Known for its projection of new and emerging talent, Vancouver Fashion Week is back for its AW18 collections that will be showcasing the newest and most exciting designers that the Fashion industry need to keep an eye on. Since showcasing in 2000 and bi-annually showcasing designers such as London College of Fashion graduate Inae Sung and new Label Port Zienna, owned by Francesca Canepa – whom previously worked Oscar de la Renta, Tom Ford and Carolina Herrera, VFW is the scope for new and emerging designers.
This season has many designers in the loop for showcasing their AW18 designs in March but leading the interest at VFW this season is Perspective Tokyo and Grid by Allie Howard. Both design brands plan on presenting their conceptual collections. Perspective Tokyo, a menswear brand based in Tokyo carry their collection from its busy shopping streets, known as Omotesando to the catwalk in Vancouver. The collection symbolises an international style against consumerism using the crafted pieces to cover the faces of the models to enhance and strive for anonymity. With a focus on the beauty around us, the brand focuses on the need to break down and rebuild the consumerist structure thriving within a western world.
“We focus on the beauty that happens all around us. We break down and rebuild. We are aware of the difference between designers and artists and reflect this in our work. We try to visually convey our mood and feelings in our collections.”
As the futuristic destination for fashion, China and Japan are fast becoming the leaders for trends, styles and cuts when it comes to sculpting catwalk collections. Smartly tapping into this culture, VFW have picked a strong menswear brand, Perspective Tokyo, whom encompasses the positive shift towards the Eastern fashion destination. Their cleanwashed colour palette, raw-edged cuts and exaggerated silhouettes make for a brand that will carry strength within fashion week.
On the flip side we have the clean, clear cut and minimal designer Allie Howard, showcasing her brand Grid at VFWAW18. Born out of the simple aesthetic that is known to the Australian demographic, Allie Howard pins her minimal concepts to her designs.Exemplifying laser cut leather and unique shapes, the designer produces a womenswear collection that not only reveals and conceals the body but is beautifully finished with intricate textures and grid-like graphic innovations.
Her collection showcases and pays homage to her fashion and textile background as her designs manipulates fashion through a futuristic vortex dedicated to technology. The adaptable and simple colours that run through her collection are equally balanced out by precision in detail. From the traditions of weaving as a dominant textual style to the mesh textures, her collection carries the true strength of Australian traditions but keeps it updated with the need for textile enhancement and colour exploration.
This season seems like the perfect time to tune into Vancouver Fashion Week, with collections such as Perspective Tokyo and Grid by Allie Howard, the fashion week proves to be where the underrated talent lies. Seeking a new designer to buy into or looking for new collections to showcase, VFW is your destined destination for fashion design, showing AW18 collections from 19th – 25th March, its a hand-picked collection you do not want to miss.
