continued

Yves-Jean Lacasse’s impeccably formal tailoring had a hint of unabashed eastern opulence in the exquisite fabrics, many made or embroidered in India to the designer’s exacting specifications

THIS PAGE: Envers by Yves-Jean Lacasse.

   There were pants as leggings for men and women, with lacing details, and unexpected slits. Throughout, a mad panoply of shirring, pleating, lacing and cutout, a harmonious dissonance of layerings and textures. Still with a nod to the new wave of Belgian designers, he seemed to take fencing uniforms as a main inspiration. Yet it was all so skilfully deployed by the designer, Gagnon has evolved with a very sure, confident voice of his own. So much so, the normally reserved designer stormed down the runway après show with Lagerfeld-ish bravado, flinging silver and gold leaves at the crowd.
   Then it was off to an outdoor event, at the Château Ambroise. This large complex houses condo-dwellers plus art studios—and the atelier of Yves-Jean Lacasse. This time around the designer’s Envers collection drew inspiration entirely from nineteenth-century India. The Hans Koechling-orchestrated event got under way as evening fell, with the audience lining a torch-lined makeshift runway on the groomed lawn. The strains of chamber music played by I Musici de Montréal, whom Lacasse is dressing up for their 20th anniversary year, wafted over.

CONTINUED