JC Collection kicked off BC Fashion Week’s Fall08 Collections with a bang last night, packing the house at the Chinese Cultural Center. The set-up was impressive – a 70 ft. long black runway, laid out before a giant light display screen. Three tiers of seating to fit 400+ guests, and the VIP front-row seats were little pod chairs, which our photographer dubbed as “cooch alley.” All the ladies (us included) were legs crossed and constantly adjusting the hemlines of our skirts – good times indeed.

Here’s what Pariya Kaligi and I had to say about the show:

Terri: The collection started out with typical fall pieces: cropped and belted jackets, swing coats, tailored trousers, gaucho pants, and patterned blouses. I loved the black brocade pieces, and the tapered pants that reminded me of equestrian riding gear. The colours were your fall basics – earthy tones, blacks and greys punctuated by purple and red gauntlet gloves. But the beauty touch was in the lining: vibrant pink, blue and purple peeked out from within jackets and trenches. What a great way to inject some life into the dark days of winter!
I’m fully embracing the move toward wide-legged pants with a front crease, and there were a few high-waisted versions within this collection as well. I also loved the box-pleated sleeves on the cropped jackets. Perfect pieces for the woman who wants to look professional and sexy. There’s something for everyone in the JC line – structured jackets, cozy shrugs, business attire, and glamorous gowns. Her collections are huge (I think we saw 50 or so outfits), yet despite this range Rozemerie manages to hold fast to her style and vision. A great way to begin BC Fashion Week.

Pariya: Last night was the Jacqueline Conoir fashion show. I loved it! Overall, I would say the show was a great success – I would expect nothing less from BC Fashion Week. Vladimir and Debra are lovely and sweet.

LOVED Conoir’s collection: Purple gloves, stovepipe pants, bell/cap sleeves, beautiful 3/4 sleeve coats, cute trenches, classy silk and satin dresses, wide-necked blazers. The colours didn’t differ much from last Fall, which I had expected, but I wanted to see colours that would take me away from reality– instead, jewel-tones in red, electric blue, navy, fuschia , turquoise and gold. My one point of contention with the designer’s vision were the fur collars. I really don’t want to do the “faux” fur again next Fall. I feel we need at least a decade to pass before we can re-embrace this phenomenon. Conoir’s more formal line blew the audience out of the water with flowing, precious fabrics and classic, timeless cuts. I often look at the way fabric flows along a model’s body and wish that I could look the same. What I loved about this collection was the malleability of each piece.

I am thoroughly excited for the rest of the week.

See more images of the JC Collection at BCFW album here. All photos by Kris Krug.