Kim Newport, Lesley Hampton & Narces hit Toronto Fashion Week

On Thursday, top Canadian designers and newcomers capped the fifth edition of Toronto Fashion Week with spring 2020 looks that were for the most part colourful and bold.

Canadian favourites such as Christopher Bates, Hilary MacMillan, Lesley Hampton and Narces, hit the runway at venues including Yorkville Village, The Hazelton Hotel, the Royal Ontario Museum, and a variety of art galleries in and around the Yorkville community in Toronto.

A little bit of menswear, along with a lot of ready-to-wear womenswear and mostly evening wear, went down the runway during three days of Canadian fashion festivities, successfully showcasing the countries diverse talent pool.

Steven Lejambe

Up-an-coming eveningwear designer Steven Lejambe presented a sea of hot pinks, pastels, tulle and unexpected silhouettes, for his collection debut inspired by Costa Rican wildflowers on the first day of Toronto Fashion Week. His evening wear creations were red-carpet-ready, thanks to dresses in frothy tulle fabrics and Moire jacquard, combined with bright hues for extra drama. The result: a playful, yet feminine and elegant collection, filled with voluminous dresses.

Hilary MacMillan

Canadian womenswear designer Hilary MacMillan presented a collection inspired by a range of cerulean-toned blues.

“In Latin “cerulean” means sky or heavens and we used this as the jumping-off point for the collection, keeping the colour palette very fresh and light, then adding quilted vegan leathers, woven tweeds, soft whites, and muted golds to give a heavenly feeling to our Spring 2020 collection,” explained MacMillan. The lineup included quilted trench coats, knit separates, and lots of satins for a trendy, yet feminine collection.

Kim Newport

Kim Newport, the designer behind Pink Tartan, made her return to the runway at Toronto Fashion Week this season with the debut of her new evening wear line, dubbed the 'Kim Newport Collection'. The line included dresses in an elegant palette of black, white and pink that were part glamour, part girl-boss. Dresses were designed in timeless silhouettes, offering a collection of dresses ideal for life’s special occasions.

Narces

Toronto-based womenswear line Narces presented a collection of special occasion wear that shined with cocktail and evening dresses, jumpsuits and unconventional bridal gowns. The designer played with tulle and introduced neon options alongside sequin, and lace fabrics. On the runway, slinky slip dresses and cocktail dresses were just as prevalent as bridal gowns with the designer’s signature touch including high necks, long sleeves and strong shoulders.

Lesley Hampton

Indigenous designer Lesley Hampton once again opted for an inclusive cast of models to showcase her spring 2020 collection, entitled 'The Preface', hitting all the right notes with a cast that included representation from all backgrounds, genders and sizes. A shimmering mini dress made entirely of copper was a show-stopper, as were her intricate dresses, jumpsuits and separates featuring chic beading and lace.

Christopher Bates

Menswear designer Christopher Bates, who celebrated 10 years of design just last year, closed Toronto Fashion Week on Thursday with a collection inspired by southern Italy and the mythical allure of the Greek Islands. Men’s bomber jackets, trench coats and a metallic topper stood out alongside sleek suiting and well-fitted men’s basics.

Following the cancelation of Toronto Fashion Week hosted by IMG Canada, the Canadian city saw a slew of new industry events pop-up including Re\Set, as well as the inauguration of TW.

The official Toronto fashion showcase was purchased by Peter Freed, president of Freed Developments, in December, 2016.

Kim Newport, Lesley Hampton & Narces hit Toronto Fashion Week

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