Denis Gagnon: Montreal Fashion Week

October 19, 2008 – Denis Gagnon was the last to present during Montreal Fashion Week and perhaps they really did save the best for last. In the brief time I spent chatting with Montreal Gazette’s fashion editor, Eva Friede, backstage, we both agreed that his was our favorite collection of the week.

Moments after the show, the representative from Giovanni Models appeared backstage in tears, commenting on how beautiful her girls looked (Denis had an agreement with the agency to exclusively book Giovanni girls for his show).

Beautiful they were. As I assisted Denis Gagnon backstage during Montreal Fashion Week, preparing for his show, I quickly learned just how talented this designer was. For Spring/Summer 2009, his color palette began with black, followed by red fused with pink, and for the final lineup, white and gold. He worked with leathers and suedes executing them in intricate rouching – Dennis Gagnon's signature style. In my opinion, he has a very sophisticated and edgy aesthetic that would appeal to a global market, unlike some of the other designers who showed.

Finally, let’s talk about the shoes! Denis custom made these 7 + inch heels giving the girls quite the challenge. Luckily, none of them tumbled over - I’m holding my breath for Toronto Fashion Week, where he’ll be presenting on Friday October 24, 2008.