Bespoke men’s suiting, rainproof dog-walking apparel, and chic black clinic uniforms were just some of the unique niche outfits at this year’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University Fashion Design and Technology grad show.

The glossy April 1 event at the River Rock Casino theatre, simply dubbed The Show, is a scouting ground for the city’s up-and-coming designers.

With video screens, blasting music, and packed houses, it continues to hold its place as one of the biggest and most fun fashion events in the Vancouver season—student or otherwise.

What makes it so different is that the program requires its students to do market research and prove demand for their creations.

A surprising number of collections this year were aimed at men. Kiomi Renwick’s Cavalier evoked Savile Row tailoring with her collection of vests, dress shirts, and even a long suit jacket—with the added twist that they were all adapted to the bicycle commuter. Some fabrics even had a subtle, reflective thread in the fine wool weave.

For her part, Phaedra Godchild brought inventive textures and colour mixes to traditional suiting, layering one slightly fuzzy burgundy-wool vest over a black cashmere sweater and a multi-coloured-stripe dress shirt.

Others aimed at other male consumers: Nicole Ballash created a sleek line for extra-tall customers; Jennifer Lynch fashioned a funky array of checker-trimmed vests and jackets for DJs; and Lina Caschetto’s array of plaids and woolly cardigans tapped the indie-artist crowd.

Almost every fashion need was met here: Ming Itakura trotted out a showstopping, red, balloon-silhouetted parka as an outfitter for urban-dogwalkers; Christianne Iulianella’s Klinik Kollektion found three bespectacled models parading around in sleek-black designer duds custom-made for today’s boutique-style medical and dental clinics; and Among the Willows brought cutting-edge yet tailored touches to the world of western horse-riding.

Apparently, politics isn’t the only area with special interest groups. For more on the show and interviews with some of the designers, check out the Spring Style section in next week’s Straight.