Ottawa Fashion Week Review

Unfortunately my pictures from the first half of Ottawa Fashion Week are non-existent. For some reason I decided to NOT bring my Rebel, and opted for the good ol' point and shoot... yes, not a good idea. Motion pictures turn out blurry... and models are moving, duh. But I thought I would share with you my favorites anyways; a special thanks to Pop Champagne for allowing me to share the beauty with you.

Andrew Majtenyi was elegant and subdued. His silhouettes were incredibly feminine yet delicate, and his color palette was fairly neutral with subtle pops of brightness in floral patterns. Every piece was wearable and effortlessly chic, and the designer's ensemble was equally fabulous - a royal purple shirt and black and white oxfords.

Rachel Sin was incredible. Her dresses were to die for. My favorites were by far the fitted pieces which were unbelievably sexy, but not over the top. A black sheath with a contrasting zipper and geometrical cut outs on the back was the piece I coveted the most; incredibly wearable for any occasion. Coincidentally, the designer herself showed up in that piece the following night.

On Day 3 the standouts were Stacey Bafi-Yeboa, designer of Kania Couture, who blew me away completely with her bold colour choices. Her pieces are completely eco-conscious, made from bamboo jersey, and look SO comfortable, even the dresses you could see yourself dancing into the wee hours of the morning in. Her overall look was super-easy rocker chic, and her styling was impeccable. And who could resist her charms when she danced down the runway at the end of her show? Amazing.

Adrian Wu... a talent beyond his mere 20 years. The complex drapes, gathers, and avant garde styling and silhouettes makes you believe that he's been in the business for years. It reminded me of a couture show one would see in Paris or Milan, without a doubt. While the color palette was fairly basic in blacks, whites and greys, you could still notice the impeccable craftsmanship and hours of work it must have taken to achieve such looks. He is definitely one Canadian talent to watch in the years to come.

And finally, Jessica Biffi, Project Runway Canada Season 2 runner-up, closed the weekend with what I'd like to dub her nautical-rocker motif. The mix of stripes and colors was amazing, and pleating details and shiny hardware had me literally foaming at the mouth. Everything was so incredibly well constructed, you could see why she made it so far on Project Runway, and why her popularity exceeds that of the two winners of the series.

A shout out goes to my lovely fellow Ottawa Bloggers - Marilou, you are incredibly amazing, and a million thank yous for allowing me to join you in the front row, I felt like a socialite :) & Julie, you are incredibly cute in person! Thanks so much for the photo op! I hope it doesn't take another runway show before I get to see you wonderful ladies again :)