Day two of the first annual TOM* FW seems to have solidified the Jeff Rustia and GOTSTYLE collaboration as a real crowd-draw. Attendees grew steadily in numbers as the night progressed, frequenting the Pop Up shops, VIP lounge for drinks and hors d’ouvres, and the TOM* Digital Lounge in between runway shows. And no major event is complete without flash bulbs going off by the media wall! The highlight of the evening was the Canadian celebrity runway show for MensFashion4Hope! Scroll down to see this show and the other designers featured on the catwalk for TOM* day 2!

Cufflinks by Cuffwear; custom 2-sided bow ties by Just Sultan; outerwear by Project Foce; colourful socks by Yo Sox. These are just a few of men’s apparel and accessory vendors who displayed their stylish wares for sale in the Pop Up Shop room, conveniently set up beyond a divider to the VIP lounge.

The runway shows kicked off with a splash of colour and more than a flash of skin in designer Lafaille’s SS 2015 collection. Titled “Safety First,” the car crash theme was carried through the collection with edgy imagery, striking silhouettes, and bold silk screened tire tracks.

Jose Duran’s featured collection gives feminine drapery a masculine take. Utilizing elements such as opaque fabrications, asymmetry and balloon-style details, this light weight collection boasts geometric minimalism and ease of use.

Curated by We Are Wearables, this section of the TOM* event features wearable and interactive technology gadgets and apps to enhance the fashion-interaction experience. Vendors included Bionym, Pivothead, Martian Watches, MeU, and Thalmic Labs. Featured app exhibitors were MyEventApps, StyleID, and my personal favourite, Klothed, a personalized mobile apparel shopping and style planning app. Catering only to men at the moment, their interactive station allowed men to take head shots of themselves, and preview their head shots on the outfits they selected in the app’s vendor catalogue. A much anticipated version for women is rumored to be in the works!

Bold, crisp neutrals meet deep jewel tones in metallic fabrics in Paul Nathaphol’s “Existence precedes Essence” SS 2015 collection. Solid colours juxtaposed with painterly and kaleidoscopic prints are sculpted into shapes of the classic debonaire dandy, and masculine-defying cinched waistlines.

The MensFshion4Hope campaign is a charity for the Kol Hope Foundation for Children and SickKids Hospital. Lovingly spearheaded by TOM* event creator and host, Jeff Rustia opened the runway show with a few choice words about the origin and purpose of the Kol Hope Foundation, and sponsorship acknowledgements. Following the intro, Rustia was presented with a hefty cheque for the cause by GOTSTYLE Owner and Curator, Melissa Austria, accompanied by other members of the TOM* advisory council.

The show featured home-grown Canadian male talent as the models du jour. Among them were performer Jarvis Church, TV Personalities Glen Baxter and Jamie Gutfreund, and even Menswear Designer Christopher Bates. Some were cheeky, some were suave, some were fierce. But all men strutted their stuff in fine form!

Preppy meets nautical, with a dash of minimalist pop art in high-contrasting colour combos is the best way to describe Noel Crisostomo’s SS 2015 Collection. The warmer spring wear were comprised mainly of solid neutrals which gave way to pops of cerulean blue, burgundy and orange as the collection moved into summer wear. Interesting details include intricate laser cutouts on outerwear, houndstooth patterns in varying sizes, and cameos of retro-style windbreaker jackets with a modern fit, flare and fabric.

Closing out the runway was the savvy and streetwise Sons of Odin collection. Strutting to the beat of some of the best Hip Hop blends and remixes, the models were a display of bold black and white, along with about 50 shades of gray – literally. Instead of whips and chains, the prints were of oversized roses and ropes. Edgy adornments included zipper vents, tight drape tucks, and geometric striping and blocking. The parachute boy at the end was a curious touch, but style is style and the Sons of Odin have indeed landed!

Stay tuned for coverage on TOM* day 3!