Samuel Mercure S/S12 in the back streets of St. Henri.

Unique and interactive, Samuel Mercure S/S Collection presentation took place Wednesday September 14th 2011 at L’Atelier Jean Brillant, an abandoned garage in the St. Henri area of Montreal.   An up and coming artistic area, which I could see being compared to the 'Brick Lane' of London in coming years.   On entrance guests were ushered into a dark room, being told only 'Three rooms, three time brackets.'

I felt like it was Halloween and I was about to walk through a haunted house.

 

Room 1: After guests eyes' adjusted to the darkness they could appreciate to monochrome projections on either side of the room, where clothed male forms shifted bleakly to the background noise of an industrial echoing sounds.   The pinging of a pipe, a breeze, a damp builiding or a distant motor.  

Room 2: Flat images of the collection pieces were tacked along the wall including an accommodating paper with garment description, style numbers and fabric numbers.

Viewers are left to visualise the piece: by taking the fabric number and continuing to a section of 6 black fabric samples of different construction, weight, drape, content etc... Where they can touch and feel the raw pieces.

Further into the room two select pieces were displayed on black hangers, hanging from black string, singularly strung from the ceiling.   On the floor black wooden rectangles that the shape shifting figures from the first room had been standing on in the videos.

All of the Samuel Mercure hosts were head to toe in Samuel, and that's where I  really think the label came to life, from greeter, to usher, to host, to barman, to doorman and to Samuel himself.   I felt like I was immersed in a mini Samuel Mercure cult society.   It's phenomenal how the collection is based entirely on a play of shades, tones, weights and cuts of black fabric.   A minimalistic, futuristic menswear collection of cuts, zippers, raw feel, kilt aspects, para-detailing, urban uniform.

 

One of the Samuel hosts.

Final room:   There was a large empty garage space with an array of avant-garge fusions, brochettes de poulet with courgettes. Cream of cabbage shots with a green gel on the surface and stuffed appricots.   Along with the choice of water, perrier or sparkling pamplemousse. 

Then you were out on the street and done the tour of the 'haunted house.' Wunderbar! A successful collection launch definately worth talking about.

by Kelly Cochrane of High Five Worthy blog.

                             From Montreal Fashion Week Blog for Sensation Mode, by me.