FRONT ROW MAG’S EXCLUSIVE FASHION WEEK COVERAGE
Every Fashion Week we’re engrossed in the forward thinking looks on and off the runway. We sat down with three of Toronto’s front row females to chat about their sartorial inspirations, and how to make it through a week of working all day, and witnessing the new collections all night.
FRONT ROW PAPER DOLL SERIES
Natalie Lecomte, 30, assistant buyer, designer womenswear, Holt Renfrew
Everyone in the fashion industry in Toronto knows this front row female as one of the loveliest and most professional girls in the game, and we’re lucky enough to count Holt Renfrew’s Natalie Lecomte as a friend. A graduate of Ryerson University, Lecomte caught our attention with her sleek and sophisticated sense of dress. She’s often spotted in Canadian design label Greta Constantine, (the boys have named a dress in their last few collections after Lecomte), and has a knack for blending home-grown designs expertly with international looks. A fan of Jil Sander, Lanvin and Stella McCartney, look for Lecomte in any combination of her paper dolls clothes and accessories sitting front row this season.
FrontRowMag: Who are your favourite international designers?
Natalie Lecomte: Alexander McQueen, who continually pushed us beyond our wildest imagination season after season, allowing us to experience new fashion fantasies. Also, Lanvin and Stella McCartney, Raf Simons for Jil Sander. He celebrates the purity of design with minimal details. His clothes speak to a “new minimalism” with its clean, linear and architectural aesthetic. I’m a minimalist at heart. I wear mostly black, white and grey with splashes of colour. I don’t buy a lot of prints and I like clothes with longevity.
FRM: How would you describe your personal style?
NL: New minimalist. I tend to gravitate toward clothing with couture-inspired shapes…classics with a twist. I love silhouettes that emphasize clean/architectural lines, geometric shapes with minimal detail – celebrating the purity in design. I wear a lot of black, white and grey – what can I say, it’s practical and always appropriate. Recently, I’ve really pushed myself outside my comfort zone and started to explore the world of colour.
FRM: How do you survive fashion week each season? What is your strategy and are there any tricks that you can share?
NL: I get a lot of sleep the week before and the week after! And I try to stay hydrated by drinking a ton of water and eating fruit. My survival items: A big handbag, crushable ballet flats for a late night switch, if necessary, and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, which keeps me looking fresh.
FRM: What’s one item in your wardrobe that you would die without?
NL: Shoes! They make an outfit.
FRM: Who are you inspired by when it comes to fashion?
NL: Inspiration comes from everywhere, from the runway, to the street.
FRM: What draws you to work in fashion?
NL: There is no “typical” day in fashion – everyday is a new adventure! I’m also proud to say that I’m working in the industry I went to school for (the second time!).
FRM: Where did you go to school and what was your major?
NL: Queen’s University – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Ryerson University – Bachelor of Design, Fashion Communication, Marketing (Minor).
