RATE THE IMPORTANCE OF FASHION IN YOUR LIFE, 10 BEING FOOD I.E. NECESSARY TO LIFE.

Hard to rate…fashion is a means of expressing ourselves. It is the ultimate first impression we as individuals give to the world and conveys our inner voice setting an outward tone. Self expression has always been one of the most important voices I have cultivated. It is important, as it is a genuine avenue to convey “a feeling,” just as a painter creates a canvas, bringing it to life and bestowing a story based on the artist’s own feeling.

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT TO BE THE BIGGEST TREND TO HIT THE STREETS NEXT SEASON?

Complex Geometrics: It’s the mixing and melding of contrasting and opposites. Geometric tailoring, structured silhouettes and a clean, minimalist approach to dressing versus layers of contrasting fabrics, print vs. print all balanced by soft, draped ethereal pieces that embody a shape of their own when worn. It is a coming together of extremes for FW12 — silk and leather, wool and satin. It is the light and dark contrast, the futuristic and nostalgic combined in one.

IS THAT REFLECTED IN THIS LINE?

Absolutely! My style is a constant state of contrast. I coin myself as “a maximalist:” I want it all. Rad Hourani is a pure, flawless minimalist. His collection definitely lent itself to the wave of Bladerunner-Back to the Future trends seen as a constant on the catwalks for FW12. Hourani paves our way into the future with an unobtrusive, geometric, structured path. This designer gives us more by giving us less.

A fusion of Rad Hourani’s paired down styling, colliding with the extremes seen in Louise Grey’s FW RTW collection, are my styling prediction for the forth coming season. “Have it all” is my mantra.

WHAT IS THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET?

My extravagant pieces all reside in my shoe collection: Charles Jourdan, Pepe Cantero, Jenny Kayne, Miu Miu and Finsk. I am addicted.

WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR WARDROBE?

SHOES. SHOES. SHOES. SHOES and ALWAYS SHOES.

WHAT DESIGNER, DEAD OR ALIVE, WOULD YOU PREFER TO HAVE ENJOYED RAD HOURANI’S SHOW ALONGSIDE?

I’d love to be hanging out with Zandra Rhodes. I feel we are like twin souls separated in the astral planes. I adore her quirly sensibilities, her extravagant and abundant use of colour and pattern, and I think she enjoys a champagne or two as well!

WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON TO IMPRESS AT TORONTO FASHION WEEK?

There is nobody who can validate you other than yourself!

IS THERE A TREND YOU SAW AT RAD HOURANI’S SHOW THAT YOU HOPE WILL DISAPPEAR BEFORE IT MAKES IT FROM THE RUNWAYS TO THE STOREFRONTS?

No, I just wish everyone didn’t immediately summon the colour black to their collections when it comes to Fall/Winter. I would love to infuse the world with more colour yearlong.

WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT HIS SHOW?

Rad Hourani always delivers just as he is reputed to do so: clean, minimal, paired down, straight forward. The collection and show were flawless.

WHAT WAS THE SINGLE ELEMENT THAT JUMPED OUT AT YOU DURING THE SHOW?

The opening video piece was a great piece to set the tone for the designer and his collection. The visual installation gave a feel and preview to fashion onlookers, showing how the future looks from Rad Huorani’s mind. The sountack to both film and runway presentation was perfectly paired.

ANY TRENDS FROM THE RUNWAY TONIGHT THAT YOU THINK MIGHT CROSS OVER INTO THE EVERYMAN’S/WOMAN’S CLOSET?

An onyx black leather, tailored jacket is a hard piece to beat as a staple piece for any man. Hourani served up a superb choice, pairing wool with leather as a contrasting fabric. It is one of the few pieces that are black that I deem a must-have in any person’s wardrobe.

IF YOU COULD TAKE ONE PIECE FROM THE RUNWAY HOME WITH YOU, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

The women’s black leather ¾ length jacket. Perfectly cut in Hourani’s geometric style presicion

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE OR DEPARTURE IN TERMS OF TRENDS FROM LAST SEASON, BASED ON THE COLLECTION WE JUST SAW?

The blurring of gender lines, the androgony that Rad Huorani is infamous for, successfully continues this season. The addition of military green is something new for the designer, who is notorious for keep his palette restricted to black on black. As with all things, Hourani mimimally incorporated colour into this season’s collection with pure precison.