I’m loving the short and flirty dresses from Brose’s spring summer 2011 collection.
Markia used both ostrich and rooster feathers this season. I’m a sucker for feathers done well.
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Holt Renfrew x Marc by Marc Jacobs x VisionSpring
Holt Renfrew and Marc by Marc Jacobs have teamed up to design a limited edition tote bag. A portion of the cost of this Holt Renfrew exclusive will be donated to VisionSpring, a charity that provides low-cost eyeglasses to workers and artisans in the developing work to see.
Due to overwhelming demand the online reservation system is now offline. However, you can purchase the $48 tote at Holt Renfrew locations from September 30, 2010 on a first come first serve basis.
Holt Renfrew was nice enough to send me the Marc by Marc Jacobs tote in blue. It’s a very good shopping tote it’s large and looks like it can handle some weight. It also has a large inside pocket which is great for cellphones and other electronic gadgets. It fits my Kobo reader very well.
i want: Pistol Gun Metal Grey Boot by Acne Studios
I love these Pistol Gun Metal Grey boots by Acne.
Nella Bella Handbags Fall Winter 2010 – 2011
I visited Tarek at his studio to see the fall 2010 collection from Nella Bella. The dark palette has a few spots of colour with gold, plum, red and blue. Textures fabricated this season include suede and paper.
Tarek took me through Spring 2011 (more on that in later posts) and the current Fall 2010 collections. He also generously loaded me up with handbags and send me on my merry way. This meeting was during TIFF so I was getting a little to used to this scenario. I love the Seattle style (pictured at top) bag. The four zippers are used to collapse and enlarge the handbag. It’s nice to have the option of three sizes. His studio building is gorgeous and I had to do and outdoor shoot.
Nella Bella is available in Toronto at:
Body Blue Denim Lab
724 Queen St. W.
Casual Affairs
2873 Bloor St. W.
Envelop
311 Danforth Ave.
Frock
97 Roncesvalles Ave.
Please see nella-bella.com for retailers across the country.
TIFF 2010 – Donato Salon + Spa at The Brill Building
Brill Communications set up a two day mini Donato Salon + Spa at their office, The Brill Building. I didn’t get my makeup done here but I did get my nails done. The nail polish was by celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann. It is amazing.
My first colour was Bad Romance which is a GaGa blackened fuschia (pictured above). I really love this nail polish colour. I visited the Tastemakers Lounge earlier in the day and had a Joe Fresh jade colour put on. It was TIFF and I was feeling indulgent so I had the jade removed and Bad Romance put on. I really do love the sparkly nail polish add purple to that equation and I’m easily sold. The second day I returned and had a combo of two nail polishes put on. The results was a blood red sparkly mix that looked amazing. I can’t remember the rich red colour used but the sparkle was Ruby Red Slippers. I love the names of Deborah Lippmann’s nail polish too.
Check out the Deborah Lippmann’s Steps For The Perfect Manicure video.
Deborah Lippmann nail polish can be purchased at Donato Salon & Spa and Holt Renfrew.
The Last Magazine 5th Issue Launch via People’s Revolution
I got my first email from People’s Revolution during the TIFF madness. I was shocked. I’ve pretty much neglected NYFW because of TIFF but I just had to post about my first contact with this famous company. Thankfully, they sent me pictures of pretty fashion people who were at the fifth issue launch for The Last Magazine.
Last night, the fashion elite sought shelter at The Bunker for the launch of The Last Magazine fifth issue with Kanon Organic Vodka. Designers, editors and VIPs sipped on custom Kanon cocktails while enjoying music by DJs Jon Paul Phillips and James Penfold . Notable guest include; The Last Magazine creators Magnus Berger and Tenzin Wild, Phillip Lim, Richard Chai, Dree Hemingway, Alexander Wang, Alexis Bledel, Chelsea Leyland, Johan Lindeberg, Vanessa Traina, Joseph Altuzarra, Chad Muska, Anja Rubik and many others.
It’s definitely weird getting an email from Stefanie after watching her on Kell on Earth.
El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa – October 2, 2010 – January 2, 2011
El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa
The exhibition is a 40-year career retrospective of Ghanaian visual artist El Anatsui and will be his first solo exhibition in Canada. El Anatsui is the centrepiece of the Museum’s upcoming Season of Africa, an offering of exhibitions, new permanent installations, and a series of public programs and events inspired by African art and culture. El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa will be on display in the Roloff Beny Gallery on Level 4 of the ROM’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal from October 2, 2010 to January 2, 2011.
El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa is a career retrospective of the internationally renowned artist. Best known for monumental wall sculptures made from discarded bottle tops, Ghanaian-born artist El Anatsui, has transformed often-overlooked and discarded materials into monumental visual statements that reference global, local and personal histories, as well as traditional Ghanaian beliefs.
