Death, wool and a whole lot of nothing from Gaudet at Toronto Fashion Week

Georgian designers Gaudet kicked off LG Fashion Week with a memorial service for Nodar Kumaritashvili - its relevance? Well, they are Georgian and so was he.

I respect the need to grieve, but the inclusion of a commemorative ceremony was a distraction - the CBC slow-mo broadcast of a luger crashing to his death would playback in attendees heads for the remainder of the day. Nodar's face could be viewed on two large screens, but to bring the mood up, Gaudet enlisted the help of Georgian vocalists and the Kakheti Dance Ensemble - a welcomed distraction from the mood-crushing memorial.

Let the show begin.

True to form, Norm and Gio produced their signature wool creations - hand crafted merino wool was combined with silk and lace detailing, which no doubt took hours of back breaking work. Unfortunately, the hours of work did not culminate into commercial pieces - even as art, the collection did not satisfy.

A leather and merino ruffled jacket was on trend, but the execution seemed crafty - beaded accents created interest on the right shoulder, but at close inspection, bobbles looked a mess. A jacket with architectural impact does not need extra appeal - over-embellishment is out, keep it simple.

Striking from afar was a red silk chiffon dress with merino wool - it could have saved the show, but its unfinished look and its reference to lingerie made it completely unwearable. I give credit to Gaudet for injecting some colour into a sea of monochromatic black and believe that they are talented textile designers, but unfortunately, it was an easily forgettable collection.

Photos by James Kachan