A clash of North American and European cultures, Montreal has a lot of raw creativity to offer the fashion scene. Two alternative events gave showgoers a glimpse into this hotbed of fresh talent. In stark contrast to the historical beauty of the Marche Bonsecours, the Couture Express show took place off-site at Laboratoire Creatif, located in a grimy industrial section of hyper-cool neighborhood Mile End. An independent design incubator made up of over a hundred designers, Laboratoire Creatif had more of a casual DIY feel. Here, participants were challenged to think outside the box and deconstruct second-hand clothing and transform them into original creations in just sixty minutes. The standout piece was a super cute bright yellow Mickey Mouse poncho that was re-interpreted as a tube dress, cinched at the waist with a Batman-printed suspender. "Concours Telio" asked fashion students from throughout the province to create an outfit that would best represent their ideal collection. Three winners were awarded bursaries and all the finalists were featured in a closing night show.