Mark Antoine’s was at least the third collection that referenced a dystopian society. It began with the students of LaSalle College, directed by their superbly creative teacher, Milan Tanedjikov. Their opening show at the three-day event, titled Lines of Flight, featured purple or masked faces, ragged and ripped fabric, twists, fuzz and humps, layers and volume – all pointing to the influence of Rei Kawakubo, Rick Owens, and perhaps a touch of John Galliano.

No matter: in journalism, Norah Ephron said, “Everything is copy.” In fashion, everything is copied. The point is that the students were creative – and with a coherent message and point of view.

 

V-Franz Bernil, in another outstanding show, also delved into that dark vision. A series of plaids and pinstripes, very well done but quite reminiscent of the late Alexander McQueen, started the show. Footwear was wrapped in garbage bags or clear cellophane. Call me a prude, but the two exits with bared breasts didn’t enhance the collection. Where the designer excels is in sexy, bare evening wear, and this season he did his best yet, rendered in green lavish embroidery or nude embroidered net.

Frrom V-Franz Bernil, plaids, pinstripes and fabulous embroideries.

On quite another, more serene vein was Leinad Beaudet, with a  small collection titled Outremont ma chère. The designer always has an austere look, with accomplished draping and volume. His closing piece was a showstopper dress in blush sequins with raw edges, draped shoulders and an easy shape. Would love to see variations of that dress – shorter, perhaps, or with an alluring open cowl back. But this is Leinad – and that’s the way he rumbles. Cute touch: mismatched bindings on shoes.

Earlier, couturier Helmer, in top form, chose to show menswear only. His dandies sported oversize stripes and plaids, denim and one flashy scarlet ensemble of greatcoat, blazer and plaid pants. A street-inspired look gave the theme away: emblazoned on pants was the word “zazou,” referencing the garish, oversize look of a Second World War French subculture. Take the extreme styling away, however, and there was some very nice, wearable tailoring in soft beige-blue plaids, for instance.

Helmer’s oversize statement.

Fashion Preview, which was held at UQAM’s Agora, was conceived as an alternative showcase for the new generation of emerging designers. In its early days, there were creative installations, which became unwieldy to set up, and meant long waits between shows. It has moved to traditional runway, and this season, the shows ran like clockwork, quite the accomplishment.

In its mission to showcase young talent, each evening opened with presentations from the fashion schools – and they were impressive. The fur work from Marie-Victorin students was beautifully crafted and conceived. Loved the winter white theme.

Fur work from students of Cegep Marie-Victorin.

A small coterie of contemporary brands also showed, with well-done collections from Naïké, KQK, Coquette en soie and Robert Atelier.

With the traditional runway, established venue and good organization, what’s needed is for a few of the big fashion design labels to take to the runway, attracting buzz, buyers and media to Montreal fashion.

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Always poetic and evocative, Beaudet’s words match the mood of his fashion.

From the invitation to the upcoming show:

“….Through the thick veil of dust, the beauty of a doddering chandelier, pearls on a frayed velvet case, a pristine pleated flannel midi skirt, a lace trimmed bishop sleeved blouse and a floral print taffeta evening gown.’’

Beaudet explains that he was inspired by the shops of Outremont and Mile End, some with an inch of dust on the windows obscuring the elegant fashion and antiques inside.

Images from Leinad Beaudet’s Outremont,ma chère collection.

He likes the contrast, he says, between the shabbiness and the high end.

The designer is loyal to the showcase; this is his sixth showing, of Fashion Preview’s seven seasons in total. Other evocative show titles of his have been Dimanche, Comfort of Indifference and Solastalgia, with fashions I have variously described as austere, monkish, poetic and beautifully draped.

“We’re working hard so it’s part of the fun to show it to the public. It’s a way to keep the momentum going,’’ he says. “It’s bringing contacts and visibility.”

As for business, there is some light on the horizon. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau’s stylist has ordered some pieces, and Montagne, a boutique on de la Montagne, has ordered a selection of styles for spring, due in store in April.

He’s hanging in, he says, explaining that the difficulty is that Quebec does not have retail points for high end local fashion. “All the stores selling local are in a certain price point,’’ he says.

Helmer’s collection of elaborate blouses at the last edition of Fashion Preview.

