Some people make clothes because of a drive to dress the world or to fill a niche, but the men behind Rag & Bone, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, just wanted to create functional well-made fashion for their friends.
Marcus Wainwright and David Neville dove into the fashion industry learning how to cut, sew and create patterns from people who had been creating clothing for years in garment factories. They had their sights set on creating jeans and denim clothing with their high standards of quality. Two years later Rag & Bone launched their first line.
Fast forward a few short years, Rag & Bone has expanded from a menswear line to a full fashion outlet including menswear, womenswear, children’s wear, footwear and accessories known for their modern take on fashion classics.
Rag & Bone has managed to become Oh So British and Oh so Cool all at the same time. This is why theirs is one of the hottest fashion lines RIGHT now!Put it this way, in eight years the Rag & Bone designers went from nothing to winning Menswear Designers of the Year at the CFDA Awards this year. This is huge in the industry!
And they show no signs of slowing down; their fall/winter 2010collection was widely acknowledged as their strongest so far. Separates with British and menswear influence created a modern look with a classic feel. Tweed, kilts, plaid shirts, shearling show the influence of 20th century British explorers and capture the IT British cool chic moment of Alexa Chung and company. See our picks from the Rag & Bone Fall/Winter 2010 collection:
Real Style Network was at the hottest fashion shows at Toronto Fashion Week getting a first look at the new fall/winter collections from Canada’s favourite designers. We wanted to bring you Canadian fashionistas more Canada Style from Toronto Fashion Week.
Rudsak
Known for their quality leather products, Canada’s Rudsak showed a variation of a number of coat styles on the runway for fall/winter 2010. This mainly black collection included not only leather jackets, but also some wool coats that gave the line some variety. The collection had an aviator theme, so the looks extended the military trend we have been seeing. Coat styles included peat coats, puffers, trenches, and bomber jackets. A number of the coats had fur trim and fur toques accompanied. The snood, which Real Style told you about last winter, was very popular on the Rudsak runway. The bags were almost all leather and included bigger style bags like duffels, cross body bags, hobos and messenger bags. Knee high leather boots were the shoe of choice for the Rudsak runway.
Barbie By David Dixon
Canadian fashion designer David Dixon showed two lines back to back at Toronto Fashion Week. The house was packed for his show. Even the aisles were filled with people sitting wherever they could. First up was the Barbie By David Dixon collection.
As expected, the Barbie fashion line was a sweet, light and feminine collection. It was also very wearable though. There were a multitude of shift and sheath dresses, many with nipped in waists. Pencil skirts with jackets were also popular in the Barbie line. With a little adjustment, this line would be perfect office attire. The colours were bright and feminine with pink, purple, and red being offset by black. Houndstooth and floral prints looked stunning in bright colour. The Bay by David Dixon line is available at The Bay for anyone looking at add some femininity and whimsy to their wardrobe.
David Dixon
After a short break, David Dixon showed his signature line to much excitement (although the hoots may have had more to do with the free beer than the gorgeous clothes). While the Barbie line was wearable on a daily basis, David Dixon’s signature line was made for the red carpet. This collection was dark and elegant. In mostly black, David Dixon showed us a collection of beautiful gowns and cocktail dresses with beautiful detail and texture. The woven leather pieces had an interesting effect that could even be seen from far off. His beaver and coyote fur shrugs and wraps were gorgeous. David Dixon really wowed us at the end of his show. A trio of outfits with smashed mirror applied to the front and sheer backs were stunning. The finale of hand cut organza and silk wool gowns had a beautiful feathered effect.
Real Style Network is following LG Fashion Week here in Toronto. Here is a review of some of the recent shows for Preloved and Lovas.
