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On a recent trip to Toronto, we were reminded time and time again not to miss the recent renovations at the venerable department store The Bay with the addition of “The Room,” a high-end wing dedicated to pure fashion. Little did we know The Room would provide the perfect setting for a British invasion event fit for the Queen herself.
Image property of Chute Gerdeman
The two-day ‘God Save the Queen’ event arrived October 14th at the Toronto landmark, playing host to some of the UK’s top designers; Mark Fast, Erdem Moralioglu, Jonathan Saunders, Charlotte Olympia Dellal, Nicholas Kirkwood, Marios Schwab, and Giles Deacon each showcased their Spring 2011 collections.
Image Property of Chute Gerdeman
The scene was abuzz with fashion press interviewing designers, paparazzi at every turn, and models decked out in designer duds debuting the collections. The 22,000-square-foot space itself was transformed into a fashion journey through Britain’s up-and-coming fashion cognescenti.
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Guests and shoppers meander through the space, finding surprises at every turn. New exhibits at the Tate Modern would have a hard time topping the visual merchandising theatre on display in The Room. And the theme didn’t end there—iconic labels like Ralph Lauren and Valentino showed couture collections alongside hints to the Queen’s England.
Image property of Chute Gerdeman
Image property of Chute Gerdeman
Each area served as a platform to display the impeccable designer collections, all with their unique and individual stories. It was a perfect balance of editorial voice and individual personality, with The Room’s aesthetic fully in bloom.
Image property of Chute Gerdeman
My favorite feature was the Tom Binns display of accessories. A prominent table in the entry featured a row of seven London flag-inspired bust-forms draped with one-of-a-kind jewels.
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Within the table were drawers featuring additional accessories. With every pull of the drawer, the interest built for what you’d discover next.
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A significant area of the space was also devoted to the Lula magazine pop-up shop. Mannequins toasting each other, cupcakes displayed among must-have fashion, and armoires with illustrative details created a fairytale-like scene and a dimensional look into the pages of Lula.
Image property of Chute Gerdeman
It was certainly an event not to be missed, but also a must to be shared. Check out our full photo gallery here to get your exclusive behind the scenes look.
