For his womenswear collection for Spring/Summer 2013, shown as part of London Fashion Week’s official calendar on 14 September 2012, Jean-Pierre Braganza unveiled a range of clothes that resulted from an enriching collaboration with Ukranian artist Zinaida Lihacheva. Prints created by Lihacheva that explored organic forms in vivid colours contrasted with the sharp angularities, intricate tailoring, and sensual draping that Braganza has been known for. Born in London to an Irish mother and Asian father, Jean-Pierre Braganza moved to Canada at an early age. He grew up in Montreal and Toronto, and studied Fine Arts before realising that fashion was his true calling. After a stint studying Fashion, Braganza moved to London where he was accepted directly into the second year of the Womenswear programme at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Upon graduating in 2002 with a ‘First’ (the top grade in the UK system) in the main area of study, his talent was rewarded with the Colin Barns award for illustration. During his days at Central Saint Martins, Braganza developed his skills while working with British avant-garde fashion designer Robert Cary-Williams. This experience provided the training needed to understand the deconstructive processes of fashion and to develop the dedication required for working with hard materials such as leather. After graduation, he joined Roland Mouret where he honed his tailoring skills and learned an appreciation for detail. His initial capsule collection was presented in Milan in 2003 and he went on to present his first full collection of men’s and women’s wear at London Fashion Week in February 2004 where he has since shown every season. Having gained a strong international following over the years, he has shown his designs in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Lithuania and Ukraine, and his clothes are available in retailers in Australia, China, Cyprus, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, and USA.

Angelo Seminara was first introduced into the world of hair at the young age of 11 in his hometown in Southern Italy. He started off as a trainee in a barbershop and then 5 years later made the move to Rome with London always in the back of his mind. Following a move to London in 1995 Angelo became Trevor Sorbie’s protégé and International Creative Director. He then chose to work on his freelance career and in 2011 became the Artistic Director for Davines. Davines is a natural based hair care line made in Parma Italy, that has been evolving into an international family owned brand that strives to balance beauty and sustainability in all that they do. Today the company is a cosmopolitan and pioneering company that offers hairdressers and their clients the opportunity to become part of a dynamic, multicultural community and unique brand lifestyle. Angelo’s refined taste, spirit of research and love for nature, is a perfect match to Davines’ philosophy of Sustainable Beauty. In his role Angelo Seminara interprets the Davines vision of beauty and directs their hair image, influencing techniques and style. Davines institutional collections bear his signature, he stars in numerous international shows, in addition to making his talent and experience available to the company for teaching courses and the development of new products. In Western Canada we are very fortunate to have the Western Canada Davines Session Team who as of late got to par take in hands on cutting and editorial styling with the Art Director himself. Currently the co-ordinator of the team Chantal Girard is collaborating with Tony Ricci to bring Angelo back to the West to do an editorial avant garde styling class at Ricci’s new Academy in Edmonton, along with a cutting class and Flamboyage color classes with Angelo’s colorist Edoardo Paludo, which will take place at various Edmonton based salons. May 25-29 members of The Western Canada Session Team will also watch Angelo at Davines’ World Wide Hair Tour in Paris. He will also be doing a North American tour in 2013 and stopping in Seattle, New York, Nashville, Toronto, and Minneapolis. Angelo has widely been considered a star of international hair styling with accolades such as British Hairdresser of the year in 2007, 2010, and most recent 2012. In 2011-2012 also won AIPP Grand Trophy, as a session hair stylist Angelo is also involved with at least 30 international shows in Paris, New York, London, and Milan. His work can also be seen in fashion magazines such as Harpers Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Italian Vogue, Mixte, Spanish Vogue, Turkish Vogue, Korean Vogue, Japanese Numero, Io Donna, Another Man, Sunday Times, Dazed and Confused,Grazia, Q Magazine, Mojo, Evening Standard, Hello Magazine. His latest exhibitions with Chloe and Selfridges are definitely something to see. For more on Angleo Seminara visit his web site @ www.angeloseminara.com

