"Worldly" is a word that gets tossed around a lot by Greta Constantine designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong. But as evidenced by the jet setting starlets who wear their clothes namely Nelly Furtado, Victoria Beckham and Hilary Duff the duo can't help but use the word that so accurately describes their collection. "It's not just a label, it's a lifestyle," declares Pickersgill.
Launched in 2006 and carried at Holt Renfew in Canada and Harrod's in London, the line is crafted by two best friends that live an ocean apart. Wong, who some may recognize as the undisputed darling of Project Runway Canada, is based out of their Toronto studio. Pickersgill, who originally moved to Milan to work for Dsquared2 and now spends his downtime there, travels back and forth between the fashion capital and Toronto.
The duo may be divided by some serious mileage, but their international operation also translates to a global chic kind of customer. "We like to think of Greta Constantine as a woman of the world," Pickersgill says. "She's a traveler and a trendsetter, applying ageless style from past to present."
Despite Wong and Pickersgill's preference for modern muses, the fall collection was actually inspired by a "prehistoric woman", featuring pieces like savage fur jackets, flowing goddess gowns with thickly braided necklines and a louche brown jumpsuit. "It's like a men's suit," says Pickersgill, "It can take you from morning to night." Or from Toronto to Milan.
-Erin Kobayashi