MANY HAPPY RETURNS
Arthur Mendonça Fall 2011
Featured in the under-construction Trump Tower as part of the Pluntino Group/Paola Fullerton produced The Shows, the Arthur Mendonça Fall 2011 collection, his return a highlight on the rogue fashion week calendar, was all class and sophistication. The collection, easily transferrable to office couture, showed a variety of textures and charcoal prints paired with chiffon capes or wool coats, and Mendonça seemed to be speaking directly to the guests who stared in awe of his impeccable tailoring.
Like a flash from the chicer side of the 1970s (think: a ruched crew neck paired with an embroidered lace pencil skirt, glammed up gold sequins and mink-trimmed stilettos),
the looks were complemented by Canadian jewelry designer Dean Davidson. The Toronto-based Mendonça, who hasn’t showed in a few years, gave audiences desirable silhouettes, well-tailored suits, cigarette pants and sharp headwear (from Lilliput for AM) fitted for the chic downtown woman. In his own signature style, Mendonça used stunning fabrics (wool, silk charmeuse and hints of velvet) and vivid adornments (black goat hair collar, black suede ostrich wedge heel) with a seemingly minimal approach, ensuring his return as a top Canadian design talent.
Photography by Laura Berry.