Helmer, the couturier with a flair for elaborate ruffles and lace, as well as menswear, is another draw who has graced the Fashion Preview catwalk numerous times. Naïké, KQK, Muse, V-Franz and the students of LaSalle, Marie-Victorin and UQAM’s École supérieure de mode return, while Brit Wacher and Markantoine are making names for themselves.

Fashion Preview runs March 27-29 at the Agora Hydro-Québec, the UQAM pavilion at Jeanne Mance and President-Kennedy.

And as in previous editions, there is a satellite salon of accessories – dolls, bags, shoes and bijoux to peruse between shows.

Here is the schedule: Doors open at 5:45 p.m., with shows to start half an hour later.

Monday, March 27

• Collège LaSalle
• Brit Wacher
• Naïké
• Helmer

Tuesday, March 28

• Cégep Marie-Victorin
• MUSE par Christian Chenail
• Leinad Beaudet
• KQK
• V-Franz

Wednesday, March 29

Ecole supérieure de mode ESG-UQAM

• COLLAGE Fashion
• Coquette en soie
• Robert Atelier
• Markantoine

The shows are open to the public, with tickets for sale here:

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Well, it is trying hard, but there was not enough exciting content for a three-day event.

First, on the negative side, everything was slow, excruciatingly so.

When Fashion Preview launched six seasons ago, it was a platform for alternative installations by emerging designers: this week at the Agora at UQAM, models walked very slowly down a traditional catwalk, with the same choreography at almost all the shows, with the notable exception of the LaSalle College presentation.

And it’s always the same old story: there is not a critical mass of established and emerging design stars to attract the attention of media and buyers.

Yes, there was a contingent from Belgium, and Toronto’s Shopgirls gals – but is that enough to bring out the big guns like Marie Saint Pierre, Denis Gagnon, Philippe Dubuc, Mackage, Unttld, Judith & Charles – and the list goes on?

On the bright side, Helmer, Duy and Leinad Beaudet were in fine form. And the showcase outside the runway room had a nice selection of accessories – Holdur’s luxe fanny packs in new colours including a great slate blue, silk wrapped polymer bowties for him and her by Guillotine, modern jewelry from Belgium’s Et Le Bijou Créa la Femme, and the adorable dolls decked out in Quebec’s finest from Coton Mouton.

Helmer played variations on his tailoring in fuchsia silk with a pannier bottom for fun, and in ivory silk for wearable elegance. Flounces and lace were also part of this exercise in couture. The designer, with his training in Paris couture, is opening a school in Montreal with courses for designers to perfect their skills.

Helmer’s couture.

Aude Le Dubé with a Coton Mouton doll dressed by Helmer.

Duy, too, showed off his exquisite workmanship in what looked like a winter white collection, but was in fact spring. Again, there were breathtaking couture creations – an ivory pantsuit with with a dramatic draped kimono, and a sequin and lace confection enthralled. The theme was sense and sensibility, balancing austerity and frivolity, said Duy. The designer, who said with some fanfare that he was quitting fashion, admits he is back – half-time. He will be spending six months of the year in Vietnam.

From Duy.

Speaking of austerity, Leinad Beaudet seemed to get happy this season after several seasons of severe designs. Blouses were draped in poetic fashion, but more surprisingly there were brights and colour – like dresses in candy white and coral stripes, marigold and baby blue. The collection, Beaudet said, was called Solastolgia, based on Albrecht’s notion of distress caused by environmental change close to one’s home and out of one’s control. “It’s about everything being too much,’’ he said.

Leinad Beaudet’s Solastalgia collection.

Leinad Beaudet’s Solastalgia collection.

Honourable mention also goes to Claudette Floyd’s architectural flounced pieces, KQK’s tailoring play and new line Lovan M.

Rush by Claudette Floyd.

But the most modern and innovative show was LaSalle College’s Order Project, in which students created variations on men’s white dress shirts to highlight the wastage of the fashion industry, which we learned, is the world’s second most polluting industry and 30 per cent of clothing produced is never sold.

Some of the shirts were terrific, and shirt play is indeed a trend today. And then there were the children on the catwalk, sporting cardboard boxes on their backs before depositing them on the floor and turning on them as if they were pedestals. The kids were beyond cute.

LaSalle College students’ Order Project featured play on men’s white dress shirts.

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Lolli, who is Italian, has a background as an accessories designer and, by chance, found her passion in promoting the Montreal scene after she arrived here nine years ago.

