After a hiatus in 2006, B.C. Fashion Week returned to the local scene with a morning tea party September 25 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Although favourites like Anna Kosturova, she of the crochet bikinis; Christina Darling, a purveyor of flirty fare; and hotshot label Evan & Dean were represented, several bright lights were notably absent.

In response, we invited some of the absentees to a September 24 high tea at the hotel so they could colloquize about their fall 2007 and spring 2008 collections. Chloí« Angus, a spark plug of a woman who once rescued a miniature horse from starvation, arrived wearing a ruby-red trilby, with a scarlet wrap over a black combo.

Said Angus: "The hat is vintage from my friend, and this is my fabulous new wrap. The theme is '50 ways to wear your wrap' and this wrap does it, and it's all you'll need for the transitional weather of fall."

After a brief demonstration, Angus pulled out a little black dress from a pile of samples from her eponymous label. "This shift dress is from my fall eco-chic look," she said. "It's an eco-friendly fabric made from the shells of prawns and crabs. It's fabulous for wearing and deals with being active and going out. So, it will take you from the workplace into the evening."

Watching and nibbling was Amanda Gutmanis, managing director of Mara Gottler. Gottler, best known for her costume design and her couture-level custom studio, constructs clothing like a baroque architect, using darts, pleats, and seams in a spellbinding way.

Gutmanis held up a silver-grey smock. "This is from Mara's spring collection," she said. "We let the silhouette be a lot looser, but we picked up on the details. Here, we sewed up a lot of seams and then ironed them unevenly. So you can see the detail on the back, the ripples look like gills, and it's these manipulations that let us reinvent the fabric."

Reminiscent of waves, scudding clouds, and the sheen of a darting fish, the top will make its debut when Gottler introduces her first ready-to-wear spring collection at the Canadian by Design mini boutique in the Bay downtown.

Allison Smith of Allison Wonderland sketched on a notepad as she spoke: "I usually work with the usual-suspect fabrics like wool and flannel for the fall." Referring to the pretty long-sleeved red and blue blouse in her line, she explained, "I've actually used a cotton plaid flannel that is used in a traditional men's mack jacket, and I've taken it and made it a lot more feminine with details and experimenting with different shapes." With a waist belt, collar tie, and gathered cuff, the top has only the faintest whiff of post-grunge.

The conversation went round the table from scones to décolletage, Devonshire cream to cashmere. At some point between the smoked salmon and a fruit custard, Smith declared: "I suppose I'm a woman who will put a little bit more effort in my clothing and not yoga pants. How about we put those away, ladies?"

Angus nodded in agreement. "We should do this more often."