Have you ever been curious about designers and their thought-process before going in front of thousands of people and live television? I have! I’ve also, been reluctant to voice a question such as “what were you thinking?” for fear that my question will be received with an intense glare and angry bird eyes. In my quiet voice, a “sorry” would be uttered as I back up and run far far away.

Attending four previous fashion weeks in Toronto, this year, I was invited to Vancouver Fashion Week for the first time. For a full week, VFW Founder and Producer Jamal Abdourahman introduced me to various designers showcasing their creations – my question nagging in the back of my mind. By the fifth day, I was seated next to a lovely woman designer – Canella Hostal – whom I discovered would be showcasing her designs the following evening.

After talking for awhile and watching another runway show, I blurt out “When you are creating a collection, what is going through your head? Do you ever look at other designer collections, compare or think they are nuts?” I cringe, waiting for angry bird eyes. Canella laughs and explains “The runway is the one place where a designer gets to show off just how creative they are. Sure, you can make the designs mainstream, but on that one day, you get to show the world just how creative you are – you want to go all out. Every piece expresses an emotion, impression or feeling you were having at a particular time. Musicians express it through music, Artist with art, and Designers with each piece.”

We have become so accustomed to cheap and mainstream clothing that the thought of clothes being art never crosses the majority of our minds. How we piece each item together gives one “self-identity” but what about the cuts, fabrics, and colours? What story do they tell? Fashion week allows designers, local and internationally, to express themselves through designs and materials that are sometimes not considered by the mainstream consumer. For sure they dictate what the next trend is by including it in the overall design and it’s easy to spot, but after this conversation, I now know what to say to that person who blurts out “what is that?” while attending a fashion show.

Canella Hostal is a French-born, Dubai-living Designer and Teacher at Esmod Dubai. Lines, stripes, flowers and tropical feelings inspire her newest collection ‘Tropical Symphony’ – This is the identity for the collection.

Canella commented, “Mixing flowers and playing with the stripes were very challenging and I loved it! Flowers and stripes are quite the opposite of each other; flowers reflect spring and summer and are soft and delicate. On the other hand, stripes are straight to a point with no limits and totally free.” Canella Hostal Couture SS17 follows her authentic touch, by combining colors such as; blue, red, white, orange and pink. Her new collection includes menswear for the first time.