LDF’s Montréal Fashion Week: Yes, chef

EN · English

23–26 September 2026 · Atelier Textile · Montréal

LIGNES DE FUITE3 minute read

The ON SHOW corridor at Atelier Textile, Montréal, 26 September 2026. Photograph: Mathéo Savarit.

The chair order for ON SHOW was precise: fifty white stools, one hundred black. Elsewhere in the preparations, lockers were being moved by hand, with cardboard underneath.

Mr Hurt had just started a job as a sous-chef. “Yes, chef.” “Hands, chef.” The language stuck. Kadisha, Mr Hurt, Josh and Rithsa carried it through the preparations, finding time between other jobs to make this one happen. Pizza was the staff meal. The optimism was a little unreasonable and quite sincere.

A red ON SHOW programme rests on a white stool beside a black stool in the corridor at Atelier Textile. — A programme on one of the white stools at ON SHOW. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A person carries a stack of white pizza boxes through the doorway, with another person just behind. — Behind the scenes at ON SHOW. Photograph: Sergio Vega Perry.

The week began with three nights of showroom activity, from 23 to 25 September, in collaboration with Atelier Artefact and Galerie Mold. Mold came through at the last minute, and Oli put the setup together. RONA carts had been dismantled and painted black. The other furniture was made from melted plastic from milk jugs. Fashion likes a sustainability statement. This one had bags on it. It was also a beginning for SUPPLY. DAVO and Avalon sold plenty of tops. Dollars were made.

Clothes, bags, belts and necklaces hang from a curved black display rail against a white brick wall, with candles below. — The September LDF showroom. Photograph: Courtesy LIGNES DE FUITE.

Bags, jewellery and a belt are arranged on an irregular white table among racks of clothing in the LDF showroom. — Accessories in the September LDF showroom. Photograph: Courtesy LIGNES DE FUITE.

On 26 September, ON SHOW brought nine designers to Atelier Textile for three runway presentations, with EXPOSÉ alongside them.

A mistake in the printed programme meant a last-minute change to the order. Rithsa, already carrying a great deal backstage, somehow made the revised lineup work, though it tested what remained of her patience. People were cancelling during the day, and the atmosphere around makeup could get tense. Jeremy Allen White at least gets another take. Gustavo’s music department remained the chillest. The new screen from Symmetry was a pleasure to see in place.

Atelier Textile’s corridor was narrow and hot. There was very little distance between the clothes and the people who had come to see them. Proximity and density were generously provided.

Guests sit closely together under red light, holding drinks and red programmes; one raises a phone to photograph the runway. — The audience at ON SHOW. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A guest wearing red glasses and a dark T-shirt turns towards the camera, holding a brown bag among people in the room. — Between presentations at ON SHOW. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

The audience came dressed up. They made the room worth looking at in both directions. For EXPOSÉ, the studio had made clothes the day before, designed to frame tattoos. The barmaids wore them. The frames also had a shift to cover. An almost open bar came courtesy of EXPOSÉ and Sailor Jerry. In this fucking economy, a hot corridor and an almost open bar seemed an entirely reasonable place to be.

A person holding a drink wears a black outfit with an open back revealing a large tiger tattoo, while talking with another guest. — Tattoo framing between presentations at ON SHOW. Photograph: Sergio Vega Perry.

Pearletta Designs took Toronto subway culture through leather, velvet, lace, fringe and sequins in PEARLETTA STATION. ONCOMMON’s No Human Fits A Border worked with second-hand garments, donated textiles and production waste. Will Di Perno Studio’s Broken Formalities put formal clothes through controlled damage.

A model wearing glasses and a sequinned leopard-pattern sleeveless top walks close to the audience at ON SHOW. — Pearletta Designs - PEARLETTA STATION. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A model wears a white sleeveless top with blue loops and hanging fabric strips above a pieced denim skirt on the runway. — ONCOMMON - No Human Fits A Border. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A tattooed model turns on the runway in a black cropped top and dark patterned skirt, carrying a brown bag. — Will Di Perno Studio - Broken Formalities. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

Saintpier’s Take All Roads proposed professional clothing made one body at a time. KENDRICK TRAN’s CLARITY moved between sculptural structure and softness. Valmora’s Sans forme built its volumes from circles and left gender to the wearer.

A model walks in a grey cropped tailored vest, white top and grey knee-length skirt, with spectators seated along both walls. — Saintpier - Take All Roads. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A model turns towards the camera, lifting the collar of a voluminous black jacket above a dark garment with purple floral details. — KENDRICK TRAN - CLARITY. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A model in an olive strapless rounded mini dress, matching hat and black boots walks between closely seated guests. — Valmora - Sans forme. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

OSČ’s Bayou to Manor moved from grounded, mobile forms towards refined silhouettes, following a story of diasporic inheritance. GIO CACI’s COMORBID brought nobility, military uniforms and gothic dress into protective silhouettes. Labelled 7701’s Overdressed piled tulle, ribbons and charms onto rescued and deadstock textiles.

A model wears a white ribbed top, layered white lace skirt, large textured hairstyle and small brown hat on the runway. — OSČ - Bayou to Manor. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A model wears a black leather vest with brass fastenings, a short black skirt and tall boots, carrying a structured brown bag. — GIO CACI - COMORBID. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

A tattooed model in a blue cartoon hat, floral cropped top and layered checked skirt tilts their head towards the camera on the runway. — Labelled 7701 - Overdressed. Photograph: Rory Creelman for CLICK MTL.

It had something of the end of postmodernism about it: different languages collapsing into the same room, worn with considerable sincerity.

The models gave these very different collections their movement. Thanks are due to every person who came and walked. The changes and tensions of the day gave way to an evening that came together.