BCFW SS 2010 Day 1: Jacqueline Conoir Collection

RozeMerie Cuevas, the creative mind behind Jacqueline Conoir, designs each collection around an imaginary persona, a "confident, sensual, sexy, [and] elegant" woman who is constantly moving forward and relentlessly modern. (Read more about the Jacqueline Conoir woman in the interview I did with Cuevas for Vancouver Fashion eZine here.) In this collection, the JC woman seems to have evolved, embracing youthful exuberance and rock n' roll edginess alongside her signature bohemian bourgeois glamour.

Monday's show at Fortune Night Club began with suiting done in soft gray and creative cuts (cropped sleeves, boxy and hip-length jackets, wide-legged and skinny trousers). Since the label's inception in 1985, JC fans have come to expect impeccably tailored and detailed suiting, but this season's surprising twist lay in what the suits were paired with: white jersey tops, sometimes off-the-shoulder, always drapey, screened with a black-and-white image of Edie Sedgwick wearing chandelier earrings. The effect was rock n' roll but unabashedly feminine at the same time.



Other pieces stood out as well: a high-waisted cropped pant (surprisingly flattering with heels), a slinky gray halter jumpsuit, skirts and dresses with pockets. Ensembles were styled with asymmetrical lightweight ponchos and cardigans made from jersey or loose knits and statement necklaces by Isabella Diamond.





After the suiting came flowing gowns in silk chiffons--some with open backs, others with halter necklines. Unlike the oversized floral prints on the gowns from the spring/summer 2009 collection, these frocks featured surpisingly earthy washes of colour with bright jolts of green, electric blue, and fuchsia. The fact that they were styled with leather boots proves that these gowns are versatile enough to transition between seasons. The show finished with cream-coloured gowns cinched at the waist with strands of pearls and chiffon sashes...so flowy and free-spirited, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who thought these dresses would look right at home in a beach wedding.

RozeMerie Cuevas came out on the runway at the end of the show dressed in one of her own Edie Sedgwick white jersey tops.

This post also appears on Stylefinds, where you'll find more comprehensive coverage of BCFW shows and events!

All photos in this post courtesy of Harry Leonard.