Lucian Matis Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

I know I said I was finished with my Fashion Week Marathon, but I can't pass up a chance to take a look at some Canadian talent!  Of all the collections shown at Toronto Fashion Week, Lucian Matis in particular has amazed me.  I first found out about him through Project Runway Canada, and I followed his progress throughout the series.  It seemed to be a close one between him and Evan Biddell, but my favourite did end up going to Evan.  Lucian struck me as a designer that seemed a bit stuck in his particular aesthetic - slightly Victorian, and highly decorative - and he didn't seem to be willing to expand and evolve.  After Project Runway, I still saw a couple of collections I didn't quite like, but his Fall/Winter 2012 collection has proved to me that Lucian has finally got it.

Lucian described this collection as "not fashion", though to me, this collection is fashion in every way!  There were beautifully constructed chunky knits, statement-making embellishments, a glamorous mixing of different textures and fabrics (a key to any good outfit), and defined silhouettes.

With this evident understanding of how to manipulate fabric and mix textures, Lucian shows surprising promise and he seems to have a talent that some of our greatest designers possess.  If he keeps this up, he just might end up being one of them.

See the entire collection here.

Image Source: Lucian Matis

Talbots Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

When I was little, I spent the majority of my shopping experiences in stores like Talbots, The Bay and Holt Renfrew.  Obviously, I wasn't shopping for myself, but I used to spend hours and hours in those stores with my parents.  My mom went to Talbots so often that when she walked in, the salespeople would greet her by name, and I knew the layout of the store like the back of my hand.  Back then, I wasn't interested in fashion at all, and shopping with my mom was absolutely dreadful.  My mom has stopped shopping at Talbots for many years now, and I pretty much dismiss it as a store for the older demographic, and as a store that doesn't quite "get" fashion.  But while sifting through style.com yesterday, I saw Talbots under the list of recent Fall/Winter 2012 collections, and I decided to check it out.  Wow!  Talbots seems to have moved away from their usual shapeless tops and overly classic designs for something more fashion conscious!  Maybe they made this shift years ago, and I just never payed attention, but either way, it's a shift for the better.  Here's a look at some of Talbots' best Fall 2012 looks:

The nicer cuts, leopard print, and use of other fabrics - this is not the Talbots I grew up with.  They still cater to professional, classic woman, but now they do it with flair.  Looking at this collection makes me slightly nostalgic, and maybe next time, instead of breezing past the store, I'll take a look inside.

See the entire collection here.

Image Source: Style.com

3.1 Phillip Lim Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

I had planned to do reviews on Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan, Hermès, Valentino and Chanel, but with Fashion Week being over and me getting a bit busier, I'll be wrapping up my Fashion Week Marathon.  At the request of Fashion Cappuccino, 3.1 Phillip Lim will be among the last of my reviews.  Phillip Lim is a label that I have heard of for a long time now, but have never really taken a close look at.  So I'll be doing this review without much prior knowledge of his previous collections.  It wasn't hard to see, however, that this collection was all about American sportswear.  The key to any successful sportswear collection is the infusion of luxury, and Lim did just that with delicious leather pants and sleeves (leather accents are a huge favourite of mine):

From here, it was loose-fitting, but precisely tailored pieces, and a mixing of two or more textures in each outfit.  I like the tying of shirt sleeves and collars around the neck as they were a unique take on scarves, but the capri pants (second and fourth photo) I found were too slouchy, yet at the same time, fitting to be attractive.

The whole loose top with a smartly tailored jacket thrown overtop, and cropped trousers stayed strong throughout the entire collection, but it was varied with prints, different colours, lamb fur, and a dash of sparkle.

As the show finished off, looks were made evening-ready with a glossy sheen:

Luxe American sportswear has been done many times over, but Lim managed to give us some modern pieces with a twist.  Belted cropped trousers have become very popular lately (I wouldn't mind getting a pair myself!), and it's good to see Lim continuing to give us some nice options.  There were some pieces better left unmade, such as the long, shapeless camel coat, and the slouchy capri pants, but overall, it was a collection made for any busy urbanite.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com

Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

With this being the second main collection that Sarah Burton has handled, it's already evident that Burton is one talented woman.  I knew back in Spring 2011 that she would do just fine at the head of Alexander McQueen, and she is not proving me wrong.  For Fall/Winter 2012, Burton stripped everything down to a certain purity by working with the label's classic shapes and detailing, and presenting it all in a clean colour palette.  The show stared off with flickering neon lights, resembling something you would experience in a classic horror movie asylum.  Then as all the lights flashed on (blinding a couple of front-row attendees), the first few looks came out as white as snow, complete with zipper detailing and soft fur:

In a great way to transition between white and black, Burton firstly brought out some gray creations:

It then became clear that Burton had looked towards bondage for inspiration, as harnesses wrapped intricately about:

There were then pieces in organic-looking fabric, that seemed to be held together by mere threads, mirroring some of the lace-up boots:

As the show neared its end, there were soft dresses made from fur and organza, in silhouettes that have become the house's signature.  Two of the dresses were fashioned with broken glass bodices.

With one last quick reference to bondage, Burton finished it off with tight bodices and wide, dramatic skirts.

Burton is no longer seen as simply a successor; she is quickly becoming seen as Alexander McQueen.  We can all rest assured that the label is in very good hands.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com