Dressed to Thrill x3

Ryerson University is primping for its first Fashion Week, which will kick off this Sunday and feature the fashion school’s most talked about productions: Mass Exodus, Original Sin and Ignite.

Despite there being three events running over the same week, there’s no catty competition between the productions as each one brings something fashionably unique to the experience.

“I don’t think you can compare the three fashion shows because they’re all really different,” said Caroline Swystun, a third-year fashion communication student. “In terms of setting ourselves apart, Mass Exodus is at a different level. It’s one of Canada’s largest fashion shows.”

Mass Exodus has earned a solid reputation in Toronto and the rest of Canada, attracting an audience of over 5,000 people, from high school students to entertainment and fashion insiders, all of whom are there to admire the work of fourth-year fashion students.

This year’s creations will embody the theme of paramnesia, a distortion of memory in which separating fact from fantasy is difficult.

“The theme is quite creepy and more unique, and kind of outrageous compared to previous years,” said Laura Shaddick, a third-year fashion communication student who runs the casting, hair and makeup for Mass Exodus.

More than 100 models will embody the theme via fake feather eyelashes and messy, bed-head hair.

“The hair and makeup this year are going to stand out on their own,” said Shaddick.

Kelly Henderson, who will debut her collection at Mass Exodus, said the show benefits from sharing Fashion Week with Ignite and Original Sin.

“I don’t think that it’s a hindrance for Mass Exodus; it just means there’s more for people to see and stick around for,” she said. “People who hear of Ignite may not have heard of Mass Exodus, so they might stick around for the show.”

Following the theme of confusion and reality, Henderson’s designs will hypnotize the audience with a dazzling — and expensive — flair.

“My designs are very out of the ordinary, very out of this world,” said the fourth-year fashion design student, adding that all five of her outfits will stun the crowd with crystals from Swarovski, which is sponsoring her designs.

Fashion Week revs up with Original Sin, the second- and third-year fashion show.

“Original Sin shows what we’re doing in the years prior and all of the work that comes before Mass Exodus,” said Erin Thompson, a second-year fashion communication student. “It shows the media and the industry that, ‘Hey, these people are talented,’ as opposed to just later years.”

And then there’s Ignite, which is being organized by fashion communications students.

“There seems to be some mystery in the Ryerson community as to what exactly fashion communication students do,” said Ignite representative Lindsay McInnis. “I can’t tell you how many people have asked me in my four years here, ‘Fashion communications? So what does that mean, exactly?’ Ignite offers the Ryerson community the opportunity to understand our program and see the wide range of talent that the class of 2008 has produced.”

Producer Christine Wilkinson said that Ignite stands out from the other two shows because the production is not a fashion show.

“While some of our students will be displaying garments they’ve designed, the majority will be displaying graphic design, web design, magazines, videos and other presentations related to fashion communication,” she said.

Ryerson Fashion Week runs from April 6 to 10