Since T and I started this blog, some very exciting opportunities have unexpectedly come our way (see here and here), but the most unique so far has been the invitation to attend RUDSAK‘s fitting sessions for celebrities who would be gracing the front row at the Fall 2010 collection runway show. Held at RUDSAK’s Queen St. store in Toronto, we had an enormous amount of fun photo-documenting founder/designer Evik Asatoorian’s sessions with various celebrities as they tried on different pieces from RUDSAK’s current Spring collection.
Rick Campanelli (ET Canada co-host) was to strut down the runway as a celebrity model in RUDSAK’s show later that day, so his fitting included a short catwalking practice session. It turns out Campanelli is a natural, because he walked that runway like a pro just a few hours later. Who knew he could pull off that fur trapper hat with such flair?
For Campanelli’s fiancée, Angie Smith (ET Canada Fashion Producer), Asatoorian chose a leather jacket in a fabulously bright colour that produced a striking contrast against her dark hair. With removable sleeves, the jacket could also have been worn as a vest – how much more versatile can a leather jacket get?
Aliya-Jasmine Sovani (MTV Canada host) was fitted in RUDSAK’s latest take on the classic biker jacket – a decidedly edgier look than what she walked into the store with. Success!
Together, Asatoorian and Ivana Santilli (singer) chose for her a leather jacket and matching bag in a very versatile shade of light grey. The colour was the perfect choice for Santilli; it complemented rather than competed with the colour of her hair.
Keshia Chanté (singer), the last to be fitted, was the only one to take advantage of her black leather jacket’s removable sleeves and wear it instead as a vest. Sleeves or no sleeves, that jacket was hot.
With that, the fitting sessions were over, and T and I finally had the opportunity to peruse the store before it was time for the day’s fashion shows. Hard as it was, we managed to resist temptation, but we may not be so lucky the next time we set foot in that store – especially after seeing the Fall 2010 show. Entitled “Fly High”, the aviator theme-infused collection was utterly fantastic. As someone who is already an avid fan of other Canadian outerwear designers like Smythe Les Vestes and Mackage, this collection put RUDSAK on the map in my outerwear-obsessed mind. The coats and jackets were incredibly chic and the flight references in the accessories not too literal. No one’s letting me pilot any planes any time soon, but the aviator hats and flight goggles were too cool to pass on.
When the final model came down the runway, I knew right then and there that my resolution to purchase no more outerwear – especially winter coats – was out the door. The long wool coat with leather accents in that gorgeous shade of mauve was immediately added to my list of must-haves for next Fall.
Backstage after the show, as Sovani, Santilli and Chanté gathered for photo ops with the designer, the mood was celebratory. And why not? In the competition for the hearts and fall/winter outerwear budgets of Canadian fashionistas, RUDSAK had just thrown down the gauntlet with one very fierce collection.
xx, S
Wow, watch out mackage!!! I really the orange / corally jacket and the light grey one. What a great idea to have removable sleeves.
I agree – the coral jacket is fantastic! I wish I had the guts to wear that colour.
[...] invited to the fitting sessions for Canadian personalities who would be sitting front row at the Rudsak Fall 2010 showat Toronto Fashion Week, we jumped at such a unique opportunity. On the day of the show, we spent [...]
[...] day of TOFW was the most exhilarating and exhausting of all. Our day started at 9:30am with the RUDSAK celebrity fittings and ended with the Bustle show over 12 hours later. In between we shopped on Queen Street, attended [...]