535 Search Results for: shoes

i want: UES Fall & Holiday 2010 Sneakers

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Studs really should be on their way out as a trend but I can’t help but like it when it’s done well.  I think it’s the combination of that Chuck Taylor classic sneaker look and the not so obnoxious studding that help in their appeal. Upper Echelon Shoes (UES) was started in New York by Seth Campbell and Nick Cohen in 2005. Their family backgrounds in footwear and jewellery are combined in the UES design style. They have coined it “Shoewelry”. In early 2010 they partnered with Steven Madden in order to advantage of their production and distribution and expand the business. Seth Campbell handles the brand’s design. There are no Canadian Retailers but Zappos.com andSaks.com carry them online. images: courtesy of UES

LGFW SS11: Holt Renfrew Presents Spring Summer 2011

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So it’s LG Fashion Week once again. Toronto now has its own kick at the Spring Summer 2011 collections. The venue has changed to Heritage Court at Exhibition Place. It’s a lot roomier and there are lots of bathrooms. Getting into the runway room is alway a chore and that hasn’t changed. I love the exposed brick but I wish it was on both sides of the building. The non brick side could have used some extended curtains but I’m getting a little nitpicky here. Overall, decent except for the bad sun glare at the end of the night. Monday night saw Holt Renfrew bring its traditional media cocktail party to the runway. We saw some of the best of Canadian fashion in one runway show. Denis Gagnon, Jeremy Laing, Lida Baday, Line RUNWAY, Mikhael Kale, Pink Tartan, Smythe, Wayne Clark and Wings + Horns all presented several looks from their spring summer 2011 collections. This show was also a sneak peek at the upcoming Pink Tartan and Line Knitwear shows. The runway show didn’t have …

i want: Givenchy Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 Boots

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My fall 2010 dream shoes are Givenchy. They come in many different options: sequined, leather, patent leather, velvet and wool.  They also come in different heights. The boots remind me of witches and grunge. Thankfully they have a zipper in the back of the shoe so you don’t have to lace anything up. Very smart. I spotted these pair of Givenchy boots in the wild at Holt Renfrew. They are ridiculously gorgeous and expensive.  I’ll just admire from afar. images: givenchy.com

Celine Spring Summer 2011

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Celine is another designer line that didn’t have my undying love right from the photos.  I had to see some video evidence first.  The videos brought me back to the Celine reality: beautiful clothing that I want to wear. It’s a looser fitting collection that is missing some of the Celine sleekness from previous seasons.  There are rich colours and vibrant prints to keep the collection from being completely white or ivory.  This season I’m loving the tunics (even the japanese denim one) and white shirts. I’m usually all over the shoes but the ones from the collection are pretty but boring. I’ll have to wait until the website is up to see what else is out there. I love Vogue.it. It lists the fabrics used in the show: denim, canvas, cotton poplin, silk, silk cady, parachute silk, nappa and silk crêpe. This is the Celine bag that I will be talking about till fall 2011. Love the shape and colour. This video features Tim Blanks from style.com talking about the collection. This is a …

CYDWOQ Fall Winter 2010 – 2011

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CYDWOQ shoes always intrigue me I see them in the stores. They have a striking design style. They are a little bit clunky but exquisitely crafted. I was sent the lookbook and a press release that also gave me some background on California based CYDWOQ and founder Rafi Balouzian. Rafi comes from a long line of shoe-makers and he started CYDWOQ in 1996. He grew up hanging around the family factory in Armenia and made trips to Italy and France. All this time he was learning the shoemaking process from great handcrafted leather artists. Rafi’s son, Ari is the designer and Creative Director for CYDWOQ. CYDWOQ design influences include nature, architecture, automobile design and old films. The shoes are handmade using the best Italian hand painted leather. Natural choices dominate the CYDWOQ product. In shoe construction, the uppers are hand-lasted to the leather insoles using water-based biodegradable glues. Once inspected, the shoes are packed in distinctive cotton bags and recycled cardboard boxes. It is one of the world’s most ecologically responsible shoe firms, setting the …

