Montreal Fashion Week SS2010 - Day 1
It’s been a grueling 5 hour trip around Marche Bonsecours. Day 1 is finally over and I just want to thank my lucky stars I’m still standing. I apologize for the lack of blogging through the entire day, apparently Marche Bonsecours isn’t particularly equipped to handle bloggers despite my best efforts in finding a good network signal. So for the rest of the week, I can only give a summary of what I’ve seen at Montreal Fashion Week. I will invest in an iPhone in the immediate future, mark my words.
I wish I had better things to say about Montreal Fashion Week, only because I keep hoping that something good will be in store every time I go there. But I am always left disappointed, bored, and unimpressed. It’s true, I’ll be blunt. It takes a lot of guts to put on a show, hire models, rent the space and produce a collection supposedly worthy of a buyer’s time and media’s coverage. But, so many of these designers have shown subpar collections, year after year. Clearly they don’t influence current trends at all, and honestly I have barely noticed any of the local big buyers at Ogilvy or Holt Renfrew stocking these long-time fashion designers on their racks, except save Marie Saint Pierre (who is not showing this season, for unknown reasons). Yet are generously covered in the media year after year, with no sense of criticism whatsover. Other designers are supported locally with their own money racked up by sales from their boutiques across the city, and a few across the country. I’m not seeing the cream of the crop here, people. Where are they?
I think the biggest letdown was the show of the Createurs Francais, a showcase of Who’s Next coming all the way from France. I have high respect for the French, after all, haute couture and fashion today would not be possible were it not from French innovation into fashion. But I was sorely disappointed to what was on the runway. Creativity was there but was put down by poor choice of fabrics, prints that made me think of bed sheets and curtains, and missing refinement. Only one of the creators stood out, David Kurtis, with silky dresses and shining beaded straps, and a superb winged cape made of shiny vinyl-like feathers.
I was further puzzled by other fashion viewers who exclaimed “Wow, c’etait bon!” And I was wondering if they had the intention of actually buying the clothes, or did they just say those things because they were at a fashion show?
That said, one designer has consistently shown great collections for the mass consumers, with interest cuts and a couple of new fabrics here and there. That honor goes to Andy The-Anh, who had a press cocktail show instead of runway (economic recession? He’s also only restricting himself to the showroom at LG Fashion Week in Toronto). Season after season, his body-conscious designs and glamorous satins always flatter women’s body (well, ok, the models’ in this case). I don’t have much critique of his show except that first 5 models of his short collection stood on a rotating podium for 10 mins, and that was a little too long for the media to stand. The caribbean blue colors were a deja vu of his 2008 fall collection, I think he could’ve picked something better, a color that we wouldn’t expect, like apple green.
Thus concludes my take on Day 1 at MFW. I apologize for the lack of photos, I’m on the verge of being rendered unconscious from sinus/flu medication, and besides, it’s tough to take pics of models on a runway with 10 heads blocking your view. Stay tuned for more on Twitter for Day 2 tomorrow!
What is Montreal’s Sustainability Factor?
If you haven’t noticed already, the Montreal Fashion Week website has been update and spruced up for it’s Spring Summer 2010 edition. Miraculously, I’ve been given media accreditation as a fashion blogger so I’ll be attending some of the shows.
The Spring edition contains the usual suspects - Marie Saint Pierre, Denis Gagnon, Christian Chenail, etc - and a handful of newcomers to the show: Claude Bouchard, Dimitri Chris, Micalla, and Annie 50.
The highly successful Le Showroom, a sort of trunk show, will be showcasing other local designers’ collections since many are not choosing to run on the catwalk. Curiously, the CIMM is MIA in this edition, where usually the more commercial designers like Simon Chang would showcase the more wearable collections to the public. I would’ve thought they had finally made some sort of business connection with MFW, but I guess that has dissolved?
One has to wonder though how the recession has affected local Canadian fashion industries. More and more companies are outsourcing their workload to Asia, with a very select few companies who still produce in Canada (to my knowledge Tristan and Le Chateau are still hanging in there). The sole and only press conference that could possibly address this issue will be on Tuesday, Oct 15th, the inaugural opening day of Montreal Fashion Week SS10, but I’m afraid it’s nothing more talking fluff to reassure designers.
I do certainly believe that a fashion conference in Montreal is severely lacking in addressing these important business issues. And perhaps it would be to the local designers’ benefit if the industry would stop trying to brush it off by replacing it with more talks about pushing creativity, which frankly is not necessary. Think of all the past talents that have appeared and disappeared under the radar: Yso, Renata Morales, Rush Couture, Nadya Toto, Marisa Minicucci, Philippe Dubuc, and for a time Denis Gagnon. Top tier talents like Dubuc and Minicucci are struggling to keep afloat, or in Minicucci’s case, have to rethink their business strategy altogether. Montreal also has to contend with Toronto, which often has some of our best talents migrating to show such as Rudsak, Andy, Aqua di Lara, Travis Taddeo, and Morales, and our cream of the crops are showcasing in Paris or New York, like Rad Hourani and Mackage. It seems that Montreal is too small for designers who are aiming higher.
