There’s no better buy than a garment crafted by a prestigious designer and sold with a mass market price tag. H&M, Wal-Mart, Target are just some of the superstore chains to bring the catwalk to the shopping cart, and now Reitmans — Canada’s biggest women’s clothing retailer — is launching a dress collection by Quebec’s Martin Lim.
Martin Lim is a name mash formed by married couple Danielle Martin and Pao Lim. The pair came to prominence when they won the first Mercedes-Benz Start Up competition at World Mastercard Fashion Week in Toronto last fall, though they now hope the collaboration with Reitmans will expand their brand to the masses. A realistic mission? Well, with price tags hovering between $85 and $120 for a sundry mix of both day and eveningwear outfits, that goal is sure to be accomplished.
The range is composed of 10 dresses, including two for petite size and two for plus size. Black dominates the collection, only to be contrasted and colourblocked by bold colors such as purple and teal. Many of the dresses are characterized by draped backs and asymmetrical hems, while the occasional bat wing and Jackie-O shift dress makes an appearance.
My personal favourites? It has to be the offerings in the petite range, that is the one-shoulder teal Clara dress with a contrast ribbon strap, front slit and tiered ruffle. Likewise, the Limi colourblock dress with its body-conscious silhouette, elegant boat neck, and bonded satin front will make for a stylish way to start the office day. But what do you think? Has the duo retained a coveted designer aesthetic with a price-conscious polyester pallette?
The Martin Lim for Reitmans collection, which is all made in Canada, will be exclusively available for sale at 28 select Reitmans stores in Ontario and Quebec from November 2, 2012 onwards and also on Reitmans online store.
Images via Reitmans.com
