MFW Day 1 - Things aren’t looking good

Day 1 of Montreal Fashion Week is over.

I am exhausted. I was stuck at the same venue for nearly 11hours. I came home with two goodie bags, one containing a pair of crocs (no, not the ugly crocs thankfully), Eye Candy The Volumes magazine, chips and pamphlets. I missed out on getting an M0851 goodie bag which had small leather items like keychains and a wallet.

I made a couple of new friends, 2 buyers from Massachussetts and another girl from a local independent publication called “La Belle Epoque”. Talking to them certainly helped passed the time, although I wish I had met them earlier during the 3 hour break inbetween the first show and the cocktail hour. I read my book for a solid 2hrs perched on a stool downstairs at the snack bar. Paid $12.50 for a ham sandwich, pasta salad and small chocolate cake.

Befriending these new people was fascinating and exciting. I got to ask questions I’ve always wanted to ask to buyers and the journalist knew all the dirt on the inner workings of what the Chabanel industry is like. Chabanel is the garment district in northern Montreal where buyers can buy directly from the showrooms and don’t have to assist all the fashion show shenanigans in the Old Port. I’ll talk about that tomorrow.

Enough of my social antics. I can’t reveal much about the shows, but I’d have to say for today, Muse by Christian Chenail was the best show. This shocks even myself since I really didn’t care for his last 2 collections at all, but this season he really pushed the envelope and I was amazed that he could produce such a great collection.

The worst show was Envers by Yves Jean Lacasse.

Ok.

What is up with this guy? People are clamoring to see his shows, but his collections are terrible!! He’s like a bad Jean-Paul Gaultier wannabe, at least Gaultier still knows how to make clothes. I think the only notable talent Mr. Lacasse has is creating these nice tailored jackets in embroidered fabric for men. But he does that for EVERY collection. Ugh. Enough. I’m never going to his shows again. I’m not the only one to think so, the expression on people’s faces were priceless. One guy was just squinting his eyes, his jaw dropped open as the male models passed by, trying to figure out what in the world was going on.

Marie Saint Pierre? At first I was impressed with her, but not anymore. It’s always the same thing, you can see it on people’s faces, they start yawning, they get bored. And does she even try to venture out onto different fabrics? I don’t think so.

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