A model wears a creation by Heather Lawton at LG Fashion Week.
At times, a trip to LG Fashion Week feels like you're stepping into the wild. The runways at this season's venue, Heritage Court, are often shrouded in darkness, making the fumble and fight toward your seats all the more difficult. As is the search for them, especially if they've been hijacked by an enterprising fashion student or, worse, a name that has no affiliation to your publication, as the girls at Flare have found and documented on Twitter so hilariously.
These depths proved to be a fitting spot for the debut of Heather Lawton's deep and moody collection Thursday afternoon. The young Toronto-based designer filled the venue's smaller Studio space, a convertible room that felt cozier than the main runway and has proved to be the place to spot emerging talents.
Fittingly Lawton, a Parsons grad, presented a pretty solid debut there. She riffed on the theme of darkness infused with a tough rock 'n roll edge. Models wigged out in bleach blond manes strutted toward the photo pit in pin-like leather trousers, leggings and luxe furs. At times, the collection seemed repetitive - how many looks can one take in that are entirely black and belong at the Goth club? - but showed plenty of promise with her manipulation of luxe fabrics and textures that stood out.
Those super skinny pants worked best and beautifully when embellished with detailing sewn to resemble a sporty car seat. Her wooly skins, in Mongolian lamb and shaggy goat hair, showed great post-Apocalyptic poise when translated into long, shaggy vests. Lawton's outerwear proved capable of withstanding the freeze, too, especially in a cool cocooned hooded coat. Even those gigantic scarves, knotted and twisted and deconstructed, felt right for endless days of Canadian winter.
It will be interesting to see how Lawton's label develops. It's rare to see a young designer with a such cohesive vision, even if at times it seemed as though the same looks marched out of the deep on model after model. But she's an exciting talent to watch, and one that's sure to succeed once the dark days of fashion week are over.