The C02 Buckle Boots by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony are what prompted my Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell purchase. The Potion’s were the inspired versions of the Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony original. While I love my Potion’s they really aren’t a complete substitute for the real C02 Boot. I’d still like to get my hands on these, perhaps in a different colour. I remember seeing a burgundy version at one point.
I drool over the hardware details, those buckles are beautiful.
I’m over Balmain again. It’s amazing how I can love one season and not care the next. It was a lot of the same but they went overload on the gold. I did enjoy the Prince runway music.
The Audi dealership would host Kirk and Stephen once more as they presented the Greta and Erza Constantine Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collections. The boys seem to have great sponsors with Audi, Stolichnaya, Glaceau smartwater, ALDO, and Ame.
There were no Rado wristbands when checking in this time instead I presented with a plexiglass rectangle engraved with the words “Greta Constantine” and a gold sticker with my seating assignment. It was a great touch and a nice little keepsake after the show.
Paul Baik, my amazing Photographer was with me to catch-all the action. We went backstage to an unusually prepared team, it seemed they were waiting on the audience. I was in awe, where was the craziness and drama? It was none to find, only models milling around eating (yes, eating), talking and taking photos.
It was a night of the urban, doomed heroes and the dark, noir dames. The collections are both urban and modern but completely divergent. Erza is your prototypical urban dweller, covered in layers of fashion forward garments. The Erza man is casual but never unstylish. The men’s collection styling was heavily influenced by the military and soldiers. The makeup inferred a recent battle or the calm before the final push. There were multiple wars references from the civil war to WW2. I dare say there was a “suicide bomber” reference too but that could have just been my gut reaction to the hooded man wearing a black vest with multiple pockets stomping up the runway. The collection was really strong and everything seemed to fit. I normally can find some things to nitpick about, but not this time. I was most impressed with the outerwear, lots of great coats for men for Fall Winter 2010 – 2011.
The Greta Constantine woman asserted herself on Friday and made sure everyone was paying attention. The Greta girl had looks for the office, a night on the town and the fundraising gala. It was a cohesive collection of that seemed to distill the core Greta girl look ported to different fabrics. This included jerseys dresses in poly, wool and sequined jersey. Office Greta was a the series of Wool jersey pieces which provided enough structure to look boardroom ready and enough drape to be Greta Constantine. I would love to spruce up my office attire with a few of these beauties. You had your classic jersey Greta party dresses that everyone loves and craves. There was the added twist of shimmer thanks to the sequins. They looked beautiful on the runway in motion. Finally, it was party girl Greta with leather panel boot leggings paired with goat hair and fur vests. All I have to say is that I need those leather boot leggings, HOT!
Both collections presented a new maturity from Kirk and Stephen. I know it’s been said a lot but maturity is really the best word to describe it. They are really coming into stride with in finding out who Greta and Erza are? I know I’m a little bias in my love for Greta but I really believe this was the best collection I’ve seen from them to date. The Greta Constantine collection looked like money in the bank walking down that runway. There were so many wearable and beautiful pieces. I wanted it all. Erza Constantine impressed me a lot, even more so than Greta. It didn’t look like Erza’s second time around the block at all.
You can see the slideshow of the complete show and backstage photos.
Of course another great thing about a Greta and Erza Constantine show is seeing old friends and new all dressed up. I’m in way too many of these photos so please forgive me.
Let’s give you my Greta and Erza Constantine outfit breakdown: Erdem Dress, H&M tights, Dries Van Noten boots, Vintage Rattan-ish clutch
I got the Potion Ankle Boots by Jeffrey Campbell a few months back because they reminded me of the Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony C02 Bucklet Boots. The Potion’s are the inspired version and much cheaper. I discovered that Chasse Gardee would be bringing them in, so I sent off a quick email to hold a pair for me. I haven’t gotten to wear them much because of the weather but I can see these being a summer staple.
I want – I got has a little interview with US designer Rachel Roy. This is a first for the site as I normally interview Canadian designers. It was an email interview but I was hoping to meet Rachel at The Hudson’s Bay Queen Street on March 25, 2010 for personal appearance. Unfortunately I’m booked, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go, it’s a public event.
The Spring Summer 2010 collection for Rachel Rachel Roy is pretty cute. I love all the pieces that use the colourful flora print.
1.What factors influenced your decision to create the Rachel Rachel Roy line?
“I wanted every woman to have the opportunity to express herself through style in an accessible way. The Rachel Rachel Roy collection allows me to mix elements of downtown cool with uptown chic for a result that is simultaneously edgy, elegant yet youthful. I hoped to design a fashion forward contemporary collection that accentuated a woman’s best features and allowed her to express her own individuality.â€
2. I imagine plans for the line were in the works for some time before launch, did the economy change that roadmap to launch?
“I have always wanted to create a line that was fashion forward yet affordable, so I am thrilled to provide my customer with accessible, trend driven clothes.â€
3.Why enter the Canadian marketplace? What makes it appealing to your business?
“I’m excited to launch my collection in Canada at the Bay. It is a huge market which provides a great opportunity to grow the RACHEL Rachel Roy brand.â€
4.You have embraced social media within your company. Were you dragged kicking and screaming or was it something you immediately saw the value in?
“I really chose to embrace social media with the launch of RACHEL Rachel Roy. I saw the value in social media and really began to embrace it with the launch of RACHEL Rachel Roy. Twitter and Facebook allow me an opportunity to connect with the RRR girl and the RRNY woman in a more intimate way. I like being able to interact with customers on a different level than at a store or event. There is an immediate dialogue that you can have with people.â€
5. Has your social media engagement lead to an increase in profits? What else do you feel social media has provided for the company or consumer?
