Montreal apparel in the spotlight at Fashion Preview

From WRKDEPT’s SS/16 Collection

Following fashion week showcases in major Canadian cities like Vancouver and Toronto last month, it’s Montreal’s turn to put the spotlight on its own local designers from April 5–7, at Fashion Preview.

Launched in 2014, Fashion Preview was born in response to the fall of Montreal Fashion Week and has come to be known as the city’s main fashion showcase. It was created and imagined by Emanuela Lolli who continues to head the event today through her non-profit organization Mode Avant-Première.

For its fifth edition, a Nordic theme will take over the catwalk.

“Nordic doesn’t only mean snow, ice and the cold, it’s really about an essence,” Lolli explains in French. “I asked Montreal fashion designers to create an event and presentations that are inspiring, and inspired.”

Though Quebec’s fashion star Denis Gagnon won’t be making an appearance at this edition (his collection isn’t ready, Lolli tells me), other Montreal fashion veterans like Joseph Helmer from self-titled label Helmer, Jennifer Glasgow, and Claudette Floyd from Claudette by Claudette Floyd (previously Rush Couture) will present their fall/winter 2016 collections, on April 5, 6 and 7 respectively.

Another Montreal fashion favourite, womenswear designer Travis Taddeo, will also be present. Following a long runway hiatus, his April 5 presentation is highly anticipated.

The colourful and vibrant designs of contemporary street brand WRKDEPT, equally seen at Toronto Fashion Week last month, will also return to the stage on April 5 to present their collection themed “Bed and Breakfast”.

New to this season’s schedule, a showcase centered around music will end the day two festivities, on April 6. Alternative Montreal-based pop singer Emi Jeen and stylist and artistic director Laurie TB, coordinated a presentation that will have designs by Elisa C-Rossow, Maison Cyma and Anomal Couture strutting down the runway to Jeen’s signature tunes. The collections of each designer will be presented in three different segments to three different songs.

What’s more, for the first time, fashion design graduates of Montreal’s Lasalle College will also hit the runway on day two. The graduating design class will put on a show dedicated to denim.

Off the runway, Fashion Preview’s Accessories Village will be back. The space designated to accessory designers will highlight the new collections of over a dozen designers and sell items from past collections. Among the accessories; handbags and leather goods by Catherine Gaillard, Annick Levesque, Lajoie and Holdur; jewelry by Quality Native Crafts, Mohawki and Ella Dugré; outdoor accessories by recycled-fur company Harricana; hand-made bowties by L’effets papillon and more.

Joining the Accessories Village, four other spaces baptized “Les espace capsule” will showcase fashion installations. Online retailer Fibres Collectives will expose all-white clothing and accessories created locally, while graduates of Marie-Victorin college will showcase an instalment dedicated to fur. Instalments by the graduating class of the École supérieure de mode and the technology transfer center Vestechpro will also be featured.

The Accessories Village and capsule areas will be open to ticket holders during all three days.

For the first time the event will take place at the Univeristé du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM), in the Pavillon Cœur des Sciences. Lolli says we can expect a more underground feel compared to past editions which took place at Ogilvy’s and Old Montreal’s Phi Centre. ■

Fashion Preview takes place from April 5–7  at UQAM’s Pavillon Cœur des Sciences (175 President-Kennedy) at 6 p.m. nightly, $25 per night. For tickets and program details, visit the event’s website.