Dr. Martens on Queen

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There is a new Dr. Martens store on Queen Street. It’s taken over the old Neon Clothing space. The store’s décor is based around the furniture and fixtures you could expect to find in the raw and industrial Northamptonshire, England factory. Reflecting the sense of craft involved in Dr. Martens boots and shoes, all fittings used in the store are authentic and durable. In addition to Dr. Martens Originals that have become known around the globe, seasonal merchandising will support the contemporary expansion of the brand. As Dr. Martens continues to identify creative individuals around the world, limited edition collaborations will be released and featured in the new Queen Street location. This location has so many styles of Dr. Martens to choose from, it should satisfy most people’s needs. All the abstract colours are available like purple, yellow and the metallics. I love that there is a Dr. Martens store in Toronto now. I could see a major addiction for 20 hole boots developing if this store was open during my high school and university …

Hudson Collection Social

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The Hudson COLLECTION launched at Holt Renfrew with a Social that included a DJ, mocktails and models. Hudson reps were on hand to talk about this exclusive to Holt Renfrew collection with customers and help them discover the perfect pair. It was my first time seeing the collection in person and I’m a fan. I even purchased a great tank top with an asymmetrical tail on it. It reminds me of coattails and I can’t wait to bust it out. I’m thinking a pre-LGFW debut or perhaps during LGFW. My favourite pieces of the collection were the D.I.Y style denim that incorporated leather into waistbands and hems. Of course these were the most expensive denim pieces, ha. My eyes and hands are drawn to expensive. There are lots of skinny leg options in the collection. The tops were versatile. The cowl neck long sleeved top and the tank can be worn in many different ways. I live for stuff like that. I loved the jackets, in particular the wool jacket with the large cowl that …

Balenciaga Spring Summer 2011

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I’m usually a solid Balenciaga fan but the spring summer 2011 collection made me think. There was no immediate reaction of adoration for the clothing. I wasn’t a big fan of the first half of the collection but liked the second. It’s taken me a bit of time to absorb what I’ve seen. This rockabilly version of Balenciaga has me loving classic things like pants and that printed denim.  They look so roomy and comfortable. There are also some sweet little jackets in the collection.  I’ll take a red leather Balenciaga coat please. Balenciaga also introduced watches this season which were inspired by an antique clock in the atelier. I did have an immediate reaction to the shoes and that was love. It’s apparently the first time Ghesquière has show flats at Balenciaga. Shoes like this remind me of my first pair of Dr. Martens. They were low cut, pointy toe, black patent leather creeper like shoes. I loved them to pieces. I love the visual of the shoes and that crazy floral denim. The …

3.1 Phillip Lim Spring Summer 2011

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3.1 Philip Lim surprised me a lot this Spring summer 2011 season. The line is one that I ignore during the show season and then revisit when it’s in the stores. The 3.1 Philip Lim Spring Summer 2011 collection is amazing. It’s definitely one of my top shows of the season.  Nice use of sheer, sporty looking and easy to wear. I wasn’t a big fan of the shoes though. The handbags are amazing too. Give me a satchel bag and I’m set. 3.1 Philip Lim has a variety of sizes to choose from. We have full length video for the 3.1 Philip Lim Spring Summer 2011 fashion show. The set is gorgeous. images: style.com

Mary Katrantzou Spring Summer 2011

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Mary Katrantzou said, “With this collection, I wanted to put the room on the woman, rather than the woman in the room.” She used images from old Architectural Digest and World of Interiors issues for her surreal-like prints. To finish off the look she added trompe l’oeil details to fool the eye even more. The collection just makes me giddy. It’s so inventive and fun. I can’t help but smile. I want to be the person to walk into a room wearing a Mary Katrantzou. You become a walking piece of art. The shoes are cute too. The full Mary Katrantzou Spring 2011 fashion show video is up. Everything looks so good in motion. images: style.com