All posts filed under: Canadian Designers

Adventures in Moonrox – One of a Kind Edition

So I worked the Moonrox booth at the One of a Kind Show this past Saturday. I’ve always thought of myself as a piss poor salesperson. When it comes down to it a salesperson has to like people and I’ve never been a big fan of people. However to my surprise I was a selling machine that day. I also managed to score some jewelry in the process. MJ picked this necklace out for me before I even arrived. He knows my style so very well and even told Monique (MoonRox designer) that I would totally buy it. He was right. I was telling people that this necklace is right on trend for Spring 2009 and most gave me a blank look. If you’ve been to the One of a Kind Show, you’ll understand. I have always loved the MoonRox Charm bracelets. They are chunky, loud and colourful. I think they are the perfect addition to a LBD ensemble. MoonRox is in booth Y-4 and will be at the One of a Kind show till …

a comrags retrospective – November 17 – 30, 2008

a comrags retrospective Joyce and Judy would like to thank you for the pleasure of their first 25 years in business! From November 17-30th we will be exhibiting artifacts from the 80’s up to the present marking significant events in the life of Comrags. This multi media collage will bring back fond and funny memories of Canadian fashion, music, trends, and friends. If you can’t make it in you may want to post a “memoryÒ€ on our facebook page! comrags 654 Queen Street West Toronto, Ontario 416-360-7249 mon-wed 11-6pm thurs-fri 110-7pm Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5

i want…

Holt Renfrew Holiday Bear 2008 The Holiday Bear has been an integral part of the Holt Renfrew family since being introduced in 1999. This endearing and beloved bear has become an important heirloom piece and collector’s item. Each year, great care is taken to create a unique bear and sweater, which stays true to Holt Renfrew’s style of reflecting today’s latest trends. And no one is more ON TREND than dynamic Canadian designers Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED2. This year, the 2008 Holt Renfrew Holiday Bear marks its 10th anniversary with a special retrospective. Visit our Toronto – Bloor Street location to see the Holiday Bear retrospective in its entirety. We are proud to link the sale of each bear, which is available for $49, to a very worthwhile cause: The Children’s Wish Foundation. 10% of every Bear sale will benefit the charity!

Fashion sCares

I attended Fashion sCares. It was a blast getting dressed up and everything. I chronicled my adventure at blogTO.com. You can find the direct link here, Fashion sCares: The Costume Report. I was the one and only Grace Jones and here was my inspiration and the execution. I didn’t have the jacket, which looks like Issey Miyake so I decided to forget that and do the tried and true jumpsuit. I think I’m a fan of jumpsuits now, they are a lot of fun. Until you have to go to the bathroom. I paired the jumpsuit with a scarf to emulate the look of the jacket. Danielle from Final Fashion totally helped me out with the mask. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have been able to pull this look off. My next thanks is to Gail McInnes who did my makeup and completed the look. Here are my photos from the night. After looking at them again, I realize that I did a song and dance for Rex Harrington that night. (Read the …

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – geekigirl’s Top Collections

So I’m going to do what I never do, break down my top collections from L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009. This is of course based on the shows I attended. These are the collections that moved me the most. The collections that made me thank god for attending the tents that night. The collections that make me salivate at the mouth. Denis Gagnon – This collection is really what my fashion dreams are made of. Hauntingly beautiful with that slightly dark twist I love. Box it all up and ship it home. Morales – Architectural, sculptural, colourful. Something different from every day fair. Evan Biddell – Streetwear done right. Finally, someone has me interested again. Streetwear has fallen off my radar as of late. Greta Constantine – statement dress makers. While I’m not down with the colour palette, there’s no denying those shapes.

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Afshin Feiz

Afshin Feiz Vancouver born, London-based Afshin Feiz came back to Canada to present his collection in The Studio. The Studio was the smaller runway venue during fashion week. It gives you a great view if you are in the front row, but if you are in the 2nd row you don’t get to see much. Afshin combined hard and soft textures in a different way. The dresses that Julia Che of Lotusleaf and Mary Kitchen from FT were really cool and black. Most of his collection were pastels.

