Her Campus hosts second annual charity fashion show
Photos by Inta Klotins
Raising the roof by raising money for charity. On Jan. 25, the University of Ottawa chapter of Her Campus kicked off its second annual charity event Catwalk for the Cure at the National Arts Centre. Nearly 300 attendees filled the room as local designers showcased their latest collection to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
The show started with dancers dressed head-to-toe in Lululemon dancing to Britney Spears’ “Work Bitch,” and was hosted by comedian Jenn Hayward. The comedy received a mixed reaction from the crowd, but Hayward’s energy helped keep the show afloat over the course of the three-hour event.
Overall, attendees were positive about the event. U of O communications student Anastasia Georgakaos said she was “impressed with the local designers, even the designers from Toronto. Pieces from designers that our age or a little older designed themselves.”
The fashion show began with Alfred-Marcel by U of O alumnus Pascal Gagnon. The collection featured feminine, tailored pieces with muted tones of lilac, off-white, and black and included a short, floral romper, a knee-length tailored wedding gown, and a black cocktail dress with an asymmetric overlay.
Babes & Gents followed, featuring streetwear with graphic prints and sweats reminiscent of the popular label Pyrex Vision with accents of Givenchy. The collection incorporated the popular “Ballin’” and “Homies” prints from Alex & Chloe with “Ottawa” on the bottom. The collection continued its Canadian spin by incorporating maple leaves on garments, including one with stars and stripes.
Next was Joanie Benoit’s Beach Beauty Essential collection. She said she fell in love with fashion at the end of high school.
“I took a sewing class and fell in love. I moved to Ottawa for university and I decided to get involved in Ottawa Fashion Week, and now it’s been already my third season working with the team as a designer coordinator.”
Benoit does everything for her label, including all the sketches, designs, and marketing. Her collection featured women’s swimwear under tunics and caftans in a range of silks, polka dots, sheer fabrics, and vintage crochet.
U of O student and fashion designer Ryan Malcolm-Campbell’s label King of Arts featured both men and women’s T-shirts and hats. He also showed the Omega crewneck sweater, putting a spin on the popular sorority and fraternity crowd at the U of O.
He also showed the “So Young, So Bad” T-shirt he promoted during his Kickstarter campaign.
Chobi consisted of scarves, wrap dresses, and skirts in handmade fabrics, including a three-quarter-length dress with a ruche design and a simple black dress with cutouts on the back.
The show’s final collection was from Bernice & Barclay, featuring various casual dresses with stripes and bursts of colour.
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