Designer Sunny Fong has gone from season finale winner to season opening star.
The Project Runway Canada winner kicked off LG Fashion Week Monday night unveiling 12 nearly-nude looks for spring-summer 2010 in a huge marble-floored, stone-arched foyer at the Art Gallery of Ontario in downtown Toronto.
"I'm pushing it a little bit, I wanted to make sure it wasn't boring," says the designer behind the Vawk label.
His feminine flirty pieces were inspired by the 1935 film Mutiny on the Bounty to create a collection perfect for a voyage to a tropical paradise.
A dozen models resembling Polynesian beauties swept in wearing a blend of soft silks and smooth leathers in mostly nude and sand tones.
The barest hints of red and fuchsia punched up the palette on a few looks.
Gold featured prominently on a silk Polynesian cocktail dress and a floor-length stunner which closed the show.
The leather jackets, tops and trench coat looked supple with floral-patterned cut outs in the line he called Tatto Hibiscus.
Most of the looks were tailored for a snug fit but ruffled details, fringes and soft pleats added organic dimensions.
It was certainly high seas and high style in a fitting venue.
"Everything was in place and he delivered a solid collection," says Evan Biddell, also an alum of Project Runway. "I don't think there was anything missing and nothing needed to be added -- good for him."
Biddell encouraged Fong to continue to do his own thing irrespective of the pretension that often encompasses the fashion world.
The designer teamed with a business partner to change the tide of his business. Pre-show, Ben Barry introduced himself to some of who's who of the fashion industry and hundreds of style watchers in attendance.
Fong said he geared the collection to the everyday woman. He unveiled his looks on a variety of women including a mature model and a plus-sized beauty.
"Being sexy is a feeling you only get occasionally and if clothing can do that for you when you put it one, I've done my job," said Fong after the show.
