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Ever since celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch bemoaned Toronto fashion week as amateurish four years ago, his caustic criticism has haunted Hogtown's runways.

In his mind, a dirty runway showed a lack of respect and price tags still visible on the soles of models' stilettos were simply careless. "It's all in the details," he concluded to a cadre of designers and journalists.

But when this boldface New Yorker - a fashion police of one - passed through town last week, he put this fault-finding spectre to rest.

"Oh, I think it's sooooo much better," Bloch said between bites of a sandwich - lunch at 5 p.m. "I just think it's so much better. I love the tents, I love that it's right downtown. Part of me liked that it was far away from downtown because it kept away the pedestrian element, but now I like it better. People should be proud of it."

It was as if he was giving a formerly failing student a gold star.

For the record, a re-evaluation was not the primary purpose of his trip. Here for less than 36 hours, Bloch spent much of his time at a booth within the tents touting the stylishness of Hush Puppies.

The comfort footwear line with the craggy dog mascot is having a comeback moment just in time for its 50th anniversary, thanks to newly launched collections by Bloch (for men) and Rachel Fanconi (for women).

Able to squeeze in a few shows, Bloch said Greta Constantine was a standout ("Fifties Dior meets Yohji Yamamoto's Y3").

Years ago, he predicted a bright future for Arthur Mendonca, who, incidentally, chose to show in New York this season for the first time.

Bloch made a name for himself dressing the likes of Halle Berry and Jill Hennessy and championing the careers of designers Zac Posen and Elie Saab, but he is just as famous for style sound bites that cut to the chase.

He concedes Toronto fashion week still has a ways to go.

While more foreign press attended this year than in the past, more buyers could help bolster a Canadian fashion identity abroad.

"It takes so much more these days," said Bloch, nattily dressed in a pale grey Prada jacket, mint green shirt and tie from Richard James, Diesel jeans and, of course, shoes of his own design. "One hit doesn't do it any more. You need all the press and it takes several years before anyone catches on."

Asked to describe his approach to fashion, he said, "I'd like to think it's chic and versatile."

Canada's fashion industry could benefit by thinking this way.

Here's hoping Bloch returns in subsequent seasons with even more to say. Because for everything that he is, he's most definitely not a hush puppy.