All posts tagged: Fall 2009

i got: Luxury Rebel Booties

My Luxury Rebel booties were the talk of the water cooler yesterday at the office.  Many conversations I had revolved around the shoes in various places like the kitchenette while I was making my morning Mate Chino from Tea Emporium or washing my hands in the bathroom.  I found it amusing as this wasn’t the first time I wore them to work. Maybe it was all the flat boots I wore last week and people got used to my real height. I tend to fluctuate in the height department due to my love of platforms and heels. When I was younger, I wanted to be tall. 6 feet was my ideal, although I would have accepted anything 5’9″ and up without complaints. I was a dedicated athlete back then and I had all kinds of plans on how the extra inches could help my game. Alas, my brother got the height in the family, he’s 6’3″. Me, I’m a measly 5’5″.  I shouldn’t complain, I’m still taller than average. I originally wanted these Luxury Rebel …

Nella Bella Fall 2009 Handbags

Some of the best part of writing this blog is meeting amazing designers in this city. One night I was out with friends I was introduced to Tarek Al-azbat. He is a Toronto handbag designer. His focus has been producing handbags for other designers. One of his former clients is Alexander Wang. He has been in the business for 14 years and now he is looking to bring more attention to his own handbag line called Nella Bella. Nella Bella is here to give you another fashionable outlet for vegan handbags. I asked Tarek, why vegan? In addition to the environmental benefits he explained that using PU leather allowed for different fabrications that just aren’t possible with leather. He showed me a black bag with a chevron pattern that is possible with PU but not real leather. Tarek showed me a few different designs. I was impressed with fashion forward styles and you can tell design is just as important as vegan materials. I even got a croc stamped tote to give a test drive. …

Sonia Rykiel x H&M for Holiday!

H&M and Sonia Rykiel president and artistic director Nathalie Rykiel are proud to announce that Sonia Rykiel will be the next guest designer for winter 2009 and spring 2010. The French house founded by the “Queen of Knits” represents the distinctive, modern and impertinent spirit of Paris. This marks the first time that H&M has extended its designer collaboration to the world of lingerie and related accessories for women, with exclusive pieces to be launched in-store on December 5, 2009. The collection will be launched in 1,500 H&M stores worldwide and at the same time, Sonia Rykiel will make this lingerie collection available in Sonia Rykiel’s major boutiques around the world – another first for H&M. Ever fans of surprises, H&M and Sonia Rykiel are pleased to announce a second collaboration for spring 2010, featuring an iconic knitwear collection for women and girls (1.5 to 8 years old) accompanied by playful accessories. This second collection will be launched in around 250 H&M stores on February 20, 2010. (source: H&M Press Release) image: Sonia Rykiel Spring …

i want: Suzi Roher Belts

Suzi Roher Belts is a Toronto based Belt manufacturer. Suzi Roher is the accessory designer behind her namesake company. For 24 years she has been creating luxury belts out of her Toronto studio. She created belts for all occasions and styles. These are the ones I like the best. Suzi Roher belts can be purchased from the online store and don’t forget to check out her blog. images: suziroher.com

FASHION Magazine’s Men’s Fall Style Special Event

I attended the FASHION Magazine’s Men’s Fall Style Special Event last week. I brought The Grumpy Owl with me since he sometimes concerns himself with fashionable things. The party was to celebrate the launch of the FASHION Magazine’s Men’s Fall Style Special supplement. It’s a magazine created by the Fashion Magazine team dedicated to men’s fashion. There were cigars and a small cigar lounge setup outside. The Grumpy Owl bought a nice cigar and enjoyed it on the patio. There were canapes and drinks at the party but we were also treated to a Hugo Boss Fall 2009 fashion show. The Men’s Fashion Fall 2009 supplement is pretty good. I love the product offering and the way they are displayed. There is also a long article demystifying men’s grooming by Andrew Sardone. I LOVE the men’s editorial though. Here are two images to get your hungry to find it.

i want: Straight Leg Trouser by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony

Straight Leg Trouser by Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony When I heard Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony would be a unisex collection I had my doubts. Early photos didn’t turn my crank at all either. However, I’m a sucker for a great pair of pants and Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony delivers for men and women. I also enjoy how they use the male and female together. See the rest of the Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony collection.

Anatomy of a Balenciaga Boot Trend 2006 to 2009

I was browsing the shopnastygal.com site and came across the Sam Edelman Zoe Boot. They look exactly like the Balenciaga Fall 2006 boot. What a to die for collection. 3 years for this Balenciaga boot to be knocked off, interesting. I posted about the Balenciaga Spring 2007 Lego shoe trickle down effect last year. I will have to gather more evidence for my 2 – 3 year public palatability theory of Balenciaga shoes. I’ll be watching. images: shopnastygal.com and style.com

i want: Rihanna Buckle Bootie by Loeffler Randall

I don’t like it when things are named after celebs but I’ll over look that for this boot and the fact that Rihanna is from Barbados. My parents are originally from Barbados and the island is beautiful. You can get the Rihanna Buckle Bootie by Loeffler Randall on their new online store which ships to Canada. Or you can check what pieces Augustina (138 Cumberland, Suite #5,416.922.4248) picked up for the season. image: loefflerrandall.com

The Mi Concept

I first heard of The Mi Concept through a friend. He was insisting I visit and he was going to arrange everything. My friend has just taken a position in the company and was very excited about it. I probed for more information and learned that the Mi Concept is luxury sportswear with a twist, customization. Each piece is made to order based on your measurements. I was intrigued and I immediately googled the Mi Concept when I got home. The main storefront is in San Francisco, there was no mention of a Toronto location (That has changed and the website has been updated). The about page didn’t provide any information on who was behind the label but did explain the concept behind the venture. Mi is a new concept in retail-design project, creative collaboration, clothing collection, art space, atelier. Mi, a collective, creates a collection of discreet luxury-evolved interpretations of classic pieces, making them modern with elegant distortions in shape and design. Almost a severe sensibility. A made to measure atelier service complements the …