TFW Diary: Monochromatic prints and patterns at Laura Siegel

Photography by Jenna Marie Wakani
Photography by Jenna Marie Wakani

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

Amidst a young-guns-filled schedule yesterday afternoon, Laura Siegel proved she’s just as smoking as the rest. What makes Siegel’s work stand out are her partnerships with artisans around the world, including those who specialize in Ajrakh block printing, Indian embroidery, Keralan natural dying, and Bolivian knitting. Siegel’s approach is to develop textured pieces while enabling those in third world countries to display their uniquely creative skills on an international stage. The result is a collection that’s sleek and minimalist in structure with a tinge of “weathered global activist” aesthetic.

For Fall 2012, Siegel’s collection was made up of loose-fitting jersey dresses, sheer asymmetrical skirts, maxi cardigans and knit sweaters. Shades of grey and lively patterns covered most of the pieces, ranging from asymmetrical watercolour prints to Aztec-inspired zigzags. Though Siegel’s staples—long hemlines, chunky knitwear, and rope jewelry—remained, this collection was much darker than what she presented for spring. We’re not yet convinced that darker is better for Siegel—perhaps she needs to mix the two together to truly create a standout collection.

More Style