Canadian department stores The Bay and Holt Renfrew have been playing catch up with social media in creating online buzz through Twitter and bloggers. As Canadian fashion bloggers, editors and reporters are all writing about their fashion junkets online, it’s clear that Toronto has been host to some pretty impressive events.

Toronto has thoroughly adopted a more American approach to fashion, following in the footsteps of New York in throwing glamorous parties and inviting top end designers (local and international) to their expansive shops. It is afterall the country’s main financial hub. While Montreal’s fashion scene feels more like an exclusive club where the few talented designers toil in their boutique ateliers, dreaming up their next collection.

When speaking of the last standing department stores in Canada, Holt Renfrew and The Bay have demonstrated a strong fighting spirit for survival in the heated competition for consumer dollars. The Bay had particularly undergone substantial transformation under the direction of Bonnie Brooks, the woman who crafted luxury retailer Lane Crawford as Hong Kong’s top selling department store. In just two short years since her appointment as The Bay’s CEO, she had gotten rid of hundreds of brands and pulled in fresh ones into the store’s tired inventory. Flagship store layouts were reworked, a new website, and lo and behold, a Twitter account soon followed. In the process, Toronto’s flagship store on Queen Street received the biggest makeover of all. Turning the former St. Regis Room into what is now called “The Room”, a swanky white expanse of modern design, where it now carries over 70 high end designer brands. They’ve also managed to invite the likes of Jason Wu, a known favorite of First Lady Michelle Obama, and Roland Mouret, a french designer famous for his origami folded Galaxy dress.

The “God Save The Queen” event happening today in Toronto involves a designer-studded event where Londoners Giles Deacon, Erdem, Nicholas Kirkwood and Jonathan Saunders will be making an appearance.

Likewise, luxury retailer Holt Renfrew’s flagship in Toronto on Bloor Street have been throwing their own glamorous events leaning towards the social media scene, hosting events celebrating fashion bloggers (such as The Sartorialist’s Scott Schuman, Anita from I Want I Got, Danielle Meder from Final Fashion), photographer Tommy Ton, and veteran designers such as Oscar de la Renta and John Varvatos.

Toronto has been aptly raising its profile as a major Canadian fashion hub destination over the last few years. This is very encouraging for Canadians in fashion, there’s obviously a lot of talent bubbling in all corners of the country.

That being said, I feel a little left out by The Bay and Holt Renfrew. When I heard news that The Room was constructed for The Bay, I got really excited thinking that Montreal’s flagship would get the same treatment. Not quite so. We received The White Space which carries lines from Rachel Roy and Adam Lippes, but still lacks Jason Wu and Roland Mouret (carried exclusively by Ursula B. at this point). Granted, the new digs at the Montreal Bay store are great improvements, but the ambiance is still lacking. The energy of the store still feels a bit mémère, it doesn’t quite excite the shopping pheromones per se. Holt Renfrew in Montreal is really a sad place for a shopper to be. The staff is rude, the space is simply insufficient with the amount of inventory they have, and the experience feels  superficial. Is it any wonder why this store holds so little events concerning fashion bloggers and designers?

Montreal’s vibe seems to be leaning more towards a meld of art and fashion more so than commercial and fashion. It’s still a mood I haven’t quite understood myself, but the strong indie influence over the Montreal fashion scene has been forming a sharper image as the seasons go by. Avant garde, conceptual work that perhaps may make the city into a London-like hub of fashion.

This quote from Jean Drapeau sums up my feelings perfectly:

“Let Toronto become Milan, Montreal will always be Rome.”

Image credit: Vincent Brunelle

Fall is just coming around the corner everyone, and you know what that means: fashion week madness for a month and a half. Of course as a small time blogger, one can only count to be so lucky to attend a local fashion week at all. Those who are full time fashion journalist get to do the merry-go-round the globe in four (sometimes five) different countries: New York, Milan, London, Paris and Tokyo.

On our Canadian end, we have Montreal, L’Oreal (Toronto), and Vancouver Fashion Weeks – no surprise here. The obvious difference between say NY Fashion Week and one of ours is the scale and size of the shows. NY has approximately over 70 designers last I counted, while as MFW had like – 12 designers to showcase. Also, I’ve noticed that the Canadian designers seem to showcase more so on functionality than full on glamour like the rest of the world. On one hand, this is good for buyers who own small boutiques and want to get past the flashing in fashion and get down to saleability. We’re also in an economically advantageous status as the US economy keeps going down the drain, American buyers are less likely to pick the more expensive European brands and might even give a break to local Canadian talent because – well, they’re cheaper, I’m afraid to say.

Tickets to Attend Fashion Week

This seems to be relatively new to the scene of L’Oreal and MFW for a couple of years. Both websites have posted possibilities to buy tickets to see fashion shows, unprecedented a few years ago as fashion week is usually a very restricted “media and professionals only” circle. My guess is that there are two reasons for it:

1. Because Canadian Fashion Weeks aren’t as popular, media and buyers don’t fill up the entire seating chart of many shows. This I can attest, when there are smaller, unknown brands showcasing, it’s sad to see these seats half filled. Selling tickets will fill those seats and will generate extra income in the process.
2. Fashion is a hot commodity thanks to magazines, reality shows, websites and blogs. The instantaneous 24/7 fashion wire can’t even compare to the “real deal” experience of a real fashion show. Going to one of these things is like going to see a concert of your favorite band, nothing compares to the real thing. Organizers know this, and they will play that card this year.

The big guns over at NY, London, Milan and Paris don’t need to sell tickets because people are just fighting to even have rights to get in in the first place. Everyone is just dying to see these shows, and bless the lucky souls who know others in the business to attend these prestigious fashion shows, they are something else all together.

This blogger is staying home this year

While the chances of bloggers attending fashion shows and events have risen over the last couple of years, fashion week is still a little out of our reach. But this may now slowly change with the likes of Inside The Tents making an initiative in helping bloggers get to these events. I’ve already attended 2 MFWs and quite frankly don’t think I’ll miss it much since I won’t be attending this year. It’s long hours, crowded, expensive (the food), and all too much brouhaha for a 20 minute show. I’ve only enjoyed 2-3 collections but there really isn’t much to say about them except describing their looks. That’s all what fashion week is about – describing a collection. 95% of the time it’s “fabulous” and a season’s “must-have”. We’re not really told why certain designers didn’t showcase this year or last year, most of the time it’s due to money constraints as they can’t afford to show at fashion week. Plus it’s a hassle to drag the numerous (useless) swag they give you, what am I to do with a plastic martini shaker and made-by-crocs shoes that don’t fit?

I suppose it’s another story if I were to go to the bigger venues since the usual suspects usually turn out more interesting pieces for show. I’d be happy to just attend one of each of the big shows just once in my life and I’d be happy enough.

I’ll be watching MFW from the comfort of my own home, in pajamas, lying on my couch with my laptop with pepsi and chips. Now that’s luxe.