Greta Constantine Revs Up for Spring at Audi Showroom

by Ashley Bartlett
Photos by Rae Drake.

Greta Constantine is a fashion machine, and it’s built to last. Last season, designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong brought their collection to New York. Now, still on top of their game, the duo brought some serious game back to Toronto this season with the unveiling of Greta Constantine Spring/Summer 2010.

I made my way to the Audi showroom, arriving about ten minutes late–fashionably so, I’m thinking. Little did I know, the place was already buzzing with everyone you’d want to see, from top editors and journalists to photographers and every last Helder–plus Coco Rocha was pictured all around the room in the infamous seat belt jacket from last fall.

An hour later, the fashion set made its way down a red Holt Renfrew carpet and down a ramp (which was not made with five-inch heels in mind) to an underground parking lot. The space was very industrial and very New York. Jeanne Beker and Lisa Tant were tweeting from the front row, while superstar bloggers Anita Clarke (I Want I Got) and Tommy Ton (Jak and Jil) were gushing over his recent return from Paris. The energy in the room was contagious. Even Ben Mulroney was in the front row. I found my seat and the lights dimmed.

The first model strutted out to the sound of a revving engine and Michael and Janet Jackson’s track “Scream” starts pumping. The mood this season: fierce, mysterious, luxe, provocative, and unbreakable bitch. The overall collection was rather scattered. Separately, the pieces were pretty stunning: organic, flowing silk dresses in beautiful orange and indigo-hued prints; space-aged strong shoulders in stark white; and feathers, feathers, feathers everywhere. There were a couple of maxi dresses in perfectly draped navy jersey, a Greta Constantine signature. My favourite look was perhaps this season’s take on the seat belt jacket, which was this time constructed of wired mesh ribbon – very editorial. And let’s not forget the best part of the show – the male models dressed in Ezra Constantine, the new menswear collection. The tattooed boys wore perfect white tees, black cut-offs, and lots of leather. Think fringed leather neckpieces, teeny tiny leather shorts, and leather motorcycle jackets. A side note to the good people over at Gotstyle: you must pick up this collection immediately.

Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong opted out of the show being featured in LG Fashion Week this year, but Greta Constantine is definitely a key player in the Toronto fashion world. We wish good luck to everyone in the tents this week–it’s going to be hard to top this spectacle.

Check out more photos from the Greta Constantine show on Rae Drake’s Flickr.