Atlantic Fashion Week season 9: November 19 – 21, 2015

With it’s ninth season, Atlantic Fashion Week promises attendees three distinct nights of fashion this weekend, from streamlined style with a strong social message, to breathtaking wearable art pieces and red-carpet ready eveningwear. With each night demonstrating a different facet of fashion design talent in the region, AFW season 9 is poised to provide a comprehensive and exciting weekend of fashion for both veteran attendees and those new to the scene.

“The fashion scene in Atlantic Canada is so varied, with talent coming from all over and manifesting itself in such distinct styles and collections,” says Angela Campagnoni, Atlantic Fashion Week founder and director.

“With AFW this year, we wanted to celebrate this exciting and diverse spectrum with three unique events that both showcase the region’s talent, and allow for a varied experience for attendees who want to either come for the whole weekend, or take in the event that speaks to them the most.”

Thursday: “The Medium is the Message”

The weekend kicks off by starting where it all begins: the motivation behind design. Thursday night’s event demonstrates how clothing can become a medium for a message, with each designer communicating something a little different, from empowerment through personal style to the importance of an ethically sourced and created process behind the clothes.

Maggie McCormick of MJM Clothing Company returns this year with a fresh collection, designs that embody classic silhouettes and that value ethical labour and natural fibres. Thursday’s runway will also be shared with Lemonade Stand Designs, the results of inspiring duo Lux Habrich and Marie Webb, who create wearable art meant to empower bodies of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Menswear is rounded out with Optimize Greatness Apparel and Be Glitterati, minimalist lines that find opportunities for self expression within the staples of streetwear. Finally, Wear Your Label completes the evening with clothing created specifically to spark conversations about mental health, encouraging individuals to take ownership over their mental health, rather than fear the labels that so often define us.

Friday: “Made For You”

For those looking to add new local finds to their wardrobe, Friday’s show will not disappoint. AFW favourites will be lined up alongside new faces to the runway to present an evening of ready-to-wear and made-to-order designs. The evening includes Xander Couture, Rebecca Cusack, Sherry MacFarlane, All My Fashion, Sueno Swimwear, Blue Ladybug, Donn Sabean, and AFW veteran Veronica MacIsaac.

With looks ranging from cheeky bikinis to intricate cocktail dresses, elegant everyday-wear and everything in between, Saturday’s “Made For You” is the ideal event for soaking up the latest our region’s top designers have to offer – and adding a few gems to your must-have list for the season.

Saturday: “Glitz, Glam & Fashion”

The weekend will complete on Saturday with an evening worthy of centre stage. Ranging from wearable gowns to wearable art, “Glitz, Glam & Fashion” will showcase the region’s designers who are extending fashion from the everyday and into a place of glamour, magic, and awe.

While Kaidain Ivy will showcase a collection of gowns that plays with the influence of imagination and fantasy, Vlad Snytkin (alter ego “Anya Knees”) will even further push those boundaries with a collection inspired by the avant-garde and androgynous drag culture of Madonna’s latest album Rebel Heart. Stephanie McEwan will present her Evangeline Collection, an otherworldly exploration of flora and fauna, and Anthony El-cid will capture the elements of environmental metamorphose within his glamourous line of haute couture eveningwear and ready-to-wear sophisticated staples. Finally, Dee Wilkes will strip down the complexities of fashion to indulge in the opulence of luxurious textiles, while the ever-playful Vivacious Vixen will present a lineup of vintage favourites in bold and modern prints and twists.

“Atlantic Fashion Week, since its inaugural show in 2008, has served as a constant for both inspiration and opportunity within the region’s ever-evolving fashion community,” says Campagnoni. “As we near a decade on the scene, we’re thrilled to yet again offer a venue for not only Atlantic Canada’s best fashion talent to shine, but also for a likeminded community to come together and celebrate another thriving facet of the East Coast we call home.” For more information please visit: www.atlanticfashionweek.com