Toronto Fashion Week(s) kicked off “unofficially” last Tuesday with Canadian designer, Even Biddell showing his spring/summer 2011 collection in collaboration with SEVEN CONTINENTS, one of North America’s leading manufacturing companies specializing in mannequins, forms, furniture, fixtures and accessorizers for retail stores.
One thing I’ve always found with Biddell’s designs – season after season – is that it’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.
For spring/summer 2010 his collection was titled, Unnatural Disaster which took a futuristic approach to sportswear. For fall/winter 2010, Biddell brought us Prehistory, an abstract approach to the human form. Visually, these collections are very different but demonstrate the creative bubble brewing inside his mind.
After seeing Biddell’s latest collection, Kingdom, it’s motivating to say there’s a noted change in his vision and approach to fashion design. Using armour as inspiration, a dressed composed of multiple disks, swimwear outfitted in spikes and jackets with fringe detailing came down the runway. Floral printed dresses brought a softer side to Kingdom but retain its armour-like feel with rounded disks detailing the waist of the garments.
This collection is the most wearable, saleable and retail friendly line Biddell has churned out to date. Secondly, it shows signs of growing maturity and the ability to better focus his vision for the wider retail market.
One of the runway shows which continually peak the curiosity of the fashion throng season after season is by Even Biddell. Since winning Project Runway Canada in 2007 Biddell rebelliously pushes the notions of shape, incorporates an artistic vision that is intellectual and abstract, and experiments with non-traditional textiles.
For his runway show this season some members of the media sat in their seats looking perplexed without a little pre-explanation of the theme of the collection. Andrew Sardone of NOW magazine said it best in his online review, “I was desperate for a line sheet at Evan Biddell's fashion week show... a catwalk cheat sheet could have helped.” Sardone was not alone, but thank goodness for invitations sent out previously that mentioned the theme of Biddell’s fall/winter 2010 collection.
This season his collection titled, Prehistory starts in the future and reverts back in time with modifications to the human form. The runway show was divided into two halves; for the first part, clothing is futuristic with a retro 1980s twist. Models wore garments in bright techicolour prints designed in the form of bodysuits, hooded dresses and wore hairband sunglasses.
As the collection moves into the pre-historic past it transforms becoming darker, more voluminous, texture and movement focused. The shape of the garments melds the human form with that of the dinosaurs with armour-like shoulder plates, sleek metallic pleather and printed fabrics with a reptilian feel. Fringe detailing was used on jackets, sleeves and neck pieces moving freely like feathered dinosaurs.
Biddell’s collections aren’t always clear-cut and transparent in comprehension, but the designer definitely makes you think outside the box.
On a quiet street in the west end of Toronto, Canadian designer Evan Biddell and photographer, Joseph Fuda partnered up to open a space named OZ Studio Boutique.
OZ Studio Boutique is situated in a 100 year old building which was remodelled to mix its existing historical structure with modern elements – combining the concept of a fashion gallery and photo studio into one. The space has a rugged and refined look with 17ft ceilings, original hardwood floors and exposed brick. The modern features of OZ is its stainless steel wall which is magnetized and serves as a revolving feature to display and sell Biddell’s clothing, as well as show off works of art.
For OZ’s Tuesday night opening, pieces from Biddell’s fall/winter 2009 and spring/summer 2010 collections were on display and available for purchase.
I had a chance to speak with Biddell and ask him a few questions:
Evan Biddell fall/winter 2010 collection – this season he is focusing more on the clothes and less about creating a catwalk spectacle for his show at LG Fashion Week.
Future projects – Biddell will be making the jump into the artistic world and plans on creating works of art; a movement many fashion designers have been taking recently and one that suits Biddell’s tendency to push the envelope, incorporating his perspective on art, beauty and design. The only clue I was given by Biddell as to what to expect was to look towards |FAT| 2010 – my calendar has already been marked.
This holiday season designer pop-up stores are all the rage throughout the City of Toronto. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, a “pop-up retail space is a venue that is temporary... (it) allows a company to create a unique environment that engages their customers, as well as generates a feeling of relevance and interactivity,” buzz and exposure (Wikipedia).