If Montreal is supposed to be so axed on promoting local talent and encouraging to buy local, they will certainly need to rethink their strategies to influence shoppers. Because the fast fashion giants down on Ste-Catherine are eating up the local industry’s sales with cheap “chic” like Forever 21, H&M, and Zara. While the talents of the likes of CIMM is totally capable of wowing us with commercial and sometimes innovative garments, yet they are nowhere to be found this season.
Like I’ve said before, Montreal has great potential as a fashion hub, but lacks the direction and support it needs to establish itself as true player among fashion capitals.
Image credits: Jimmy Hamelin, Montreal Fashion Week
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.
More juicy gossip.
March Fashion Show Madness
Like many of you, I get excited about fashion shows, they’re exciting, glamorous, and way too brief. For the 20-somethings out there who don’t mind hanging out in loud clubs and douse themselves in martinis late at night, here’s the bulk of the fashion shows being held this month.
Be forewarned that fashion shows have a tendency to start late. Show up early at your own risk!
Karv Fashion Show @ Club 1234
March 7th, 2008 at 10PM
Tickets are available (10$) price at the door will be (15$).
For Tickets & Table Reservations Call : 707-3333
Cause: Promotional
Click here for the Facebook Event
CASA Cares Fashion Show @ Olympia Theatre
March 13th, 2008 at 8:30PM
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at 1500 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Room GM 218-4.
Cause: Donation to the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
Designers: Dom Rebel, Aqua di Lara, Bodybag by Judith Desjardins, Dinh Bà and more.
Ethni-cité fashion-show & Party @ Time Supper Club
March 13th, 2008 at 11:30PM
Pre-sale tickets are $15. Price at the door will be $20.
Cause: Promotion of cultural diversity among local and international students
Click here for the Facebook Event
The Official “WALK” Fashion Show @ House Nightclub
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:30PM
Tickets are $40. Groups of 10 or more get a $10 discount per person.
Contact Megan Clark: thats.crazy.babyyy@hotmail.com
Tel: (514) 525-8567
Cause: Donations for the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
Click here for the Facebook Event
Armure Urbaine @ Marche Bonsecours for Montreal Fashion Week
March 27th, 2008 at 9:30PM
Tickets are $30. Can be purchased at Admission.com.
Cause: Donations for YWCA.
Designers: Body Bag by Jude, Dinh Bà, Denis Gagnon, Envers by Yves Jean-Lacasse, Helmer, Collection Iris, Marie Saint Pierre, Muse by Christian Chenail, M Siamo, Mylene B.
Path of Destruction Fashion Show - Location TBD
April 5th, 2008 - Time TBD
Tickets are $25. Price at the door will be $30.
Cause: Promotional, free stuff
Click here for the Facebook Event
OR you can just join the Montreal Fashion Group on Facebook and make your life easier.
And as a final announcement, which isn’t fashion show related, I found out that Marie Saint Pierre will be opening a new boutique at the Rockland Centre soon.
What It’s Like To Go To Fashion Week
This doesn’t actually happen here during Montreal Fashion Week.
People are always curious to know what it feels like to attend fashion shows during Fashion Week. As many of you know, Fashion Week is reserved for designers, buyers, VIP clients like the rich and famous, and of course the media blitz of cameras, editors, reporters and journalists. It’s a huge media event and every one wants in on the action of the glitz and glamour.
A long time dream of mine was to attend such a coveted event, and it has come true just last fall. I will share with you a brief scoop of my first experience at Montreal Fashion Week last fall as a writer for Gloss. This will probably dispel a lot of misconceptions of what Fashion Week really is.
Media Coverage
Working for a magazine, newspaper or television requires media accreditation, which means getting a media pass to attend Fashion Week. There are forms to fill out and background checks are done to make sure that the people applying to be media are legitimate. Because most collections are not ready for public distribution and they want to reduce the risk of knock offs taking place before they’re able to deliver the goods. This is why Fashion Weeks are held 6 months prior to the actual season to give time for manufacturers to produce the collections for retail, as well as giving magazines time to spruce up their Fall or Spring issues.
Once you get your pass, you’re bombarded with folders containing press releases from each designer, inauguration meetings, cocktail hours, and a lot of schmoozing. Fashion Week isn’t held in one single venue specifically, there were many off site events going on during the week, some held their own fashion shows in their private boutiques, and there were a lot of after parties in the hippest clubs.