Monday night Preloved showed their flirty Fall/Winter 2010 collection on the runways of LG Fashion Week. Preloved take old clothes and recycle them to make new, fashionable clothing. Their fall collection had a librarian chic look to it. There were a multitude of patterns and plaids mixed and matched in their garments. The models were accessorized with funky cat’s eye shape glasses. Sheath and tunic style dresses and high-waisted pants, shorts and skirts dominated the show. The colour palette stuck to darker shades like black, brown and navy. Hot pink and white accent colours brightened things up. A black leather jacket and matching leather skirt wowed the crowd. The majority of the looks were knit and tweed giving the garments a cozy look. Thigh high knit leg warmers were worn with almost all of the shorts, skirts and capris. Watch full show here.
Lovas Wesley Badanjak showed a sophisticated fashion line on Tuesday night at Toronto Fashion Week. The Lovas fall/winter collection was made up of modern day looks that would be suitable for the office, flirty weekend wear and sparkling eveningwear. This was a clothing line that was suitable for the average woman’s daily life. Separates of well tailored pants, pencils skirts and pea coats would make a fine addition to any closet. Bright jewel tones of purple and pink were offset by grey and black jackets and pants. Beautiful watercolour prints on light chiffon dresses and shirts were cute and girly. As we have seen in a number of other collections fur was prevalent. Fur jackets and stoles in red and black looked warm on the runway. Other looks were accessorized with fur arm bands. Evening wear was mainly black and sequined with exposed zippers running down the back of dresses.
[Preloved images courtesy of Preloved and photographer George Pimentel]
This week at Toronto Fashion Week or as it also known LG Fashion Week, Evan Biddell did what many young designers aspire for. He wowed us. Lisa Tant, editor in chief of Flare Canada, was tweeting from the show. She said “All I can say is thank God for Evan Biddell tonight. Nice to see something fearless, provocative and really exciting – with a good p-o-v.”
Evan Biddell is of course the winner of Project Runway Canada and at this show he showed once again how he won! Real Style Network spoke to Evan right after the show. When asked about how he felt the show went he said “It was a challenge. I was thinking how was I going to make this work? Fashion can be really boring and mundane and I’m not really into that. I’d rather do something that is a little bit weird and out there.”
The show was definitely “out there”! This promising young fashion designer showed a line of unexpected and interesting shapes and patterns that had the crowd saying ooh-ing and ahh-ing each time a new piece hit the runway.
Evan Biddell’s fall/winter 2010 collection was inspired by battle armor and animal shells. The inspiration was obvious from the shell shapes forms in skirts, dresses and pants on the runway. Evan says he mimicked these shapes to mix things up.
The structured looks were made out of different fabrics such as cork and neoprene. Long pleather fringe draped down the front of the garments. Whereas many fashion designers this season chose simple neutral shades, Evan’s line ranged from tan animal prints (reptile and tiger) to bright graffiti prints. These are new fabrics for Evan Biddell to work with and not the easiest. The designer admitted this was a tough show for him.
Don’t worry though, Evan Biddell doesn’t expect Canada’s style to shift suddenly to the wild designs he put out on the runway. He just recently opened OZ Studio in Toronto and will be using his line as installation pieces in the store. Although a truly bold fashionista could pick one up from his store if you were brave enough to try one on.
“I have a gallery that I opened. There pieces are meant to be in a gallery. That’s kind of more this season. It’s a little less blazers and shirts. I don’t think it’s too costumey. At times I thought it was too costumey, but then I thought wait a minute, this could totally work.”
His bold move did work as fashion media were taking notice of this growing fashion designer.
As LG Fashion Week prepares for its biggest year ever in Toronto, lots of events are already happening around the city. Some fashion designers and brands have decided to hold events before the official Sunday start to Toronto Fashion Week. Real Style Network was there. Here is a recap of some of the events:
Calgary designer Paul Hardy showed his mostly black Fall/Winter 2010 collection in the Junction this week. His garments were a mash up of numerous eras and included fur, leather and mohair.
Media darlings, Greta Constantine returned to Audi to show their latest collection. You can see our review of the fashion show here.
Andy The-Anh opened up his new store in Yorkville this week. The designer was on hand at the new store to greet media and consumers. He will be showing his Fall/Winter 2010 line during fashion week.
