"Better late than never" seemed a fitting mantra for the first day at Vancouver Fashion Week as organizers tackled technical snafus which delayed the start of the shows. Going with an eco-friendly theme this year, VFW chose to host their events in an unheated warehouse at 305 Dunlevy St. Wooden benches graced the sides of the runway (itself a tree which had been chopped down long ago, now sliced vertically and laid out flat for the purposes of VFW).

The shows proved well worth the wait. There were some hits and misses, but overall it was a promising start to what the rest of the week has to offer.

Cheri Milaney

Cheri Milaney prides herself on designing clothes for a discerning woman as well as her use of luxurious textiles sourced from Italy. Her love of textiles certainly showed in her spring collection. Fabrications in a palette of bronze, silver, cream, gray, and brown shimmered and glinted under the bright lights. Some, such as the fabric used for the Blair Waldorf-esque polka dot cream dress, looked wonderfully tactile.


Aside from the neutral and metallic palette, Milaney maintained a ladylike silhouette throughout the collection of suits, skirts, dresses, and spring coats. Hemlines hovered around the knee or lower and necklines were just low enough to flatter but not plunging. One standout piece which earned a round of applause was the bubble hem trench coat with iridescent mauve and gray stripes shimmering diagonally across the fabric.

Papillon

Youthful exuberance and pattern, pattern, pattern were the name of the game for the Papillon show. The collection kicked off with a bobo chiffon dress; its print mixed varying floral patterns and leopard into a surprisingly effective pattern. More floaty chiffon and handkerchief hem dresses in floral and paisley print patterns followed.

For me, the standout ensemble of the collection was a black vest and tailored gray skirt with pockets--the only non-floaty ensemble in the show. Overall, there was no cohesive theme, but the pieces by themselves are very marketable and appealing to a young demographic.


Hirad

Ali Hirad's collection of leather garments featured something for young and old, men and women alike. Standout pieces for the men and women included body-conscious motorcycle jackets (one with zip-off sleeves so that it could be worn with a vest), and a long poncho/cape, respectively. But the real stars of the night--model- and style-wise--were the gaggle of young boys chosen to model the boys' line of leather outerwear. Can you say "adorable with a capital A"? My particular favourite was the black leather jacket with a sheepskin collar and a panda on the back--so cute and completely age-appropriate.

All photos by Yvonne Chew