Mixed Reviews from Vancouver Fashion Week F/W 2024
Vancouver Fashion Week F/W 2024 held its semi-annual event on April 23 - 28 at the Chinese Cultural Center of Greater Vancouver in the downtown area. After a delicious dinner at JOEY Bentall One, I navigated through the rainy weather with spotty international cell service to attend the Saturday show. I had major expectations for this event as it claims to be the second-largest fashion show in North America.
However, stepping out of my Lyft, I was left underwhelmed. There were no signs directing people where to go; just a line of people moving through a front gate towards a second serpentining line in front of the famous “#VFW” sign. Guests were then moved into the event venue in groups to prevent crowding the entrance. Once inside, I scanned my ticket in the lobby and entered the runway area to find a seat.
I was immediately taken aback by the number of people packed into the venue. It felt like a fire hazard being among at least fifty people unable to find a spot to sit (or stand) without being in the way of an exit. I eventually found a spot out of the way; unfortunately, it was in a dark corner under the second level. I ended up standing on a chair just to see what was coming down the runway.
You don’t get a sense of how many people occupy the space when browsing through VFW’s website and social channels. The videos of models walking down the runway give the impression that the venue is much more spacious. Even at the step-and-repeat area, at least fifty people were standing right behind the photographer.
As far as the collections were concerned, Show I featured Profanity by Lillzkillz serving up camo and cargo in denim and earth tones; Su Golden giving what I could only describe as “alien glam” with its “use of sparkly sheer fabrics, bold layered shapes, and the clash of tight versus oversized silhouettes”; and CHIDORI presenting “gimmicky designs” that wowed the audience.
Show II featured Carina Rose Designs with a collection of Scottish-themed looks that embody “the strong woman [Mary Queen of Scots] who made her mark in history, evoking feminine empowerment”; and Dunne Cliff, which gave “Little Red Riding Hood-chic” vibes.
The last collection I saw before leaving early to beat the rush of people trying to catch a rideshare was Woneonleywon, which claims to be “the most exclusive luxury brand in the world” by producing ‘one of one luxury”. Before the models took to the runway, a voiceover announced that each piece in the collection featured 14k gold plates, which intrigued the audience. However, as the models displayed the looks, I, along with the rest of the crowd, grew bored with models sporting simple black bikinis and dresses with the tiniest gold plates sewn onto the clothes and hats.
Since I left early, I missed the last three collections from Zhang Peng, Unserten, and Jean De La Croix. Overall, the event was fine but way too crowded for my taste. I may be spoiled from attending Seattle fashion shows in hotels, museums, retail spaces, and large event venues where everyone is guaranteed a seat. There were a few looks from each collection that I loved seeing in person, however, unless you have a front-row seat, there are some events that are better for streaming online and I think, at least for me, this was one of them.
Comment Below
Did you catch the shows in Vancouver? What was your favorite collection?
