Month: November 2009

i want: Hand Belt by Delfina Delettrez for CoutureLab

Hand Belt by Delfina Delettrez for CoutureLab I get a real chuckle out of this Hand Belt by Delfina Delettrez made for the website CoutureLab.com. Made from soft black leather and silver. The hands meet in the center of the waist and the belt fastens with a knot tie to the front or side depending on personal style. CoutureLab was created by the co-founder of Net-a-Porter and it’s ultra luxury. This belt costs a whopping $3,353 and can take up to 30 days for production and delivery. Everything on the site is unattainable but a lot of fun to look at. Each product page has very large images with multiple views. The key mission of CoutureLab is to maintain the value of human craftsmanship and keep creative individuality alive. This is CoutureLab and this is my vision of what luxury means. image: couturelab.com

Miori Boutique Opening

The Miori Boutique opening was in my stomping grounds, The Path so I decided to check it out. This new womenswear store opened up in the Exchange Tower. I talked to the owners and learned that they are long term retailers in the city. They even had a store that I was one of my rounds in Scotia Plaza before the reno and Brooks Brothers. The woman behind Miori Boutiques is Gita Kowsari, a Toronto-area entrepreneur who opened her first store in 1990 and has over 17 years of experience in the fashion industry. Gita Kowsari’s personal flair for fashion combined with her expertise as a buyer can be found at the core of Miori’s success. 60% of Miori’s merchandise is from Canadian designers. The others are mostly from Europe like 2026 clothing, Rinascimento, Soyaconcept and Sinéquanone. Miori carries Mackage for those path dwellers that don’t want to head to the Eaton Centre on lunch. I was surprised at the selection of casual items, it was much more than I expected. I thought it would …

Balenciaga Menswear Lookbooks Fall 2007 and 2009

I got the Fall 2007 Balenciaga Men’s lookbook at the Meatpacking district store in NYC. I was there for fashion week and was checking out the stores in the area. I prefer the Fall 2007 collection. It’s very preppy, which was keeping with the Balenciaga Fall 2007 woman minus the lego shoes. The Fall 2009 lookbook I got in the menswear sections of Holt’s bloor street. Not as exciting as the Meatpacking District, le sigh. I like the simple layout of the lookbooks. The format hasn’t changed either, I like that. The Fall 2009 collection is a lot more sleek and angular. I like the use of colours. I didn’t really see the connections with Balenciaga women’s as it was drapey, sparkly and full of prints.

i want: Jean Paul Gaultier x Melissa

Jean Paul Gaultier x Melissa This shoe is putting me over the Melissa edge, I was tottering on it with Zaha Hadid collaboration. I wonder what it feels like on. Jean Paul Gaultier was one of the first designers to ever collaborate with Melissa back in 1982. Since then, the Brazilian brand of plastic shoes has worked with the likes of Mugler, Patrick Cox, Karim Rashid, Alexandre Herchcovitch, the Campana Brothers, and more recently Vivienne Westwood ,and Zaha Hadid. (source) image: thepop.com

Alfred Sung is expanding into home decor with SUNG Outdoor

I thought this little tidbit to hit my inbox was interesting. Alfred Sung is breaking his way into home decor in partnership with the Mimran Group Inc. I am proud to announce the introduction of SUNG Outdoor, a new collection of patio furniture from renowned Canadian style icon Alfred Sung. Created in partnership with Mimran Group Inc. and The Hudson’s Bay Company, SUNG Outdoor incorporates the same timeless sensibilities as the designers’ fashion and fragrance collections. Purity and simplicity of design are hallmarks of this new casual standard of living. Available March 2010 nationwide, exclusively at The Bay, the line was inspired by the unique outdoor lifestyle of various international destinations, such as Madrid, Capri and the French Riviera. Unique items include chic and minimal dining sets, innovative open-weave chaise lounges and textile inspired accent chairs with modern silhouettes. Each piece is hand-woven with all-weather faux wicker and features signature bengaline ribbed upholstery.

