Montreal Fashion Week: The shows kick off with an androgynous ode at Marie Saint Pierre, an Andrej Pejic–inspired runway appearance at DUY and more

Date February 7, 2012

I started Montreal Fashion Week with a major misstep; I missed the Tavãn & Mitto show. But Dressed to Kill’s EIC, Stéphane Le Duc, raved about T&M’s expert cuts and the luxurious repositioning of the brand—also how they’re going to sell exclusively from their boutique. It’s an interesting move that seems in line with the city’s growing niche market of quality and made-to-measure garments. As for the clothes, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Hours before, I had received an early-bird Tweet from stylist Cary Tauben that he’d be styling DUY’s runway. “Get ready for a couture show,” he wrote, dropping a few crumbs about a “surprise.” Indeed, Duy Nguyen delivered a very haute-lifting experience. The Parisienne Madame focus was clear; the rich urban palette was solid. The “surprise” was Tauben himself, who—in an obvious Andrej Pejic–inspired move—strut his bare, model-esque legs beneath a fur-collared coat down the stage to rippling applause.

Next up: Mélissa Nepton presented a posh après-ski collection that seemed all too appropriate for our present sub-zero temperatures. Chunky cable-knit wraps and wool felt tunics with cowl-neck and hoodie details topped jodhpur-detailed leggings. Nepton contrasted all of this heavy wear by a handful of jumpsuits and camisole-dresses sliced from snow white and mint silk.

Closing the night was the avant-garde Marie Saint Pierre whose hue of the season (after black) was a cheery lemon yellow. A short video clip by Leda & St.Jacques showcased a single androgynous model à la Kirsten Owen rotating on a podium; this was echoed on the runway. Across from me, figure skater Joannie Rochette looked up in awe at each model when they posed before one of several floor spotlights scattered down the catwalk.

At the end of the night, it was Tauben’s gender-bending début that lingered on everyone’s lips. I sent him a Tweet: “How did it feel?” “I felt like a feline on the runway,” he purred back. Meow.