Toronto Fashion Week: Joe Fresh delivers a crisp spring/summer 2013 collection to his adoring fans

| October 25, 2012

Toronto Fashion Week runs from October 22 to 26, in a large—and stylishly appointed—tent at David Pecaut Square. We’re posting full galleries from the buzziest runways. It’s time to forget about the chilly weather and imagine what life (or at least fashion) will be like in spring/summer 2013.

DESIGNER
Joe Fresh, by Joe Mimran

IN A SENTENCE The buzz surrounding Mimran’s minimal but cheerful take on modern sportswear grows every season, making this the most hotly anticipated of the week’s runway shows.

THE SCENE As expected, the social set—and society oglers—were out in force. Just before the show began, we spotted Pink Tartan designer and Mimran’s wife Kimberley Newport-Mimran and PR maven Suzanne Cohon making a last-minute dash to the bar, and Loblaw magnate Galen G. Weston sharing a joke with his wife Alexandra on their way into the tent. Once inside, the couple took a seat in a power-packed section of the front row with Catherine and David Nugent and philanthropist W. Bruce C. Bailey (who somehow managed to sneak his drink past the army of PR girls). The house cheered and whistled as model Pat Cleveland opened the show with a sashaying walk and a classic model pout—which one onlooker called “maximum fierceness.”

THE COLLECTION The line-up was dominated by geometric prints, metallics, and plenty of white, giving the show a retro-futuristic undertone, à la Barbarella. As befits a mass market brand, plenty of wearable separates, including a range of great print pants for women, were on display. The company offered a lighter version of the neoprene that dominated its fall 2012 offerings, which gave subtle structure to polo shirts, roomy skirts and shift dresses. We like the idea behind a shiny silver skirt, but wonder if it looks too much like a space blanket to wear out on the street (that is certainly the case with a coat made of the same fabric). Like last season, the menswear offerings proved somewhat limited, though we did spy a checked blazer we like. BEST PIECES A pair of blue print shorts are crisp and sweet and perfect for a summer barbecue, and, for a fancier occasion, we recommend the long halter dress in a pale, giraffe-inspired print. We bet the pleated skirts will be ubiquitous once they hit stores this spring.