Fullum & Holt showed their new purse collection at The Spoke Club. We will have more on this story next week.
Previously Sarah Jessica Parker unveiled her new Halston Heritage collection and as reported earlier this week, Rachel Roy also debuted her new collection . Both took place at the now very fashion forward, The Bay.
Real Style Network brings you fashion show news and videos from runways around the world. We have seen the fashions from New York, Milan, London and Paris already. Now we are getting ready to come home to Canada for Toronto Fashion Week or LG Fashion Week as the official name goes. Over the past few years LG Fashion Week in Toronto has grown from a small event to a large festival where media and celebrities come to see the best Canadian designers.
Designers such as: Pink Tartan, Andy The-Anh, Joe Fresh, Evan Biddell and David Dixon all have highly anticipated shows planned to debut their Fall/Winter 2010 collections.
The theme of the 22nd annual LG Fashion Week in Toronto is The Power Of Style. The Fashion Week shows kick off on Sunday, March 28th with the debut of IZMA, the new line from Izzy Camilleri and Adrian Mainella.
Check back with Real Style Network for all of the latest news and reviews from LG Fashion Week in Toronto .
Yesterday Real Style Network told you about the beautiful Greta Constantine Fall/Winter 2010 collection shown this past weekend. Accompanying the womenswear line was Ezra Constantine, Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill’s menswear collection.
The Ezra Constantine fall/winter collection was very post-apocalyptic looking. The male models came down the catwalk looking battered, similar to a look another home grown talent, Dsquared, showed in their recent collection. The whole line channeled a military theme with army helmets, cargo pants, vests and military jackets in blacks and brown. The gray men’s jackets were well tailored and made for stand out pieces in the Ezra Constantine collection.
This was an edgy, urban line that had a number of very wearable pieces.
Fashion designers Greta Constantine showed their fall/winter 2010 women and menswear collection this past weekend at a pre-Toronto Fashion Week show. Designers, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong from Greta Constantine never fail to wow at their runway shows and this was no exception. The fashion crowd in attendance loved the show!
The Greta Constantine womenswear collection opened with beautifully draped gowns in dark tones. As we have seen from many other designers this season, black and grey dominated the colours of these Greta Constantine dresses. The garments were accessorized with bracelets, bib necklaces and embellishments of smashed mirror pieces. A gorgeous purple gown with a matching cape stood out amongst the dark pieces.
Next up was a set of sparkling dresses. These gowns were black with sparkling blue and gold sequins. Oversized leather belts adorned the looks.
The womenswear line finished with an urban segment from the Greta Constantine collection. Models walked in tight leather and spandex pants. Tops were made of black fur in coyote, beaver and goat. There was a large selection of luxurious looking fur tanks, tunics and wraps.
The Greta Constatine show included look for everyone. Some say that Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill have finally started showing off the extent of their designing talent.
Au revoir Paris. Paris Fashion Week is over and concludes the fall 2010 collections from the main Fashion Week shows: New York, London, Milan and Paris. Real Style Network has been giving you reviews of the hottest fashion shows from the Runway collections around the world. Check out all the fashion videos here and see exclusive interviews from Swarovki.tv here.
In our final look at runway shows from Paris we are reviewing the following designers: Valentino, Givenchy and Yves. St. Laurent.
VALENTINO
The Valentino design team of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli created a feminine collection for Fall. The theme of the show was ruffles, draping and opulence. Every outfit had a ruffle of some shape on it. Day jackets had ruffled collars and evening dresses were made of ruffled tiers. The day garments were structured and well tailored jackets and pants. The evening wear was lighter and many of the dresses and blouses were sheer. the predominant colours of the collection was nudes, tans , and lighter shades with a pop of red. The new design team has been on a quest to attract a younger following since Valentino retired. Some pieces were lovely, but the collection definitely lacked old style Valentino glamour.
