And, go.

The first flares shot up out of the Allstream Centre Sunday night, signaling the race had begun. IZMA opened with a string of fantasy furs, growing gray and gold out of models' shoulders, all wrapped in black sheer and leather. I watched from home, tucked into a toque and fleece sweater.

In the a.m. was Sunny Fong and VAWK in its airy, open, sun-lit space, usually reserved for artsy intellectuals and Toronto-tourist types. After a morning of calls missed and answered, I put down the phone and pen, pulled out the camera.

The invitation promised Fong would make pretty the mess that has been our lives all these months: the economic crash that told us we'd brought back the eighties too fast, too hard, Mr. McQueen's suicide; our unmentioned personal problems.

Out of that decay beauty was maybe born, but mostly we held in our hands, trying not to touch furs as they passed, giggled and made jokes about taking mushrooms. And as always, it was over as soon as it began, we took off in different directions.

On to the next show, next look, collection, season, story. Wait until 11:00 to pull the red out, pass on parties, highlight notes and prep to file in the morning.

*Update: an article I wrote on VAWK is online now. I don't work at the Vancouver Sun but it seems an editor there really likes my writing. Thanks for the pick-up, VS.

Mr. Ben Barry watching the madness unfold from the second floor

Sunny smiles for the press Afiya Francisco of the Style House chatting before the show

Lay Dee takes in her first runway show

Ainsley Kerr and Jessica Biffi before the show begins

Ms. Robin Kay of the FDCC arrives

Ms. Kay again, seated next to Glen Baxter of Fashion Television

Oh, and that's Russ, or Russless, or something of the sort; whoever

One last laugh

For my slideshow of all the looks click here.