L-A: I first came across Akshay Tyagi’s designs at the emerging designer show during AFW in the fall.  I was blown away by his Thaw collection that was inspired by the Halifax weather.

photo by Brent McCombs

So I was really excited when I read that his latest work is going to be sold at Seeds Gallery and Biscuit. His new work is called Metamorphosize and is once again inspired by Halifax – this time by the need to be prepared for whatever the Halifax weather throws at you.  So he designed a convertible jacket that could go from a sleeveless mid-length skirt to a panneled skirt.

The coat got its start when Akshay was a finalist in the Off the Cuff competition last summer. After making the sample, he decided to take the idea further and had the coat produced by local tailors while visiting India (he didn’t bring his own machine with him), where he was able to get a better finish on the product (I know…we talk about how much we love locally made things – but Akshay did have these dresses made with fair labour for fair wages).  But making the coat wasn’t enough. He figured, why not create a convertible dress as well, and do it in a way that is more fun and way cuter than anything American Apparel is selling.

From the looks of things, he was on to something. Much cuter and way more fun than an AA dress.  Starting with a maxi dress sillouette, the piece can be worn six different ways and made to be adjustible for different sizes.  I don’t know if I’ll ever wear a bubble skirt, but I love the look of this one…besides, the beauty of the dress is that I don’t have to wear it as a bubble dress. I’d still have five other ways to wear it.

Akshay is an amazing local talent and it’s exciting that his work is about to leave the runway and hit the stores. The launch of the dresses and coats are a chance to own a piece before his work he’s the next big thing and you’re kicking yourself for not owning one of his dresses.