Greta Constantine shuns colour in a sharply beautiful spring/summer 2013 collection

For years, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong held their Greta Constantine runway shows during Rogue Fashion Week, the series of presentations leading up to the official Toronto Fashion Week. This season, however, the pair delayed by more than a month in order to shorten the lag between when the clothes appear on the catwalk and when fans of the brand can buy them in stores. The timing wasn’t the only change; at the presentation in the Distillery District last night, the shapes were sharper and the fabrics more sombre than the brightly hued, slinky gowns that Pickersgill and Wong are known for. In fact, all 34 looks were navy, black or white.

Without print or colour as a distraction, the garments’ beautiful fits, pleated details and cut-outs became the main event (well, apart from the kooky headgear and talon-like nails). We love the angular shoulders on this navy skirt suit, while the short, flouncy white skirts, especially this one with eyelet detailing, added a touch of lightheartedness. Those pieces, along with a raft of wearable dresses, prove once and for all that beautiful spring clothing doesn’t have to be florals and pastels.

See all the looks »