The title “Hard-Boiled Wonderland” comes from the novel of the same name by Haruki Murakami.  The collection itself was first inspired by The Ruins of Detroit, a photographic project by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre. McCarney was struck by the destroyed majesty of Marchand and Meffre’s subject matter; how that original beauty still shone through the destruction via their photography.

Seeking to project an idealized version of women living after the fictional collapse of today’s culture, McCarney explores the idea of carrying on, of finding beauty in despair. Only natural fibre fabrics are used, and the designer keeps everything as environmentally conscious as possible. Wool, cotton, leather, silk and fur are used to create deft and subtle textures. Staunchly against synthetic fabrics due to their petroleum content, McCarney uses ‘ethical’ fur - reclaimed from vintage items or purchased from trappers. She sources her fabric as carefully as possible, which she admits can sometimes be a chore on Queen Street.

There is a heavy message underneath the prettiness of the collection regarding the future of this society. “It’s important to be able to see beauty in the most bleak circumstances,” McCarney says, “This is why artists are so important to life, to society. They take the pain of a situation and create a visual image, something unique and often lovely. I wanted to think about how it would feel to be an artist on the other side of the disaster we can all see coming.”

In the story of her collection, these women look to the grandeur of the past and focus on the remaining dregs of beauty to be found, while living more harmoniously with their environment. The time-intensive hand-work she employs bring to mind a time when clothing was less disposable - when we owned a few well-made pieces and, with craftsmanship, created something that was meant to be worn for more than a season. Something to be cherished.

Press / Contact / Order Info

Video shot by Jennifer Wigg

Edited by Jennifer Wigg and Ian Flett

A La Mode
http://www.fusionofeffects.com/2010/03/trendology-hard-boiled-wonderland-by.html
“We loved all the pieces of this collection, but if we have to pick one, it has to be the beaded dress with 15oz of black seed beads! The beads are hanging down loose from the chest and swings along with the motion.  The beads give a lot of movement to the pieces, yet having this mysterious feeling when it’s put together with this very dreamy collection. Fabulous work!”

BlogTO
http://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2010/03/breeyn_mccarney_fallwinter_2010/
“McCarney also gets bonus points for cohesiveness… McCarney’s small collection definitely felt all of a piece. The palette was pale pastels and wintry neutrals, and the silhouettes were relatively similar.”

Canada Digital
http://www.canadadigital.com/component/aexposure/event/Breeyn-McCarney-Fashion-Show-57.html

Canada Wears
http://canadawears.ca/fashion-event.php?eventid=78

The Compendium Daily
http://thecdaily.com/2010/03/19/fw10-breeyn-mccarney/

DL Styling
http://dlstyling.blogspot.com/2010/03/fashion-show-breeyn-mccarney.html
“The theme of the show was “Hard-Boiled Wonderland” which was evident to the collection’s whimsical and frothy appearance. Echoing the styles of Rodarte, McCarney’s use of draping, hand beading and different use of grades of fabric from cotton jersey and silk to leather and fur, she made it all her own and can definitely make the use of such fabrics her trademark.”

Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-28745-Toronto-Fashion-Trends-Examiner~y2010m3d21-Breeyn-McCarney-a-hardboiled-wonderland
“Like watching an elegant woodsy tea party walking down the runway but with enough sensuality underneath the innocent naivety that you knew this wasn’t your grandmother’s tea party… displaying her honed skill for knitting, leather-crafting, hand embroidery and hand print. There was a true connection with nature as the hand printed flowers and leaves gave you a fantasy type feel yet there was a modern twist with such embellishments as tassels along with soft neutral colors, corsets and subdued plaid being subtly incorporated. McCarney’s latest collection will gently take your hand and bring you to a peaceful and imaginative place if you’re willing to follow.”

FashWeekly
http://fashweekly.com/blog/?p=522
“The collections was romantic and girly but with a touch of despair, which was extremley interesting. The knits were beautiful and very well-made.”
Flare
http://www.flare.com/blog/post/24389–wandering-through-wonderland
“…her strongest statements were loose-gauge knits. A baby-girl pink mohair and silk sweater-dress had black leather petals whimsically peeking through.  A white leather bodice dress with a hand-knit shawl created hard and soft tension.  A wool and rabbit fur star-strewn pullover merged nature with fashion’s current love of mixed-medias.  With only twelve looks, the designer didn’t stray from her innocent aesthetic. While there will always be a place for beguiling pretty fashion, we encourage McCarney to create options for those who consider cute a dirty word.”

For Your Satisfashion
http://www.foryoursatisfashion.com/2010/03/breeyn-mccarney-fall-winter-2010-2011.html
“The overall package of this show was great! With the venue, I felt as if I were basking in a Parisian runway show! I loved the soft colors used in the collection and the Rodarte-like take on the shredded sweater!”

House of Calibre
http://houseofcalibre.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/breeyn-mccarneys-fw-20102011-hard-boiled-wonderland-collection/
“Beaded dress. Bodice of silk, skirt of distressed cotton, 15 oz. of black seed beads. This has got to be my favorite piece from the collection.  The movement of the beads adds so much visual drama and contrast.  A+!”

I Want I Got
http://iwantigot.geekigirl.com/2010/03/23/tefw-breeyn-mccarney-fall-winter-2010-2011/
“The result was a cute collection of party dresses and sweaters. It was a cohesive collection for the most part.”

A Little Fish in a Big Sea
http://alittlefishinabigsea.blogspot.com/2010/03/wonderland-of-hard-boiled-variety.html
“The show itself was beautifully done. Whimsical yet progressive, feminine yet bold - I was so in love with the mixed textures, the muted yet strong colours, and the overall youthful charm that came across in every piece. I look forward to Breeyn’s progress as a designer because not only is she a wonderful talent, she is a completely lovely person.”