As designers and organizers get ready for the sixth edition of the Montreal fashion showcase, running for three days from Monday, Oct. 24, it may be time to ask: Is Fashion Preview the new Montreal Fashion Week?

It’s beginning to look a bit that way.

“It is a fashion week,’’ said Lolli, founder and director of the event.

Sponsors are joining up and there is some government funding from Quebec and Montreal’s Bureau de la mode, says Lolli.

Emanuela Lolli in Leinad Beaudet at the spring summer 2016 edition of Fashion Preview.

Leinad Beaudet’s austere fall collection.

The latest feather in the cap for the event is a collaboration with Fibres Collectives, an e-commerce outlet and community for Quebec designers. This season, with backing from mmode (the Montreal metropolitan cluster or “grappe” charged with reviving the fashion industry), it will offer select items from the spring Fashion Preview collections on pre-sale.

The designers on offer, the day after their shows, are Helmer, KQK, Leinad Beaudet, Muse by Christian Chenail, Naiké, DUY, Lovan M, Rush Couture, Karma Athletics, Yoga Jeans and Les Incompétents.

That’s in keeping with the industry wide trend to show and sell immediately, breaking the traditional six-month delay in going to market. Consumers see it now, and want it now after all.

And sponsors have been lined up, notably Givenchy (part of the powerful LVMH family) for makeup, Matrix, Loews Hôtel Vogue, Glaceau Smart Water, and Elle Québec. Quebec and the city of Montreal, as well as Tourisme Montréal and the fashion schools are also on board.

But a few things are lacking – namely, major funding and a critical mass of top designers who might have the clout to lure top buyers.

Denis Gagnon was the most prominent name at the start of the Fashion Preview run, and staged creative and innovative shows. But he hasn’t shown in quite a few seasons, and the event seems to draw from upcoming designers, with a few stalwarts – Helmer, Duy, and the return of Christian Chenail – on the calendar this season.

Helmer’s collection of elaborate blouses at the last edition of Fashion Preview.

An installation by WRKDEPT at Fashion Preview.

Drawing the successful, well-known names – Marie Saint Pierre, Philippe Dubuc, Marisa Minicucci, Mackage – has always been an issue, however.

Lolli, with her European connections, has buyers from Brussels, as well as Toronto and Vancouver coming. One or two designers will be chosen to be presented by Le New Black, a European digital platform. And streaming of the shows is under negotiation.

With the demise of Montreal and Toronto’s fashion weeks, there is a gap in the Canadian landscape for designers to showcase their collections at home.

Lolli came to Montreal  with husband, son and new baby in tow, after working in fashion in Paris for 15 years, notably as an accessories designer at Eden Park.

She recounts her path in getting involved in the Montreal fashion biz.

A meeting with Marie Saint Pierre led to an introduction to Diane Duhamel, director of the city’s fashion bureau.

“Everything just clicked,’’ Lolli recalled over breakfast in an Outremont café.

With her experience at Eden Park, which included helping out on the marketing end of things, she met with designers and understood their issues with promotion, production, sales and sourcing of materials.

She didn’t want to do a fashion week – she thought a big organization from Toronto, New York or Europe would step in – so organized a one-day event, at the Phi Centre.

The event grew and eventually moved to Ogilvy’s Tudor Hall before settling in at the Agora Hydro-Québec et Chaufferie, part of UQAM, last season:  700 people came on the first day: there were 2,000 entries over the three days in all.

“If for the 7th, 8th edition, I have more budget (there will be) more, more more.

“If I do that, the fashion designers are going to come. I think they are attracted to prestige.”

Fashion Preview runs Oct. 24-26 at the Agora, 175 President Kennedy. Tickets are available to the public at $25 per evening.

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Call it what you will, it is – for the moment – this city’s fashion showcase most oriented to media and buyers. On Tuesday evening, a full house of fashion pros, media and buyers turned out for the opening night.

Helmer’s ruffled shirts are made in Montreal or in Haiti.

But the event remains primarily a showcase for up and coming designers and a bit of a mixed bag: street and edge, classic and couture, slow and fast, experienced and not so much.

Helmer Joseph, with years of couture experience in Paris, opened the shows with a new collection based on coats and shirtings, made in Haiti and in Montreal. In an installation rather than runway show, elaborate ruffled organza blouses for women contrasted with minimalist greatcoats in scarlet or camel, for men and women. Also on display: suits for men, in purple jacquard and red linen. Dandies, indeed. The coats were fabulous, classic with interesting details like a rounded lapel. The shirts were more tropical, as is Helmer’s way, showpieces for his couture skills.

