On Tuesday, Ryerson Fashion students held a fashion show in downtown Toronto and I checked it out. Read my article at the Ryersonian or continue reading below:
Dresses made of tulle, silk and organza strutted down the runway at DISTRICT: Ryerson Fashion Collection last night. Red lights and a projection screen illuminated the runway and vaulted interior of the Berkeley Church on Queen Street East. Produced by second year fashion event planning and theatre production students, the event showcased evening wear designed by Ryerson fashion students.
“I loved the urban feel, interesting projections and a really cool assortment of garments. I liked the way they curated it from collection to collection,” said Andrea Crofts, a Ryerson fashion alumnus.
The show had distinct themes and featured designs that were gothic, ethereal, feminine, and goddess and warrior inspired. Music by the White Stripes and Florence and the Machine thumped out as models walked down the runway, bringing the themes to life.
The idea behind District came in September during a student brainstorming session.
“We really related to the different districts of Toronto because we’re a downtown school. So we kind of built it around the city landscape and the different districts of Toronto, like fashion and entertainment,” said Holly Wyancko, a second-year fashion communications student and public relations rep for DISTRICT.
Merging urban and refined tastes, people in casual clothing and a hip hop dancer opened the show. This juxtaposed with the polished eveningwear and added balance to the show.
The staging was well executed, with great lighting that changed the ambience as the show transitioned into other themes. The venue itself, the Berkeley Church event space, with its vaulted ceilings, exposed brick and antique wood was the perfect canvas for the show.
The show was promoted on social media with slogans like, “I am anything but cheap, Soho’s my sister, be careful in your Louboutin’s you might get a blister.”
“We’ve had a great feedback on Facebook and Twitter and that’s how we spread the word. There’s no show unless we have an audience and we’ve had a really good outcome,” Said Wyanko.
