A few seasons ago, a new Canadian designer caught my eye. During the spring 2010 runway collections at LG Fashion Week, I sat back and watched a truly feminine collection with impeccable tailoring. The collection was LOVAS, created by designer Wesley Badanjak. The label was fairly new - it had only been around since 2008 - but Wesley had already been establishing a name for himself working closely with numerous established designers.
Wesley Badanjak was born and raised in Mississauga and completed a Bachelor of Biology at York University before entering the Fashion Design program at Ryerson University. Awards and acclaim for his distinctive style marked his days at Ryerson as did high profile internships with PEROS and the Holt Renfrew Design Studios. After graduating from Ryerson he went on to work with the label tevrow+chase under designer Paul Sinclaire and then with iconic Canadian designer David Dixon, where he still works today. In 2009 Wesley approached Dixon and received both his blessing and direction in launching his own label.
LOVAS was born... the name itself was a very personal choice. LOVAS is named after the village of Lovas which was almost completely destroyed during the Croatian War of Independence. It is the village where Wesley's father was born, where many in his family were murdered. The designer told me it was a way for him to remember his family and a way to "bring a little bit of history to the clothes".
[Above photo: Wesley Badanjak's fall 2009 collection shown at Alternative Fashion Week on Friday April 24, 2009 - (Photos by: Christian Badanjak)]
LOVAS made its runway debut in April 2009 when Wesley debuted a small capsule collection during Alternative Fashion Week (FAT) in Toronto. The pieces that came down the runway included tailored suiting, coats and daytime separates. The response was positive and Wesley was praised for a strong collection of well-constructed careerwear for women. Next steps? We were in the middle of a recession but Wesley already had the next steps planned out.
[Above photo: Wesley Badanjak's spring 2010 collection shown at LG Fashion Week on October 21st, 2009 - (Photos by: Nicole Andrews)]
In October 2009, a grouping of buff Vespa boys served as a backdrop for Wesley's first collection shown at LG Fashion Week. The spring collection was called "Mare Adriaticum" and his inspiration came from the Adriatic coast. Whimsical colours and fabrics, clean-cut silhouettes, shrunken blazers, pleated skirts and wide palazzo pants all made their way down the runway. A true success. The media was supportive and Wesley found recognition outside of being David Dixon's assistant.
[Above photo: Wesley Badanjak's fall 2010 collection shown at LG Fashion Week on March 30, 2010 - (Photos by: Silvia Drugea)]
The following spring, Wesley showed at LG Fashion Week for the second time. The "Behind The Gates" collection was another success for the young designer. The pieces were gorgeous and the back story was filled with sentiment - the collection had been inspired by memories and photographs of his paternal grandmother, Cecilija Badanjak. Cozy memories became glamorous on the runway and the impeccably well tailored collection was hailed by many, including myself, as one of the strongest showings of the week.
[Above photo: Wesley Badanjak and his posse of models taking a break during a recent photo shoot for the LOVAS spring 2011 collection - (Photo by: Christian Badanjak)]
A few weeks ago, Wesley invited me to stop by a west end studio to check out the LOVAS spring 2011 collection during a Sunday afternoon photo shoot. If you're wondering what's coming next, I can assure you that the upcoming collection is impressive. Feminine pieces that are sexy and fresh — and surprisingly inspired by the periodic table of elements.
I started with the whole idea of the periodic table of elements. It sounds really geeky but I was picking colours based on that. I had the idea of calling the collection "Elemental" based on the elements and then translating that to elements in a women’s wardrobe. What should women be wearing? The great shift dress for day. The great strapless for evening. The great bolero jacket. A great suit. Taking these basic elements in a womans wardrobe and creating beautiful staples with a twist.
Classic with a twist. Versatile pieces that will take a woman from the office to a night on the town.
For now daytime is dedicated to David Dixon and Wesley continues to spend his evenings and weekends focusing on LOVAS. When I asked him about his next steps, he joked that his next steps were simply to just keep on going. Of course he'll continue to focus on womenswear and very slowly introduce the idea of menswear. My eyes lit up with that statement and I thought, definitely something else to look forward to from one of Canada's most promising young designers.
www.lovasfashion.com
Good Luck, I really love your style. So classic and what a real woman loves.
Posted by: Mary Lou | 09/11/2010 at 10:50 AM
Wes is a hard worker.. Everyone is behind him!! He is loved and supported!
Posted by: Mojo | 09/03/2010 at 03:31 PM
Love learning more about Canadian designers and what's going on in Canada. Great profile. Loooking forward to seeing more from this young designer!
Posted by: Fashion Watcher | 09/03/2010 at 09:57 AM
Positive Press!!! Congratualtions a press release weel earned.
Posted by: Audrey | 09/03/2010 at 08:43 AM
Sounds great!!! Good luck!!!
Posted by: Antonio | 09/02/2010 at 09:45 PM