Author: Anita

smart Expeditions Toronto

smart Expeditions Toronto

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I didn’t know what to expect when I said yes to a smart Expeditions in The Distillery District. The description read as follows: smart is presenting an urban curated ride & drive that will guide people to discover Toronto’s art/theater/music/culture in rogue areas of the city that they have yet to experience. This ‘never-been-done-before’ experience will feature live art installations, musicians, fire twirlers and additional surprises around every corner. Instead of just educating the city where they can experience this culture, we are going to show it to them LIVE via multiple vignette’s including the Distillery District, parking lots and warehouses – all from behind the wheel of a smart fortwo. It was a very clever take on the test drive. After filling out some information and checking my driver’s license, I was sitting behind the wheel of a smart fortwo. There was a group of four cars and we followed the lead car on our adventure. We found ourselves driving to different spots around the area where we would stop for entertainment. There was …

Jason Wu At The Room

Jason Wu at The Room

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Jason Wu and I have similar shaped heads. I can’t get that thought out of my mind whenever I look at this picture. I met Jason when he came to The Room for a Trunk Show and cocktail party in his honour. Jason Wu’s bio reads like one of the those prodigy kids. At 16 he was well on his way to becoming a designer creating couture like clothing for dolls at Integrity Toys. At 17, he became the Creative Director of Integrity Toys. Jason studied fashion design at Parson and started his namesake label in 2006. He created Michelle Obama’s ivory inaugural gown which pushed him into the limelight and made him a household name. I never appreciated Jason’s collection until I saw it up close. His style is very ladylike; socialite wear if you’d like. The details and fabrics that make his clothing interesting aren’t noticeable in photos. I was really surprised at some of the luxurious fabrics he used in the collections. All clothing is manufactured in the United States. The Room …

Gil Carvalho Fall Winter 2010 - 2011

Gil Carvalho Fall Winter 2010 – 2011

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Footwear designer Gil Carvalho sent me an email letting me know about his Fall Winter 2010 collection. I was quiet surprised and excited to hear from him personally. This London based shoe designer has a background in fine art, art history and architecture. Gil studied shoe design at Cordwainers College at London College of Fashion. The lookbook talks about the inspiration for Gil Carvalho Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collection. “With it’s emphasis on the sculptural, inspired by the Abstract artist Rolph Scarlett, the latest collection explores the relationship between a woman and her shoes, one that had endured teh passage of time but remains as passionate as ever. The palette of colour gravitates from monochrome to metallic pink from deep matt through to the high shine of patent, a thoroughly paradoxical collection full of opposites.” Gil Carvalho platforms are as tall and sleek as buildings.  The Comet style on the left has about a 3/4 inch platform (20 mm) platform and 4.5 inch (120mm) heel.  Buzz on the right has about a 2 inch …

Manon Mini Bag by Tila March

i want: Manon Mini Bag by Tila March

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This is a fun little crossbody bag from Tila March. The 4-year-old company is the brainchild of a French fashion editor, Tamara Taichman and a marketing executive in the leather luxury goods business, Nicolas Berdugo.  The Japan Times has a great little article on the brand and some history. Tila March handbags are available in Canada exclusively though the online handbag retailer A TO ZANE. images: tilamarch.com

Devon Open Toe Booties by Alexander Wang

i want: Devon Open Toe Booties by Alexander Wang

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These Devon Open Toe Booties by Alexander Wang are fun. Playing with Alexander Wang shoes was a little detour I made while in the mist of playing with Todd Lynn in the personal shopping area of Holt Renfrew. I love the colour and reptile treatment to the leather. I’m not usually a suede fan but I like the contrast it provides. They are pretty comfortable with a reasonable heel height. The shoes are available at Holt Renfrew Bloor street and online at shopbop.com and net-a-porter.com.

Haider Ackermann comes to Toronto

Haider Ackermann comes to Toronto

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There was small group of people to gathered to see the Haider Ackermann Fall 2010 fashion show at the ROM. It was a real treat.  119 Corbo is the exclusive Toronto retailer for Haider Ackermann and they were responsible for bringing him to the city. Holt Renfrew Calgary and Vancouver will carry Haider in the fall. I wrote about the Haider Ackermann Fall Winter 2010 show during Paris fashion week. This presentation wasn’t the full collection but it was amazing to see the pieces up close. Haider is a master of materials. The draping and architectural details were phenomenal. The collection and music almost brought a tear to my eye. It’s the same emotional reaction that I get when I go to the symphony or opera.  I wish I had the access to play and touch the clothing. I’m going to have to befriend Linda Perisa, owner of 119 Corbo. My photos were completely shit. I still have to learn how to take good low light shots with the Olympus E-PL1. The two shots I’ve …

Todd Lynn Fall Winter 2010 - 2011

Playing with the Todd Lynn Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 Collection

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Work kept me from catching the tail end of the Todd Lynn trunk show and personal appearance. I was a little bummed as I really wanted to meet Todd. He looks so cute in his photos. He also reminds me of Rick Owens so I’m drooling a little.  I think it’s the long black hair, le sigh. I missed the designer but I got to play in his designs.  On Saturday I made a quick trip to the private shopping area at Holt Renfrew and played dress up.  Every leather jacket made my waist look tiny.  They totally fit like a glove.  The fur was outrageous.  I like the androgyny of both the mens and womens lines. Todd Lynn price points are relatively cheaper than other brands doing leather with the same aesthetic. I even was recruited to model Todd Lynn for a customer. She was trying to decide what items to pick up from the trunk show.