TORONTO - Bright hues and lively prints synonymous with spring and summer styles are trickling into fall and winter wear for the cooler months ahead.
On Day 3 of World MasterCard Fashion Week, homegrown designers were clearly intent on not giving colour the cold shoulder, showcasing a slate of warm-weather garments which embraced use of rich pigments and striking patterns.
Joe Fresh: The City of Light illuminated the latest looks from Joe Fresh as the homegrown brand injected an abundance of Parisian chic into affordable apparel offerings.
Creative director Joe Miranda cited Macho McLaren's 1994 concept album "Paris" as a source of inspiration for the largely black and white collection, which sought to deliver a modernized spin on styles from the '60s, '70s and '90s.
The fall-winter line prominently showcased two contrasting sides of womenswear with dainty, feminine fashions interspersed among tougher, menswear-inspired styles.
Headscarf-sporting models donned the more demure designs, which encompassed two-piece knit sets, sheer, polka dot blouses, sequinned shifts, ruffled silk tops, laser-cut neoprene and sweet, pleated skirts.
But it was the edgier looks in the collection that were the standouts — and extra-heavy on embellishments. Oversized studding adorned denim shirts, jeans, belts and faux leather jackets — a decided contrast from slim, satiny pants and wide-legged trousers showcased in the fall-winter line.
Message T-shirts and an Eiffel Tower illustration etched into a knitted pullover were among the range of large-scale logos and amplified graphic illustrations incorporated into the statement-making collection.
While largely spare on accessories, the brand's signature fiery orange hue added eye-popping accents on the soles of smoking slippers and metal chain-accented pointy pumps featured throughout the showcase.
Mackage: Coats with contrast coloured the fall-winter line from outerwear company Mackage.
Co-creative directors and childhood friends Elisa Dahan and Eran Elfassy showcased polished short jackets, down parkas and wool coats accented with fur hoods and collars, contrasting leather sleeves and gold hardware. The duo didn't shy away from infusing their outerwear offerings with eye-catching hues and prints, with buffalo check jackets and coral coats and ombre furs. The sleek, rugged outerwear was teamed with a succession of slick leather skirts, shorts and leggings.
Accessorizing the looks were compact leather totes in a variety of hues, part of a first-ever designer collaration with Megs Mahoney Dusil, co-founder and chief editor of PurseBlog.com.
Ashtiani by Golnaz Ashtiani: The subdued palette of pastels which highlighted Golnaz Ashtiani's spring-summer line took a turn to the dark side with her latest collection.
Incorporating use of velvet, lace, patent leather, mohair and silk, the collection was a study in contrasts with a mix of lush, textured fabrics saturated in deep shades of midnight blue and merlot interspersed with splashes of neon.
The collection featured an inventive mix of avant-garde looks showcasing contrasting fabrics along with plenty of peek-a-boo details which were signatures in her previous line.
Matis by Lucian Matis: Citing the clash between the wild and civilized world as inspiration, Matis by Lucian Matis fused inventive prints and classic patterns with traditional textiles and silhouettes.
Multi-hued twin sets, skirts and body-contouring dresses were blanketed with patterns and prints incorporating leopards, feathers, and shimmering forest pools. Emerald-and-blue patterned plaids boldly blanketed tailored jackets, pants and the long-sleeved finale dress.
Matis kept things simpler and more with wardrobe-worthy basics in the ready-to-wear line, notably with the peplum jackets and sheath dresses steeped in teal and burgundy shades. Heavily patterned and textured knits crafted into body-hugging pencil skirts and suited separates rounded out the collection.
Day 3 also featured presentations by Christoper Bates and Korhani Home.
Fashion Week continues until Friday.