April 19, 2007
The National Post
By: Nathalie Atkinson
Who says Canada doesn't look after its own in the fashion world?
Chicago, Sydney, Cape Town and London all have fashion incubators to encourage young designers – but Toronto had one first.
Founded in 1987, the Toronto Fashion Incubator has helped launch the careers of Canada’s best fashion talent – from established favourites like Arthur Mendonca to ex-pat Pina Ferlisi, who’s worked at Marc Jacobs and Gap and is now revitalizing Generra in New York, to relative newcomers like Zoran Dobric. As well, the pioneering 2003 TFI documentary Making the Cut made it work well before Project Runway’s Tim Gunn ever did!
To celebrate both the TFI’s milestone and the 15th anniversary of the annual TFI New Labels competition, a stylish crowd of VIPs, fashion editors and top stylists gathered at The Carlu in downtown Toronto this week for a two-tiered gala runway show: the finalists’ collections, interspersed with Canadian celebrities modeling one-of-a-kind red carpet gowns.
Breakfast Television and Star! Daily host Dina Pugliese, in an iridescent silver draped chiffon gown by Arthur Mendonca, quipped and called out the boldface names of the Canadian celebs who had been paired up with 20 of Canada’s top fashion designers (all TFI members or alumni) as they walked the runway. Erica Ehm, former MuchMusic VJ and John Hughes-era pin-up turned yummy mummy, strutted her stuff in a plunging jersey gown by Jason Matlo, as did original Canadian supermodel Monika Schnarre and singer-songwriter Fefe Dobson in a floaty, feminine accordion-pleated gown by Katya Revenko that softened Dobson’s rocker-chick persona, to name a few.
But, for the TFI New Labels finalists, the runway show was the culmination of six grueling months of sketching, cutting and sewing. The competition began for them back in the fall with the submission of sketches, storyboards and portfolio, and continued throughout the winter with frequent judging sessions. New Labels judges, Rita Silvan, editor-in-chief of Elle Canada, fashion designer (and TFI alum) David Dixon, Arie Assaraf, owner of TNT boutiques in Toronto, and yours truly reviewed samples, evaluated designs and provided constructive criticism in each elimination round, until only the night’s four finalists remained.
First, 1.618 by Engelbert Gayagoy sent out a flight of high-tech fabrics and taffeta in steel blue and grey, cut into slim trousers, paneled A-line skirts and meticulously tailored jackets, with architectural and geometrics details like collapsed pleats that glowed in the runway lights.
Next, Malak by Kalam Lee concentrated on dresses and feminine separates, such as multi-paneled tops and dresses in blue silk chiffon or slim grey jersey with a slight bubble at the hip, many embellished with crocheted details.
Then duo Sarah Nicol and Kelly Dowdall’s fledgling Quelques Filles’s label played out the elements of a Victorian love tragedy with theatrical layered tweeds, shantung silk bubble skirts and gold lace, and a purple skirt with four panels that moved like the inverted petals of a tulip.
The finale was Ozen’s outstanding Haunted Melody collection, created by Phoebe Gao and Enfys Zhuo, both recent graduated from George Brown’s graphic design program but have a bigger passion for fashion. Ozen sent models down the runway carrying black wool pants that evoked jodhpurs, with rows of covered buttons along the front, and capeletes and belted jackets alongside pretty white silk charmeuse dresses: The overall effect was that of a pageant of serene classical musicians en route to an evening’s work at the symphony.
Flanked by their celebs, the TFI fashion alumni took a break while the New Labels judges conferred and added up the final scores before announcing Quelques Filles the winner.
Top: from left, CBC Newsworld host Sarika Sehgal in a silk chiffon backless gown by CinCyn; Fashion File Host Hunt runner-up Mary Kitchen struts in a platinum halter dress by JUMA; eTalk host Tanya Kim works a strapless cocktail gown with Swarovski crystals by Damzels In This Dress. Middle row, Mary Jo Eustace wears a strapless platinum draped gown by Fashion Psychology; Erica Ehm sashays in a sleeveless Grecian goddess gown by Jason Matlo; Little Mosque on the Prairies’s Sitara Hewitt in a sheer, silk chiffon gown by Michelle Turpin for Karamea. Bottom row, model and TV personality Monika Schnarre in a draped silk charmeuse David Dixon gown; entertainment reporter Liz West cinched in a metallic organza gown with bias strips by Thien Le; Tara Spencer-Nairn from Corner Gas all dolled up in Farley Chatto’s French lace and silk bustier and skirt with glittering Swarovski crystals.
