Festival Mode & Design Montreal 2010 Highlights

I made it to three of Thursday night’s shows: Place Montreal Trust, The Eaton Centre, and Complexe Les Ailes. They were fast-paced and offered new upcoming fall trends from some of its most popular and thriving stores, such as Gap, Rudsak, and Tristan. The good thing about these shows is that they present the public with wearable mix-and-match pieces that are easily accessible for both men and women.

Unfortunately, mother nature interrupted Thursday’s event on a rainy and very thunderous note, losing the majority of its viewers and delaying the subsequent shows.

The LaSalle College collective fashion show on Saturday was the one show I was most eager to see – partly because I am a fashion design graduate from LaSalle, and also because I knew the clothes would be one-of-a-kind pieces by multiple creative talents as opposed to mass-produced garments. The collection was inspired by Joan of Arc / urban warrior. Harem pants, sheer and leather pieces and exaggerated shapes in neutral shades graced the runway, accompanied by exceptional headpieces and accessories.

Saturday’s schedule also included other Canadian fashion schools: Académie des Arts et du Design, Coco Fashion School, and Collège Marie-Victorin. I have no doubt that these shows were equally creative, though I regrettably could not attend.

During and after shows at the 4-day event, guests were cordially welcome to buy drinks or shop at boutiques set up in tents all along the sidewalks of McGill College Avenue. DJ’s and local bands also entertained guests, much to everyone’s delight.

FMDM is a great way for Montreal to maintain its residents’ interest in fashion and to keep people up to date with current trends – until the next Montreal Fashion Week, at least!