All posts filed under: Fashion

I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture: The Anita Edit

On my birthday last week, I had the pleasure of dressing up in some amazing, amazing designer vintage finds from Shrimpton Couture. Cheri Federau, owner,  invited me to her gorgeous Toronto condo to play dress up and take some photos. It was awesome! Biba Forever!! The photoshoot wasn’t just for fun, it was part of my stint as a guest editor on Shrimpton Couture where I’ve chosen a selection of my favourite vintage items available on the site. You can see the complete Anita Edit on Shrimpton Couture here. Readers can save 10% by using the code Anita at checkout. Check out all the photos at the I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture Editorial Page. images: courtesy of Shrimpton Couture

Ask a Geek: Personal Style Sharing Sites

Sometimes readers ask me questions. If they are of value to all my readers I post them online. If you have a question, please feel free to submit it using the contact form. I’ll definitely do my best to answer it. I want – I got reader Judith wrote: Hi , I am looking for a blog, website just about anything web base that I can post what I am wearing that day. Do you know of reputable ones? Hi Judith, There are a few social sites for sharing personal style out there and new ones are popping up all the time. Here are the ones I think you should check out. They have large number of users and have been around for several years. Pose – I’ve signed up for Pose recently (look for me as geekigirl). The iPhone app has a lot of features and is really popular in the fashion industry. Lookbook.nu – This is the mother of all Street Style sites in my mind. It has users from all over the …

I want – I got Celebrates Levi’s 501 140th Anniversary

May 29, 1873 is the date Levi’s introduced their iconic 501s to the world. Like many people, Levi’s 501 jeans had a place in their young adulthood. They were the jeans of choice and people happily shunned the lowly zipper for buttons. Levi’s asked me to take part in their campaign called “501® Interpretation”. The campaign aims to celebrate the unique range of personal style from across the world. They invited Canadian media and style icons to pose for photos which will be considered for a limited-edition Levi’s 501 album. The album will feature 140 of the best photos taken from across the world. Of course, I accepted as I love getting in front of a camera with a professional photographer and make up artist. The shoot took place in a great room at The Drake Hotel and my task was to show how I styled my 501s. Levi’s sent me with a pair of 501 cut off denim shorts which I’m completely in love with. My thirties has until this point been 501 free …

InnerSPACE: Rise of the Fashion Blogger

If you were at WMCFW in Toronto this year you might have seen me with a camera entourage. Or you might have seen me doing an on camera interview backstage. The program InnerSPACE on the SPACE channel asked me take part in a segment about fashion bloggers along with Stefania Yarhi and Nathalie Atkinson. SPACE’s flagship show, InnerSPACE is a daily entertainment talk show that covers film, television, video games, technology, comic books, gadgets, and all things genre. Hosted by Ajay Fry, Cynthia Loyst and Teddy Wilson, InnerSPACE takes its audience behind the velvet rope by giving them VIP access to the people, places, and things inside genre that they’ve grown to love. The segment is called “Rise of the Fashion Blogger”. Fashion reporting has changed in recent years with the introduction of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If you have a device and an opinion, fashion can be instantly accessible to the masses.(source) The video doesn’t allow embedding so here is the link where you can check it out on SPACE.ca. Watch InnerSPACE: Rise of …

Fashion Projects – Fashion Criticism Panel featuring Robin Givhan, Guy Trebay and Stefano Tonchi

Suzy Menkes went ranting like it was 2009 about fashion bloggers this February and the topic is everywhere again. The discussion is happening again, it’s like waves. I believe there is room for everyone. To me mainstream media and blogging are complimentary not antagonistic. There have been many rebuttals to Suzy Menkes by many bloggers all over the world. I’ve read very few of them. I wanted to share this fashion criticism panel that features Robin Givhan, Guy Trebay and Stefano Tonchi put on by the folks at Fashion Projects. In celebration of the fourth issue of Fashion Projects, a panel discussing the current state of fashion criticism was held on March 12, 2013 at The New School. The panel, moderated by Francesca Granata, Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies at Parsons the New School for Design and editor of Fashion Projects featured three distinguished fashion critics, Robin Givhan (the first fashion critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize), Guy Trebay (culture and style reporter for the New York Times), and Stefano Tonchi (the editor-in-chief of W …

The Great Gatsby x Holt Renfrew Windows

Are you excited about The Great Gatsby movie? I generally hate movie remakes but I’m very excited about the visual possibilities for this movie. The costumes will be incredible and that’s enough for me. The film didn’t play on it’s original release date in the fall of 2012 and was pushed till May 10, 2013. This isn’t usually a good sign but this is an eye candy movie for me. I doubt it will be better than the 1974 Redford classic. Holt Renfrew teamed up with Warner Bros to create two window displays. The Holts’s visual team and costume designer Catherine Martin were the creatives behind the windows that includes original wardrobe pieces from the production. The Great Gatsby x Holt Renfrew windows are on display at the Bloor Street location until May 20, 2013. Holt’s Muse has an interview with costume designer, Catherine Martin. To get customers into the roaring 20s mood, Holt Renfrew created The Great Gatsby Lookbook featuring products in the store that fit the 20s theme. images: courtesy of Holt Renfrew

