lisa

Turbine Energy

By | Oct 22, 2012

Designer Lisa Drader-Murphy has always been good at creating positive energy. This entrepreneur extraordinaire never seems to slow down and she’s got scores of followers to show for it. I was lucky enough to get an invite to this year’s Turbine showcase and got a peek at her very latest collections.

Hosted by Heidi Petracek, the showcase was held at Casino Nova Scotia. Musician Andrea Somers warmed up the crowd with some soulful crooning before the show. My friend and I were happy to snap up some prime real estate at the end of the runway and before long the show commenced. There were so many vibrant outfits but I am going to stick to my highlights rather than recap the entire evening (as I’ve been known to do)…

Inspired by her travels to India, recent Turbine pieces have included a lot of feminine prints and shimmering golds and blues but I have to say that many of my favourite looks were the lovely, deep green dresses. A standout out for me was the wrap long-sleeved dress with a demure just below the knee hemline. The V neckline perfectly highlights décolletage while the more modest length of the sleeves and hem make the dress feminine but not overtly sexy. I also enjoyed the use of drop waists that were seen on many Turbine dresses and skirts. The mini-dresses with slouchy draping shoulders looked casual yet polished, especially in bold, rich colours. I am a bangle aficionado so I loved the display of shimmering arm candy that many of the models adorned. For the impulse buyer, there was a “bangle bar” just outside the room where you could pick out a stack for yourself.

One of the best aspects of a Turbine show is Drader-Murphy’s use of real women as models. A variety of inspiring women strutted their stuff and the program featured bios on each. Spanning the decades, the models did a fantastic job showing the crowd how these clothes would look on a variety of body types. One thing I find challenging about your average fashion show is trying to imagine how the clothes would actually look on me. At a Turbine show, it’s a lot easier to identify with a bevy of local ladies.

It’s also wonderful to know that the net proceeds from ticket sales go to the Marguerite Centre, for women recovering from addictions and abuse. Drader-Murphy is a strong supporter of many women’s charities via the Turbine Fund and she makes a point of giving back and empowering other women.

Turbine never fails to inspire and this evening was no exception. Although, it was nice to see some models of my age range and size, my favourite moments were definitely seeing a little pint-sized lady (maybe two or three years old) take the stage in the teeny, tiniest Turbine outfits of all…

- Nicole

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