Since Eleventh Floor Apparel Ltd. took over the Lundström brand in 2009 they’ve made sure to carefully craft and build on the origins of its founder, Linda Lundström, by targeting women who look for mature elegance in their clothing.

Design inspiration: no description provided.

What I liked: the show’s opening packed a strong punch beginning with six models wearing black and ivory who paraded down the catwalk like an infantry of soldiers. This was followed by unexpected and impressive runway choreography as these models showed off variations of the faux Mongolian lamb vests with wool knit collars that they wore. Lundström’s fall/winter 2011 collection is very polished, targeting sophisticated women with a taste for clean silhouettes, staple wardrobe pieces and luxurious fur in various colours and compositions.

What I disliked: the latter half of the Lundström runway show focused on the little black dress. Although rich textiles such as silk and tulle were used in these pieces it proved to be a little too prom-like in comparison to the mature and colourful use of fur and outwear in the remainder of the collection.

Footwear: I had the opportunity to quickly stick my head backstage pre-show to snap a few images of the shoes; Lundström’s footwear provider for the evening was Town Shoes. Nude and black coloured ankle boots and stiletto heels in leather were worn in the runway show. The use of these similar styles of shoes, again, shows consistency in the runway presentation but lacked in variety.

There were several shows on my “To See” list during LG Fashion Week and one of them was IZMA, by Canadian designer, Izzy Camilleri and television personality, Adrian Mainella.

Last season this duo first introduced their line which consisted of fur outwear and accessories – to say the fall/winter 2010 collection was beautiful is an understatement; it was a furry delight and made me rethink the use and wearability of this material.

For fall/winter 2011, Camilleri and Mainella’s latest collection takes IZMA to the next level by presenting a ready-to-wear capsule collection, along with a few fur innovations to its outwear designs.

Designer inspiration: “Rich jewel tones and echoes of 70’s glam rock infuse the IZMA signature aesthetic for a season that delivers a high fashion impact.”

What I liked: this collection shows the versatility of IZMA incorporating materials such as velvet, lamé and sequin, as well as the heavy use of dyed fur in blue, red and green. IZMA’s ready-to-wear collection reflects an increase in depth and thought put into its pieces bringing it to a more realistic place; where people who choose not to wear fur have other options to pick from.

What I disliked: I dislike the fact that I probably can’t afford any of these pieces at retail price (insert sound of frustration)!

Footwear: all of the models wore the same gold, t-strap, platform sandals by Steve Madden, provided by Town Shoes one of the official sponsors of LG Fashion. I’m of two minds when it comes to this: 1) models wearing the same shoes deliver a consistent look throughout the collection’s presentation increasing focus on the clothing and 2) there was no footwear variety, seeing the same shoe over-and-over again got a little boring.

Information and images courtesy of IZMA; photos by George Pimentel

I’m slightly changing the format of my reviews for Toronto Fashion Week; shortening the text so it’s easier to read and straighter to the point, as well as bring more focus on the footwear used in the runway shows this season; first up for assessment is Philip Sparks’ fall/winter 2011 collection.

Philip Sparks’ fall/winter 2011 collection

Philip Sparks’ presentation is one of the highlights for the fashion crowd in Toronto. He usually begins the season with what has been unofficially dubbed, “Rogue Fashion Week;” designers who choose to show independently from the Fashion Design Council of Canada, the organizing body that holds LG Fashion Week.

Sparks is the type of designer who has a clear design vision and aesthetic, and from covering his collection for the past several seasons there’s never a doubt he will show a cohesive line with well tailored pieces.

Design inspiration: the show notes state, “this collection celebrates Canadian winter with a focus on wool suiting and signature outerwear. Functional menswear... Women’s pieces feature pin tucking and exaggerated pleats.”

What I liked: Sparks always provides a lot of options to mix and match pieces within his collections. In my opinion, separates are the key to keep customers happy and make them come back season after season; it provides choice and price points people can work into their budget. My favourite pieces from his fall/winter 2011 collection are the maple leaf photo print cotton sateen blouse and skirt. Mine!

What I disliked: there’s really nothing to complain about. 

Footwear: Town Shoes provided the footwear for the evening, leather boots for men and women with the occasional high heel thrown in for good measure. The shoes were mainly of a neutral colour palette; black, brown and tan, and mostly flats – comfy yet very important. It was a crowded night and I didn’t get to take pictures of the footwear for fear of being trampled over, but take my word when I say the shoes worked well with the collection.

Here’s my rule of thumb when it comes to flat shoes – whenever you see a really good pair NEVER hesitate to buy them because a good pair of flats are VERY hard to find.

This week’s shoe of the moment are the Kazler Ballerina Flat, by Steve Madden which can be purchased through multiple websites such as Amazon, Endless or if you live in Canada it can be bought at Town Shoes’ retail stores.

Shoe specifications:

• Black leather upper covered in gold studs and sequins
• Rubber sole
• Heel measures approximately 12.7 mm
• Colour: black, pewter, purple, etc.
• Product description, “Its ultra-low profile is glammed up by the shiny studs and sequins all over the upper. Pair it with your favourite faded jeans for a casual look that's high in style.”

Why I chose these shoes: I first discovered these shoes after reading a blog post on Wearability back in July and instantly become enraptured with the gold studs and sequins covering the entire shoe, reminding me of the exotic East combined with Bohemian flare.

By pure chance I was passing through the Toronto Eaton Centre last week and came across them at Town Shoes. Can you imagine my luck? I was obsessing over these shoes several months ago and thought I’d never see them in Toronto, because all the online retailers for these shoes were based in the U.S. I tell you the Kazler Ballerina Flats and I are meant to be together. The shoes can be worn anytime and anywhere, easily going from day to evening and the best thing is your feet won’t be throbbing with pain from running around in them all day. Score!