Many who have been to Montreal would agree that the city has a beauty all its own – one that is without ostentation, novelty or artifice. Its charms are found in simple things native Montrealers can sometimes take for granted, like wrought iron staircases, cobblestone roads, 18th Century architecture, and parks shaded by hundred year old trees.
Founded in 2007, Montreal-based and Montreal-made womenswear label Barilà exemplifies an unconscious elegance and European ease characteristic of its parent city. While the brand alternates between strong and sophisticated in one collection, and playful and flirtatious in the next, the laissez-faire attitude of Montreal is ever-present in its aesthetic.
While Barilà’s 2010 Fall/Winter collection surprised with its romantic yet matronly elements, their follow-up Spring/Summer 2011 collection took a softer approach, with relaxed and girlish styles. The brand has been featured at Montreal Fashion Week, and their versatility and sense of the romantic that has earned Barilà a name even outside of fashion circles.
When the Opéra de Montréal mounted their production of Werther this past winter, the sister design team at Barilà seemed the obvious choice for costume creation. The result was as sleek and lush as anything the label has put out yet. Inspired by the Art-Deco couture of the 1920s, Barila’s costumes paid homage to an era in clothing design where comfort met grace in rich colors, free fits, and striking silhouettes. Not exactly a far cry from the styles they’ve produced for the runway.
See here below for a video that truly illustrates the Barilà motto and overall lifestyle, “Live the life you love”.