Greta Constantine Spring 2010 Trunk Show and Personal Appearance Photos

I stopped by Holt Renfrew for the Greta Constantine Spring 2010 Trunk Show and Personal Appearance on Saturday. Here are some pictures I took from the event. I also found out that I have another dress named after me by the Greta Constantine boys. It’s called the Clarke. Click the thumbnail to see the larger version. I’m constantly amazed at how amazing 2009 has been. 2 dresses named after me, what the hell!!!! The Greta Constantine Spring 2010 collection that will be on sale at Holt Renfrew includes a number of pieces with a more accessible price point.

i want: Terence Koh for Converse 1HUND(RED) Artists Chuck Taylor All Stars

I love the minimalistic nature of these Terence Koh for Converse 1HUND(RED) Artists Chuck Taylor All Stars. Unfortunately, these are for the guys. Not in my size. Boo. I’m a 5.5 Converse! Enlisted as a contributor to the 1HUND(RED) project, Koh’s approach to the design of his shoe focused on subtraction. “I wanted to keep the DNA of the Chuck Taylor intact, while reducing the seams, and smoothing out the shoe’s surfaces as much as possible”. Terence replaced the usual curve of the ankle with a vertical construction to give the shoe a clean square look. A smoothed-out version of the signature Converse tread on the sole combines with a white on white All Star rubber license plate on the heel to round out the ultra-clean look and feel of the shoe. As a contributor to 1HUND(RED), a percentage of the net wholesale price of the shoe will go to help fight AIDS in Africa, giving consumers an opportunity to become agents of change and offering a way to turn design into power. The Terence …

The Uniti Charity Auction in Benefit of the Red Door Family Shelter

I was invited to 18Karat Goldsmiths for a private preview of the The Uniti Collection before it went up for auction. 18Karat is one of those stores that I’ve walked by again and again without entering. This preview would be my first exposure to the fine jewellery store. There is a working studio on site so it was fun the process of creating  jewellery right in front of you. 18Karat sells pieces from local designers as well as their own custom work. I also learned that 18Karat is an 40 year old business. Uniti Charity Auction is a collaboration between Canadian celebrities and jewellery designers that benefits the Red Door Family Shelter. 18Karat paired jewellery designers with Canadian celebrities for the Uniti Charity Auction, to create jewellery to be auctioned November 12 to 26, in support of the Red Door Family shelter. 18Karat approached Canadian jewellery designers and celebrities and asked them if they could collaborate to create a piece of jewellery that aesthetically expresses the meaning of home, family and community. “Family homelessness and …

5 days till Bloor Street Entertains – THE PARTY

It’s getting close to The Party. Pick up your tickets soon and dress 50s glam. Do you need an excuse to wear that fancy dress? Now you have one! The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research and BMO Financial Group invite you to THE PARTY: the culmination of CANFAR’s signature event, Bloor Street Entertains. Please join Co-Chairs Joseph Mimran and Kimberley Newport-Mimran for THE PARTY, an exclusive and elegant evening in support of Canadian-led discoveries in HIV/AIDS research. Held at The Royal Ontario Museum, this award-winning party promises a night of magic with an incredibly diverse and well-heeled guest list, vintage glamour, exceptional entertainment and the very best in silent auction offerings. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009 | 9:00 p.m. TICKETS TO THE PARTY: $100 Telephone 416-361-6281 E-mail bse@canfar.com Cocktails and Hors d’Å“uvres are included in the ticket price. You can purchase tickets online on the Bloor Street Entertains website. Be sure to select “A referral from Anita Clarke ” in the “How did you hear about The Party?” survey question when purchasing.

The Frocktail Party

I wasn’t very excited about attending the Frocktail Party to be honest. I wasn’t planning to bid on any dresses but I was covering it for the blog. I’m really, really glad I went as it turned out to be a really good time. The DJ was playing good music and I ended up dancing the night away with friends and designers. This was the first annual Frocktail Party and all the proceeds from the silent auction when to Juvenile Diabetes research. The auction consisted of donated designer dresses in immaculate condition. Many people were surprised I didn’t bid for anything. I took one look at where the clothing was setup and I didn’t want to deal. It was packed with people and the lighting was terrible. Some people got some great deals and I know someone who got a Gucci strapless floor length gown for $150 dollars! I bet the material costs more than that.

Complex Geometries Spring 2010 with photos by Tommy Ton

Tommy Ton has shot another beautiful ad campaign with Complex Geometries. I checked out the collection on the website. It’s another season where I can see myself acquiring a few pieces. There is also a great campagin video for Complex Geometries Spring 2010 created by Jason Last called Perpetual Leisure. It was on the the Business of Fashion’s Top 10 Fashion Films of the season. PERPETUAL LEISURE from JASON LAST on Vimeo. Every season there is something to love from Complex Geometries, Thank you! images: jakandjil.com and complexgeometries.com

