If you were firmly posted at the back of the school bus growing up, Kara Lane and Bobby Lo are your people. And, coincidentally, among the most entertaining guests one could hope to invite to Toronto Fashion Week.
The duo comprising Toronto-based band, K.I.D (Kids in Despair) Lane and Lo have established themselves as the city’s must watch new act, thanks to grainy DIY music videos and a steady supply of stellar live shows, including a standout performance at this spring’s Canadian Music Week. Oh, and there was also Lane’s performance on Jimmy Fallon this past March, where she sang back up for GZA and Tom Morello. And we’re not talking a fade-into-the bass sort of backup style, this was the kind of vocal complement that leaves the audience thinking, “who was that girl?”
For anyone who wants to know, pick up the band’s recently released self-titled debut EP (Universal Music Canada) and find out. We dare you to listen to singles, such as the ‘90s garage-pop throwback “I Wish I Was Your Cigarette” and coming of age ballads like “Stoned on the School Bus,” and not join the growing league of fans impatiently awaiting a full-album release.
With a unique knack for making oversized ‘90s era clothing look pretty much on par with the streetwear in stock at Opening Ceremony, both Lane and Lo have an eclectic perspective on personal style that uses their thumbs to give props to individuality, while using their index fingers to stick it up the nose of haughty fashion. Meaning, if you were at this season’s Mackage show, and sat within arm’s length of where Lane and Lo we’re hanging out with us, chances are, you have visual evidence of the two photo bombing one or more of your fish-faced selfies.
Why bring K.I.D to Mackage? Firstly because it’s one of the few unisex lines showing, and secondly because bringing guests that aren’t guaranteed to ooh and awe to the show everyone wants a seat at come Toronto Fashion Week, simply mixes things up a bit.
Mackage’s co-creative directors Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan, are after all, no stranger to blending old traditional components with engaging new details. Take their Fall 2015 line, a study in the label’s signature outerwear silhouettes, such as asymmetrical coats for women, updated with leather corset belts, and trademarks including down jackets rigged for winter and designed with trend savvy gentlemen in mind, manifested best in a fur trimmed men’s parka, shown in a trendy muted wine shade.
Below, Lane and Lo share in a Waldorf and Statler-worthy conversation about Mackage’s new collection, as they take our Fashion Week questionnaire. Pious fashion puritans be warned, these two call it like it is.
RATE THE IMPORTANCE OF FASHION IN YOUR LIFE. (10 BEING FOOD I.E. NECESSARY TO LIFE.)
Fashion isn’t important to us. Maybe a 2? We’re destitute artists and shop at Walmart. It’s strange how people justify spending 200 dollars on an outfit, wouldn’t you rather spend twenty dollars at Value Village, then have 180 dollars left over to spend on narcotics and sandwiches? That being said, fashion and style are separate things. So even if you’re picking your clothes out of a lost and found bin, and ignoring “fashion” altogether, you can still present yourself with a certain sensibility for style. That bears more significance to us. Especially using style as a means to capture the sentiment of our music.
BASED ON WHAT YOU’VE SEEN AT THE SHOW, WHAT DO YOU PREDICT TO BE THE BIGGEST TREND TO HIT THE STREETS NEXT SEASON?
The Mackage line was comprised of a lot of puffy coats…so maybe that will be a trend? If you’re wearing a very puffy coat, you’ve got ample space to hide whichever drugs you might be carrying. So we approve.
DO YOU THINK YOU’LL INCORPORATE THIS PARTICULAR TREND INTO YOUR OWN WARDROBE?
If you’re following trends then you’ve got no chance of creating any, so we wouldn’t do that.
ARE YOU MORE A TREND PERSON OR A STAPLES PERSON?
We’re probably more staples people. We actually just applied for jobs at Staples, but we haven’t heard back yet.
WHAT IS THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT PIECE IN YOUR CLOSET AND WHAT IS THE MOST COSY?
Can something be extravagant and cosy simultaneously? We have these fleece bath robes that we feel embody both extravagance and cosiness. We wear them on stage sometimes. They’re great.
IF YOU COULD TAKE ONE PIECE FROM TONIGHT’S RUNWAY HOME WITH YOU, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Probably the dark-haired male model with the good ass.
WHAT CELEBRITY, DEAD OR ALIVE, WOULD YOU HAVE LIKED TO HAVE ATTENDED THE SHOW WITH TONIGHT?
Margaret Thatcher…because we love a woman in control.
WHAT SONG BEST SUMS UP THE CURRENT COLLECTION?
“I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James.
WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON TO IMPRESS AT FASHION WEEK?
Probably the individual handling the bar. That’s always a critical connection to make.
WHAT WAS THE SINGLE ELEMENT ABOUT YOUR FASHION WEEK EXPERIENCE THAT IMPRESSED YOU MOST, ON OR OFF THE RUNWAY?
Getting to hang out with FILLER! Jen was a lot of fun, we really enjoyed the banter. See you soon we hope.
