The Montreal designer known simply as "Helmer" collaborated with glass artist Jean-Marie Giguère to create this dress from 800 elements, a show-stopper that led off the fashion show on the last night of the conference. photo: maciek wilkos
The Glass Art Association of Canada ended its conference last weekend with a bang. Four days of lectures and demonstrations were topped off with a professionally-produced fashion show that brought together some of Montreal’s top designers with Canadian glass artists. François Houdé and Ronald Labelle, the founders of the newly renovated Espace Verre, the site of the conference’s demonstrations, were honored for their contribution to the field, and Ontario sculptor Kevin Lockau was celebrated for his successful career.
The designer Harricana, known for her use of fur, was paired with artist Karine Demers, who created this indigenous-inspired outfit. photo: maciek wilkos
There was no question that the biggest event of the conference was the Saturday night “Verre Couture” fashion event which was a co-production of the legendary glass artist Laura Donefer and fashion designer Philippe DuBuc. They introduced an evening of catwalking along a professionally designed fashion runway where fourteen Montreal designers worked with fourteen glass artists to blend fabric with glass with various degrees of success. The eighth fashion show of Donefer’s, and by far the most highly produced, the event was far more restrained than the usual Donefer event but did offer a polish and gloss that was new.
See this earlier item from the Hot Sheet for more on the show.