Maria Orduz S/S 2010

The second night of Alberta Fashion Week opened with the first ever collection by Maria Orduz, a recent graduate of George Brown College in Toronto, and her line, Solsticio.

Overall, the collection presented had a balanced flow and was quite cohesive.  The garments blended well, creating a definitive concept and a clear brand.  The colour palette, mainly silver, off-white and black, was simple and clean and bode well for the fabric choice of linen and silk, creating a chic simplicity without being overly repetitive or boring.

That said, the young designer still needs to hone her skills and work on the finishing details of the garments.  For instance, the straps on some of the outfits seemed to not be sitting on the right place on the body, but were lifting off the shoulders, and one of the zippers looked crooked.

Orduz had a few innovative designs, although she remained faithful to a classic look rather than pushing the boundaries of fashion forwardness.  The “backpack” dress with inlays of white linen in silver stood out, along with the wide-legged black jumpsuit with great detailing in the straps.  A pair of ruched linen dresses with silver accents was definitely something that anyone could wear, and the final black gown with its deep V and paneling was a beautiful executed piece.

Ultimately, the designer thought through the entire presentation which led to the cohesive feel of the collection, although it was definitely a “first collection,”  Orduz shows a lot of promise, and with her energy and drive, a few tweaks here and there, she could definitely be one to watch out for.

By Sandra Cross Bussoli

Photos by Oscar Lopez © 2009 and Faby Martin © 2009