From satirical WRKDEPT, some serious tailoring.

Travis’s Taddeo’s luxe street wear.

Languid and austere from Leinad’s Beaudet’s Dimanche collection.

The evening ended with another installation, this time from WRKDEPT, which has that cool unisex edge and calls itself a “satirical” contemporary street brand. Designer Andy Long Hoang toned it down this season with tunics, coats, vests and cloaks, sometimes paired with ultra-wide pants. Earth tones reigned for the collection, called Bed and Breakfast.

In between, there was a speedy streetwear presentation from Travis Taddeo, with his signature leather shorts and jersey dresses. The presentation was over in a flash – which is as it should be – and it was even speedier when I mistakenly filmed it in time-lapse mode. The designer even provided a line sheet with prices for TT World, The Essentials collection. Among the offerings: Deluxe Boy Shorts, $665, paired with a silk bomber, $870.

By contrast, Leinad Beaudet always takes it slow. His Dimanche collection was, as is his esthetic, austere – even ascetic and just a little bit Amish. The runway show ended in a poetic still life of models in the covered-up, cleverly cinched and draped dresses.

Newcomer Allcovered fashion worked one interesting idea – asymmetry with flap oversets – in black and beige fabric in a collection that lacked technical finesse.

A selection of leather goods, jewellery and bits and bobs – bread, popcorn, soaps, scents – is featured in the adjacent showroom.

The event goes until Thursday evening and tickets are available to the public. Details here.

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Helmer Joseph, the couturier with experience in Paris, is back on the catwalk, showcasing a new collection based on shirts and winter coats, and made in Montreal and Haiti.

A feminine shirt from Helmer Joseph’s fall winter 2016 lookbook. COURTESY HELMER

Also up: Travis Taddeo, Leinad Beaudet, Claudette Floyd, WRKDEPT, and Jennifer Glasgow, among others. As usual, the event will feature an accessories showrom with about 16 booths, including Annick Lévesque and Holdur for leather goods and handbags, and Mohawk Bijoux and Ella Dugré for jewellry.

The scene at Leinad Beaudet’s show last October.

Denis Gagnon’s spring summer 2016 show, shown last fall as part of Fashion Preview.

The Joncas twins presentation at the last edition of Fashion Preview.

And there will be capsules from the École supérieure de mode at ESG-UQAM, the École de mode at the Cégep Marie-Victorin, the technology centre Vestechpro, as well as Fibres Collectives.

The event aims to showcase emerging designers, but there is usually a big name attraction to bolster the program. Denis Gagnon has often lent his drama and design sensibility to the event; this season, Helmer takes the honours.

Asked whether Fashion Preview is actually fashion week, Helmer, as he is called, said, “I hope not. Because fashion week is about showing trends.”

It’s better, he said, because the event includes a showroom and there are buyers.

Organizer Emanuella Lolli has enlisted up some European buyers, from Bon Marché, Groupe Joyce, and Noseason in Paris.

 “The spirit and the idea are good. You have to open doors for young designers.”

Helmer lamented the absence of a formal fashion week, which was cancelled in 2013 by its producers, Sensation Mode, which now concentrates on taking fashion to the streets with the Festival Design & Mode. Fashion Preview has since sprung up, and now there is talk of another fashion showcase for the city focusing on technology.

We have the talent and the government grants to mount a fashion week here, Helmer said. “How can we not have  a fashion week here?” he asked, noting Montreal is a big city, with audacity and talented designers.

“There are too many conflicts of interest,”

Fashion Preview runs Tuesday through Thursday, April 5-7, at the Agora Hydro-Quebec at the Coeur des Sciences of UQAM, 175 President Kennedy Ave. The public can buy tickets here.

Doors open each evening at 5:30, with shows to start at 6 p.m. Here is the schedule:

Tuesday, April 5

•   Helmer

•   Leinad Beaudet

•   Allcovered Fashion

•   Travis Taddeo

•   WRKDEPT

Wednesday, April 6

•   Collectif College LaSalle

•   Jennifer Glasgow

•   KQK

•   Special Guest : Emi Jeen

Thursday, April 7

•   Dominique Ouzilleau

•   Maison Cyma

•   Claudette Floyd

•   Alexandre dit Sandy

•   Lushyne

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