Philip Sparks went fishing and landed a big one
Philip Sparks went fishing and landed a big one
By Carley Fortune | October 15, 2009
By Carley Fortune | 10/15/2009
A look from Philip Sparks' spring 2010 collection (Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani) Toronto Fashion Week doesn’t officially start until Monday, but last night one of the city’s fast-rising design talents, Philip Sparks, debuted his spring 2010 collection at the Burroughes Building on Queen Street West. The young menswear designer called upon Canadian cottaging days of yore to evoke laid-back moments on the dock. Some models (who looked like the man-children of Sparks and Robert Pattinson ) carried a fishing pole or net; another was sent out in hip waders.
There were pieces that felt like more direct references to the past—high-waisted trousers, sweater sets—but Sparks’ brand of nostalgia is modern (a wool-Tencel tank and cardigan) and clever. He collaborated with the textile designer Kerry Croghan to create a witty “Gone Fishing” print—a toile-like pattern with scenes of camping, angling and canoeing. While 1950s CPR getaway ads were cited as inspiration, this wasn’t the overt Canadiana that we’re all getting sick of. Instead of beavers and maple leafs, we got a sophisticated, fresh and optimistic collection that will be hard to top next week.
See all of the looks from the collection after the jump.
13234 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks21.jpg 500 750 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks21/ sparks21 0 0
13233 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks20.jpg 500 868 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks20/ sparks20 0 0
13232 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks19.jpg 500 763 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks19/ sparks19 0 0
13231 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks18.jpg 500 862 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks18/ sparks18 0 0
13230 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks17.jpg 500 815 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks17/ sparks17 0 0
13229 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks16.jpg 500 808 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks16/ sparks16 0 0
13228 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks15.jpg 500 820 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks15/ sparks15 0 0
13227 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks14.jpg 500 877 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks14/ sparks14 0 0
13226 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks13.jpg 500 828 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks13/ sparks13 0 0
13225 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks12.jpg 500 759 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks12/ sparks12 0 0
13224 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks11.jpg 500 802 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks11/ sparks11 0 0
13223 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks10.jpg 500 858 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks10/ sparks10 0 0
13222 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks9.jpg 500 855 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks9/ sparks9 0 0
13221 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks8.jpg 500 832 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks8/ sparks8 0 0
13220 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks7.jpg 500 824 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks7/ sparks7 0 0
13219 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks6.jpg 500 750 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks6/ sparks6 0 0
13218 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks5.jpg 500 837 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks5/ sparks5 0 0
13217 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks4.jpg 500 870 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks4/ sparks4 0 0
13216 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks3.jpg 500 772 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks3/ sparks3 0 0
13215 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks2.jpg 500 750 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks2/ sparks2 0 0
13214 Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks1.jpg 500 762 [] https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/slide/sparks1/ sparks1 0 0
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/style/philip-sparks-went-fishing-and-landed-a-big-one/&title=Philip Sparks went fishing and landed a big one&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sparks2.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_13215" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="A look from Philip Sparks' spring 2010 collection (Photo by Jenna Marie Wakani)"][/caption]
Toronto Fashion Week doesn't officially start until Monday, but last night one of the city's fast-rising design talents, Philip Sparks, debuted his spring 2010 collection at the Burroughes Building on Queen Street West. The young menswear designer called upon Canadian cottaging days of yore to evoke laid-back moments on the dock. Some models (who looked like the man-children of Sparks and Robert Pattinson) carried a fishing pole or net; another was sent out in hip waders.
There were pieces that felt like more direct references to the past—high-waisted trousers, sweater sets—but Sparks' brand of nostalgia is modern (a wool-Tencel tank and cardigan) and clever. He collaborated with the textile designer Kerry Croghan to create a witty "Gone Fishing" print—a toile-like pattern with scenes of camping, angling and canoeing. While 1950s CPR getaway ads were cited as inspiration, this wasn't the overt Canadiana that we're all getting sick of. Instead of beavers and maple leafs, we got a sophisticated, fresh and optimistic collection that will be hard to top next week.
See all of the looks from the collection after the jump.
[gallery order="DESC" columns="7"]
){kind=link}