La Semaine de Mode de Montréal

Oh, what fun I had. Montreal Fashion Week was a fabulous experience this season. I arrived on Tuesday night in time to catch the Muse par Christian Chenail show, which was a lovely take on spring fashion. With influences from Balenciaga and Saint Laurent--two of my favourite designers--this collection was a hit for me.

I cut the night short to watch the election coverage on CBC, but I was back in full force for the Wednesday défilés. But not before hitting up stores galore on St. Catherine's, St. Denis and St. Laurent, creating my own personal financial crisis. I'll spare you the photos (because it's shameful how excessive my fall shopping has become), but the highlights include some cute plaid tops from Zara, a pair of moccasin booties, a cropped faux-leather coat, and a cashmere beret.

Wednesday's collections included Montreal staples Yves Jean Lacasse, the CIMM gang (Simon Chang, Samuel Dong, Frank Lyman, and Stone Rose), and Helmer.


Yves Jean Lacasse's spring collection was beautifully crafted, with some must-have pieces for a formal evening out.

While I didn't find his menswear particularly wearable, it did provide some beautiful eye-candy as his male models strutted the runway in several shirtless--and pants-less, in some cases--ensembles.

Of all the collections I saw this week, Helmer's was the one that stole my heart. This is a designer who takes his craft very seriously without taking himself too seriously. We saw theatrics on the runway and models who looked like they were actually having fun.

Oh, and the clothes. Let me tell you. Helmer's collection was sexy, and perfectly suited for a womanly silhouette (Read: gals with boobs and hips). Designs with a strong focus on the waist, along with his expert tailoring, made for a delicious collection of fashionable, yet wearable, pieces.

In between each show, guests head over to the fashion week lounge, where there's swag, drinks, and a DJ. I scored some magazines (Eye Candy, Elle, and Kill), a bunch of cosmetics, and this fancy new sparkling water. It was fun to watch all the beautiful people get progressively hammered as the night wore on.

Montrealers without a VIP pass were also able to attend the shows, but they had to line up on the stairwell before each show. I don't think I'd have that kind of patience. 

The Showroom is an excellent opportunity to see the pieces from the runway close-up. Each day throughout the week, a group of designers sets up their collections in the showroom, and industry members are invited to wander through, look through the clothes, and chat with the designers. I got the chance to exchange cards with some Parisian designers, which was a real high point for me. 

I spotted Jeanne Beker and Glen Baxter from Fashion Television several times throughout the week, and I snapped a pic of Mr. Baxter interviewing Yves Jean Lacasse after his show. There were cameras everywhere.

After hitting up the Showroom on Thursday, I headed over to the Museum of Contemporary Art to check out their new exhibit Sympathy for the Devil, which is incredible. The exhibit documents the relationship between music and art over the last forty years, and includes footage and photography of some of the most influential rock bands ever, including the Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Throbbing Gristle, Joy Division, and New Order. Eric, if you're reading this, promise me you'll go check it out.

That's it for Montreal. Oh, the sadness. I'm back in town and am gearing up for Toronto Fashion Week next week, and I'll be sure to fill you in on all the details.