Minimidimaxi Magazine

Leatherwear heavyweight Rudsak is one of those engines that give menswear its impetus this season. In a fashion season that sees the enthusiastic embrace of vintage currents by many Montreal designers, Rudsak does it best with its motorcycle jackets and sand-blasted aviators, manipulated to look damaged and worn through rebel adventures.

Designer-entrepreneur Evik Asatoorian elaborates. “I wanted to bring back the accent pieces of the 70’s and 80’s. The look that made the Fonz cool. Leather used to be a culture.” And who better than Rudsak to show us how it can be done in the 21st century, blending it with a military look and the label’s signature attention to texture.

For men, the half-length jackets with angular military cuts are available in a plethora of colours, including chocolate, grey and camel. The three-quarter grey and charcoal coats with stitched leather strapping running down the sleeves gives a tough, masculine edge to the collection. For women, the smoky steel-blue aviators with inside fur lining and vandalized seams have the same grit but with feminine cuts. “It’s all about the recognizable look. You walk into a room full of suits wearing a cool leather jacket. ‘Who is this guy?’”

A burgeoning accessory division (all in leather, of course) is keeping the company busy and was featured on the runway. The slouch bag is a big hit this season. A leather furniture division is slated for 2003. It seems that the only limits Rudsak can encounter would have to be self-imposed. “Who is this guy?” Evik Asatoorian, entrepreneur.

Daniel Cox, Fashion Editor
Marek Wlazlo, Photographer