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What does Barbara think? Milan and Paris SS10 Edition

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I posted about the thoughts of Barbara Atkin of Holt Renfrew on NYC Spring 2010. Here is what she is saying about Milan and Paris.

Milan

Versace Ready to Wear - Spring 2010

Versace Ready to Wear - Spring 2010

Barbara Atkin, vice president of fashion direction, Holt Renfrew: “We are leaving Milan feeling positive about our buys. We will spend the same amount as in previous seasons, editing to the best with the right balance of the soft and fluid with the tailored and geometric.…We loved Gucci, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Jil Sander and Marni. Clothes were either calm and beautiful, or hard-core and sexy. Our checklist includes languid pants; soft tailored jackets; short, sexy skirts and shorts; essential shirts; feminine dresses, and bodysuits as the foundation to dressing. What we didn’t see on the runways in the form of tailored silhouettes was picked up in earlier deliveries. Off the runways, we liked Pollini, Marco de Vincenzo and Gail Sorronda from Australia.”

Paris

Celine Ready to Wear Spring 2010

Celine Ready to Wear Spring 2010

Barbara Atkin, vice president of fashion direction, Holt Renfrew: “Paris delivered an exuberant spring season. Designers seemed to be reworking their own inventiveness with back-to-their-roots collections that spoke to what made their businesses originally successful. It was a season showcasing multiple personalities, whether it is gender bending, futuristic warriors or lingerie-inspired clothes in nude colorations that speak to a sexy and flirty girlish fantasy. We will be spending a little more this year in Paris with collections that offered beautifully tailored jackets and trenchcoats, easy fluid toppers, perfect white shirts, miniskirts and shorts, bold shouldered military jackets, vests and beautiful feminine dresses. The collections we loved are Celine, Balenciaga, Balmain, Lanvin, Dries Van Noten and Alexander McQueen.”

You can read about all the buyers WWD talked to at S/S 2010 Buyers Reports on The Fashion Spot

images: style.com

Grace Jones by Andy Warhol

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I love this photo of Grace Jones taken by Andy Warhol. If I had some purple fur I would totally do this version of Grace for Halloween.

Andy Warhol, Grace Jones; 1984. Polacolor ER. Gift of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

Andy Warhol, Grace Jones,1984. Polacolor ER. Gift of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

You might remember my outfit last halloween for Fashion sCares.

Me as Grace Jones from the Q Awards 2008

Me as Grace Jones from the Q Awards 2008

image: nasher.duke.edu

geekiviews: OVO by Cirque du Soleil

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OVO by Cirque du Soleil

Thanks to Alison from Cossette I was given a set of four tickets to the new Cirque du Soleil production, OVO. A pair of tickets were for me and guest and the other pair were for a reader contest. I decided to do a quick twitter contest to decide the three winners that would attend the show with me. It was pretty successful and I might incorporate more twitter contests in the future.

OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

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This was my first time at a Cirque du Soleil show. I’ve seen specials on TV but nothing in person, not even when I went to Vegas. I was very excited. The show was a lot of fun, exciting and breathtaking at times. The stunts were such feats of strength and flexibility. I was in awe of the raw power these people have. Oh to be strong and flexible, it’s very attractive. The costumes were pretty incredible and did the bug theme justice. The show was in two parts. The first part was pretty fast paced and there was a lot of different acts to see.

The 2nd half was a little slower paced and there was more story building than acts. The set design was incredible, at one point in the 2nd half a large mechanical flower hanging from the ceiling opened on stage. The most amazing thing about this was the flower scent that was pumped into the audience just prior to the mechanical one opening. It was a brilliant touch. The final act was mind blowing. My jaw was on the ground the whole time. It was an amazing job of coordination, strength and ability. I have never seen anything like this finale, it was so inventive. I understand now why the 2nd half was slower paced, they needed to rest.

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This act features some 20 artists running, jumping, and walking across – and straight up – an 8m vertical wall without artificial support. Power track and trampolines give them the speed, lift and momentum to take flight. Their athletic ability, physical strength and team coordination take care of the rest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this show. It really makes you think of all the work that goes into producing the show, from set design to all the practice that goes into making a flawless and safe show. It’s a different experience seeing it in the flesh than on TV, so much more exciting. I still can’t believe the things these people did.

OVO is playing till November 8, 2009. You can purchase tickets online or at the box office. I’ve chatted with Cirque du Soleil fans who say this is the best production yet. I can’t say that, but I can tell you it was an amazing show.

images: cirquedusoleil.com

TEFW – Joe Fresh Spring 2010

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It was the battle of the lower priced lines on Wednesday at LG Fashion Week. I had already seen a wonderful collection from Attitude by Sears and it was Joe Fresh turn to showcase the Spring 2010 collection. This season, Joe had Keith Richards’ daughter Theodora opening and closing the show. I have to admit I didn’t know who she was until afterwards.

