ENFANTS PERDUS — LAND OF THE THE LOST CHILDREN

A multidisciplinary fashion & art show

By Kyra Sutton

Photography by Yeonung Kim

Calling "Enfants Perdus" a fashion show is deceptively simple. I'm not sure there exists yet a term to encompass the spectacle that shook the crowd at l'Union Francaise on May 22nd. And maybe that's exactly where the organizers of this event want to push us—into totally new territory. Echoes we might recognize from a past life, the nonlinear memory of childhood—places we've cowered from in fear. Enfant Perdus held up the mirror to our faces and told us to look.

On arrival, we surveyed the bar area decorated in red and black hues, where various leather vendors, designers and jewelry makers were tabling their goods; the labels included Ryan Pilon, Ammonite Flow, and Kid Punk. We were soon invited inside the performance hall, filing into the seats around the runway. The show opened with a comedy routine by our host, confirming that we had no idea yet what was to come. A musician emerged on the keyboards, creating an ominous, booming bassline. This was followed by a dramatic group choreography—the dancers tore down the runway, boxing the air, their faces smattered with bruises, darkened by a deep, unshakable grief. They writhed before us on the floor, tangling bodies and limbs. They donned the "Fear" collection by Red Raven Leather, the word splashed across their shirts in red.

The next performance centered around two dancers; one wore a black stretchy suit, the other a white one. Obscured under the shapeless mass of fabric, their bodies expanded and shrunk, opening and closing around the other like yin and yang.

The models then took to the runway, strutting out in various combinations of Red Raven Leather's collection. Later, when I asked the designer about the inspiration behind this event, they explained: "It all began at the end of my studies at LaSalle College. After an inspiring conversation with our dean, Andrew McNally, I challenged myself to produce my own fashion show." Funded by Canada Council for the Arts, they began researching and designing a micro-collection of sculptural garments in leather and fur. "But as always, I think big," they said. "I soon realized I couldn't bring this project to life alone. That's when I invited Gabrielle from Maison Desneiges to co-organize the event. Having worked together for over three years, this partnership came naturally."

Gabrielle Desneiges, the designer for Maison Desneiges, spoke about her own motivations for her collection: "My style is very romantic, feminine, and asymmetrical. I want people to feel a little uncomfortable with the garment," she explained. "I had an idea for a dance, but I'm not a dancer. So I asked the performer, Corinne, how do you think we can make it work?" Dancer Corinne Lecours handled the choreography while Gabrielle styled the outfits. "We collaborated on the message—my collection is about femicide," she said. Set to Cher's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)," this dance featured a couple entangled in a violent relationship, culminating in a gruesome final image of spilled blood running over the woman's peach-coloured dress. "I wanted to find a way to help women getting abused. Dance was supposed to bring that to life. So we decided to destroy the dress and stain it," Gabrielle explained. "Yes, you're at fashion show, thats not supposed to happen. But neither is femicide."

Red Raven recounted how they collaborated with Gabrielle on the theme of the show: "We chose the title "Enfants perdus" ("Lost Children") because we both have unconventional paths, shaped by years of searching for our own voices and passions. We instantly identified with the idea of being children stolen from our paths—who knows, perhaps Peter Pan stole us away from our parents. The story is still unfolding," they shared.

"My collection revolves around a central theme: fear, both personal and social. This required deep introspection, and a personal deconstruction to confront my own fears and transform them into raw material for creation." Examining their collection, Red Raven lyrically summarizes: "Teeth clenched, fangs bloodied, eyes locked on a fixed point—the monster under my bed follows me. It watches while I remain the child of my own life, imprisoned in a hell painted red and black."

The most surprising moment of the evening occurred when, after the intermission, a child appeared on the stage. Dressed in an oversized T-shirt from the Red Raven collection and a long red cap, they were reminiscent of Little Red Riding Hood. The child acted as an animator, dancing, playing and running around on the sidelines as the next round of models walked the runway. This was followed by a life-sized puppet show, in which the performers donned giant papier-mâché heads, including one wearing stilts, and danced around the child, accompanied by a live music set by Jadis Amiral. At the conclusion of this segment, a topless modeled strut out, holding a video camera in front of their breasts, seemingly recording the audience's reactions.

The final dance number of the evening featured a cast of four people whose performances centered around expressive, mesmerizing, spastic facial movements, set to a chorus of sharp clicking music, mimicking the sounds of coins, keys in a clock, or a cash register. To close out the night, two Shibari performers led the crowd towards a suspension rig, where they demonstrated a rope bondage and hanging session, simmering with chemistry.

I asked Red Raven about their motivations in including multidisciplinary arts in a fashion show— something I'd never encountered before. "On my own, I am nothing. It's the people around me who make my projects possible—extraordinary artists whom I deeply respect," they acknowledged. "So why not simply include them? Like a family gathered around a table, we share the stage together."

"I invited powerful, inspiring artists and models with whom I've built authentic bonds. Thanks to their talents, I was able to fully conceptualize this show. It came to life through their contributions and the unwavering support of the technical team. Without them, Enfants Perdus would have remained a mere fantasy, a dream locked inside my head. Today, I am proud to share it with you."

Anna Hayes, one of the guests, commented on the show: "I was very moved. It brought me back to my childhood memories and the stories I'd write for myself. It really made me want to create, in my own way."

In the aftermath, I am still thinking about this show. Maybe because it unlocked a possibility I didn't know existed—a kind of art where texture, fabric, sound, movement, and feeling coalesce. Holding both childlike whimsy and terrible grief. All mediums folding into one. A tour de force disguised as a catwalk. One million micro collaborations that had to take place, behind the scenes, stitched into a single collective work. Enfants Perdus dared to do something that is still rare in fashion: to collapse the boundaries between performance, clothing, and emotional resonance. To transgress, to conspire.

Unsettled and deeply inspired, I walked home from the show, wondering how I'd ever be able to convey what we'd just witnessed.

Red Raven's Collaborators (Instagram profiles):
@edrikmoisan @_simoneelizabeth — Students
@b0tchqueen @raph.camden – Assistant
@Droledetre – Art Direction Consultant & Sculptor
@opus_nyquil – Communications Manager
@simon_rooy , @i_dont_give_a_marky , Max, Kon, Chili – Sound & Light Technicians
@woddofficial – Head DJ
@jadisamiral – Singer-songwriter
@memento_rory_ @bybybeba – Interns
@xo_cole_ – Head makeup artist
@makeup_by_remington @cyanne_cote @makeup.by_stellac – Makeup artists
@bel.ere @leslytemaquille @trashbaby1312 – Hair
@julien Derradj – Head Choregrapher
@evatefairerireoupas @corinne.lescours @yaniksavoie @ro.must.die @lucie.eloise
@icki.white @flow_the_real_dancer – Dancers
@bra.6573 – Puppets & giant heads
@ti_grou – Pianist & Shibari performer
@cowboygirldog – Shibari performer
@ammonite.flow – Stilt-walker
@zach.ziploc – Host
@unionfrancaisedemontreal – Space of artistic encouragement
@jennytba012 @xf4bi_ @ryeleebaby @americanlean @fleurs.de.poirier
@cyb3r.death @jeankenleycharles @iamblazefantasy @.annailaperpetua. @trashbaby1312 @ihatesabrinasawyers – Red Raven's stars
@dank.usr @maya.millz @jad_kouri @la_faegeist @sim.onevirgule @chukipup @d3adstardust – Wardrobe assistant team
@philoouz – Metal sculptor
@opire203 @spacetruckergurl @carolinadeel – Large scale painters
@gaiaa.tv – Voiceover