Since the explosion of bloggers, street style and the commercialization of fashion week, wearing outlandish ensembles and letting your freak flag fly has never been so popular. With fashion’s elite wearing complete runway looks out and about and some bloggers becoming celebrities because of their almost alien looking wardrobes, everyone wants a piece of the attention pie. The need to be photographed and popularized has had an interesting effect on fashion weeks around the world especially outside the tents and venues of the years most anticipated shows. It’s become something of a three ring circus with trigger happy photo bloggers and wack-a-doo clothing which may ultimately be revolutionizing the ways in which designers and consumers find inspiration in dressing themselves or creating new collections. Or… they’re just giving us all a good laugh at their expense. Can dressing over the top be an expression of art and self through fashion? Or is it a cheap thrill to dress up in peculiar manner and give circus performers a run for their money? A tall man in heels walks slowly down what is now known as the “catwalk” in Lincoln Center leading up to the entrance of Mercedes-Benz fashion week wearing a long cream colored cape and matching suit. Sitting atop his head is a hat that resembles a warrior’s helmet molded to his head (in matching cream of course) with a perpendicular fin shooting out the top… The epitome of ridiculousness and the street style photographers are eating it up. He lingers around marble pillars and pretends to text someone giving the photographers the shots they crave. This is around 11:00 A.M. Around 7:00 P.M. the spectacle has somehow made his way into the tents and is posing with celebrities and such. Someone asks him if he saw any shows today… “No” he replies. His purpose at MBFW was to get photographed and chat with people… how interesting. Though the outfit matched in its material and theme, the look was utterly preposterous and lacked any element of style or relevant fashion that would have made it acceptable to wear to an event up to and including fashion week. It’s not enough to wear something crazy and act like a tart when attending a fashion show, or something of the like. I’d of thought it common sense to make absolutely sure that the outfit you’re wearing compliments your style, is relevant to the event in some way, or represent how you want to be perceived by the world. You may even wish to include a statement regarding where you think fashion is going or what is trending through your accessories and shoe choices. Gazing at the gaspalicious looks can be intriguing and fun, but the truth is, it is coming to a point where only the craziest looks are being shot while the style forward outfits are being ignored. So who’s to blame? We can’t simply blame the bloggers, fashion victims who mean well, or flippant writers in dramatic attire; nor can we solely point the finger at people who loiter in and around the tents. Instead, we have to take a look at fashion as a whole and determine who or what is perpetuating this. Looking at many of fashion’s most influential people from days gone by including Isabella Blow, Anna Piaggi, and Alexander McQueen we can see that they were all influencers for intense fashion and often times wore or created the most inspirational pieces and pulled them off with wit and precision. Are they to blame for setting the stage for the circus? No, definitely not. Their looks were always refined and told a story. Also, they were always perfectly in sync with the wearers’ personality. They will never be forgotten, but not because they looked silly or outlandish, because their style simply transcended modern conventional dressing. Aside from fashion personalities and designers, editors of many of the world’s biggest and most influential fashion magazines are also spectacles at the best of times including Anna Dello Russo from Vogue Nippon and Giovanna Battaglia of L‘Uomo Vogue. Having professionals dressed in wild and wonderful clothing (many styled and dressed exactly as they appear on the runway) only serves to publicize looks from a certain collection and push the reach of fashion even further. Fact is, stealing the lime light can be pulled off by abiding these simple rules: Rule 1: Dress for yourself. Rule 2: Dress in a way that represents your sense of style rather than what your perception of what could be seen as stylish. Rule 3: Trends are great, but be sure they complement you rather than override the focus of your look. Rule 4: Don’t dress like Lady Gaga… there’s only one Mother Monster. Rule number 4 also applies to Iris Apfel, Daphne Guinness, and Adam Lambert. To wrap this up, it’s important to look, dress, and act exactly how you are. Pretending to be famous or weird or anything else for attention is ultimately folly and will leave you on the comical side of the fashion front liners. Be a trooper and push your boundaries of fashion by wearing a well put together outfit instead of playing dress up and end up looking like a clown.

