Monday night, I attended Arthur Mendonça’s spring/summer 2012 runway show and I couldn’t think of a better way to start off the season.

 

This is Mendonça’s second season back on the Canadian runway after a few years away and I’m so happy I had the chance to see his design talent in action. To say I’m a huge admirer of Mendonça is an understatement as you can read here and in my review below.

Design inspiration: Mendonça’s design inspiration for his ss2012 collection looks to the Egyptian ruler, Cleopatra, as characterized by the legendary Hollywood actress, Elizabeth Taylor in the iconic 1963 film.

What I liked: well, to start, I loved it all! There is a sense of togetherness as I watched Mendonça’s collection on the runway from start to finish. Drawing back to his inspiration of the movie, Cleopatra, Mendonça tells a story through the ordered presentation of his clothes; a woman who is distant and strong, but who later softens becoming more vibrant and full of life.

 

He opened the show with a series of sleek white garments; a white sheath dress with black piping around the neck and shoulders, as well as separates that echo the use of this design element in a suit jacket and skirt. This is followed by a brown, button-down chiffon dress and several structured black dresses and suits.

 

Pattern and colour are two elements which delight the visual senses mid-way through the runway show with the use of tie-dye like patterns and a number of custom-designed prints made by the designer himself. In addition, Mendonça uses lots of natural fabrics such as silk, cotton and linen to enhance the earthy feel of his garments.

 

The models wore jewellery by Dean Davidson and had quite a few of us admiring it in our seats. I really love the collar necklaces with yellow and aqua enamel centre pieces that created a tribal feel.

 

What I disliked: nothing.

 

Footwear: unfortunately, I wasn’t able to snap an up-close shot of the footwear and didn’t find out who supplied the heels. However, the shoes were glamorous and rhinestones dotted various heeled sandals and an entire pair of wedges. Surprisingly, the heavy use of rhinestones didn’t detract from the clothes nor did it look over-the-top.

Images courtesy of FDCC