Issue date: 3/17/05 Section: Arts and Culture

Design by Joseph Tessoni

Last Saturday, high fashion and highballs made a smashing appearance at The Drink, the swanky, VIP lounge upstairs at The Guvernment on Queen's Quay. Budding designers Anika Kozlowski, Joseph Tessoni, and Theodore Seally used the event to premiere their new designs.

An exclusive club, excellent lighting, a killer DJ, good drinks, and hot bartenders: the perfect setting for an evening of fashion. Toronto.com accurately lists The Guvernment as "a pretty club for pretty people." When I entered, the club was packed with a mix of the true fashion lovers and the wannabes, all waiting for the appearance of hot new trends from the young local designers. Recent graduates from Ryerson University's fashion and design program, Seally, Kozlowski, and Tessoni all delivered more than expected.

Everything was very sensuous. The designers favoured cuts that were very low and revealing in front (à la Dior, Dolce & Gabbana), and form-hugging (comme Wang, Versace, Lacroix), or featured high hemlines. Everything on the runway was moulded to accent the trim lines and strength of the well-toned models (and let me tell you, these girls were some kind of well-toned).

It was great to see a fashion show where the models not only looked relaxed, but like they were having fun, something usually absent in such a cut-throat industry. For some of the trendier casual-wear, the models sauntered down the Y-shaped runway to Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl," and busted out some smooth dance moves at the midway point.

But it wasn't just street-wear at The Drink. Those looking for formal wear would not have been disappointed by the hot, high-end spring styles that were exhibited. Emphasis was placed on bright colours offset by whites and golds. There was a definite Grecian-influence in some of the evening's gowns. One reminded me of the absolutely stunning Roberto Cavalli gown Alicia Keys wore to the Grammy Awards this year.

All in all, the clothes were breathtaking. These designers knew exactly what they were doing, which is pretty incredible considering their relative inexperience. This was a great show, and the crowd was in love with every concept that hit the runway. Keep an eye out for Tessoni, Seally and Kozlowski in the future, because their designs may become a fixture of Canadian fashion.

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