It’s an exciting time for us at Mode Models, as we are entering our fifth season supporting Western Canada Fashion Week! We shot five models wearing five Edmontonain designers to celebrate our partnership with the start up. The image proudly commemorates the growing fashion community and our collaborations with talented Edmonton designers in the last few years. Supporting local talent and bringing light to Edmonton’s burgeoning fashion industry has been of utmost importance to us. WCFW has served as a fantastic training platform for fresh faces looking to gain experience on the runway and many of those promising young models are taking the skills learned at the Transalta Arts Barns to propel themselves forward in the international market. Since March 2011 we have been honoured to support Malorie Urbanovitch, Angelique Chmielewski, LUXX, Suka, and Nicole Campre among others. Malorie started working as a stylist for Mode Models. She started showing her eponymous ready to wear line in October 2010 and since then she has been featured in Fashion Magazine and British Vogue. Nicole Campre won WCFW’s inaugural Emerging Designer competition in April 2012. After getting a head start locally by designing for Loft 82, she is now moving forward with her ready to wear line. Nicole has also been featured in Fashion Magazine and British Vogue. Angelique Chmielewski is now based out of New York after graduating from New York’s prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology and working under contemporary designer Yigal Azrouel. Her collection can be found at Coup Garment Boutique. Designers Alisha Schick of Suka Clothing and Derek Jagodzinsky of LUXX RTW have been local design darlings for many years. Alisha celebrated 10 years with her women’s line last year and teaches fashion design and illustration at MC College to the next generation when she isn’t designing her next collection. Derek graduated from the U of A with a Bachelor of Design, followed by an internship in New York with Michael Kaye Couture. In his spare time he is a graphic designer for WCFW and Phabrik Magazine as well heavily involved with their initiatives to support local designers. Both designers stock their wares locally at Bamboo Ballroom (Suka) and Thread Hill (LUXX). These five local trendsetters have received incredible national and international attention, and are quickly raising the bar for the next generation of local artists. We chose to celebrate them as they continue to push the limits of Edmonton fashion and take it to new heights. We look forward to watching these talented individuals continue to grow in the next five seasons.

Designer Profile - Photographs by Pederson - Assisted by Corrie Side, Paulo Novales Caringal - Makeup by Nickol Walkemeyer and Amber Miller - Hair by Chantel Girard, Sandy Tang, Julian Scott, Simon De Nault, Melodie Savard for Davines - Models Janessa, Ashley T. Autumn, Beatrice, Emily, Mackenzie, Alex, Danielle, Linda at Mode Models - Shoes by Gravity Pope

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.

