With a prime location in the middle of downtown and a lineup of designers who are finally getting international recognition, this might be Toronto’s most hotly anticipated fashion week in years. Here are the spring/summer 2012 shows that style scenesters will be talking about.
■ Uniting Canadian talent like Denis Gagnon, Wings + Horns and Smythe, Holt Renfrew’s runway show—which opens LG Fashion Week—is guaranteed to be this season’s hottest ticket. If you’re the daughter of a business magnate (or married to one), you’re golden. Unfortunately, for us plebs, this show is strictly invite only. Now might be the time to befriend your nearest sales associate. (Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.)
■ These four shows are on the essential-viewing list of fashion die-hards. Juma, by brother and sister team Jamil and Alia Juma, makes Lower East Side-y clothes (drop-crotch pants, sheer leggings) for the likes of Nicki Minaj, who recently wore a custom-made Juma outfit onstage. (Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.) The talk of the artsy-design set, Chloé Comme Parris, by sibling duo Chloé and Parris Gordon, was the talk of the tents last LGFW with a collection of ethereal biker-chick looks. (Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.) New York–based Canuck Sid Neigum is a favourite of the shawl cum cape cum blouse–sporting set you might see at The Beaver. This is his second outing at fashion week. (Oct. 19 at 3 p.m.) Montreal’s Denis Gagnon, adored by insiders for his slinky metallic dresses, will be this season’s closing show.
(Oct. 21 at 9:30 p.m.)
■ Maybe you just want to gawk at celebrities…Canadian celebrities. You’re most likely to see them at the swishy back-to-back shows from society couple Joe Mimran (Joe Fresh) and Kimberley Newport-Mimran (Pink Tartan). If you’ve been dying to see President’s Choice shiller Galen Weston’s grinning mug in real life, this might be your best bet. (Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.) We’re also betting that CBC stars will be lining up in droves to see New York designer Cynthia Rowley’s presentation: It’s a lot easier to give sound bites to media outlets when you can say “I’ve heard of her.” (Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m.)
LG Fashion Week runs Oct. 17–21 at David Pecaut Square, King and John streets. Tickets are $20–$50 per show and are available at lgfashionweek.com.
