Myassa par Enya’s Runaway allowed us to step right into the designer's imagination. Montreal-based designer Enya describes her work as existing between softness and structure, something she calls “soft chaos.” That balance became the foundation of her collection, Runaway, inspired by the fleeting transition between Montreal’s late winter and early spring. Drawing on the urgency of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland and the intricate wrought-iron architecture found throughout Montreal, Enya created a dreamlike world suspended between rigidity and freedom, winter and renewal, reality and fantasy.

The entire atmosphere was cohesive down to the smallest detail. The energy between the models as they do their Alice in wonderland bit down the catwalk, the styling, the makeup looks, and the garments worked seamlessly providing the audience a peek into Enya’s personal creative universe. The collection embraced a wide range of techniques like crochet and embroidery, fuelling the aesthetic. There were lots of fluffy pom-poms, filet crochet, a metallic cage-like structure, raw frayed edges, gaucho capris, crochet hats, and full crochet garments. On the runway, the overall result was what I can only describe as an edgy Alice in Wonderland fantasy.

The pom-poms were one of my favourite details throughout the collection. They felt playful, unexpected, and refreshingly original. It's easy to get lost in the repetitiveness of some fashion trends, especially when trends dominate so much of the conversation, especially in back to back runway shows, but these details reminded me why independent designers are the most exciting voices to watch. As someone who knows the deep levels of crochet, I was especially blown away by what I saw throughout the collection. Seeing crochet executed at that level immediately had me out loud gasping thinking about the countless hours of labour involved. Every piece showcased an incredible amount of patience, technical skill, and attention to detail.

One of my favourite looks was Look 5, featuring a teal and royal blue ensemble with embroidery throughout the shirt and skirt. The colour combination is stunning and satisfying to the creative eye, but what truly sold the look for me were the matching lace thigh-high stockings. They were the type of fashion piece that instantly makes you think, “I need that in my closet.” Finished with a coordinating scarf, the entire look felt cool, confident, and effortlessly memorable.

The beauty styling deserves huge recognition; the makeup, hair, and nails demonstrated the same level of thoughtfulness found within the garments. Long wispy lashes, colourful eye makeup, and bold lip colours helped create characters in our heads. It was clear that every aesthetic decision had a purpose.

I think what made this collection stand out from the others was not only the raw creativity but the care behind it. You feel the hard work, attention to detail, and passion in every look that came down the runway. It was imaginative, playful, technically impressive, and unlike anything else I saw that night.

Hands down, it was my favourite show of the evening.