This blog entry is my last LG Fashion Week review for the fall/winter 2011 season – whew, I made it!

I ended off my week of fashion by attending VAWK’s runway show. This was the first time designer, Sunny Fong presented within the grounds of LG Fashion Week and the evening timeslot packed the crowds into the stands. This was also my first time attending Fong’s show; I’ve been invited in the past, but then VAWK’s presentations were held at the Art Gallery of Ontario in the middle of the day, which made it difficult to escape from work at that time.

In addition to attending the runway show, I had the opportunity to go backstage to take in Fong’s latest designs. My images capture a brief insider look into the preparations pre-show.

Backstage at VAWK’s fall/winter 2011 runway show

Design inspiration: VAWK had the most interesting design inspiration of the season titling its fall/winter 2011 collection, “Lhasa Row...a collection of outerwear and dresses inspired by the menswear silhouette of Savile Row and texture of a Himalayan mountain climber.” The originality of such a concept, combining two opposite elements, receives two stilettos heels up from me.

What I liked: Fong’s creativity flourishes season-after-season extracting organic components from the earth and human civilizations. He translates Lhasa Row into a collection that makes sense, merging two design elements without exaggerating one over another. Leopard prints and fur are used strategically in a knee length skirt and a trench coat combined with cream leather. Knits and pops of colour such as a teal jacket, made from wool, and a burgundy chevron trench inserts vibrancy and character.

I favour all of these things from VAWK, but my eyes are particularly drawn to the leopard prints, as well as the tailored pieces such as a black sheer tuxedo shirt with teal flare trouser.

What I disliked: nothing to critique about.

Footwear: the footwear provider for VAWK was Nine West. The shoes used in the runway show were, again, your basic black or a nude heel with little variation in the style. However, this time having similar shoes was appropriate for VAWK’s runway show, the simplicity provided balance when paired with the clothes.

Images gallery #2 provided by VAWK via Faulhaber PR