By Aleysha Haniff
Associate News Editor
Ryerson Fashion Week ends with the apocalypse. But don’t worry, Revelation, named after the last book of the Bible, is just one of the many student collections that will be showcased at Ryerson Fashion Week, running April 3-8. The week features designs from the fashion industry’s next wave of talent. Read the sneak peek for what you can expect to see hit the runway.
Three ring circus
If Ryerson can’t go to the mountains, Mikhail Moudrakovski will bring the mountains to the catwalk.
When his dress goes down the runway during Three Ring Circus, the show for second- and third-year fashion design students, Moudrakovski hopes to leave his audience feeling like they’ve just seen the Himalayas.
“I wanted something that was really going to drape uniquely … in movement, but totally different than it does just sitting still,” said the second-year student.
Inspired by tectonic plates, Moudrakovski’s bound to make geography more interesting. He incorporated rocks into his garment to achieve a gravelly, mountainous look. He made his dress from fine fabrics like chiffon to create an airy effect that reflects the billowing wind patterns.
Moudrakovski is excited for the show and said his classmates appreciate the chance to show off the skills they’ve picked up at Ryerson.
“It’s a nice way of Ryerson celebrating its fashion design students,” he said.
Project leader Ashley Stark said the show is based on edginess and a fierce dynamic. They tried to incorporate circus elements into the entire event including popcorn, the decor and a raffle. Three Ring Circus runs April 5 and 6 in POD 250. Tickets are $15.
Link 2009
Grace Carroll believes every woman deserves the chance to feel beautiful in lingerie. But for breast cancer survivors who’ve had a mastectomy, sexy bras aren’t an option. So, for the fourth-year fashion-communication show, (Link) 2009, Carroll designed undergarments for women who have undergone surgery.
“The lingerie they have is really ugly. It’s very high-cut, it’s plain bland colours, and it really looks like a bra for an 80-year-old woman,” she said.
Instead of a fashion show, (Link) 2009 is an exhibition of ideas. Students develop their thesis projects and present them in the way that best represents their concept. Some students have video installations featuring live-streaming video. Others are mounting giant photos of models on a rock-climbing wall.
But Carroll’s project brings specialty bras that can support a single breast while still being very sexy.
Carroll’s mother is a breast cancer survivor and while she didn’t have a mastectomy, Carroll remembers how difficult it was.
“The fact that a woman survived this, the fact that she’s alive should be celebrated and they should still feel like a woman instead of feeling like they lost their sex appeal and their femininity,” she said.
(Link) 2009 is free and runs April 3-5 at the Great Hall, 14 Elm st.
Mass Exodus
Shelia Lam’s final project features apocalyptic themes found in Revelation, the last book of the Bible.
Lam’s collection will close Mass Exodus: Chiaroscuro, the headline event for the week. The fourth-year show features about 130 models and 200 garments on the runway. More than 5,000 guests are expected to attend.
Chiaroscuro is an Italian term for the contrast between light and dark — which explains why Lam’s biblically inspired collection is a perfect fit.
Lam’s five outfits portray characters that foretell the end of the world.
Both God and Satan will strut their stuff on the catwalk, along with a disaster- bringing angel, a beast decked out with numerous eyes and a wickedly seductive scarlet dragon.
“Some people may not believe in this, but you know, it’s fine,” Lam said. “They understand this is what you love. This is what you created.”
The show connects fashion, theatre production and film. And for the first time, real video will be used during the show, upping the drama quotient.
“It’s a great way to see how Ryerson works together,” said Sophie McCulloch, the show’s producer.
Mass Exodus runs April 7 and 8 at the Ryerson Theatre.
Tickets are available through the Ryerson Students’ Union member services office or at TOTix at Yonge-Dundas Square. Tickets are also online at totix.ca.a
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