I want – I got Editorials – Spectacle

So, this is the third post in my I want – I got Editorials group. I was blogging for the award-winning MasterCard Stylicity project this season and I organized three editorial shoots for the stores Philip Sparks, Nomad and Spectacle. The shots turned out really well so I’ve decided to showcase some of them here too. This is Spectacle. I did the modelling for this shoot because I LOVE sunglasses and I was looking to pick up a pair myself. Dave Yan and I had a great time and the staff at Spectacle were very helpful. They didn’t mind us almost taking over the shop. Spectacle has a ton of sunglasses and regular eyewear in the shop. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted. Previous “i wants” from Charlotte Olympic x Linda Farrow and Prabal Gurung x Linda Farrow didn’t look good one me at all. I also tried on some pairs from Claire Goldsmith and Thierry Lasry which I really liked In the end, I bought two pairs of …

Are You Watching The FACE?

I haven’t watched any fashion reality television in years. When I heard that one of my fashion heroes Naomi Campbell would be hosting The FACE, I lost my shit. This would be everything that ANTM wasn’t. “The Face,” hosted by photographer Nigel Barker, features supermodel coaches Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha as they compete to find the face of ULTA Beauty, one of the fastest growing beauty retailers in the United States. The series will give viewers access inside the world of the industry as three teams of aspiring models, each led by one of the supermodel coaches, are guided through real life assignments, including photo shoots and commercials. The show is brilliant and let’s be serious, it’s great to be able to stare at Nigel again. It’s way more serious than ANTM and Naomi tells it like it is. I fell completely in love with the show when Naomi told a couple models that no one gives a damn about their sob stories and to get it together. I’ve gotten a whole …

I want – I got’s Hermes Scarf Reference Guide

A few years ago I was researching the Hermès Scarves I bought at the sample sale. I wanted to know the artist and year produced. It was during that search that I found my a few of my go to Hermès Scarf reference sites. Over time I’ve added some more sites to that list and I’ve decided to share. HSCI Hermès Scarf Photo Catalogue – Want to know more about your Hermes scarf, this is your first stop. The Hermès Scarf Photo Catalogue has an extensive archive of scarves dating all the way back to 1937. Scarves are cross referenced by name, artist, year of issue, material, etc. A community of Hermès fans contribute photos to the catalogue and it’s updated regularly. Luxury-scarves.com – This is an online shop that sells new, used and vintage Hermès scarves. It also has a database that has a number of scarves from the Hermès archives. If you can’t find it at the HSCI this is your next stop. Hermès Sub Forum at PurseForum.com – This is where the …

Shan Swimwear 2013 Preview

Did you know that some of the world’s best luxury swimwear is made in Canada? Montreal based Shan was started by Chantal Levesque in 1985. The brand is now carried in over 500 stores across 25 countries including Harrod’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Shan is found in some of the world’s most luxurious hotels like Sandylane in Barbados and the Wynn in Las Vegas. Toronto has its own standalone Shan store in Yorkville as well as Miami, Montreal, Laval and St. Sauveur. Shan takes pride in it’s Laval based production and state of the art facilities. Everything is hand sewn by staff that have been trained for many years learning the Shan standard of quality. The Shan customer is someone who is looking for quality in workmanship and materials. Chantal’s hard work has paid off and she received the Designer of the Year,2011 award by the International Mode City Show in Paris. The Quebec Chamber of Commerce also recognized her contributions and she received the Mercuriades Award in 2012. Chantel and her Vice President, Jean-François …

Take My Picture by Garage Magazine

Street Style photography and blogs really pushed buttons this season with Suzy Menkes’ going off about in her article “The Circus of Fashion” . I had my own opinions that didn’t agree with hers and I felt that all the bloggers she called out in the piece worked damn hard and are the exceptions to the rule. Dasha Zhukova’s Garage Magazine examines the phenomenon with a story documentary called Take My Picture. It’s quite interesting and definitely worth the 10 minutes.

