Shelly Kanyo S/S 2010

The opening daytime runway show on the last day of Alberta Fashion Week brought Shelly Court Kanyo of Lethbridge, creator of the eco-friendly line, Secondhandsmoke and founder and director of Lethbridge Fashion Weekend. The audience would be given a viewing of the multi-disciplined designer’s higher-end label, simply christened Shelly Kanyo.

The collection had a vintage flair right from the get-go, with models sporting lace and fringed headbands reminiscent of the 1920s, even though other decades’ silhouettes were perceived throughout the show. The designer herself revealed that she was influenced by the idea of dressing up in Grandma’s closet, reinforcing the vintage ideal.

Fabric-wise, Kanyo used a multitude of different materials in her creations: fur and leather, lace and chiffon, even feathers and quilting, all of which led to an eccentric combination of interesting layered looks, some quite wearable for the everyday woman. The collection was solid and incorporated jackets with leather elbow patches, Kourt’s distinct style was clear. The designer has not only pushed herself with this collection but also raised the bar for other designers that present collections of reworked clothing.

It was less than impossible not to think of Paris with this collection.

One of Kanyo’s wearable looks was an off-white, wrap-style vest with exaggerated fur-lined mini-batwinged sleeves over cropped purple velvet leggings.

Another eye catcher was a lilac coloured quilted mini dress with lace inserts and embroidery detail on the side.To go with the kitschy vintage feel, a pair of leggings printed with 1920s faces paired with a white top and leather vest was a nice touch.

Overall, Kanyo’s collection was well-made and followed through on her vintage inspiration as well as her honed technique of vintage reworking.

Words by Sandra Cross Bussoli