Local fashion and food collided for one glamourous night. On May 25th, the 4th Annual Glamour in the Hammer took place at the Hamilton Convention Centre by Carmen’s to raise funds for Good Shepherd Hamilton. Featuring 11 restaurants and 13 designers, it was the hottest ticket in town.
First – the food! It was a delicious mix from foodie favourites The Other Bird to Hamilton gems like Ola Bakery & Pastries and Pane Del Sole Bakery (how dreamy are the tables full of custard tarts and cannoli? Heaven!). Other favourites for me included Taj Mahal Spices & Cheese, who made up a plate of some of their finest, and of course the always innovative Nellie James. All restauranteurs donated their time and fare for the event, and everyone was in friendly spirits.
Proceeds from Glamour in the Hammer help Good Shepherd to battle poverty in Hamilton. Providing emergency food and clothing, mental health support, affordable and supportive housing, alternate schools for at-risk youth, assisted living, and more, Good Shepherd is run by more than 6,100 compassionate volunteers and 525 staff. In 2017, 64,000 hot meals were served at The Good Shepherd Centre, and 69,476 individuals were served at their Emergency Food & Clothing Program.
Onto the main event – the fashion! Hamilton’s fashion scene continues to grow and we were treated to collections from 13 talented designers. Sitting in rows close to the runway felt like being at a real world-class fashion show. With VIP tables on one side, the runway stretched in a U-shape and models ranging in age, body type, and cultures strutted up and down the extended catwalk.
As music pumped through the speakers, cameraphone flashes lit up the room as spectators leaned in to get a closer glimpse as models sashayed past. A flurry of flashes followed from the photo pit as the models paused to pose for photographers at the halfway mark. I had a lot of fun experiencing the show from both vantage points.
The show began with five designers that were new to Glamour in the Hammer – Kitster Creations, Designs by Merike, With Love Lingerie, The Thrifty Designer, and Defective Collective.
Next up we saw Designs By Mallory, The Eye Of Faith, Lissa Hill Leather, Karen McFarlane, Terraware Earthaware, Blackbird Studios, and Angela Demontigny.
There are so many elements that go into a fashion show – one that makes a big difference to me is the music. Just as I was saying that I would need a really good song if I were to strut down a runway, models rocking stunning jewellery by Karen McFarlane burst onto the scene to the tune of “Uptown Funk.” They looked like Janet Jackson circa “Rhythm Nation” (only with way more bling).
The bangers continued with Terraware Earthaware’s collection scored to “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP. Let me tell you, three drinks deep and it was hard not to dance to that earworm of a song in the photo pit! It was noted at the end that Terraware generously donated coats and more items to Good Shepherd, which was lovely to learn.
Blackbird Studios took the tone in another direction with a touch of the wild west. The Spaghetti Western theme for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (“Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo” by composer Ennio Morricone) played as the models showed off the collection “Raven County” with guns ablaze. In a similar dark vein, The Eye Of Faith’s romantic and moody “Wuthering Heights” collection was scored fittingly to “Sing” by Blur and “Elgia” by New Order.
Before the finale, it was time for the gentlemen to strut their stuff. Local celebrities including Tom Wilson, Kyle Andrew, Mike Morreale, Max Francis (True Hamiltonian), Matt Ellis (Flesh Rag), Steve Kiely (Monster Truck), Eric Johnston, Tim Potocic (Sonic Unyon) and Keanin Loomis (Hamilton Chamber of Commerce) donned menswear by Coppley and styled by Charles & Hunt. Tom Wilson came out of the gate swinging and set the playful tone – see more in the video below.
The evening concluded with an auction to raise more funds for Good Shepherd. But first, energetic auctioneer Chris Farias couldn’t resist taking a moment to walk the runway to The Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited” (song selection on point). “I watch a lot of RuPaul,” Chris beamed before getting down to business.
Certainly one of the most fashionable events of the year, and most importantly for a great cause, Glamour in the Hammer is a fabulous event that raises the bar each year. Watch the video below for a taste of the show!
Thank you Elena Balaska from DPAI Architecture for inviting me to attend and cover Glamour in the Hammer and thank you to Cyprian Estrada for the fashion photos.
