The modern gent
Ottawa’s Rania Abdulla to unveil an Edwardian-inspired collection at Toronto Arts and Fashion Week
Suit up, fellas. It’s time for the dapper gentleman to make a comeback, and Ottawa designer Rania Abdulla is doing her part to make it a reality.
The fashion stylist is introducing Edwardian-inspired style to the urban male’s closet with the launch of Pairing Paisleys by the Wardrobe Stylist. The 32-year-old, who branded herself as the Wardrobe Stylist in 2005, plans to unveil 28 pieces at a runway event at FAT Arts and Fashion Week. The multiarts event is held every April in Toronto and features 200 Canadian and international fashion designers and artists.
Abdulla’s fall/winter collection, which will hit the catwalk April 24, draws inspiration from the Edwardian era with Baroque-inspired blazers, fitted trousers, vests and dress shirts in a bold colour palette and vibrant paisley prints. Prices range from $75 to $450.
The pieces merge classic and modern elements and are made from wool, cotton blend and genuine leather in a palette of brown, sand and slate blue with pops of burgundy and electric blue. Embossed gold buttons, contrasting stitching and piping on the paisley-print or solid bold jackets give the pieces an edgy appeal.
Abdulla, who moved to Ottawa from Montreal in 2005 to start a family with her husband, drew inspiration for the collection from a Scotch & Soda jacket from the Amsterdam-based fashion company that she saw on a trip to Rome.
“I became connected to it because of how vibrant and flashy it was in style and fabric choice,” says Abdulla, who designs and assists in tailoring each piece and also works full time as a publishing officer.
Abdulla is a graduate from the fashion design program at Lasalle College, and in 2004 graduated from the fashion industrial management program at the Université du Québec à Montreal. As a personal stylist she realized there was a lack of menswear available and decided to step up to fill the gap.
“Design was my first love and I wanted to do it for a long time, but I didn’t have the courage.”
Visit the-wardrobe-stylist. com and fashionarttoronto.ca for more information.