The fall/winter fashion previews continue apace. In the past few days, as winter has re-emerged, Judith & Charles and Marie Saint Pierre have invited media to view upcoming collections.
It’s a little bit funny. The fashion seasons are becoming a thing of the past: Burberry was the biggest recent name to dispense with the six-month lag from show to sell, although certainly not the first or last. Yet here in Montreal, when we view fall-winter in February or March, we need it, want it now – because our winter is so long.
Sketches from the fall lineup from Judith & Charles.
Charles Le Pierrès of Judith & Charles at Tommy in Old Montreal during fall fashion preview.
Yso models a tweed topper at Judith & Charles fashion preview.
Judith & Charles gathered the fashion crowd to Tommy in Old Montreal to view several upcoming deliveries – this is a good thing for the long-lead magazines, of course, as it gives them a chance to plan their shoots. There was pre-fall, perhaps, with a June delivery, and fall, to land in stores in late summer. Whatever. That’s an aside, something that the business of fashion will have to figure out as the cycle of information continues to speed up.
J&C, formerly Teenflo for those old enough to remember, is a classic contemporary line. There are always great pants and jackets, and this season some spiffy coats – one of which I tried and faced off in with the redoubtable Yso (Siphay Southidara) on Facebook. The post got 101 likes – and sadly, most viewers liked the tweed coat better on Yso, which just goes to show – either I took a better picture of Yso than he of me, or fashion looks better on skinny boys. (I was wearing a blowsy blush top beneath, which didn’t help. If you want to see that picture, go to Facebook – and vote for me ;))
On the coat front, there was also a burgundy reefer, hounds-tooth sack coat and shearling moto jacket.
Sleek cocktail dresses and sporty cargo pants also stood out.
Charles Le Pierrès, partner in the brand with wife Judith Richardson, was tucked away in a corner. They now have 12 stores across Canada and one in New York, and will expand further with franchises internationally.
The line is becoming more sophisticated – and a bit more expensive – to maintain its quality and distinguish itself from the mass of mid-market clothes, Le Pierrès explained. And everything is still made in Canada, he said.
Over at Marie Saint Pierre’s boutique, next fall and winter were on show. Fall has many of the easy, luxurious jerseys that make wearing MSP such a pleasure, as well as tweeds, and a new batch of accessories, many of them finely feathered evening bags. Oh, and a superb black and white colour-blocked scuba fabric coat.
And my own coup d’coeur, which is entirely seasonless, but is in store now, is a grey and rose gold microfibre suit.
The winter line was from the Atelier collection with elaborately appliquéed art pieces. Take a look.
And now for spring, please!!!
From the Marie Saint Pierre fall and winter previews. The grey-rose gold suit is in store now.
