The perfect way to kick off my first season of TOM* (Toronto Men's Fashion Week) was with Montreal-based designer Xian Wang, who showed this fashion-forward, ready for the street menswear collection on the opening night.
I had the absolute privilege of getting to quickly meet Xian the night before his show, and from that brief encounter, I could feel the energy and vibe of the show to come. I also got to see a bit of the collection prior and wear some pieces to the show. The bomber jacket with all the straps was by far my favourite piece, and so many people asked me during TOM what it was all about.
I was so proud to tell them (and tell you all) that it is Xian's design, and we saw even more incarnations of this design down the runway. This season, while remaining true to his darker, streetwear aesthetic, we also some pops of crisp white on the runway. I also appreciated the simple logo shirts, which to me is the easiest way for a fan of a designer to showcase their love and support of fashion.
One of the biggest honours that we bloggers have as members of both the media and the consumer class is getting to personally connect with the creative minds that have inspired us to start blogs in the first place. All the way back when - ten years ago - when I launched this platform, one of the things that really got me excited was to analyze, obsesses, and critique runway designers from a distant behind-the-screen position. Fast forward to today, and I can't believe that bloggers have gone from behind the computer to front row and wearing the designers. And for that, I am truly grateful to Xian in believing me a worthy candidate for rocking Xian and bringing it all to you.