“Social media is a great tool as it allows me to interact with my consumer and gain valuable feedback about what she likes and wants more of. I think people are able to learn more about what I stand for as a designer, what fashion means to me, things that inspire and more about me. The possibilities with social media are endless and I am always interested in what is going to come next.”
6. New York Fashion Week has been over for a few weeks but we saw many designers streaming the show and many articles talking about the “invasion of fashion bloggersâ€. How do you think fashion week will change in terms of delivery of content and the demographics of the audience?
“Fashion Week is no longer about appealing strictly to the top magazine editors. Online and digital outlets and their editorial voices have become as important in the fashion world since the content is more easily accessible to the masses with the click of a mouse. These days, many designers are streaming fashion shows and presentations live on the internet on their websites and using other innovative ways to share news and information about their brands.â€
7. Who are your fashion heroes?
“I love old movie starlets like Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner or Talluah Bankhead and am also very inspired by Coco Chanel, Carine Roitfeld, Amy Fine Collins and Lauren Santo Domingo.â€
I was in a foul mood when I arrived at the Courthouse to see Breeyn McCarney Fall Winter 2010 collection. I want – I got had been down for most of the day and I wanted to get home and fix it. Everything else was irrelevant at that point.
Hard Boiled Wonderland was the name of the Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 collection. Haruki Murakami is what comes to mind when I think Hard Boiled Wonderland. I don’t think the ultra feminine style presented on the Breeyn runway had much to do with surrealist, cyberpunk literature.
Breeyn had a mixture of knits, wool plaid, distressed cotton, mohair, bamboo and leather. She utilized rabbit fur, beads, leather and pearls as embellishments. The result was a cute collection of party dresses and sweaters. Lots of feminine details like bodices and corset like It was a cohesive collection for the most part. The final dress was out of place. It would have worked if it was the same colour palette as the rest of the collection. The jersey cable print dress doesn’t fit either, but it was my favourite piece of the collection. I was glad to see the focus there.
So Breeyn’s collection put me in a good mood. I was a well executed show and I didn’t hate the clothing. When I got home it wasn’t long before I had the site up and running again.
It was interesting to see a fashion presentation in a theater. NADA Fall Winter 2010 -2011 was a 3D film presentation. The first 3D fashion film presentation of its kind. Burberry’s Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 3D live stream doesn’t count because it wasn’t a film. I heard rumours that this film cost $2 million dollars leading up to the screening. That was quickly squashed in the Q&A. Nada Shepherd was thinking about Fembots and video games. The film was like an ultra fashionable Street Fighter where the women fighters had a better wardrobe selection. It had all the classic Street Fighter selection features like weapons, settings and outfits. The video was ambitious and I’m pleased to see someone switching the traditional presentation up.
The 3D wasn’t a sharp as I expected. Â At the beginning of the screening we learned that the version being screened wasn’t the final cut. I have to admit the web experience isn’t better. I was hoping for better quality video and larger screen resolutions for both the 2D and 3D videos hosted on the Fashion Television website. Hopefully at some point they can offer better quality video, perhaps even HD. I enjoyed the film rough edges and all, but I was a huge fan of Street Fighter and other fighting games of that type when I was more of a gamer.
There wasn’t any clothing at the screening except for the outfits that Nada and her fembot Madison were wearing. Nada mentioned the pants she was wearing were python. The NADA fall winter 2010 – 2011 collection features exotic fabrics like metallicized python, stretch reptilian embossed leather pairs with snake infused patterned chiffon, durable lurex infused velvets and parachute fabrications. I did receive a lookbook of the full collection which features a colour palette of black, blue, read, grey and white. There are a few prints to shake it up. The collection features a lot of shoulder details and bodycon silhouettes.
The OZ Studio Boutique is a gorgeous space in a renovated storefront on Ossington Ave. The 100+ year old space has hardwood floors, exposed brick and 17feet ceilings. Evan and his partner Joseph Fuda stripped the place down to its original elements. There are industrial elements with exposed metal piping and just enough dilapidation to be cool. It was the talk of the launch including some envious retailers in the area.
Evan Biddell is insistent that the space is not the Evan Biddell store. It’s part gallery, boutique, event space and photography studio.
Evan Biddell has partnered with photographer Joseph Fuda to redefine the boutique experience and created an artist’s showroom unlike anything Toronto has to offer – combining a modern concept fashion gallery and photo studio located on the bustling Ossington strip.
The Biddell Spring 2010 collection is the first installation in the Boutique and available for purchase. The entire collection is displayed on dress forms instead of the traditional clothing rack. The Biddell Fall 2009 collection hangs off the stainless steel wall with magnets.
I’m in love with the bathroom at OZ. The framed mirror and sitting area is a nice touch.
The Lanvin Acne denim collaboration that started with the Spring 2009 collection continues. It must be a yearly endeavor because I was wondering when the next update would be. It looks like they cut out the Men’s version of the line as I don’t see it on the shop.acnestudios.com website.
I really like the draped denim dress, they really look like Lanvin pieces
I don’t think Holt Renfrew will be stocking this season of Lanvin ♥ Acne after seeing how many pieces were left at Now or Never time and Last Call. But I will confirm for sure. You can purchase the Lanvin ♥ Acne 2010 collection at the Acne Online Shop.