Zara.com Now Shipping to Canada or I’ll Never Step Foot into a Zara Store Again

It’s absolute genius at how Zara can make every single piece of clothing look desirable on their newly launched Canadian ecommerce site. I’m floored. Zara is my favourite of the fast fashion shops but nothing ever looks this good in the store. That’s right folks, you can get Zara shipped to your door anywhere in Canada starting March 6, 2013. To celebrate the launch Zara blanketed the city with $150 gift card according to all the tweets and Instagram post I saw last week. I too received this lovely gift which allowed the recipient to shop at Zara.com ahead of the national launch on March 6th. Zara does everything right when it comes to a great online experience. My key indicators are as follows: Easy to Navigate – Must have a simple, intuitive menu system No animation or auto playing music Simple, uncluttered interface with lots of white space Multiple large, high resolution photos of the item from many angles including a detail shot On figure and off figure images Fabric description and composition Item …

Le Cercle Montparnasse - The Spoke Club - Wednesday, Mar 6 2013

Chatting with I want – I got at The Spoke Club and Soho House

March is the month of panel discussions for me, I have two. Unfortunately, they are a private member clubs but if you are a member of either establishment bring some non member friends and come out. UPDATE: I’ve added start times 🙂 Le Cercle Montparnasse – Wednesday, Mar 6 2013 at 8pm Inspired by the dynamic conversations between artists in the early 20th century Paris that were the catalyst for over 100 years of creativity, this inaugural event features our Cultural Curator Raji Aujla as she sits in conversation with some of Toronto’s most loved online fashion writers, Anita Clarke, Hannah Yakobi, Jen McNeely and Sharad Mohan. Spoke Club 600 King Street West Toronto If you are a member of The Spoke club you can rsvp for this event on the Spoke Club website. Soho House Toronto – March 12, 2013 at 7pm A cross section of current cultural contributors encouraging commentary on the cultivation of contemporary Canadian creativity. Examining commanding culture and technology, this first evening convenes with pop culture and fashion expert Elio …

Kania Spring Summer 2013

Kania Spring Summer 2013 Lookbook

I enjoyed opening the Kania Spring Summer 2013 lookbook, the images are beautiful. Kania is the brainchild of Ottawa based Stacey Bafi-Yeboa. She is a former Broadway dancer and that experience heavily influences her designs. Kania is designed and manufactured in Canada. The Spring Summer 2013 Kania collection is called Tropical Luxuriance. Stacey brought in Tanzanian model, Herieth Paul who moved to Ottawa when she was 14. Welcome to a world where fashion meets dance and where fantasy is reality. A private island where you can escape the ordinary and be submersed in luxury. Steamy nights and hot summer days rule your world. You’ll sense the relaxed beauty of the Caribbean and be transformed into the glamour of an African queen. As you step into paradise you’re ready to let go, to let loose, to be noticed, to be free. Is it a dream? No … you’ve just entered the island of KANIA… get ready to experience…TROPICAL LUXURIANCE(source: press release) Stacey’s dance background is evident in the clothing. Everything is sexy but comfortable looking. Stacey …

Run, Don’t Walk to Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection at the Bata Shoe Museum

The Roger Vivier exhibit at The Bata Shoe Museum is coming to a close and if you’ve been putting off going you need to stop now. April 7, 2013 is the last day you can check out the work of this master shoemaker. I finally got off my ass and took in the exhibit this week. Roger Vivier’s work is of exceptional beauty and technical design. He invented so many of the classic shoe styles some of which are as popular as ever more than 50 years later. Roger pushed shoe design to new levels with his creative and technical sides. Vivier perfected the modern stiletto in 1954. He never used the term stiletto but aiguille (needle heel). The Choc heel which looks like a concave stiletto came along in 1959. My favourite pair of the exhibit are a Choc heel and pictured above. Roger also debuted the Tibet heel in 1959. It’s shaped like a small inverted pyramid. The Polichinelle heel followed, it has a low hourglass-shaped heel. In 1962 he introduced another heel …

Sarah Stevenson Design Spring Summer 2013 Lookbook

Sarah Stevenson Design Spring Summer 2013 collection reminds me of the sea and Ming Dynasty porcelain. Sarah is a textile designer so she creates the prints herself and has them transferred to silk. Pattern Observer has a great interview with Sarah. All of her pieces are made in Canada. For those people who tend to skew a bit more conservative in their clothing can add a pop of colour and print with one of Sarah’s beautiful scarves. You can find Sarah Stevenson Design online at Ukamaku and sarahstevensondesign.com. images: courtesy of Sarah Stevenson Design

Breathless, Jean-Luc Godard and Seberg Chic

I’m a bit of a film nerd so I made sure to take advantage of Hulu free Criterion Collection weekend. I was able to knock off a couple of classics that we taking up a long residence on my Must Watch list. I finally got to cross Breathless off that list. À bout de souffle is the original title of film directed by French New Wave pioneer Jean-Luc Godard and it translates literally into “at breath’s end”. A small time crook, Michel Poiccard, chased by the police after stealing a car, shoots one of them and flees. Back in Paris he finds an American girlfriend and succeeds in seducing her. He convinces her to go to Italy with him. But the police have discovered the murderer’s identity and are on his trail…(source) This movie is know in fashion circles because of the exception style the lead actress, Jean Seberg, a 60s fashion icon. I was awestruck by the wardrobe of her character Patricia in the film. I learned that there was no costume designer working …

