Montreal Fashion Week – Denis Gagnon & Heartache

Wow, what a week.

I guess I owe everyone a bit of an apology, as I have not been covering Montreal fashion week as I normally do (with a post a day in the least)… for a week that promised to be fun and action-packed (which it was), it also turned out to be my worst nightmare come true.

On Wednesday morning, I got the worst news I have ever received.  My dad was in the hospital and had survived two major heart attacks.  Having had four in total in a very short time span, doctors warned that if circumstances were different (if he was not already at the hospital waiting to be admitted), he would be gone.  If it weren’t for my dad’s best friend that insisted he get checked out for his chest pains, dizziness and nausea (during their dinner together), I would no longer have my daddy in this world.  Somehow the universe aligned and the right people were around him at the right time (he was stubbornly driven to the hospital and not given the choice).  Twice he was shocked back to life and beat odds that many people never have the privilege of overcoming.  My dad’s main artery was completely blocked.  Every doctor that goes into his room to see him tells him he should not be alive.

He is recovering really well but has major heart damage.  Only able to use 20% of his hearts natural strength, it will be a long road to recovery.  Any strain, exertion or stress can be instantly fatal.  As you can imagine, I have been a mess.  I am trying to stay strong and be positive (this is all I can really do when a situation is as out of control as this), but there are moments where I can’t help but break down and thank my lucky stars that I have not lost one of the most important people in my life (and at the all-too-young age of 58).  I am so worried for him and want to do everything in my power to make his life easy and comfortable.  This week I spent my days with him, and my evenings at fashion week.  There were moments I would go to the bathroom just to let it all out and regain strength without losing it in front of everybody.  The shows and the beauty offered positivity and distraction even when I felt frail and empty inside.  The egos and uptight personalities made me sick.  Who are all these people taking so much for granted only concerning themselves with their own superficial image and worlds?  I thought this week was especially bad when it came to nobodies playing the somebodies card (oh the stories I could tell).  Thank you to everyone who had my back and helped me out so much – I couldn’t have done it without your hard work or understanding.  Thank you to Mike, my dad’s best friend – who saved his life from trusting his instincts.  I can never come close to repaying or thanking you enough – you are his guardian angel.

I have not yet determined if I will be going to New York for fashion week this coming Monday, but in any case my crew will be there snapping up street style and gorgeous fashion on my behalf.  Family is my priority and some mega changes are in store.  Time to stop living life so selfishly and start taking better care of those around me.  At the end of the day, they are the only thing in this life I am afraid of losing.

Fashion week left me with mixed feelings for the most part.  There were some elements I really loved (the traditional Russian influence, the 70′s throwback and the use of fairy tales as inspiration), and others I just thought were plain boring.  Call me a tough critic, but I was not super impressed by the overuse of the same shade of red in every collection, the color block tights or in many case the misuse of fur.  It’s not that it wasn’t beautiful, it’s that it wasn’t presented in a fresh way.

Denis however, did keep it interesting.

Bringing a collection together to show (only having been decided a week prior to semaine de la mode), I thought he and his team did a phenomenal job.  Beautiful structure, feminine soft accents and the perfect ode to color made for a collection that felt like a breath of positive air.  The signature Gagnon drama has not left the building, someone just opened up a window to let a soothing breeze blow past.  I admired what seemed to be a sense of freedom unleashed… maybe he feels as though he has proven himself – that it’s time to take chances and evolve.  Rebirth was the first thing that came to mind after I left the incense-filled showroom.  Beautiful textures, pastels mixed in unison with fluorescence, fur so unique it would give Balenciaga a run for it’s money… and oh those perfect Aldo wedges… *le sigh*

In any case, Denis’ story of success played in beautifully with this collection – his history and struggle only allowing for a more powerful bond between the designer himself and the media/fans who adore and love him so unconditionally.  One of my favorite elements to the show (which if you were following on twitter I already mentioned)?  How he produced an entire collection (shoes and handbags included) from start to finish (and even threw in a supposed Canada’s Next Top Model contestant as one of his main lady models).  Very few realize how difficult it can be to branch off in different directions accessory-wise while focusing on creating innovative clothing pieces.

Well  done.

This backpack was marvelous.

Off to finish up my posts for Lush Magazine and Semaine de la Mode’s blog… stay tuned, more goodness to come!  How fabulous is Denis in red lippy?  Adore it (and the shade).  Diva genius all the way.

Remember:  Take care of the one’s you love and never stop doing your best when it comes to contributing to making the world (and people’s individual worlds) better places.  Love heals all.

xox

amazing artist artwork daddy's little girl denis gagnon designer fashion fashion show hard week health heart attack inspiration montreal montreal fashion week nightmare come true Paranoia Personal scared sensation mode shoes SMM20 Uncategorized Posted under artwork, designer, fashion, fashion show, inspiration, montreal, montreal fashion week, Uncategorized by Robyn