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Rory Lindo (left) and Kelly Freeman (right) for Damzels in this DressBackstage Pass




Pretty Meets Gritty:
Damzels in this Dress

An upscale dose of urban edge pumps up the playful spring attitude at Damzels in this Dress.

“The new collection plays between sweet and tarty. That’s the ultimate Damzels aesthetic,” says designer Kelly Freeman.

Known for its quirky vintage feel and sexy, street-inspired flavour, the Toronto label has made dresses its sole focus ever since Freeman and co-founding designer Rory Lindo launched Damzels in this Dress in 1993. Since then star clients like actress Kate Hudson, the female members of indie band Arcade Fire and other rocker chicks have turned Damzels’ designs into wardrobe staples.

“We’ve always been street-level designers,” says Lindo. That gritty-meets-pretty spirit shines anew thanks to Damzels’ current fascination with outsider art, a movement that first surfaced in Los Angeles in the 1970s.

Featuring bold graphics by acclaimed Toronto tattoo artist David Glantz, the juxtaposition between lowbrow and highbrow art adds an unexpected twist to the label’s short and maxi-length creations.

“We loved the idea of collaborating with David and trying to elevate that street-meets-the-runway vibe,” says Lindo.

The impressionist paintings of American artist Mark Ryden also influenced Damzel’s body-conscious designs. As Lindo says, “Mark plays with the images of what is pretty and cute. But it’s like looking at the simpler times of the 1950s with a sinister edge.”

All-white denim with a ’50s rocker feel, a disco update on ’40s dresses and a warm, vibrant colour palette make a strong statement for Spring 2009.

“We’ve mixed pastels with lots of light pink, red, purple, yellow and white,” says Freeman, who also describes Damzels’ new silhouettes as “figure flattering.”

“We’re not a huge follower of trends,” says Freeman. “We’re all about highlighting a woman’s best assets and building pieces they can live with forever.”

By Constance Droganes, CTV.ca

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