Month: May 2011

i want: NARS Summer 2011 Nail Polish

NARS has two new nail polish colours for Summer 2011 that I’m liking. NARS makes great, long lasting nail polish and I really enjoy my Spring 2011 colour, Desperado. Kismet is described as “Fate, destiny, a predetermined course of events. This metallic sunflower nail polish was simply meant to be.” Ecume is described as “An opaque white nail enamel that is at once vintage-inspired and avant-garde in sensibility.” The entire Summer 2011 NARS collection is quite pretty too. There is lots of bold colour. images: courtesy of NARS.

Lanvin Dolls Spring Summer 2011

The Spring Summer 2011 edition of the Lanvin Dolls collection is now available atLuisaviaroma. I don’t collect porcelain figures but I think the Lanvin stuff is fun.     The snowglobe is my favourite. images: www.luisaviaroma.com

i want: Miriam Salat Earrings

Jewellery designer Miriam Salat uses resin, sterling silver, 18kt gold vermeil and cubic zirconias for her hand crafted namesake jewellery line.  The collection has bracelets, necklaces and rings but the earrings are what grabbed my attention.  I love dangling statement earrings. Miriam Salat jewellery can be purchased online at miriamsalat.com. There aren’t any Canadian retailers at the moment. images: miriamsalat.com

Fitz & Fur by Roslyn Griffith Hall

Fitz & Fur is a jewelry collection created by Toronto based stylist, Roslyn Griffith Hall. Reclaimed is Fitz & Fur’s style. Throughout her travels, Roslyn attended vintage markets and estate sales and like many antiquing junkies she acquired a lot of things. There are so many objects used in the jewellery like watches, thimbles, skulls, heart-shaped lockets, lockets, keys, coins, letters, rings, pendants, spoons and guitar picks. Fitz & Fur uses those vintage finds for bracelets, necklaces and earrings. I had some vacation time recently and went to Roz’s cool little studio in my neighbourhood to check out the collection in person. Fitz & Fur uses religious imagery as inspiration. The cross is a comment element found in many pieces and makes rosaries using skull shaped bone beads from Thailand. She has recast the beads in silver because it’s becoming hard to find the bone ones in Thailand. The charm bracelets and everything but the kitchen sink necklaces are my favourites from Fitz & Fur. There is so much detail in the necklaces that you never …

CUTMR 2012 Call for Submissions – Ends May 31, 2011

Come Up To My Room 2012 Call for Submissions COME UP TO MY ROOM 2012, The Gladstone Hotel’s 9th Annual Alternative Design Event January 26 – 29, 2012 (Coinciding with Toronto International Design Festival and the Interior Design Show) Submissions Deadline: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 ATTENTION: DESIGNERS, ARCHITECTS, VISUAL ARTISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, SCULPTORS, WRITERS, MUSICIANS, SET DESIGNERS, PROP MAKERS, SOUND ENGINEERS, CERAMACISTS, TEXTILE ARTISTS, CRAFTS PEOPLE, FILMOGRAPHERS, PRINT MAKERS, NEW MEDIA ARTISTS and ALL CREATIVE MAKERS: The Gladstone Hotel seeks Expressions of Interest for innovative, cutting-edge, contemporary design and installation-based projects for The Gladstone Hotel’s annual alternative design event, COME UP TO MY ROOM. The ninth instalment of CUTMR will take place from January 26 to 29, 2012 at the historic Gladstone Hotel in downtown Toronto. Site-specific work will be mounted in the rooms and public spaces in the second floor Gladstone Gallery and ground floor spaces of the hotel. Ideal candidates for juried consideration are practitioners who approach their discipline with a radical personal vision, and who use design to converse, connect, collaborate and construct …

Yohji Yamamoto through the SHOWstudio Lens

SHOWstudio has two brilliant videos about Yohji Yamamoto. The first video is called In Conversation with Yohji Yamamoto. It’s a one and one interview with SHOWstudio.com fashion director Alexander Fury. This interview has me excited for the upcoming documentary, Yohji Yamamoto: This is my Dream. The next video is called In Conversation, About Yohji Yamamoto. Photographer Nick Knight, art director Marc Ascoli and graphic designer Peter Saville discuss their work on Yamamoto’s seminal 1980s catalogues in a one-off conversation chaired by Madga Keaney, captured on film and edited by Ruth Hogben.(source)

Primary Fall Winter 2011 – 2012

While I was in Vancouver, I learned about a New York based fashion line called Primary which has a Canadian connection.  Vancouver native, Cleo Schroeder worked in the film industy in costume and styling before branching into design. She moved to New York to attend Parsons School of Design in 2007 as part of that transition. Primary was created in 2010 by Cleo and Steven Ahn. The first thing you notice about Primary is this incredibly striking model staring back at you. Christina Caradona serves at model/muse for Cleo. Leather, silk and wool are fabrics of choice for Primary luxe casual looks. I love the whole collection with the skirts, dresses and jackets being my favourites. Primary is available online at primaryny.com and in Vancouver at Charlie & Lee. images: primaryny.com

DANIER x Greta Constantine SKIN Launch Party

DANIER x Greta Constantine collection is so good. I had no inside access to these designs this time around.  So, the debut of the collection at the Neubacher Shor Contemporary gallery was a complete surprise. The gallery is a beautiful space with adjustable white walls, a huge window and exposed brick. It’s a great space for hanging artwork with the high ceilings. The six look collection ranges in price from $399 for a sleeveless bolero with exaggerated lapel to $999 for an asymmetrical, draped coat with rounded back. Key colour motifs include black, slate, eggplant, walnut, and lava, in a variety of fabrics ranging from Italian lamb leather to silky suede. As part of the capsule, Kirk and Stephen designed a contemporary take on the obi belt, a welcome addition to each look. “We sought to find a happy medium between fashion and function; to offer silhouettes that were appealing to the eye and still flattering on a variety of different body types,” explain Kirk and Stephen. The collection features several jacket types in leather …