March 24, 2024 — Toronto’s Riverside was filled with nostalgia as Second Voyage Vintage had its first Retro Fashion Show. It was a celebration of vintage fashion, sustainability, and community, held at UNTITLED by Flaunt Boutique (792 Queen E), their event and venue partner.
For the fashion show, the Second Voyage team prepared all the runway looks, while UNTITLED’s amazing staff did the hair and make-up on the models. The result? An event highlighting the strong synergy between small businesses in Riverside. Check out these photos by Second Voyage and Emilia Woods.
It was a journey in time, traveling through different eras in fashion, from 70s hippie to 80s goth to 2020s coquette. Although these styles go decades back, the looks that came out on the runway were anything but dated.
The fashion show kicked off with the theme “gothic cowboy”, a juxtaposition that made for interesting ensembles—leather boots and jackets, suede pieces, and garments with Western touches, all in somber palettes.
The second segment was a “springtime ode to the past”, featuring Second Voyage’s spring collection. Completely shifting gears, bright colors, fun prints, and light layering sashayed down the runway this time.
The final act was all things “coquette”, a recent trend that went viral for its hyper-feminine and dainty aesthetic—think bows, lace, tulle, pastels, etc. Creating a fantasy, the models gathered at the end for a make-believe tea party, with a blanket, picnic basket, bubble guns and all.
Aside from vintage designer pieces and pre-loved garments curated by the Second Voyage team, the fashion show also included original one-off designs by Toronto-based designer Jack Norton.
The featured designer is all about “finding potential in textile waste” by reworking secondhand clothing and utilizing discarded fabrics. You can see more of Norton’s design work on his Instagram account, @signedbyjack.
The night wrapped up with an exciting shopping event, where the guests were able to get dibs on the pieces seen on the runway show, from the jackets, shirts, and dresses, down to the shoes and accessories, including Norton’s creations.
Overall, the Retro Fashion Show was a strong showcase for Riverside neighbourhood as a vintage fashion destination in Toronto’s East End. Judging by the reception of the event, this only seems to be the beginning of exciting things happening in the neighbourhood.
If you missed the fashion show, don’t worry—you can still shop in-store at 734 Queen Street East or online from the Second Voyage website and browse through their awesome selection of vintage goods at your own pace.
Also, whenever you want to change up your hairstyle, head to UNTITLED by Flaunt Boutique. Consult with your stylist on what style you want, order a drink from the bar, sit back and let the stylists do their magic. Book your appointment here.
Photo credits: Second Voyage Vintage and Emilia Woods
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christian Jay B. Quilo, Riverside BIA Marketing Assistant
Christian is an international student from Cebu, Philippines, currently interning at the Riverside BIA. He has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and is currently taking post-graduate studies in Lifestyle Media at Centennial College. He has been writing professionally since 2018; his favorite subject matter being food, travel, and fashion. When he’s not busy as a student or marketing assistant, he goes full-on tourist, exploring Toronto one neighborhood at a time—most likely with an iced oat latte or bubble tea in hand.