Daphne Guinness hits Toronto for the opening of The Room’s Isabella Blow exhibit

Date October 23, 2014

Last night’s Fashion Blows, held in The Room at Hudson’s Bay Queen Street and named for the late fashion maverick Isabella Blow, was a fashion feast, between the guests (Stacey Jordan and Amoryn Engel in feathered headdresses! A turbaned Nicholas Mellamphy in embroidered Vika Gazinskaya robe!) and the trippy McQueens on display from Blow’s own closet.

And then there was the event’s guest of honour Daphne Guinness, in a Sharon Stone-style casual/formal mix of Wolford pullover and tiered Alaia skirt, with a strip of sparkle (“Can’t remember where that came from, it’s about 15 years old”) wound around her shoulders and pinned with a diamond brooch. Topping it all off was a vertical veil by the world’s greatest milliner Philip Treacy, who delivered a touching tribute to Blow. The former fashion editor gave him and Alexander McQueen their starts in the business, but never believed in herself, ending her life in 2007.

But in the spirit something-good-must-come-from-tragedy, Guinness bought up Blow’s archive and created the Isabella Blow Foundation to support new talent and further research into depression and mental health. The proceeds from last night go to CAMH and to send a budding Canadian talent to London’s Central Saint Martin’s, opening the door to a thriving career in fashion.

Izzy herself would have approved.