AnU RaiNa Spring Summer 2013 – Tathya’s Garden

I’m a secret pomegranate junkie. It’s a problem that developed when I worked close to Chinatown. During Ppmegranate season, I developed the habit of buying up copious amounts of the fruit, taking advantage of the 3 for $5 pricing that dominated the many of the fruit sellers in the area. I knew which shops that consistently brought in quality pomegranates, knowledge after weeks of experimentation and research. I made the most of the short season and ate my way through it at every opportunity. I don’t work close to Chinatown anymore but my pomegranate addiction hasn’t stopped. My local grocer brings in good pomegranates during the season. They know my habits really well. So, it’s not a surprise that I love Anu Raina’s pomegranate dominated Spring Summer 2013 collection. My SS13 collection of prints is inspired by my memories of witnessing the majestic Echinaceas, the dew drop laden Daisys on the lazy Sunday mornings, the beautiful Pomegrante trees that humbly bore the weight of the biggest and reddest ever Pomegrantes, the riot of colour and …

Keep the Kilt Kayne

I rarely talk about celebrities here but I was super disappointed that Kayne has tried to get photos of him wearing the badass Givenchy kilt taken down. That kilt made me love Kayne and it kills me to see him backtrack. During my ranting about this, I was sent this amazing video that Kanye posted in response to his critics. It made me love him even more. And I love his stylist taking scissors to Givenchy!

Dennis Merotto Spring Summer 2013 Lookbook

Toronto based designer, Dennis Merotto’s Spring Summer 2013 collection is perfect for office dwellers like me.  It’s beautiful, simple and professional but doesn’t skip out on the playful side by utilizing prints and colour blocking. The collection is combines silk, cotton, linen, leather, modal and polyester into wide legged pantsuits or easy wearing colour blocked tent dresses. Nathalie Atkinson wrote a great piece on Dennis at the National Post. He’s an industry heavyweight who worked behind the scenes for a long time whose now striving for his own spotlight. images: courtesy of Dennis Merotto

Porsche Design TwinBag Preview

I attended the launch of the Porsche Design’s latest product, The TwinBag. This is the company’s first handbag and Thomas Steinbruck, Creative Director was on hand. Thomas is the Porsche Design’s first creative director joined the company in 2012. He has an extensive background in fashion industry as well as a bachelor’s from Studio Bercot and a Masters from the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris. When I first received the invitation I was a bit sceptical of the handbag. I’m not honestly sure why since Porsche Design already has some classic luggage and briefcase designs. I was pleasantly surprised after some Internet investigation. Porsche Design managed to create a classic looking satchel handbag that converts to a shoulder bag when the clasps on the handles are released. I wanted to check the handbag out in person so I decided I would attend the launch. The Porsche Design TwinBag is beautiful. It’s a great size and well constructed. It sits perfectly on the shoulder when converted. The Italian manufactured handbag …

Givenchy Spring Summer 2013 Ad Campaign

I’m loving the Givenchy Spring Summer 2013 ad campaign. Kate, Mariacarla and Marina in one campaign, OMG. My favourite model Mariacarla Boscono is back with her baby in tow and looking amazing. Looking better than ever. Performance artist, Marina Abramovic, whose movie The Artist is Present is an absolute must see, is looking so incredible. I love this woman. The uncanny Kate Moss, she just doesn’t lose her touch. Check out the making of video. Photographers: Mert Alas & Marcus Biggott And Riccardo Tisci Models: Kate Moss, Mariacarla Boscono, Marina Abramovic, Jose Maria Manzanares, Jared Buckhiester images: thefashionspot.com

Les Exclusifs de CHANEL Collection – 1932

Silly me mixed up my dates and I missed the launch for the newest fragrance in the Les Exclusifs de Chanel collection. I was really excited about it because it would mean playtime at the beautiful Chanel fragrance bar in the Holt Renfrew Bloor Street store. Les Exclusifs de CHANEL collection is a modern take on the fragrances created by Ernest Beaux, Chanel’s original nose and Coco Chanel in the 20s and 30s. Chanel’s current nose, Jacques Polge launched the collection 2007 and has released more fragrances over the year. These fragrances all take inspiration from the history of the house and each one explores a singular theme. 1932 is the year that Chanel launched her first designer jewellery collection in her home. The Bijoux de Diamants collection had stars, comets, crescent moons and suns; all inspiration from the lights and signs that shine at night on the Champs-Élysées. In 2012, Jacques Polge creates the Bijoux de Diamants Collection inspired fragrance. 1932 includes top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Neroli, middle notes of Carnation, Jasmine, Lilac, …