I haven’t been able to attend most of the pop-up stores, but I did go to the Bijouxbead Holiday Pop-Up Interactive Store held at the Fair Trade Jewellery Company and had the pleasure of meeting the charming Darlene Martin, jewellery designer and creative mind behind Bijouxbead.
For Martin’s holiday pop-up store she created an eight piece collection inspired by the spring/summer 2010 creations by Canadian designers, such as Evan Biddell, David Dixon, Brandon Dwyer and Sonny Fong. Each necklace had eight strands and was composed of sterling silver and glass crystal pieces – they were quite beautiful and well made.
You still have a few days to drop by, see Martin’s creations and do a little holiday shopping. Here are the details:
Date: December 1 – 14, 2009 Location: The Atelier of The Fair Trade Jewellery Company 523 Parliament Street, Toronto Phone: (647) 430-8741
Hours: Monday – Tuesday by appointment only Wednesday – Friday 12:30pm-8:00pm Saturday – Sunday 11:30am-6:00pm
Yesterday I attended four fashion shows and I have to say seeing Aime, Evan Biddell, Rudsak and Nada all in the same night was a treat. Therefore, I’ve separated my coverage of LG Fashion Week day four into two blog posts for an easier read through. First up for review are Aime and Evan Biddell.
4:00 p.m.Aime
Taking inspiration from her travels in Europe, designer Monica Mei channelled the feeling and lifestyle of la dolce vita, and the setting of the Mediterranean coastline in her S/S 2010 collection for Aime.
Mei’s models came down the runway in daywear characterized by flowing dresses, tops and printed shorts. Soft colours, such as white, pink, nude and yellow were used, and silver lamé and flower details were added as accents. This created a beach feeling that was so prevalent in Mei’s presentation that I immediately thought maybe she should consider incorporating swimwear in the future.
By day Mei’s woman was a carefree spirit and by night she transformed into a sophisticated lady with flare and attitude. Form fitting cuts took over, such as pencil skirts, structured dresses and blouses with coloured piping.
Highlight pieces of the collection were Mei’s floral printed shorts with silver lamé edging and several dresses; a structured black dress, a purple and floral baby doll dress and a button down sweater dress with fringe hem.
This collection emphasized the wearability of Mei’s garments and efforts to make clothes that can be worn by women of all shapes and sizes. For future Aime collections adding pieces, such as pants and jackets would round out the line and add to its versatility.
6:00 p.m.Evan Biddell
“Beam me up Scotty, but wait I have make sure my heavy jewellery is securely on and my hooded dress sits just right on my head so I can exercise at the intergalactic gymnasium tonight, then head to the club and get my drink on.”
Last night Evan Biddell, Canada’s bad boy of fashion, showcased an eclectic S/S 2010 collection dominated by expert draping, large statement necklaces for both men and women, mixed with futuristic clothes that could go from the gym to the club – loud dance music and Toronto hipsters in attendance also helped set the atmosphere for this too.
Titled, The Year 2010 – Unnatural Disaster, Biddell said “I was thinking about a world of barren deserts where only the strongest could survive. A regal species evolved to rule this domain,” also adding that “the collection is female fury personified.”
Biddell opened the show with a model dressed in a simple unstructured black silk dress, yet the key ingredient to this ensemble was the necklace she wore that incorporated an LG Chocolate phone with the EB logo on display – a collaboration he did with Toronto-based jewellery designer Rita Tesolin.
The collection progressively became more structured and futuristic through the use of subdued colours with accents of orange and blue, and sharp geometric cuts. Androgyny was also highlighted by pairing male and female models walking side-by-side down the runway, their faces aimed to show the after effect of Biddell’s post-apocalyptic desert world – then again, what model doesn’t look depressed or angry when walking down a runway.
For me, standout pieces from the collection has to be Biddell’s opening dress with the LG Chocolate phone necklace and a strapless blue dress with a grey pleated shrug.
One thing you can’t fault Biddell with is he doesn’t curb his artistic vision just for the sake of saleability or wearability – he’s definitely a risk taker and will only push the envelope further as time goes on.
Pictures by Kimberly Lyn andJenna Marie Wakani. Video from blogTO. Information from the Aime and Evan Biddell spring/summer 2010 collection notes.
