Ruby Ellen || AFW 10/11

As the opening night of Alberta Fashion Week was christened in its new location at Eau Claire Market, the show delivered a longer runway and ample seating.

Ruby Ellen was the first to show and the collection started off with simplicity; a white gown with black swirled detailing covering it entirely.

Fitting with a Spring/Summer show, Ellen’s next model walked down the runway in a bright gown, starting with a black and white checkered bodice and finishing with a yellow skirt. Her collection was further infused with colors and patterns like pink, red, and purple.

Many of the models carried bouquets, very fitting as the dresses were wedding gown and wedding party styles. Also, many of the gowns had rose detailing to accent the train of a wedding gown, the back of a dancers dress and the hem of a graduation dress.

Looking back from her last season we can see the improvement and the different styles as well as a clear view of Ellen’s direction. Her attention to detail, clearly shown in a mermaid pink gown encrusted with jewels gave use a pleasant surprise when the model was able to remove the bottom mermaid skirt and transform it into a cocktail dress.

As wedding gowns are Ellen’s specialty we were greeted with variations of dresses that infused details like the rosettes and pearls with classic silhouettes. Not afraid of adding color to an otherwise gorgeous dress, Ellen added that ‘something blue’ in the form of flowered embroidery.

Although formal dresses can sometimes be a tricky thing to try and change and trends are not always the best, Ellen, has always put a fun twist on her creations that still make them wearable. Going on trend we spotted a velvet cocktail dress, with a bubble hem and leaves attached, making it the perfect dress for a graduation.

Words by Linda Sui Lem
Photography © Faby Martin 2010