LA SALLE COLLEGE Takes Vancouver Fashion Week by Storm
LA SALLE COLLEGE
La Salle College and Vancouver Fashion Week celebrate 15 years of collaboration this year. One of the most exciting things about attending VFW is seeing the work of students and graduate students from Vancouver's many fashion schools. One of the local colleges that always brings an array of exceptional student designers to the runway is La Salle College.
La Salle College offers a diploma program and is one of the few schools in the country to offer a Bachelor of Fashion Design Degree. Each year, students from La Salle partner with Vancouver Fashion Week, allowing the students to share their work with the fashion industry and the community.
LA SALLE DESIGNERS ON THE RUNWAY
I love fashion and have spent my life working in fashion, supporting local designers and encouraging young designers in their pursuits. Over the years, I have seen many fashion shows and student designers, rarely have I seen a presentation of student fashion that was as good as what I saw from the current students of La Salle. Five student designers showed their collections on Friday, October 20th, at VFW.
The La Salle College Class of 2023 exhibited exceptional talent in their runway presentations. The best runway collections possess the power to captivate, narrate a compelling story, and convey a distinct perspective. They exude authenticity and originality, showcasing boundless creativity and ingenuity. What truly ignites my anticipation at a fashion show is the prospect of witnessing something truly extraordinary, something that has never graced my eyes before. The most remarkable collections are not only visually stunning but also exemplify impeccable craftsmanship, leaving no room for doubt about the dedication and skill poured into their creations. These factors were present in the La Salle students' runway shows.
PHOTOS BY ARUN NEVADER
LA SALLE COLLEGE
RENDA RICO
New Era was the collection presented by designer Renda Rico. The designer was inspired by space travel and the future. " In this collection, I wanted to explore the idea of people in space and the things they will face. I have always been interested in space technology and exploring space".
What Renda sent down the runway was a collection that explored silhouette, construction techniques, and materials. Putting across his theme of future worlds in space, the designer created pieces that included unconventional materials and unique techniques. A standout piece was a brilliant green garment that used silver grommets to create a 3D effect on the surface.
LA SALLE COLLEGE
DUA YAMANI
Dua Yamani designed a collection entitled Sculptra. The designer drew on her Middle Eastern heritage and her Canadian home to explore details in design. Fine arts, architecture, and sculpture inspired the designer to create an exciting collection of exclusive luxury dresses. Yamani uses fabric to form unconventional shapes and silhouettes. A silvery faun dress with an inverted triangular skirt is a unique look not seen before. The closing piece is a spectacular gold gown with a sculpted collar that would be at home on any red carpet.
LA SALLE COLLEGE
KIMIA GHALILI
Kimia Ghaili wants to blur the lines of fashion with her vision of gender fluidity. The idea that clothes are not gender-specific challenges all societies' traditional views of fashion. Ghaili creates a collection that not only contests views of gender norms but also infuses femininity into men's garments.
Ghaili showed a collection of elegant, mostly black, sophisticated clothes. Some garments are paired with silver sculptural molded pieces, a breast plate. These clothes are unique, with original silhouettes that are streamlined and uncluttered. Outstanding looks include a black two-piece ensemble with a tiered skirt. A male model donning a vibrant red tulip-style skirt exudes an undeniable aura of gender fluidity.
LA SALLE COLLEGE
ALTA MIRANO ATELIER
Amaranta Gonzales is the designer of the label Alta Mirano Atelier, who sent the collection Nicoba down the catwalk. Nicoba takes inspiration from the intricate anatomy of bird wings, seamlessly merging bone structure with the delicacy of lightweight feathers to craft exquisite couture garments.
Drawing from the hues of the Nicobar pigeon, Gonzales brought her inspiration into reality with an opulent collection of luxurious clothes. Light, translucent, and structural like the bird's wing, these garments combine innovation with tradition. This collection is crowned with a pleated luminous sculptural bodice dress, manifesting couture dressmaking in its most extravagant form.
LA SALLE COLLEGE
FRIDA GUZMAN PEREZ
"Last Breath" is the collection of Frida Guzman Perez, inspired by the iconic designer Alexander McQueen. Frida explores the designer's personal struggles with grief, substance abuse, and an anxiety-depressive disorder.
When one takes on such an iconic designer as inspiration, the collection's success will depend upon the ability to pay homage but not copy. Frida was successful in this venture.
The all-black collection channeled McQueen's brilliance by using drama, theatrical scale, and innovation; all elements McQueen, was known for. Using all black, Frida Guzman Perez forced us to consider the texture, structure, details, and silhouettes, all highly designed. The mood of the collection could be dark; however, through sheer beauty, much like McQueen himself, it was uplifting.
IN CONCLUSION
Supporting student designers is always one of the best parts of writing this blog. Having the opportunity to meet new designers starting out in their careers is exciting. Vancouver Fashion Week gives young designers a platform to show their talents. Thanks to VFW for bringing the students of La Salle College to the runway. Kudos must go out to the teachers, who without them, these students' success wouldn't happen. Finally, congratulations to the students on such a successful show.