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Denis Gagnon

I could have boxed up every piece of Denis Gagnon’s collection yesterday and taken it home. I loved everything. Well, everything but the gold lame stuff, not a fan of gold. It was a leather and jersey dream. The jewelry by Harakiri, stunning. The handbags designed by Denis and produced by Fullum & Holt are freaking amazing! I was worried when I heard there would be colour and jersey, but damn, it’s so drool worthy. It was a great show to finish off fashion week, and my favourite if you haven’t figured that out from the gushing yet. Everything was perfect for the show: the styling, models, music, accessories and clothing. I love Denis’s dark vision for the collection. This is draping done well. I have to find someway to own a piece of this collection, someway. I wouldn’t mind a handbag either. I wanted to meet Denis at his afterparty but I didn’t get a chance. This week has been pretty busy and I was damn tired and had an early Saturday morning to …

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Lucian Matis

Lucian Matis put on one of the more interesting shows at L’Oreal Fashion Week. I really enjoyed his pixelated print pieces. Some of the pearl encrusted pieces were very nice, especially the one with the back detail but a few felt a little over done. I wasn’t a big fan of the pieces with the face print and I’m not even too sure who the print is of. The runway music was very sweet and fit with the collection. Of course, Lucian being Lucian he had a bride finale. It was quite beautiful but it didn’t fit in with the themes already established. The bride thing is kinda over done, but I have to admit I kinda liked it. After all, I did miss Alfred Sung earlier in the week.

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Damzels in this Dress/Play Dead Cult

Damzels in this Dress and Play Dead Cult always put on a fun show. Their models have energy and they play to the camera. Damzels went into the print business and their 50s rockabilly sensibilities got a new twist. They also rocked up the negligee. Play Dead stepped up the game and brought some really great dresses into the mix of tshirts and denim. I really, really loved the skull dress.

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Mellinda-Mae Harlingten

I am not the target market for the Mellinda-Mae Harlingten collection. She wears headbands and probably reads Nylon. I wear headbands when playing squash only and they are of the terrycloth persuasion. Only standout items for me were the green tiered ruffle dress and a cropped hoodie. The dude who came out shirtless in gold lame leggings and heels was hilarious. Completely terrifying and disturbing but hilarious.

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Zoran Dobric

Zoran Dobric is an amazing print maker. I love his prints and this season is no different. This season was based on the book Orlando by Virginia Woolf. I haven’t read it and didn’t have a frame of reference for the interpretation. Come to think of it, I haven’t read any Virginia Woolf. So I looked it up, it makes sense now and fits perfectly into Zoran’s aesthetic. Orlando tells the story of a young man named Orlando, born in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, who decides not to grow old. He does not, and he passes through the ages as a young man … until he wakes up one morning to find that he has metamorphosed into a woman — the same person, with the same personality and intellect, but in a woman’s body. The remaining centuries up to the time the book was written are seen through a woman’s eyes. Zoran partnered with accessory designer, Mirjana Scepanovic, who has already made her way onto this blog as an “i want”. His …

L’Oreal Fashion Week Spring 2009 – Evan Biddell

Evan Biddell put on a great show at LFW. I definitely enjoyed it and saw some really cute pieces. The dhoti style pants are gorgeous. He’s taken a lesson from the Japanese masters and my favourite drop-crotch makers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. The eyelet jumper looked amazing on the runway. I didn’t like the gingham pieces. The skirt volume was clunky and didn’t fall in line with the rest of the collection. The short shorts were a little too American Apparel for me, especially after all the amazing pants. I can’t say anything bad about men in skirts (no, seriously) Overall great little streetwear collection; polished. Models were a lot of fun and it was an entertaining show. The rest of my awful pictures are here and you can see some here . On a side note, I’ve had discussions with some people about Biddell’s dhoti pant. While I think he’s done a great job producing them and he’s even got me eyeing a pair, the average woman is going to stay away from …

Lookbook – Greta Constantine Fall Winter 2008 – 2009

I get sent a few lookbooks. I’ll post the ones from the designers I like here. To make these posts more interactive, I want you readers to guess which of the looks are my favourites. Leave your guesses in the comments. My first lookbook post is dedicated to Toronto based, Greta Constantine. Click the thumbnails to see larger images. Once the larger image is displayed use the arrows to move between images. Where to buy: Holt Renfrew Harrod’s Henri Bendel 712 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10019 Sample 268 Elizabeth St. New York, NY 10012 phone +1 212 431 7866 toll free +1 866 239 6779 7374 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036 phone +1 323 965 0098 info@samplestudio.com