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WOMAN.ca sat front row at the Friday night event showcasing the Fall/Winter '09 collection from Brandon R Dwyer. With supermodel Andi Muise by his side, and fronting the runway portion of the evening, BRD exhibited beautifully wearable silk gowns, luxe knits, along with wool and leather separates. It must be said that this designer and model are a tight team and their relationship (maintained daily over the phone) is sweet to observe. But clearly it goes deeper. She is invested in developing and inspiring the talents of this Fanshawe College grad and Project Runaway. He draws from her industry insight, and his muse may be the reason he's got such clarity on what women respond to when it comes to fashion.
I sat down with the 22-year-old prodigy for a pre-show chat.
WOMAN: How did you and Andi meet?
BRANDON R DWYER: A few years ago we met at a show in Barrie that her hometown agent Michele Miller puts on every year... It was the first year I [was a featured designer] and Andi [was a featured model]. We met and clicked right away and have been on the phone every day since. We're best friends ... She is always behind me, supporting and giving suggestions.
W: Describe your Fall '09 collection in three words.
BRD: Elegant. Sexy. Sophisticated.
W: Do you have a favourite piece?
BRD: Actually, last night I put together a new dress for Andi. I woke up yesterday morning and realized that everyone [invited to the show] had seen the closing piece which is the big purple dress. So I worked on it all day and all night with a sewer... Andi was in there ironing! It was great!
W: You had a four month placement at Groupe Dynamite. What did you take from working at such a large company?
BRD: It really pushed me away from working for other people. I worked in a cubicle, copying other designers...this was not my passion. I want to create beautiful clothing that I was inspired to make, not just get a pay cheque at the end of the day. It pushed me to follow my dream.
W: How did the Project Runway experience prepare you for the business of fashion?
BRD: The whole TV show thing was really interesting and I wasn't used to having cameras in my face. [That aspect] has made me more comfortable with doing interviews. But design-wise, I don't really think it did anything for me. I mean, yay I can sew a dress in this amount of time, but I could do that before [PRC]. It was a great opportunity and the exposure has been huge.
W: Any retailers carrying your collection?
BRD: Not as of yet, but I am talking to a luxury department store... So hopefully soon.
W: Finish this sentence: In five years, I want to ...
BRD: I want to have a Brandon R Dwyer perfume.
W: And what would that smell like?
BRD: [laughing] Andi.
With the guidance of Holt Renfrew's Fashion Director Barbara Atkin, as well as Wayne Clark and Brian Bailey mentoring this wunderkind, we've got on our fashion radar locked on BRD.
WOMAN.CA: Give us a bit of an update on Andi.
ANDI MUISE: I've been shooting a lot of editorial... Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Marie Claire. There hasn't been a lot of campaign stuff happening. I took a bit of a break and just starting up again now really. Work has been very slow in New York, so I took a vacation to Turks and Caicos.
W: And, for the lads, what about Victoria's Secret?
AM: Hopefully that'll happen next year.
