Cheryl Shops

Of the 35 shows I saw, here are my personal favorite ten, in no particular order.

Vena Cava
Airy chiffon dresses and quirky prints meet leather pants and punky details to create a downtown girl's ultimate wardrobe.


Rad Hourani
Without regard to season or trend, Rad further refines his signature look of boxy biker jackets and skinny pants.


Tibi
With bright colors, pretty prints, and a Guns N Roses soundtrack, Tibi delivered a breath of fresh spring air.



Yigal Azrouel
The draped jersey dresses, pegged trousers, and washed leather jackets of my dreams.


Toni Maticevski
With artfully shredded tulle and sooty colors, decaying glamour has never looked more beautiful.


Max Azria
It looks like Max Azria has found a strong voice for his signature line: an edgy minimalist sophisticate.


Rebecca Minkoff
Totally on-trend, wearable looks that gave a nod to early-'90s Versace and the Supermodels.


Chado Ralph Rucci
Impeccable from start to finish, with an incredible regard for a woman's body, a gorgeous collection that twisted and turned around the spine.


Nicole Miller
The perfect juxtaposition between techno-sleek structure versus soft fluidity.


Ports 1961
A lovely voyage to Japan, rendered in gorgeous fabrics and shapes that effortlessly floated away from the body.

Where & When: Monday, September 14th at 4 p.m., Milk Studios
Runway Recap: In the year and a half since I last saw a Rad Hourani show, the Canadian stylist-turned-designer has developed quite a following among the fashion cool kids, many of whom packed his show this afternoon (I spotted everyone from Susie Bubble to Elle's Kate Lanphear in the audience). Spring is not too different from fall in Hourani's androgynous futuristic-biker world; vests replaced motorcycle jackets (although there were some of those also), skinny pants were shredded along the front or were replaced entirely with knee-length bike shorts. The biggest shift in his silhouette came in the women's looks, which featured hump-like watteau backs, often made from a jumble of fabric tacked onto the upper back. A little weird, yes, but in Hourani's hands, it all looked appropriately cool.
Standout Look: In perhaps an homage to Michael Jackson, a lot of Hourani's pants, tops, and jackets were finished with silver chain trim. In the case of this jacket, the trim elevated the motorcycle style to an even cooler, futuristic place. The volume (and watteau back) of the jacket helps to counteract the sleek, skinny look of bike shorts (and, yes, bike shorts are back--they've been everywhere this season).
Bonus Points: Considering what a hot ticket this show was, it's a miracle I even got in. I'll leave it at that.
Where to Buy: Click here for info.

Rad Hourani Fall 2008
Where & When: Friday, February 8th at noon, Bumble + Bumble
Runway Recap: I'd had my fill of evening gowns, so I skipped the Tadashi show in favor of Rad Hourani, a Canadian stylist-turned-designer with no formal training. His look is definitely on the avant-garde side; he favors a boxy, rectangular silhouette, often with fringey, strappy things hanging down. Most of the looks were layered, with dresses, jackets, and vests over super-skinny pants. All of this creates an androgynous effect, so it makes sense that he's already earning comparisons to Helmut Lang and Ann Demeulemeester. And with all of the fussy full skirts and ruffles that have been so popular this season, Hourani's focused, streamlined collection was an exciting and welcome change.
Standout Look: The show's color palette was mostly black and red, but for me, the subtly sparkly jackets at the end really stood out. This look is successful too, because it manages to conceal the body with the boxy jacket while revealing the legs with the satiny skinny pants.
Bonus Points: I always love shows at Bumble + Bumble; not only are they totally serene (when compared to the insanity of the tents), but you get to eat fantastic chocolate-dipped macaroons while you wait, and the gift bag is always filled with B+B products (in this case, hairspray).
Where to Buy: Holt Renfrew stores in Canada