LaMarque made its Toronto Fashion Week debut on Tuesday with a gorgeous, wearable collection of looks which have a bit of classical, elegant inspiration, yet still very contemporary.  These classic looks are versatile and wearable, unlike many designers who seem to aspire to shock (but at the same time are showing pieces which are not quite museum-quality art, yet not something which people would purchase to wear at the same time).

While LaMarque is sticking to its core of leather and suede for its upcoming collection, there is a bit more variety – with lace.  Yes, it sounds like an old country song!  One of my favourite pieces is a burgundy-coloured dress (right) with a lace overlay and black belt.  If you’re looking for something to wear to an office holiday party, this is the piece to go for.  Another favourite was the suede jacket which opened the show (left).  I’m typically not a fan of floral detailing (if you can call the design “floral”) due the “snowbird” vibe it often gives, but this one is far from catering exclusively to the “I have a winter home in Florida” set.  Working well the with a tunic top and leather pants it was paired with on the runway as well as denim or even a dress, this is definitely a welcome addition to any wardrobe.  In addition, the collection is, for the most part, very friendly for shorter women like myself.  I just wish it wasn’t all so dark.  Leather needs NOT be black, 80+% of the time.

Image credit:  Paul Ross for OPIQUE / Top of the Runway