Olena Zylak - fall/winter 2002
Olena Zylak treated the Toronto Fashion Week crowd to an intimate installation (in collaboration with Response) that represented a trip into her formative childhood. An elfin factory was recreated to reflect Olena’s awe of the piles of socks she would see when taken to her mother’s job at the sock factory. Historical references notwithstanding, the emphasis is on tailoring, as can be witnessed in the taupe pinwale corduroy skirt ballooned at the bottom. A dusty red and brown checked mohair coat is a beautifully executed comfort piece, as is the cognac pyramid cardigan and other pullovers. A skirt made entirely of deconstructed socks (apparently her grandfather’s) modernizes her sartorial ode. The collection is unmistakably tactile, and lends copious amounts of Canadian credibility to the stance of clothing as an experience.
Daniel Cox, Fashion Editor
Marek Wlazlo, Photographer