GIVENCHY
Givenchy showed a pared down collection for Fall/Winter 2010 with lots of lace and leather. The collection featured many masculine cut well-tailored blazers and coats with snowflake printed shirts and lace blouses peeking from underneath. The ski /alpine influence , mostly in sweaters and in cardigans was the only departure from otherwise a tailored collection. Ankle length trousers and leather skirts were popular. For evening wear ,Givenchy showed simple crepe and velvet gowns. Crystals and ostrich feathers adorned the dresses. The line had a colour palette that was predominantly black, with nude and red accent pieces. Leather, chiffon and lace was big in the collection. See the show here:
YVES SAINT LAURENT
The Fall/Winter 2010 Yves Saint Laurent line had what some describe as a monastic feel. The models wore mainly black with white blouses giving them the appearance of nuns. Long rosary-like necklaces adorned the garments backing up the theme. For Runway drama, some of the looks were shown with plastic covering over them. Cocktail dresses in bright jewel tones brightened the sombre mood. Capes of all lengths were the outwear of choice and accompanied many of the outfits. Overall the collection played it very safe and had a sophisticated if perhaps a bit of a matronly appeal. Watch the Yves Saint Laurent fashion show here:
Read Real Style Network’s other Paris Fashion Week reviews here.
Real Style Network has been following all of the action from Paris Fashion Week and we have waited to bring you the highlights and reviews from the top shows. Paris Fashion Week is THE event of the season with the biggest names in fashion presenting their Fall/Winter 2010 collections on the runway. For our first wrap up we have chosen the following designers: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Jean Paul Gaultier.
CHANEL
In one of the most talked about shows of the week, Karl Lagerfeld imported a 265-ton iceberg from Sweden into the middle of Paris’ Grand Palais for the Chanel Fall 2010 show. The –4 temperatures needed to allow the iceberg to be the centerpiece of the set accentuated the cozy Chanel collection shown. Unlike other designers this season, Karl Lagerfeld chose to use faux fur in the Chanel collection. There was a lot of it. Full body fur coats, pants and boots were all a part of the collection. Leather jackets, miniskirts and shirts were trimmed with more faux fur. Are you going to be wearing a fur skirt on the street? Perhaps not, but the message for next season from top designers is definitely soft and furry, would look great in a vest, boots, hats and even bags.
LOUIS VUITTON
For Fall 2010, Marc Jacobs was inspired by old cinema when he created the Louis Vuitton collection. He cast curvy supermodels like Elle Macpherson, Bar Refaeli and Adriana Lima to model the clothes. Tweed suits and wool and chiffon dresses with nipped in waists appeared in the collection. Jacobs accentuated the models’ curves with tight corsets and hip hugging skirts. Skirts were ¾ length made of heavy materials. It was a ladylike collection following trends we have seen in Christian Dior and Marc Jacobs’ own collection. Of course, as it is Louis Vuitton, the handbags were exquisite. Marc Jacobs reinvented the classic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag with sequins, lace and fur. Watch the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2010 fashion show here:
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
Jean Paul Gaultier took his inspiration for this season from cultures around the world. Hints of styles from Morocco, Russia, Greece, China and more could be seen in his designs for fall. Gaultier told the Telegraph, “It’s all about a journey around the world, and sometimes it includes several countries in one outfit, even Europe.” The styles included African headdresses, Chinese silks, European embroidery, Mongolian furs and Spanish dresses. He combined these things with modern street wear like sweatpants, knitted sweaters, pea coats and leather jackets.
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Some people make clothes because of a drive to dress the world or to fill a niche, but the men behind Rag & Bone, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, just wanted to create functional well-made fashion for their friends.
Rudsak
Barbie By David Dixon
David Dixon
This week at 
The structured looks were made out of different fabrics such as cork and neoprene. Long pleather fringe draped down the front of the garments. Whereas many fashion designers this season chose simple neutral shades, Evan’s line ranged from tan animal prints (reptile and tiger) to bright graffiti prints. These are new fabrics for Evan Biddell to work with and not the easiest. The designer admitted this was a tough show for him.
CHANEL
LOUIS VUITTON
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