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

Fur: the facts, the controversy, the fashion! The use of fur in fashion has become such a point of contention that it leaves most designers coughing up fur balls. But when was the last time we took a step back from the anti-fur mob mentality, and took a look at the facts surrounding the topic? In my previous article in Phabrik Magazine I focused on the growing movement in Eco-fashion and sustainability within the fashion industry. It may shock you to learn just how Eco-friendly the use of fur can be. Having always been one to make up my own mind, I embarked on a mission to determine fact from fiction and propaganda from reality in order to shed some much needed light on this highly debated topic. After a tremendous amount of research, I have to say, I am pro-fur... no sense beating around the bush. Now, before you condemn me, hear me out. For Your Consideration: Have you ever stopped to consider the impact petroleum products have on the eco system? It’s interesting, if not confounding that so many people are eager to jump on the fur trashing waggon, yelling on their megaphones, and holding up signs made of wood, plastic, and paper when in reality, forests where cut down for those signs and entire ecosystems where moved or destroyed for the oil necessary for the plastics and other synthetic materials that produced the marker that wrote the message. How many animals were harmed so protesters can protest?Why not use synthetic fur in place of theanimals?As stated above the use of synthetics requires greater devastation then using the real thing. Fur only requires the use of an animals hide, the only environmentally harmful process in refining the fur for use in fashion is the dying process which is optional, and may be substituted with organic dyes. Now before we move on, I want address the fundamental issue surrounding fur and the reason it is such a heated issue, the ethical treatment of animals. Obviously this a broad topic, so for the sake of this article, let’s keep it in the fur trade. There exists two important points here: 1) The quality of life of the animals living in a fur farm are regulated by laws set by governing bodies. These regulations ensure that the animals enjoy a life that is nearly as comfortable as that of a house pet. These laws are very specific and well enforced. 2) The misdirected protesting and lobbying against government regulated farms. This protesting has led to a number of fur farms closing up shop... a victory for the persecutors? Maybe in their minds; but sadly all that is being accomplished is a shift from controlled environments to the black market. This is where one has to take a stand, poaching and the black market sale of fur is abhorrent. The fact is, the demand for fur is and will always be present, in fact, it has been there all through history. With regulated farms, the treatments of the animals is assured, and without those farms, the black market flourishes. Rather counter-productive to put so much time and energy into closing fur farms especially when considering the consequences. It’s not unlike throwing red paint on a fur coat during fashion week... fur is typically insured... the coat will be replaced; Counter-productive. The More You Know: Fur farms account for 63% of all fur usage in Canada, this number is approximately 1.6 million pelts per year. Of this number these animals are cared for by the best veterinarians, they are fed a balanced diet every day, and they are cared for and monitored with the use of the regulated and legally required healthcare and breeding records. Unfortunately the 65,000 people working in the fur trade in Canada alone are under constant attack from Eco-fundamentalists who make it their mission to pass on misinformation which results in the loss of jobs and potentially the traditional art of fur crafting. At this point it seems moot to discuss the use of leather in fashion and how in the midst of all the hype, few forums touch upon the fact that the majority of anti-fur advocates wear leather products and eat meat. Fur Today: So with all this fur who is wearing it? I know as a fashion columnist and blogger I love to wear a fur stole or fur trim on my collars, cuffs, and hoods but who else is wearing fur? Many high profile celebrities wear fur such as Madonna, Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and the list goes on and on but are celebs the only ones wearing fur? Since fur is found on nearly every type of outerwear on the trim of a hood etc. the masses are investing in fur from popular accessible brands like Andrew Marc, Danier Leather, and Canada Goose, making fur very practical. Although full fur coats are not as popular on the streets today, they are hitting the runways hard for Fall 2012. Nearly every collection used fur in some way and the shift in perspective is looking great. Noted fur advocate Karl Lagerfeld used fur in nearly every look at the Fendi Fall 2012 show. Other collection that invested in the trendy renewable resource were Marc Jacobs, Celine, Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Zac Posen, and newcomer Altuzarra. With this much of the fluffy fuzz on the catwalk I can guarantee that it will be showing up more frequently on the streets; and if you can’t afford your own fur, simply dive into your grandmothers or grandfathers wardrobe and take out one of their old furs, or visit your local vintage shop. Remember, fur unlike other materials, is wonderfully resilient and can stand the test of time. You’ll often see fur being past down from generation to generation for over half a century or more. Once it has run its course, it is nice to know that it will degrade naturally and will not add to the tonnes and tonnes of cheap disposable synthetic fabrics that make up a significant percentage of our landfills. Finally, I have to pose the question, “What is more Eco-Friendly?” Fur? Or piles of non-biodegradable synthetic materials? Has the use of fur become so plagued with unnecessary guilt and misinformation that we would turn our backs on a proven, quality and sustainable material? In the Interest of Sharing, Fun Facts: - $800 million - The amount of money that goes directly into the Canadian economy from the fur trade each year. - http://www.furcouncil.com - 65,000 - The amount of people working in the fur trade in Canada. - http://www.fur.ca - 63% - The amount of Canadian furs that come from fur farms. - http://www.fur.ca - 1.6 million - The number of pelts produced from fur farms in Canada. - http://www.fur.ca - 1 billion - The number of cows that a killed each year for their leather. - http://www.peta.org/ - Hydrogen Chloride - The toxic gas released when creating synthetic textiles. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - 9% - The percentage of man made textiles in landfills. - 2020 - The year the world’s supply of oil and gas will fall below the level required to meet international demand. http://www.theinsider.org Warm, fashionable, renewable, environmentally friendly, regulated...FUR.

As it celebrates its third anniversary, label adidas SLVR continues to successfully reinvent casual and sports fashion in the form of a sleek and elegant collection of men’s and womenswear for Spring/Summer 2012. Under the creative direction of Dirk Schoenberger, the label’s current collection includes a series of minimalist garments where divergent shapes and themes abound to create flattering silhouettes. This is achieved in the contrast between clothes such as wide-legged pleated trousers and tight shirts and jumpers, or by resorting to asymmetrical hem lines contrasting with precise vertical and horizontal stitching. In addition, traditional tailoring is deconstructed by removing sleeves from suit jacket, by exploring the design possibilities of the staple white shirt, or by introducing fastening strips or zips in unexpected parts of a garment.

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