“The ICC is thrilled to present the striking work of world-renowned artist El Anatsui and to offer a robust schedule of engaging public events that will enlighten participants about the multi-faceted, cultural gem that is Africa,†said Francisco Alvarez, Managing Director, ICC . This retrospective has been organized by the Museum for African Art (MfAA), in New York, and will be one of the inaugural exhibitions in the MfAA’s new building, which opens in 2011. Drawing on Ghanaian and Nigerian cultural references as well as global, local and personal histories, El Anatsui’s body of work comprises large shimmering metal wall sculptures, for which he is best known, as well as paintings and sculptures in wood, ceramic and metal. The exhibition features 63 works in various media drawn from public and private collections internationally.
El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa is organized by the Museum for African Art, New York, and has been supported, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
There will be free admission to El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa during the 5th annual Scotiabank Nuit Blanche event on October 2, 2010, from 6:57 p.m. to sunrise. Supporting Sponsor are Moira and Alfredo Romano.
TIFF 2010 – Signed. Sealed. Delivered
There is still time to check out Signed. Sealed. Delivered, a signature memorabilia show which is showing at Gallery One (121 Scollard Street) until September 30, 2010. The pieces are from The Signature Library. Torontonian, Bryan Ulrich has collected signatures of the worlds most famous celebrities for over 20 years. He has the largest collection of Micheal Jackson signatures. It was pretty weird standing in front of the signed Thriller jacket encased in glass. Signed. Sealed. Delivered also has album covers, photos and a number of beautiful guitars signed by rock gods like Brian Wilson, Guns and Roses and Neil Young. I attended the opening party during TIFF and met Bryan later on that night at the after party at Moroco.
i want: Miu Miu Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 Shoes
I’m loving the shoes from Miu Miu this fall. They are part of that ladylike dressing trend but have a bit of an edge to them.
The spats, how can you not love this.
Hudson COLLECTION Fall Winter 2010 – 2011
Designer denim isn’t dead. Holt Renfrew and Hudson have teamed together to bring Hudson Jean’s first high end collection. This collection differs from regular Hudson collections because the pieces are hand made using raw denim and the process is labour intensive.
With the new Collection I wanted to reinvent the idea of traditional denim and tops—its an anti uniform approach. Each piece has so much individuality and lets the wearer express her own style and personality. It is the roots of the HUDSON “way of life”. (lead designer for Hudson Jeans, Ben Tavernit)
Pieces in the line include jeans, tops, dresses and jackets with prices ranging from $145 – $995. Jeans will average around $400. The line is exclusive to Holt Renfrew and is available at the Bloor, Yorkdale and Vancouver locations.
Standard n. Of recognized excellence or established authority.
The common thread within Standard and the foundation of the Collection is Denim. Standard is style that comes from the classic HUDSON aesthetic in its purest form. Denim becomes the new neutral. Standard is both modern and timeless with attention to construction and design. A neutral color palette and uncomplicated washes are in harmony with clean lines and understated design.
- Bodies: Skinny, High Waist, Baggy Skinny, Double Waistband Skinny
- Washes: Rinse Resin, Black and Grey Over-Dye
Bespoke adj. Made to individual order.
Bespoke is rooted in the craftsmanship of fine tailoring. Overlock stitching evokes the process of hand-styling and fitting the garment, which becomes a piece of art even in its unfinished stages. Overlock stitching reveals the construction in streamlined androgynous styles. Menswear inspired suiting details such as trouser pockets and notch-back waistbands bring a touch of masculinity to the refined look.
- Bodies: Skinny, Baggy Skinny, Trouser Skinny, Twisted Trouser
- Washes: Rinses, Coatings, Wool, Textural
Shadow n. A dark figure cast by the body intercepting light.
A Bare minimum of details puts emphasis on the silhouette. Lightweight construction rests on the body like a shadow and accentuates its true shape. An absence of top-stitching, and darts turned inside result in technically challenging construction and a look of unparalleled simplicity. Ultra light silk, stretch and boiled wool in dark washes project a shadowy silhouette.
- Bodies: Skinny, Baggy Skinny, High Waist
- Washes: Denim (rinsed or unwashed), Boiled Wool, Stretch, Silk
D.I.Y. n. An activity in which one does something oneself or of one’s own initiative.
D.I.Y. is hand-styled and unique– the garment becomes infused with the wearer’s DNA. Cut and custom zippers and exposed inner waistbands convey a neo-punk vibe. The look is a reactionary response on an individual scale to modern reliance on mass-production. The emphasis is on individuality and rejecting conformity. Distressed washes and rough details imply a history of interaction with the wearer. Raw edges and exposed hardware come from an innovative attitude that shrugs off the establishment.
- Bodies: Skinny
- Washes: Leather, Wax Coated (Leather look), Wool, Rinses
Tops & Dresses – HUDSON tops employ draping and a mix of textures and asymmetrical shape to play with positive and negative space. The ultra-light fabrications in black and white complement the minimalist palette of the rest of the Collection.
Jackets
