His Style Watcher: Toronto Fashion Week / Mikhael Kale FW 2014

Mikhael Kale Opens World MasterCard Fashion Week with sexy cutouts, high-impact prints and abstract shapes

So yesterday I attended my first official Toronto Fashion Week show for Fall/Winter 2014. Held at David Pecaut Square in Toronto, the official home to TFW. It was an amazing collection, Mikhael has dressed such celebrities as Beyonce. When I was an Assistant Buyer at Holt Renfrew I purchased his first collection at that time he had collaborated with Rita Liefhebber before branching out on his own.

Tonight, Mikhael Kale rocked the World MasterCard Fashion Week runway with a show that was ultra-modern and supremely feminine. With layers of organza, folded silks, daring prints, and studded leather, Kale showcased a collection that while dominated with detailed embellishments, never compromised on sexiness or edge. Using both technology and print design, Kale built a collection that featured vibrant colours and played with textured flourishes.

“I approached AW14 with a desire to utilize both technology and print in my designs. Generally, I play with two main components when building a collection,” says Kale. “First, when considering a technique for this season, I was inspired by the folding of napkins. I manipulated organza in order to use it as an embellishment on my pieces. Secondly, I shifted my focus to the prints involved, which also help in bringing a collection to life.”

After studying at London's Central Saint Martins, in 2003 Mikhael Kale began working in Milan for labels such as Antonio Marras and Bally. In 2007, Mikhael began his eponymous label “Mikhael Kale,” and has since been featured in The New York Times Style Magazine, WWD, and Nylon and dressed celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Sienna Miller and Beyoncé. Kale’s recent shows have been touted as “masterpieces” “luxurious” “ultra-cool” and “contemporary”.

“For this season, I created a print that was meant to mimic a stained silk napkin,” Kale explains. “To begin with, I played with colored dye on fabric, instead of paper, and then photographed these pseudo prints. We later used photoshop to manipulate the images. In recent years, inkjet printing has become a favorite print process of mine in the development of my collections.”

Showing for the first time in the tents, Kale’s collection was one of the most highly anticipated of WMCFW.

“I’m really excited to be able to show as part of World MasterCard Fashion Week. Having the opportunity to show my designs in the city I live in and for some of my most supportive clients is extremely rewarding”, says Kale.

THE RUNWAY COLLECTION /