It‘s fitting that Paul Hardy‘s spring/summer 2013 collection is a coming-of-age story, as it also marks his 10th anniversary in the business. Dozens of fashion editors and bloggers from across Canada joined some of Calgary‘s most stylish citizens for a day-long celebration that culminated in a dramatic 40-minute runway presentation of 60 looks at Hardy‘s new design studio in a renovated warehouse in Calgary‘s Inglewood neighbourhood. “I‘m so thrilled that everyone is here to celebrate with me,” Hardy said earlier in the day at a brunch at Calgary‘s River Café, where he thanked his family, current and former interns and even his Grade-7 teacher, who flew in from his hometown of Winnipeg for the festivities. “When I was in junior high, Irene never wore the same thing twice,” he said with a laugh. “She really inspired my career in fashion.” A few hours later, we got a good sense of how those early fashion ambitions have materialized. Titled “Breaking
Amish,” the runway show was divided into eight chapters (each carefully paired with live music) that told the story of a nameless girl who decides to leave her colony to discover the glamour of the big city—only to become disillusioned before eventually finding her own balance in life.
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