Extravagance and sophistication covered fall/winter runways in tailored silhouettes, lavish details and outrageous patterns. The more drama the better this season, whether it be a head-to-toe white ensemble or geometric prints layered to the max. White Out This surprising trend coined ‘Winter White’ strutted down the runways of fashion’s heaviest hitters including Alexander Wang, Chanel and Proenza Schouler. The all-white ensembles have us yearning to pull of the sophisticated look and adding the neighborhood drycleaner on speed dial. Geometry Lesson The only textbook you need for this tutorial is a glossy copy of PHABRIK. Math inspired prints from triangles, squares to hexagons have the trend-hungry mixing and matching from top to bottom. Most noteworthy was Prada’s flawless execution of the trend with pantsuits and coats covered in geometric, boldly coloured prints. If It Ain't Baroque Designers take us time travelling to the Renaissance with ornate embroidery, gold detailing, lace trims and luxurious fabrics. Large chandelier earrings and gold accessories act as icing on this already indulgent cake. Silhouettes are modernized, but peplums and angled shoulders hint at over-the-top shapes of past eras. Fur Sure Draped over the shoulders of countless models at fashion weeks around the globe, the fur stole claimed its title as the Fall 2012 fashion accessory. But models had no fear of flying red paint, as more designers went the faux route to appease conscious consumers. Play with fur to add texture and dimension to your fall ensembles. The Pant Suit The woman’s pantsuit has returned edgier than ever. One of the most versatile investments in your wardrobe, the pantsuit offers a fierce, powerful appeal. Exchange the pants for jeans for more casual attire that still looks polished.

Photographs © Rainer Torrado, courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier For his Spring/Summer 2013 menswear collection, Gaultier sought inspiration yet again in sailor tailoring and imagery (as often witnessed in previous collections, namely his trademark buttoned panel sailor’s trousers, Breton tops in horizontal blue and white stripes, and cape-back tops) but added an exotic dimension by picturing his garments worn by sailors in the far-flung shores of India. As such, his customary designs were contrasted against a range of bold colours, patterns and designs inspired by Indian landscape, social history and religion (such as shades of red and yellow, layered fabrics and pleated harem pants), and were mixed with elements that evoked travel story-telling, as manifest in clothes richly printed with sailing and fishing motifs or meticulously encrusted with minute beading on dark fabrics as a way to represent starry nights in warm climates. At the same time, the seafaring passage of time and space could be glimpsed in patterns inspired by the rhythmic movements of waves in the ocean such as textured striped seersucker fabrics, pinstripes that discretely vanished and faded into plain colours on wool jackets, trousers or overalls, or stripes that changed directions to create dynamic patterns in cotton tops. In addition, waxed linen was used in some outerwear pieces to evoke water and sea travel, and the rough masculine world of maritime existence as symbolised by sailors’ tattoos could be discerned in delicate and feminine rich embroidery and lace. Despite the very successful incorporation of Indian imagery into his Spring/Summer 2013 menswear collection, it was in the mastering of details that Gaultier struck sartorial gold again. This was evident in astonishing features or broader design choices, such as the careful and playful positioning of buttons, the subtle deconstruction of traditional tailoring by introducing layering and asymmetrical cuts, the adoption of bright summery colour (a rare vision during the latest Paris Men’s Fashion Week), and the stunning pleating (with contrasting colour stitching) that created a kilt-like effect by adding a removable back skirt to shorts or to the wondrous raincoats.

- Photographer: Javier Ortega - Hair: Joseph Dimaggio for L’Oreal Professionnel - Hair assistant: Jessica Swanson - Makeup: Anneliese Tieckn - Model: Aurelia Ford Models NYC - Nails: Julie Kandalec for Zoya - Art director/Stylist: Sandra Sing Fernandes - Location: Paramount Hotel New York

Designing Outside of the Box Sitting at a small, circular table adorned with a telephone and a lone sketchbook, Stanley Carroll appears poised yet inherently at ease. The designer — who first launched his eponymous label three decades ago — has the air of an accomplished creative-type, speaking confidently yet modestly about his long list of accomplishments. The most notable of which, however, is his resolve to honour artistic integrity above all else. “In being the kind of designer that I try to be, the focus is primarily creative,” Carroll says from his Edmonton studio. “You’re working in a professional environment so you have to address the realities of a commercial industry, but at the crux you’re trying to make a creative statement that’s true to you. If I don’t think a dress is exemplary of my style, I won’t use it no matter how good it is.” This dedication and self-assuredness has come to define the designer, whose aesthetic is a rare breed of minimalism peppered with European sophistication. The latter comes from a childhood spent in Holland, before Carroll relocated to Canada with his family at age 16. “The minimalistic aspect of my clothing is what makes it believable, while the European twist is what keeps it interesting,” he says. “My brain will always lean towards a European mindset of dressing for a number of reasons. Stylistically, I think Europeans tend to be a bit more comfortable in their skin and are more inclined to experiment, which really inspires me.” Apart from European street style and café culture, Carroll’s influences vary seasonally and encompass everything from travel and literature, to pop culture and even his own life. This season, Carroll sums up his sartorial offerings in three words: Happy, whacky and eclectic. The latter stems from the diverse fabrics Carroll sourced from around the world, lending equal parts whimsy (think dresses covered with airy clouds) and ethnic appeal (sari materials and tribal-inspired prints) to the collection. “The fabric story is bigger for me this season that usual, so there’s more print and a lot more colour than I normally use,” he says. “I still experiment with shape and volume, but this use of fabric has provided a new aesthetic for me.” The designer could have based his company out of a more fashion-forward city, yet true to maverick form, he chose instead to call Edmonton home. This calculated move speaks not only to Carroll’s individuality, but to his rejection of prescribed industry standards as well. “I’ve always found it very limiting, and after a while you start to question why things are done a certain way,” he says. “So there are a number of things that I looked at that the industry does for understandable reasons, but I decided it’s just not for me.” Like limiting himself to creating on a seasonal basis, or even selling his collections through retailers. Instead, the veteran designer creates on an ongoing basis, opting to sell his work online and through pop-up shops, a method he finds particularly successful. “The one great advantage to living and working in a place like Edmonton is that there are no rules; if I were in Toronto I would have been stylistically pigeonholed a lot sooner, where looks and markets are determined for you. You might do well commercially, but creatively you work in a box.” And if there’s one thing that Stanley Carroll is not, it’s creatively stifled. “What you encounter each and every day will to some extent impact you, and people who work in creative environments tend to develop their voice this way,” he says. “Simply put, inspiration comes by waking up every morning and looking around.” Style blogger Andrew Eirich credits Carroll as a major influence, and has admired his work since he first saw the designer present his Spring/Summer collection at Western Canada Fashion Week last year. “Stanley has a chicness and simplicity to his designs that make them incredible and timeless. The ease and elegance of his clothing stems from his natural ability to understand and create great fashion,” Eirich says.     Models: Andrew & Elizabeth Makeup: Amber Prepchuk Photographer: Richard Siemens