I found this interesting video called The Couture Process which features and interview with Betsy Bloomingdale which was part of the FIDM Museum exhibition “Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture” in 2009. The video shows Mrs. Bloomingdale’s experiences in the haute couture with interviews clips from Marc Bohan, Hubert de Givenchy and James Galanos.
Juma is raising funds for a New York Fashion Week show through Kickstarter. JUMA is interested in raising funds with you to produce a fashion show to be shown at New York fashion week. We are presently designing our new collection and would like to have a presentation in which we can show our line. We would like to have our show listed on the official fashion week calender and invite editors, media, stylists and other industry participants in order to gain exposure and build our fanbase offline and online. We have experience with producing runways shows and have been designing clothing for 6 years so are confident in the execution of the project. We are offering you our digitally printed bags, scarves, prints as well as backstage experiences in order to raise the funds required to put on this runway show for New York Fashion Week! The project will be funded if $26,000 dollars are raised by Friday August 26, 2011 at 4pm. This dollar figure should be sobering to some designers about the …
I love this commercial for Givenchy’s Dahlia Noir perfume. It has two of my favourite fashion things, Givenchy and Mariacarla Boscono.
Trolling the racks of Holt Renfrew’s now or never sales is always a Saturday afternoon pastime. I have this uncanny ability to find great designer pieces at great prices. There is one sales associate at Holts that is always amazed at my finds over the years like Dries Van Noten pants, Rick Owens Jacket and Alexander McQueen Shoes for example. This season’s find are these sandals by Givenchy. They were featured in a post back in January called i want: Perforated leather sandals by Givenchy. I liked the white and tan colourway at that time but the black and brown is much more comfortable. I’m not a strappy sandal type of girl but these are Givenchy and the heel isn’t towering. It’s always good to have some versatility in the shoe closet to combat the clunky and platform heavy options.
Illusions d’ombres is name of the new Fall Winter 2011 – 2012 makeup collection from Chanel. I only really concern myself with the nail polish but I loved the imagery that went a long with the product shots. There are 3 polishes for fall, Peridot, Quartz and Graphite. They will be available at Chanel counters beginning August 22, 2011. I’ve placed a lot of my metallic nail polishes on the back burner recently because their bright counterparts are more fun and a bit obnxious. Â However, Chanel’s metallics are making me rethink that decision. Peridot is a green and gold combination. Graphic sounds really interesting with silver, gold and platinum combined together. Finally, Quartz is a bronze and pink mixture. images: courtesy of Chanel Canada
This is a great video about the Queen SofÃa Spanish Institute’s Balenciaga: Spanish Master exhibit which ran earlier this year in New York City. Conceived of by our Chairman, Oscar de la Renta, curated by Vogue Contributing Editor Hamish Bowles, BALENCIAGA: Spanish Master was the first exhibition to consider the impact of Spain’s culture, history and art on one of its greatest twentieth-century sons, the legendary designer Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972). Showcasing more than seventy items of Cristóbal Balenciaga clothing and accessories, BALENCIAGA: Spanish Master is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between the House of Balenciaga in Paris and an American institution.(source) My favourite tidbit of information gleamed from this video is that Oscar de la Renta worked for Cristóbal Balenciaga. Artinfo.com has some great photos of the BALENCIAGA: Spanish Master exhibit. This video was taken by Bart Boehlert who chatted curator Hamish Bowles.
I received this in a Celine email blast a few weeks ago when the Fall Winter 2011 – 2012 treatments were being given to all the designer site. If I had to pick one designer to wear only, I think I could totally love the Celine uniform over and over again.  Celine is available at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street and Calgary.  I find it weird they aren’t listed on the website. images: celine.com
I really enjoyed the Iris Van Herpen Haute Couture Fall Winter 2011 – 2012 collection. It was visually appealing and different from the usual suspects that show at this time. She’s one talented lady.
I’ve been following Moda Operandi since it opened. In my mind, this is really one of the most exciting online fashion retailers. It gives the fashion lover a chance to secure those special items that you see in a collection but can never find when it hits the retail market. I’ve drooled over many of the trunk shows on the site but I finally bit the bullet when the Karen Walker Resort 2012 sunglasses showed up. They have a purple and fluoro green acetate frame and brown CR39 coloured lens. Now the waiting game begins as the delivery window is from Aug. 20, 2011 – Dec. 20, 2011. I’m hoping it’s earlier. I have a feeling Moda Operandi temptations will become reality much more often now that I’ve dived in. images: modaoperandi.com
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 @ThebergeSwim tweeted: @ThebergeSwim - @geekigirl I’m looking 4 a warm winter coat Preferably fashionable & NOT black. Would like to support local designer #ThebergemovestoToronto Me – @ThebergeSwim budget? @ThebergeSwim - @geekigirl four to six hundred. Possibly a lil more if totally awesome. Fashionable and functional are trade off that has to be made for a Canadian winter. I tend to side with function during this time of year. My recommendation is buy a long down jacket so you don’t have to layer as much. However, here’s a selection of Canadian companies with winter jackets and coats that will cover both spectrums and between.  Some of these companies might not have fall offerings online yet, but should soon. RUDSAK – Lots of leather options here. Montreal based but has a store on …
