Late last week Mikhael Kale presented his highly anticipated AW13 Collection inside The Artscape Wychwood Barns. Located in the city’s west end, the venue could not have been a more perfect fit allowing for a runway that appeared to go on for days. An intimate video showcasing Mikhael’s design process played for guest’s minutes before models took to the runway. The collection proved to exceed all expectations of the who’s who crowd that included Suzanne Rogers, Sylvia Mantella, Fashion Magazine Editor in Chief Bernadette Morra, Shangri-La Toronto’s Alex Filiatrault, Ruth Ann Lockhart and Ralph Roach of Holt Renfrew, Globe and Mail’s Deirdre Kelly, Elle Canada’s Barbora Simkova and the model of the moment Ashley Morris.
Mikhael Kale’s latest collection is inspired by a selection of Nan Goldin’s photographs from the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Goldin’s portraits paint a striking contrast of American culture, depicting both the modern and the vintage. It was the space between these two dichotomies that first triggered Mikhael’s AW13 inspiration. “I have always admired Goldin’s work. I suppose my fascination began when I noticed an intense connection between Goldin and her subjects. There is a striking honesty in her work, in that everything seems so intimately available. Of all the many facets of her work I am most drawn by a sense of ‘unraveling’ in her subjects. Whether they are hopeless addicts or vulnerable mothers they are ethereally connected by Goldin’s ability to expose their emotion. I felt that I had to dig deeper with this notion of emotional unraveling, and it is in this context of unraveling that I began experimenting with knit ware.”
Like past collections, Mikhael’s signature look of hand detailed work and fine tailoring is front and centre. His work is a true exploration of the human form with an intense, thoughtful and honest approach to pattern making. Kale prides himself on creating garments that are an extension of the wearer. His pieces compliment the body by expressing both the fragility and strength of its form.
Mikhael Kale’s AW13 presentation was produced by Jenn Mason, a Freelance Producer with over eight years of experience in fashion and film productions. DJ Medley was also on hand to help rock the runway.
