Rogue Fashion Week continued last night with a show by Quebec-based label Mackage at the Distillery District’s Fermenting Cellar. The event was both a party and fashion show, and its circus theme could be seen everywhere but the clothes (though one stylist noted, “Well, there was that one red coat”). We spotted cotton candy, snow cone cocktails, buttered popcorn, miniature ice cream sandwiches, performers with illuminated hula hoops (they truly are everywhere these days), stilt walkers and a relatively attractive male model shackled to the wall wearing face paint, a kilt and spiked loafers (the circus is here!). The evening was organized by ASC PR’s Suzanne Cohon, who’s famous for her over-the-top events, and who, in a moment of familiarity, told us to call her “Suze.” Guests like Suzanne Boyd, Glen Baxter, Derrick Chetty and more had piled in to check out headlining models Rico “Zombie Boy” Genest (known for his appearance in the Lady Gaga video “Born This Way”) and Calgary-born Heather Marks—oh, and the clothes, we guess. Our take from the runway and a complete runway gallery (say hello to Zombie Boy!) after the jump.
Designers Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan showed a collection focused on jackets, which felt odd on such a balmy evening, but remember this line is based out of frigid Montreal. The coats featured interesting textures and details, like zippers (to remove pieces and make jackets shorter), fur, bouclé fabric in brownish burgundy and cable-knit layers atop nylon. Our favourites were a knee-length suede jacket with an oversized fur hood, mullet-style jackets in an almost tie-dyed-looking black and navy glazed wool (also a style seen on some skirts and dresses), and the zipper coats. We weren’t that impressed with the more technical jackets in nylon, which looked more like North Face or Canada Goose, but the ready-to-wear collection had a lot of winners: slouchy cigarette pants in grey and gold with subtle patterns; black and navy dresses; camel skirts and dresses; trendy contrasting collars; and a silver party frock with a white hem. Genest walked only once, closing the show with a menacing scowl and sullen posture, but lest show-goers be frightened, he emerged from the changing room all smiles (even posing for photos with guests).
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