It’s a tie! The Mercedes-Benz Start Up crowns 2 winners for Spring 2014, plus all the looks from the 8 finalists
See the Mercedes-Benz Start Up Spring 2014 collections »
It was a tough decision.
So tough, in fact, that choosing a winner of the Mercedes Benz Start Up competition at World MasterCard Fashion Week proved impossible.
So last night, the judges, including myself, did the only possible thing we could think of: we declared two winners.
Edmonton’s Malorie Urbanovitch and Montreal’s Matiere Noire share the prize: mentoring from industry experts, editorial coverage in FASHION Magazine, and a runway show at the Fall 2014 collections in Toronto. Judge and Holt Renfrew’s vice president Ruth Ann Lockart lauded Urbanovitch’s strategic decision to focus her business on washed silks, a market niche. Her pale, loose-cut dresses were topped with chunky Italian-made knits that have a whiff of modern grunge.
Matiere Noire designer Cecile Raizonville charmed the judges with her innovative fabrics, made in collaboration with Quebec weavers. The mannish twills were used for sleeveless vests with raw armholes. Raizonville also had a milliner weave raffia visors, which could also be worn as necklaces.
But the six other entrants each had their own strengths, a testament to the level of talent in this third year of the emerging designer competition. Of particular note: PEI sisters Hilary and Louanna Murphy of Dreamboat Lucy who did sweet, handrawn pineapple prints, Montreal’s Hip and Bone, whose croc bags have caught the attention of Kanye West, Vancouver Island’s Eliza Faulkner who offered earthtone linen baseball jackets and skirts, and cool tuxedo label HD Homme of Toronto.
Photography by Jenna Marie Wakani
Mercedes Benz Startup Competition Dreamboat Lucy
Dreamboat Lucy
Bernadette Morra is the former editor-in-chief of FASHION magazine. She has been covering the Canadian and international fashion scenes for more than 30 years, first at The Toronto Star, then at FASHION. Over her long career Bernadette has interviewed many fashion world legends including Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Gianni Versace.