What will you be wearing for the apocalypse? - Dee Raffo
Inspired by the chaos of modern society and the mythical Mayan hype around the “end of days” slated for this December, it was with ominous music that the 2012 Fashion Exposed event kicked off. Silk dancers came from nowhere shocking and thrilling the crowds with their daredevil stunts. Scenes of devastation from every apocalyptic movie ever made rolled across the giant screen as the leotard clad ladies swung, slipped, and shimmied to the frenzied sounds of the violin. The stage was set – if the world is indeed going to end, why not go out in style? A different layout to previous years, the stage was set in a square under the main screens allowing the clothing to be viewed at all vantage points to the packed crowd. Without further ado, bikini clad ladies took to the stage to display the latest from Roxy. All the guys went from six to midnight as they paraded this season’s colours, in striking oranges, blues and whites. Voleurz was up next with their iconic skater look. Skinny jeans and check shirts still a dominating trend. There was an emergence of burnt, autumnal colours with reds and oranges mixed with denim and grey shades. Breaking up the fashion fodder were the contestants of the Freeze Dance competition and first up were the Burlesque Beauties from Vancouver. Certainly putting the sizzle into sexy, they teased the audience with their sassy cabaret dance routine. Block colours emphasizing pockets and elbow patches seemed to be the trend with the latest Burton gear. Orange, turquoise and grey were again coming up on the colour palate. One jacket stood out looking like the night sky on the 4th of July, matched with purple pants this was an outfit for the boarder looking to get noticed. Another overarching trend was the skinnier boy’s pants, a real deviation from the typical slouchy pants worn by ski bums everywhere – watch out boys it’s getting tight! The models rocked Nikita’s summer styles, which included some higher waisted skirts and shorts, worn with killer strappy wedges. Models wearing pink and beige silk shirts got some hollers from the crowd, as they weren’t wearing much else. Cropped, striped blazers looked elegant for the summer, as did a particular turquoise dress with intricate criss-cross back detailing. The 10-man strong dance crew, Roc Embassy, then threw it down on the dance floor with their precisely timed intricate hand movements and banging beats. Seafolly was next up and the luscious ladies strutted their long limbs in feather-patterned bikinis, again in shades of orange, blue and white. There were some longer top additions, and an incredibly sexy strapless one piece. Gold detailing, polka dots, and animal prints also made an appearance. From almost no clothes to all encompassing onesises Polar Piece took to the stage. The models looked cuddly comfortable in these sweat-pant style one-pieces. Camo prints, classic snowflake patterns, and bright colours sauntered down the catwalk with effortless slouchiness. Pushing their creativity and technical ability at all times, The Originators from Vancouver owned the floor. This seven strong all-male crew really got the crowd going with their eclectic style of booty shaking moves. RTown Communications then hosted some local stores that Whistlerites know and love. From Showcase came ethnic and animal prints, whereas Peak Performance remained true to their sports based style rocking this seasons bright neon colours. Amos and Andes stunned crowds with their stylish off the shoulder poncho, metallic knits and chunky woolies. Co-ed dance crew ELTS then let rip some funky moves as the crowd really started getting into the evenings events. Bonfire played it safe with block colours, clean cuts, and traditional fur lined hoods. Again the pants were skinnier, and the women’s jackets just seemed a little longer. Although there were the burnt reds and oranges, fresh blues and whites also made an impact. Beautiful knit scarves, school-girl skirts, and sweater dresses made up the Supremebeing wardrobe. With touches of the unique they really stole the show. Button up the back striped shirts, washed out colours and taking the check shirt and giving it a modern twist with brighter colours and more blocking made this a show to remember. All girl crew Red Tape then gave a slightly slower and more sensual throwback to 80’s R&B reminiscent of TLC and Salt & Pepper styling. Frozen Laundry summer sport gear was emblazed with lightening patterns, uber baggy pants, and washed out and tie-dye surf gear. Bright hoodies with neon zips, matched with red sneakers and tight leggings made a statement. Quicksilver went against the skinny grain with lime baggy pants teamed with burnt orange jackets. However they had the guys rocking some pretty “slim fit” summer shorts. In true Quicksilver style they managed to match sportiness with feminine grace with a white frilled poncho, which just screamed summer, slung over cute shorts. The Now or Never Crew high flying energetic hip-hop/breakdance routine played out to the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles theme tune, and they were subsequently voted top dance crew by the audience. However it was Whistler’s very own Vibe dance crew that this reported believes stole the show. To wrap up, we’re seeing the emergence of tighter ski/board pants across the board. Burnt colours are edging in alongside the neons, but block colours remain pretty dominant. - Dee Raffo
