URBANE UP-AND-COMERS

One magic runway moment can be all it takes to launch a superstar design career. Just ask Canadian fashion designer Wayne Clark.

"One dress I did in the early 80's made me a star overnight in this country," says the legendary fashion trailblazer. "The shows back then made my career."

The times might be different. But young Canadian designers still look at Fashion Week in Toronto as a huge opportunity to strut their stuff and snag all the up-and-comer heat they can handle. From "Project Runway's" Carlie Wong to Vancouver sensation Mellinda-Mae Harlingten, first-time designers at L'Oréal Fashion Week might be frazzled, excited, nervous and keen. But that in-your-face shot at fashion fame is worth the adrenalin rush.

WEARABLE GLAM
CARLIE WONG
A featured designer from "Project Runway Canada," 23-year-old Carlie Wong lets pared-down urban elegance for the modern woman be her big fashion statement for Fall 2008.

Her first full collection, Wong's simple, streamlined take on fall doesn't sacrifice that haute dose of luxury. "It's an all-black line and it's eveningwear, which is my forte," says Wong. But underscoring these black-on-black beauties is the Vancouver up-and-comer's luminous mix of textures.

"It's all about silhouette and the play with texture," says Wong. Far from being a monochromatic snore, her playful pairings of different luminosities of fabrics keeps the fashion feel fresh and the look über-sophisticated.

"There's sheen. There's shimmer. It's about playing those textures off one another and defining the body in a truly urban fashion," says Wong.

Pushed as a result of "Project Runway Canada" to start her own label, Wong's love of fashion surfaced early. "Even in elementary school it was a big concern for me to dress up and look good," says Wong. "But I've always believed that it's the person who should wear the clothes, not the other way around."

Hoping that her "wearable glam" collection will fly in today's tough market, Wong says, "Many people have come  up to me after "Project Runway Canada" and said they wished they could have seen more of my clothes. My debut in Toronto is letting them know I'm still around. I didn't disappear."


ECLECTIC EDGE
EVAN & DEAN
Inspired by the woman who pushes the boundaries, Vancouver designers Raymond Boutet and Lyle Reimer make eccentricity an attitude essential behind the Evan & Dean label.

"There are so many directions happening in fashion right now," says Reimer. "It's really up to the individual to find the style that suits them."

With an eclectic fusion of 70's and 80's influences, two key silhouettes dominate Evan & Dean's Fall 2008 collection. "It's all about slim, close to the body shapes and boxy, voluminous silhouettes," says Boutet. "Sometimes there's a pairing of the two, but there's no in-between. It's either slim or voluminous."

New fabrications such as leather and knits also make their way into Evan & Dean's eccentric mix. "Lots of research went into learning how to use these materials well," says Boutet. Their efforts certainly won't go unnoticed.

Making their debut at L'Oréal Fashion Week, "We see this is a promo and marketing tool," says Boutet. "We want to have more of a presence on the east coast."

As Reimer says, "Coming from Vancouver we've noticed that when Canadian fashion magazines say this is the "new" designer they're almost always out of Toronto, with a few Montrealers thrown in. We want to be part of that, but it's difficult to tap those resources without accessing that market."

Selling to boutiques in Vancouver, Victoria, Chicago and Florida, these partners are pumped to introduce Evan & Dean to Toronto editors and shoppers. "We're crossing our fingers," says Boutet. Their best case scenario? "We leave everybody impressed and asking ‘Hmmm. Who are those boys?'"


EQUESTRIAN FANCY
MELLINDA-MAE HARLINGTEN
Inspired by Edie Sedgwick - Andy Warhol's legendary 60's muse - Mellinda-Mae Harlingten's sophisticated take on the ringmaster tuxedo look is a driving force behind her new fall collection

"That equestrian vibe is definitely there, but I don't do just one silhouette," says the Vancouver-based designer. Featuring ultra-lean pants, pantsuits, wide-legged trousers and high-waist and lower-rise styles, "I've mixed things up so the collection can work for everybody."

Balancing lean pants with oversized car coats and A-line tunic dresses, "There's definitely a mix of volume and sleek lines," says Harlingten. Colour, too, has an über-urban feel. "There's black, grey and a bit of red splashed in for punch," says Harlingten. "I like colour but it's not how I dress. I keep the collection as close to who I am as possible."

Introduced to sewing by her grandmother at 11, Harlingten left Canada in 2000 to study at the London College of Fashion. Earning an honours degree in Women's Wear Design and Technology, she returned to Vancouver in 2005 and launched her inaugural Spring/Summer collection in 2007.

"This is my first time in Toronto and my first fashion show where it's all my brand," says Harlingten. "It is a little tense but I'm excited about L'Oréal Fashion Week. It will be great for business and getting my name out there."

Written by: Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca; Photo credit: TK