ELLECanada.com reviews the best of LG Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009.
 | David Dixon and David Dixon for Barbie LG Fashion Week kicked off with one of the most well known designers, David Dixon. The tent was filled to the brim for opening night with the crowds enjoying cocktails and celeb sight seeing pre-show. And Dixon did not disappoint. The show opened with a montage of iconic black and white photos of women. It was clear that Dixon wanted to portray a strong woman and when the models stepped out in conservative dresses and skirts with hemlines grazing just below the knee in tweeds and wools, his collection captured that essence. The models' bouffant hair, smoky eyes and nude lips kept with the powerful attitude. Keeping everything in blacks, greys, whites with dabs of merlot, Dixon added gloves with most looks and embroidered feathers to tops and hemlines for a mix of textures and patterns. With most pieces in a slim silhouette the collection looked easy to wear and office appropriate. Our favourite looks were the ankle-baring pants (perfect for easing from bare summer legs back into fall attire), the statement accessories of bold necklaces and drop earrings, and the dreamy silk charmeuse kimono dress with splashes of teal, yellows and browns. |
 | Once the lights dimmed excitement buzzed through the tent because we all knew what would be coming next -- Dixon's Barbie-inspired collection to help the fashionable doll celebrate her 50th birthday. Male models sauntered down the runway (in Ken-like form) between shows in tight black shirts holding trays filled with fizzy energy drinks in pink cans -- a little indication of the sweet, pink designs to come. The Barbie collection seemed like an extension of Dixon's fall collection with splashes of bright pink skirts and dresses that were less streamlined than his fall collection, and hot-pink heels from the Barbie Town Shoes collection. Dixon used wools, printed silk, beaded chiffon, silk bias ribbon and mixed in lots of houndstooth. Nothing was excessively doll-like, but more easy wearable pieces that would be a perfect addition to your winter wardrobe. The bias ribbon dresses shown in all three -- white, black a pink -- were stunning creations and drew a lot of smiles from the crowd. Dixon topped off his Barbie looks with thick tuques -- very appropriate for Barbie in a Canadian winter. The truest Barbie part of the show though, were the models' bouncy curled locks, flawless skin and candy-pink lips. All-in-all the evening was fun, flirty and brought back many a memories about our Barbie days. —Jennifer Weatherhead |
 | Bustle The Bustle show continues to be a must-see at fashion week. There's something about the energy that the show and designers Shawn Hewson and Ruth Promislow bring that makes it a fun event. This year was no exception and if you're a Gossip Girl fan, we suspect that you will love what Bustle had to offer this season. Models came out in Ed Westwick styled slim pants and sport coats, vests, cardigans and totes splashed with bright colours. The bags were commissioned by Belvedere to launch their new IX (pronounced one-x) vodka, who gave nine Canadian artists cans of pink spray paint and the Belvedere logo for inspiration to create the eye-popping totes. Bustle featured plaids, blues and greens in muted tones along with denim and preppy hair. Sport coats had plaid piping along the lapels and the leather bombers and comfy wool sweaters added comfort next to the shrunken suits. And since it was St. Patrick's Day, a model sporting one of our favourite looks (a shrunken green suit and printed white and green button up shirt) walked down with a pint of beer, and of course, he enjoyed a sip at the end of the runway. —JW |
 | The Heart Truth Fashion Show One of the most entertaining shows of fashion week had to be the Heart Truth Fashion Show. The show supported the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and featured Canada's most recognizable and celebrated female celebrities and newsmakers as the models. They each wore a different designer's creation down the runway, and given that the red dress is the official symbol of the Heart Truth campaign, all dresses were in brilliant shades of red. The looks ranged from over-the-top sexy (Little Mosque on the Prairie's Sitara Hewitt in Lucian Matis and Entertainment Tonight Canada's Rosey Edeh in Greta Constantine) to elegant and flowing (SportsCentre's Jennifer Hedger in Jay Godfrey and singer Heather Rankin in David Dixon). Canadian crooner Kreesha Turner wore an airy floor length gown by Carlie Wong that made the young singer look elegant and gossip blogger Elaine Lui (of Lainey Gossip) was a show stopper in a one-shouldered Evan Biddell number. Great designs, great celebrities and all for a great cause -- who could ask for more at Fashion Week? —JW |