Lucky Penny
http://luckypennydaily.com/2010/03/22/breeyn-mccarney/
“each piece plays between structure and amorphous elements. heavier knits and wools are given a light and delicate feeling through lace or feather details. imagine models, like beautiful rag dolls, with ethereal clouds of hair by greg may. certainly lucky penny could take home the whole collection… but if forced to choose just one piece, she is particularly fond of the white leather bodice dress paired with a distressed mohair shawl.”

NOW Magazine
http://www.nowtoronto.com/newsletters/thisweekinnow/2930/page28_30.pdf
*Printed edition

Phreshly Squeezed
http://www.phreshly-squeezed.net/2010/03/breeyn-mccarney-premieres-fw10-collection-courthouse/
“The nuances in the pieces are charming. Taking apart vintage jewelry, McCarney offers a certain element of one-of-a-kind to parts of her collection. As well, the choices to make leaf appliqués from leather, as opposed to cotton, and to hand paint foliage onto white cotton offer a unique design aesthetic and an extraction of her fine arts background. The beauty of newcomer McCarney’s collection comes across clearly with her careful thought process and meticulous execution.”

Polysh
http://polyshmag.blogspot.com/2010/03/breeyn-mccarney-fw-2010.html

PoshGLAM
http://www.poshglam.com/breeyn-mccarney-premieres-fw10-collection/
“What’s interesting is how McCarney spins ordinary clothing construction concepts with different fabric choices and treatments—like creating a collar from leather in contrast to softer material.”

Queen West and the Random Press
http://queenwestrandompress.tumblr.com/post/459154724/breeyn-mccarney-f-w-2010-2011-hard-boiled
“From greys to blues, pinks to whites, the colours were very cohesive and easy on the eye. The fabrics that were used all flowed beautifully on the runway. The choice of silks, mohair, cotton/bamboo jersey, rabbit and distressed cotton all moved perfectly as the models walked.”

Ride The Tempo
http://ridethetempo.com/2010/03/17/pretty-clothes-post-breeyn-mccarney/

Shopsterium
http://www.shopsterium.com/2010/03/breeyn-mccarney-fw10-fashion-show.html
“…amazing show.”

The Souls of My Shoes
http://www.thesoulsofmyshoes.com/breeyn-mccarneys-fallwinter-2010-collection-f

Suitcase Full of Dreams
http://danigoddard.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/walkin-in-a-winter-wonderland-in-the-spring-time/
“The pale pastels and nude colours are extremely flattering for the winter weather. Partnered with the hint of grey and black was well thought of as well by McCarney. All models were dressed in cohesive and flowing silhouettes, with whimsical frocks made the collection as a whole, look very well put together.”

Swagger + Grace
http://www.swaggerandgrace.com/2010/03/hard-boiled-wonderland-breeyn-mccarney.html
“I was really impressed by the show. I found the models were well-cast, the looks were cohesive and the show had a strong point of view. The collection was feminine and playful, I specifically loved the little wool tartan jacket number that opened the show. Detailing in leather, beads and rabbit fur added a one-of-a kind element to the pieces. The colour palette of periwinkle, nudes and shadowy greys was lovely.
I thought the styling was inspired: teased messy hair with flowers strewn throughout, gorgeous rose theme vintage-style rings. Beautiful.”

The Advocates
http://blog.theadvocatestoronto.com/2010/03/fashion-week-is-upon-us-well-sort-of.html
“So last Thursday we hit The Courthouse to check out Breeyn McCarney in a sweaty room filled with hipsters and Toronto who’s who. Breeyn presented her new collection “Hard Boiled Wonderland” to an intrigued audience.”

Tecb.ca
http://tceb.typepad.com/tceb_torontos_celebrity_a/2010/03/breeyn-mccarneys-hardboiled-wonderland.html
“Kerry Lai Fatt from ‘Living In My Car’ and ‘Paradise Falls’ and Meghan Heffern from ‘Chloe’ and ‘American Pie Presents Beta House’ attended Breeyn McCarney first independent fashion show that was held at the Courthouse on Adelaide.”

The Style Notebook
http://thestylenotebook.com/2010/03/29/portrait-in-style-breeyn-mccarney/
“Breeyn says her work invokes a “bleak dreamscape,” but I personally think she is a dream for the future of Canadian fashion.”

The Thinking Fashionista
http://thinkingfashionista.blogspot.com/2010/03/breen-mccarney-fw-2010.html
“A palette of greys, muted pinks and white evokes Murakami’s smoky, shadow-filled future, while unexpected bursts of natural texture - a spidery knit sweater, a bodice appliqued with repurposed rabbit fur - echo the novel’s obsession with our dual fear of and attraction to “beasts” - the wild animals who live beyond human and technological control.”

Toronto Street Fashion
http://www.torontostreetfashion.com/03/a-newish-wave-of-toronto-fashion-bloggers/
“I made it to two events last week, including the Breeyn McCarney show (review to follow) and managed to finally meet a handful or two of new peeps…which is actually quite exciting because I love the friendly network that is the Toronto fashion blogging scene…”

Toronto Sun
* Printed edition

Toronto Text Styles
http://torontotextstyles.blogspot.com/2010/03/clothes-encounters-with-breeyn-mccarney.html
“A small collection of a dozen or so looks, but showed a designer’s growth. The loose-knit sweaters, très Rodarte, but it was the fur appliqués that had me. An ethereal walk through the woods in cozy wraps, touchable fabrics, with native accents and a whimsical nymph aesthetic. I look forward to see what Breeyn brings with every season.”

Torontoist
http://torontoist.com/2010/03/portrait_in_style_breeyn_mccarney.php
*links to The Style Notebook