Fashion File
The Jersey Boys
By Leah Rumack
Photo by Gabor Jurina, Lorne Bridgman (portrait)
With their line in only its third season, two sweet-as-punkin’ pie dandies in poorboy caps and bow ties are already being called The Next Big (Canadian) Fashion Thing. Their Toronto “studio” may be a suitcase on wheels, they joke that their theme song is “Looking for Backers” and they’ve only just started living in the same city (long story). But their slinky, sexy jersey creations have already been snapped up by Holt Renfrew, worn by Nelly Furtado and Hilary Duff and made it to the new favourites list of the country’s top fashion editors. Pas mal for two guys who started with a swimsuit collection barely over two years ago.
“Greta has taken over our lives,” jokes Kirk (the label’s name is an amalgamation of Stephen’s mother’s and Kirk’s grandfather’s names). “We think of her in the third person.”
Often dubbed the jersey boys for their obsession with the notoriously difficult fabric, the long-time friends finally quit their bi-coastal business relationship – Kirk was a stylist based in Italy working with the likes of Dsquared, and Stephen had a hopping career as a film costume designer in Toronto and was a recent competitor on Project Runway Canada – to devote their lives to their new favourite girl. Making liberal use of Kirk’s business and forecasting chops and Stephen’s design expertise, they manipulate, pleat, tailor and cajole jersey into stunning gowns, sophisticated frocks and even a sly catsuit. And spring 2008’s Perfect Ten collection, with each look named after one of their favourite stylish women – The Blanchett! The Moss! The Jagger! The Paltrow! – is their most compelling yet.
“We would always say, ‘Oh, but will they like it?’,” says Kirk. “And then we were like, ‘but who are they?’”
“It’s easier to design if you have a woman in mind,” says Stephen. “And with someone like a Gwyneth Paltrow, it’s crystal clear who that person is. It sounds silly, but then you can say, ‘Would Gwyneth really wear that? Or would Cate wear that?’”
The answer, probably, is yes, Cate Blanchett probably would wear the chic floor-length Grecian-style gown that bears her name, because in the end, the most beautiful thing about Greta Constantine’s elegant shtick is that their beloved main material – high-end jersey – by its very nature makes for effortless, and highly versatile, dressing. Their simple cocktail-length looks could be worn at the office (well, okay, maybe not a law office) with flats and then dazzled up with heels and jewels for evening.
“She hasn’t called yet,” Kirk laughs of Cate. But here’s guessing it’s only a matter of time.