Chris Benz fall winter 2011 – 2012 was a very romantic looking collection. His recently move to Georgia to be part of the fashion mentor program at SCAD. He found himself in Savannah a lot and this influenced his fall winter 2011 – 2012 collection. The collection also has a bit of granny chic to it. I’m loving all the layered ruffles. images: style.com
I can’t say anything bad about the Olsen twins. I love The Row. Utilitarian clothing with expert tailoring and a little bit of fun with embroidery, animal prints and leather. I’m dying for that mustard coat. images: thefashionspot.com
I love hearing about new Canadian brands. Rocaille is a Vancouver based and was started in 2010 by Amanda He when she decided to explore a creative career instead of the investment banking world she occupied. Amanda sources antique items and turns them into one of a kind pieces. ROCAILLE is modern by design and inspired by classical periods. We scour the globe for unique vintage pieces and delight in the unabashed sense of adventure and discovery as each item of jewellery is deconstructed and then transformed. The antiquity of each resurrected find is enhanced through reinterpretation and reinvention. Simply put, every ROCAILLE jewellery is one of a kind. Rocaille is beautiful and I love that each piece is unique. I like the clash of antique with a modern style. They would be perfect for black tie events. Currently you can purchase Rocaille online at www.rocaille-design.com.
Ji from Luxirare is one of the best fashion bloggers out there. She has a website that talks about food and fashion and uses the best photography to explain her point. It’s drool worthy and inspirational. Ji creates fashion and food that leaves her readers in a frenzy. Ji has started selling some of her designs online to the enjoyment of her many fans including me. I’m talking lux leather jackets and handbags. Right now I’m eying the Luxirare Minivest. This minivest is the perfect accessory to carry your most important items with you, without having to carry a bag. Or you can just wear it as a stylish accessory to add another layer to a jacket or a shirt. Carry your phone, cash, keys, lipstick and credit card with you. The back of this minivest is rendered with a flattering racer back style. Each vest part is connected with belt straps that are integrated for full adjustability. This vest fits women of all sizes. Adjust accordingly to your size and amount of layering you …
I attended the Danier Spring Summer 2011 preview a few months back and got to play with some of the pieces that will be available in store soon. Exploration is central this season, unveiled through safari silhouettes and tribal details. Graphic animal prints and exotic Moroccan-inspired embroidery are incorporated into accessories, while utilitarian items like a leather trench or slim-cut bomber are sure to be adopted as wardrobe staples for the season. Accessories and garments in an upbeat palette of poppy, fuchsia, violet, teal and citrus make for daring dressing this season. Using colour as the inspiration and statement point of an outfit, DANIER’s collection invites a pop of interest into your wardrobe with a multitude of hothouse hues. Whether it’s a bright and bold accessory or an eye-popping bomber, this season colour takes center stage. Finally, sporting gear is made glamorous with the new take on athletic chic. A lineup of slick sports-style separates make up this season’s all stars. From striped hoodies and tanks too cool for the gym, to micro shorts and …
MINI decided to have another event this year at the 2011 Canadian International Autoshow. Last year, MINI debuted the Beachcomber concept car with pin up models. This year, they took it to the streets and brought together some well recognized street artists to collaborate on an interactive project involving a matte black MINI Countryman. The all new, ALL-4 MINI COUNTRYMAN gets ‘INKED’ at the 2011 Canadian International Autoshow in Toronto. An unaware crowd of Autoshow patrons witness a team of street artists as they “tag” the matte all black MINI Countryman. Shock hits the audience as they see “vandalism” transform into a show stopping Creative Use of Space. One by one, street artists Elicser, Uber 5000 and Herbs take over the Countryman with strokes of white and silver creating a magnificent cityscape, live in front of hundreds of show goers.(youtube description) Luckily I had Paul Baik with me taking photos and I had my trusty N8 taking video. We both captured a lot of media. Here is a video that gives you the whole entire …
It was crazy print time again at Proenza Schouler for fall winter 2011 – 2012 collection. Their influence came in the form of Native American blankets that were picked up on a road trip from Santa Fe to Wyoming. I liked this collection for many of the same reasons I like all Proenza Schouler collections. It was bright and loud. They aren’t afraid of prints and place them at the forefront of their designs. See the entire Proenza Schouler fall winter 2011 – 2012 fashion show. They got some great handbag additions for fall winter 2011 – 2012 I’m not a velvet fan, so the series of velvet pieces didn’t appeal to me. The last two dresses kept me from writing that whole section of the collection off. images: vogue.com
Victoria Beckham’s Fall Winter 2011 – 2012 collection was pretty damn beautiful. I’m totally impressed with her dedication and understanding of fashion design. When she first started out I pretty much dismissed her as a celebrity/designer. Over the years she has proven that she’s serious about the business. The only beef I have is with the line’s sizing. I tried on a dress at Holt Renfrew for fun. I was brought a size 8 and I couldn’t fit into. I’m technically a four. That’s a bit of warning for people. There is a specific body type and it’s one that matches Victoria. See the entire Victoria Beckham Fall Winter 2011 – 2012 Fashion Show I love so much of this collection. The yellow dresses totally blew my mind. The hangbag line is coming along nicely. They are classic and minimalist designs. images: vogue.com, thefashionspot.com
It’s started up again. You are just getting through Pre-Fall, then menswear and then bam, it’s Fall 2011. New York is finished and London is winding down. I’ll be posting about my favourite collections of the season as I normally do. This season more than others I’m feeling the fashion burnout. I’m sure it has to do with the fact that I haven’t had a proper vacation in awhile. I’m pretty sure that the volume of information out there right now is the other reason. Streaming video, blogs and twitter. It’s becoming a bit too much. This season, I’m not trying to keep up. Check out this great article by National Post journalist, Nathalie Atkinson on the information overload of fashion week. images: vogue.com
Thanks to @SoundboardTO, official Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall twitter account I won tickets to see funk legend Maceo Parker in Toronto. Maceo Parker (pronounced /ˈmeɪsiËoÊŠ/; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown’s hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones(source). Since the Nokia N8 takes such great video I decided to utilize it for this talent.