Le Chateau’s Model Behaviour Windows

Way back in October I was asked to appear in a TDot TV spot which talked about the Model Behaviour window display at Le Chateau. The tagline is “Famous Runway Icons Immortalized as Mannequins.” The windows are a tribute to those women who broke ground in the industry and changed things like Pat Cleveland, Kate Moss, Twiggy, Tyra Banks and Erin O’Conner. Le Chateau are one of the few retailers in the city that still produce window displays. Thank god for that. I find retail visuals fascinating. Yes, the Holt Renfrew Blogger Windows helped push that fascination to the edge but I had a genuine interest before that. I really would like to see how a project gets put together from beginning to end. It sounds like a lot of fun, looks like a hell of a lot of work and is so creative. I got to speak to senior members of the visual team at length during the shooting. I was enthralled learning about mannequins and one of my favourite photographers, James at Mannequin …

Looks like I’m back

It’s been a hellish 3 days.  I’ve learned how much this blog means to me.  I’ve also learned that it’s time to get a better foundation under the house of I want – I got.  There will be some backend changes and hopefully none that affect your I want – I got browsing pleasure. Cheers Anita

Toronto’s Own Edition of the Fashion Week Daily

LG Fashion Week this year featured something pretty neat. Toronto got its own edition of the Fashion Week Daily. I was obsessed with this mag when I was in NYC for the Spring 2008 collection. I’m not sure if the magazine was available anywhere else but the tents. It came out towards the end of LG Fashion Week and I was really impressed with their turnaround time. I’ve scanned the magazine, sans ads, so that you can enjoy it.

Burberry Toronto Store Opening Party

The Burberry store in Toronto opened quietly in October. The opening fete was last week and I was in attendance. Burberry celebrated the recent opening of its new flagship store on Bloor Street in Toronto, Canada. Over 200 guests attended the event at the store including Ali Larter who wore Burberry. Music on the evening was provided by British DJ Tom Guinness who features in the Autumn Winter 2009 Burberry ad campaign and who was flown in from New York for the event. I had already checked the place out and was disappointed that majority of items in the store were of the Burberry check variety. I thought they did a better job with the men’s clothing than the women’s. I was hoping for more of the unusual pieces from Burberry Porsum in the store. Alas, they were left behind in England, unfit for Canadian consumption. Boo. The store is pretty nice. It’s 2 floors and carries Burberry Prorsum, Burberry London, Burberry Brit collections as well as Burberry Sport, Childrenswear and accessories. Tom Guinness played …

Quiksilver and Roxy Spring Summer 2010 Preview

I got a sneak peek at Quiksilver’s and Roxy’s Spring 2010 collection last week. Quicksilver Spring 2010 had a muted palette that was used to evoke the worn in look. Raw edges and shredding were also used to create that “well loved” character to the clothing. Oversized is a big trend in the collection. I loved the pieces that were oversized and incorporated shredding. The reverse rose print tshirt and tank top were also favourites of mine. You can see photos of all the items that caught my eye from the Quicksilver line in the slideshow. Some of the pieces are show in the lookbook photos. Roxy was opposite to Quicksilver and bright colours were dominate. Colour blocking and florals were common themes. There were a few rompers that I liked and the neon striped cropped tshirts. image: scanned by me from the Quicksilver and Roxy Spring Summer Lookbooks

Thomas Sabo Canadian Launch

Jewellery company Thomas Sabo had their Canadian launch recently at Ultra. The story of our company started in the 1980s: in 1984, the jewellery enthusiast and self-made man Thomas Sabo set up his own jewellery company with its headquarters in the historical town on Lauf an der Pegnitz in Bavaria – and gave this enterprise his name. A company that was to stand for high-quality silver jewellery with a special design quality from the very outset. I always wondered if there was a real Thomas Sabo and it turns out he does exist. The Fall 2009 collection is has a heavy gothic influence and the decor of Ultra was made to match. Thomas Sabo is famous for their charms and I’ve contemplated starting one for myself. The charms can be so cute. However, I’ve seen a some things from both the men’s and women’s collections that I like. The first three necklaces are from the men’s collection. The first necklace opens up. The skull pendant is also produced in ring format. Thomas Sabo has a …

i want: Converse Chuck Taylor Boots

I’m always sad when the really cold weather happens because I have to put away my Chucks. It was just too cold to wear them. That’s changed this season because there are now Converse Chuck Taylor Boots. I like the plaid and leather versions. They cost $140. The one below is nylon and it’s $120. They are available at NEON, Get Outside and Little Burgundy in Toronto. You can find the leather and nylon versions in stores now, but the Woolrich Plaid will be available after November 30, 2009. http://www.neonclothing.ca