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The colour palette was very boring to me. Lots of cream and white with yellow, blue and pink thrown in for a few looks. My pictures paid the price with this colour palette. The lighting wasn’t great if you weren’t in the front row and many of my pictures got washed out. I was screaming for something dramatic in the colour department but it never came.  The styling confused me.  Was the show a mix of underwear and outerwear? I saw bras over top of shirts and dresses that looked like shapewear, girls wearing underwear but no bottoms. Sheer shirts and jackets were a big part of his collection which I was expecting from some designers this season since it was so prevalent during fashion month.

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Joe continued the horrible clog trend that Chanel started this season. I’m predicting to hit next summer hard, how awful. Most of the garments where your standard fare. Lots of separates for men and women and cute dresses.

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I wasn’t a big fan of the circular applique details. I wish the shirts that incorporated this detail would use all over instead of leaving the back details free. Thankfully the jacket and skirts weren’t given the same treatment. The eyelet jacket just threw me for a loop, it seemed so out of place.

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Despite a lot of the things I didn’t like there were a few pieces I really enjoyed. I liked a lot of the little white dresses especially the shirt dress versions. I enjoyed the cuffed shorts but not the bloomers. I even liked the high waisted bootie shorts in theory, I’m hoping they aren’t available for sale. I enjoyed the menswear more, it was preppy and sporty. They weren’t wearing clogs, I think that helped too.

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I’m a little bias about Joe, I’ll admit it. I don’t shop there often as it’s out of my way to get to. Whenever I do, I’m disappointed in the selection as it’s never as fashion forward as it projects. I’ve never been happy with the quality, stuff falls apart or pills quickly. That being said, I’m always disappointed when I miss out on Joe gems like the white brogues from Spring 09.

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Out of the battle of the lower priced lines Attitude by Sears won based on presentation for me. I enjoyed the silhouette of the clothing and the colour palette much more. In the quality battle, we’ll just have to wait until Joe Fresh and Attitude by Sears hit the store floors to choose a winner.

Ask a Geek:Alexander Wang Clothing in Toronto

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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 Angela wrote:

where can i buy alexander wang ‘s collection in Toronto other than Holt ??

Hi Angela,

You can find Alexander Wang at Jonathan + Olivia and TNT.

UPDATE:(April 23, 2010) Alexander Wang shoes are available at Holt Renfrew only.

The ROM presents the 4th annual Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture

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There is a completely free lecture happening at the ROM tonight for all you pop culture junkies. See the descriptiom below.

The Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC) at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents the fourth annual Eva Holtby Lecture on Contemporary Culture on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. This year the ICC welcomes Lewis Lapham, editor of Lapham’s Quarterly, who will discuss celebrity in contemporary culture.The lecture begins at 7 pm in the ROM’s Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre, on Level B1.

Admission is free to the public but seating will be available on a first-come first-served basis.

In his lecture, Lewis Lapham will present his unique ideas about fame in modern society, making comparisons to ancient societies and referencing the prophetic writings of Marshall McLuhan, among many other far-reaching concepts. Drawing on his great erudition, his decades of thought about American society and a good deal of humour, Lapham will present a stimulating analysis of our culture’s ravenous need for celebrity and its implications.

Ask a Geek: Places to buy tights in Toronto – Updated December 26, 2009

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I want – I got reader Valerie commented on the post Fashion Trends 2009:

i liked the link about tights. can you recommend places to buy them? (not online)

The link Valerie is referring to is Tightsplease Autumn/Winter Hosiery Trends for 2008/09.

In Toronto/GTA your best bets are:

H&M – Eaton Center is the only H&M I’ve seen with hosiery.
Legs Beautiful – various locations
Holt Renfrew – Bloor Street is probably your best bet
Wolford – Yorkville
American Apparel – various locations
The Pantyhose Shop
Recently Club Monaco has fashion tights for sale
If you are willing to go to Niagara there is the Phantom Outlet
Click Klak – Various locations
The Bay – Various location
Accessity – Yorkville

I tend to troll Winner’s also, sometimes you can find some good deals.

Finding cool tights in Toronto unfortunately takes time.

EDIT: A note about H&M, if you see tights you like, buy in bulk. They are cheap and don’t last very long and their colours and styles rotate a lot, so a favourite colour and style might not be there the next time you go in.

Update October 27, 2009: I recently was in Fashion Crimes and they have a good selection of fun tights.

Update: Dec 26, 2009: Emma mentioned the Gap. I totally forgot about them as they’ve recently introduced tights to their store lineup.

Update: Jan 18, 2010: Urban Outfitters has been suggested too.