.
Kirsten Ley
Beginning day 6 was Kirsten Ley with her bevy of beauties all attired in neutral black with shades of sand, caramel, and deep emerald green. Softly flowing silks, satins, crepes, and nets caressed curves while sharp, perfectly tailored structural leather bodices, jackets and pants added structure and clean lines. Fabric manipulation, surface and texture exploration were evident in the handcrafted details like ruching, feather panels, multi-layered collars and 3D tissue applique. All in all, a feast for the strong woman not afraid to embrace her feminine side.
Evan Clayton
Vancouver fashion veteran Evan Clayton, showcased his recognisable futuristic dynamic on display with denim frock coats, crisply ironed skirt pleats, metal zippers, and contrast piping. Adding an element of roleplaying were demure shirt-skirt combinations that screamed ‘Schoolgirl meets Star Trek’. Breaking character mid-way, romantic, gossamer-thin nude concoctions in tulle and crystal-embellished lycra stood out amongst the edgy greys, blacks, and navy blue almost-uniforms. A chap style bellbottom denim jumpsuit and a head-to-toe denim jacket-skirt-jeans hybrid captured the versatility of this inspired collection.
Alex S Yu
Blurring the lines between edgy, preppy and luxe with a dose of fantasy injected for good measure, Alex S. Yu closed the evening. While the label has been constantly reinventing streetwear as we know it since 2014, this collection had us spoiled for choice with textures from velour skirts to quilted V neck tops to houndstooth shorts, silhouettes from babydoll to preppy lace sweaters, layering patterns of stripes, to plaid and raw silk in a palette of rich parrot green, turquoise, true red, purple, rust, with shiny onyx, silver and soft white neutrals. The inventive layering of utterly-wearable separates was truly inspiring and each look was as much a testament to unique design as impeccable styling.
THIS IS JAMES
‘This is James’ flagged off the last day of Vancouver Fashion Week. The collection pretty much represented everything we would imagine the brooding, artistic, perfectly groomed, bachelor-next-door’s closet to contain and more. A classic black trench reinvented, the eternal combination of chocolate with gold, pinstripe fitted trousers and a chic teal blue shorts suit were the highlights of this jaunt down the intellectual’s fashion high street. The quirky details were not lost on us – the puffed cuffs, epaulet-reminiscent shoulder studs, blooming spring floral inserts and cool pinstripe piping. An irresistible air of old-school classics reinvented for the modern thinker.
Not Dead Yet
Ending the BC brigade strong, Not Dead Yet (NDY), a unisex edgy brand by Vancouver designer Adam-Lin Bungag showcased a potent style statement via a collection titled ‘Shame’. Expressing the discomfort inherent in the process of self-discovery, models stormed the stage in PVC confections, tough slogans across collars and chests, and hard expressions. Silhouettes were edgy, deconstructed and exaggerated with rips and cuts and blurred the lines between masculinity and feminism. NDY added to their staple Goth black with a few brights like tomato red and taxi-cab yellow. Talk about making a statement!
