As per tradition, the first show at LG Fashion Week tonight was Holt Renfrew’s show highlighting several Canadian designers (but of course, this wouldn’t be done before a greeting from FDCC Chair, Robin Kay and the lead sponsor).  This season’s show features the works of Lida Baday, Denis Gagnon, Smythe, Jeremy Laing, Naked & Famous and more.

The runway was set with the letters H, O, L, T and S in gigantic block letters and models weaved between the letters as they walked down the runway.  I thought it was a little bit distracting – one couldn’t fully see the pieces at certain points when the letters were blocking their view.  Because there were so many designers, the entire show varied in terms of style.  However, what was interesting was the disparity between the men’s and women’s looks.  The guys were more casual and laid back (especially from Naked & Famous), while the women’s pieces were more elegant, with colour palates ranging from creams to brights. It would have been nice to see more formal menswear tonight.

Pieces that I liked included Lida Baday’s Vicose stretch v-neck dress seen in the first picture as well as many of the looks from Smythe, who did a good job with colour blocking, including a jacket that was matched with blue pants.  In terms of fit, I would say that with good alterations, many of the pieces would work well on different body types.  This is a Holt Renfrew show, after all, and the focus is on what they can offer shoppers, many of which aren’t 5’10, size 2 and under 25.