All posts tagged: Holt Renfrew

Oscar de la Renta at Holt Renfrew

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So Oscar de la Renta made an appearance in Toronto for a fancy fundraiser and a PA at Holt Renfrew. Unfortunately I was at work during his Holt Renfrew PA. I definitely didn’t have the money to be at his fancy fundraiser either. All I have is these photos that were provided to me by Holts. Maybe one day I’ll get to meet this legend. Holt’s prepared for Oscar’s arrival with dedicated windows. Holt Renfrew unveils its “Croquet, Anyone?” national window installation to celebrate the arrival of spring. Mannequins play with giant mallets and brightly coloured croquet balls inside the windows. “The uncompromising style of C.Z. Guest, the timelessness of Slim Aaron’s photography and the unapologetic spirit of The Official Preppy Handbook were all inspirations for our croquet windows this spring,” says John Gerhardt, Creative Director of Holt Renfrew. “We played with patterns and proportions this national window installation, resulting in whimsical and joyful treatments.” The window fashions take inspiration from the prep-school trend from the spring 2010 collections of designers such as Oscar de …

Celine Spring Summer 2010 Army Jacket

i want: Celine Spring Summer 2010 Army Jacket

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I was doing my regular rounds of Holt Renfrew Bloor Street with The Oracle a few weekends ago. We ran into Tommy Ton of JakandJil. I hadn’t seen Tommy since he started on his adventures during Men’s and Women’s fashion weeks so it was really good to catch up for a bit. I say this to everyone but Tommy is such a sweetheart. The highlight of our catching up was me playing model in Celine for Tommy. I know, it’s pretty lame but simple pleasure right. I’ve always looked, touched and drooled over the Celine pieces in Holts but never dared to try anything on.   With Tommy Ton present I had the perfect excuse. He had me try on two army jackets and I’m posting about the one I really, really love. The jacket is “the sex”. There is something about well made designer goods that just feel like a dream on. If I had to cash to drop on this jacket, I probably would do it in a heartbeat, look at the back of …

Miss J. Alexander, Follow the Model inscription

Miss J. Alexander Celebrity Walk Off at Holt Renfew Video

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A few weeks ago I attended the Miss J. Alexander Celebrity Walk Off at Holt Renfew. The show was a lot of fun and afterwards I got to meet Miss J Alexander himself where he wrote a super cute inscription in his book, Follow the Model. I found some video of the event. There is the official Holt Renfrew video which is a series of clips and interviews and video from youtube which is the complete celebrity walkoff. Holt Renfrew’s Official Video Full Celebrity Walk Off Video Part 1 via djsanfan Full Celebrity Walk Off Video Part 2 via djsanfan

Lanvin Ready to Wear - Fall 2010

What does Barbara think? Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 Edition

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I love it when the WWD asks the buyers their opinions of the collections. I’m always interested in what the buyers/retailers think of the collections. For the last few seasons I’ve been posting about Barbara Atkin’s feelings on the show. Fall Winter 2010 – 2011 is no exception. New York Barbara Atkin, vice president and fashion director, Holt Renfrew: Trends with legs: “The drop in hems of skirts will change jackets and shoes; fabric folding and ruffling; camel, the new color of luxury; high-waisted full pants and bolder shoulders on jackets; enveloping coats; military details; sculptural tailoring and geometric body-conscious clothing.” Favorite collections: “3.1 Phillip Lim for the beautiful shearlings, knitwear, dresses, outerwear and tunics; Victoria Beckham’s sensuous dresses; Michael Kors’ long knit skirts; Oscar de la Renta’s beautiful refinement and Old-World luxury; Marc Jacobs’ simple, elegant clothes; Reed Krakoff’s utilitarian sportswear; Alexander Wang; Philip Lim, and The Row — style that’s relevant to many generations.”(source) Milan Barbara Atkin, vice president and fashion director, Holt Renfrew: “The designer business is on an upswing and our …

Tô Long-nam Spring 2010

Tô Long-nam Spring 2010

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Tô Long-nam is no stranger to I want – I got. I posted about the TÔ Long-Nam Fall 2009 – 2010 Lookbook after I received a great email from him. I also wanted one of his Fall 2009 Jackets. I received another email from Long-nam keeping me in the loop with Spring 2010. I learned about White told me about his involvement with the WHITE and VOGUE introduce project which aims to help emerging designer from across the world. Check out the video, Long-nam’s part starts at 3:13. The collection for spring/summer 2010 is visually a development of the fall/winter 2009 collection. It picks up all the ideas of the previous work such as the pleating in the back, the inset details and the paneled structures of the garments, but translates all this with a much softer approach. In general, the shape for SS 2010 will continue with the slim straight silhouette of the past, but there is a new element which breaks the shape and gives it a new fresh breath. The loose volume …

Miss J. Alexander, Follow the Model inscription

Miss J. Alexander Celebrity Walk Off at Holt Renfew

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Only Miss J. Alexander could have gotten me out of the house on Saturday battling the wind and rain. He was hosting a Celebrity Walk Off at Holt Renfrew which pitted some local celebs against each other on the runway. The winner of the celebs was Ciara Hunt from Hello Magazine. It was well deserved and super cut to see her children cheering her on. Then there was a contest where 10 members of the public were given and chance to impress Miss J.  Auntie Fashion asked me to strut my stuff in the public contest but I was nervous and opted out. The only strutting I do is on my way to work with iPod in ear. I’m sure I’m a spectacle in the Financial District.  I was wearing my hunters that day too. Sorry Auntie Fashion 🙁 The event was one of the best public event at Holts I’ve been to. Despite the weather it was packed in the shoe department. There was a great mix of people. Some people brought there families …

A Rxmance Tshirt

i got: A Rxmance Tshirt

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I got this Rxmance Tshirt at Holt Renfrew the other day. It’s a men’s medium shirt. They didn’t have a small available so I decided I could wear as a dress if I wanted. Just slap a belt on it. So I bought it. I absolutely adore the print and I knew if I didn’t own it I would regret it. images: blackbirdballard.com

bamjamz sleep and lounge wear Bella Donna

geekiviews: bamjamz sleep and lounge wear

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bamjamz send me a tank top in the Sweet Dreamz print from their new line of sleep/lounge wear for review. The line consists of tanks, tunics, shorts, leggings, tshirts and pants. I was interested because bamjamz is Toronto based and they use bamboo fabric. I’m a big fan of bamboo. bamjamzâ„¢ is the latest concept from GUATS Soft Goodsâ„¢ founders Brad Rudin and Adrian Kraizel, that has redefined the concept of “pyjamas” through a fun, sexy and adventurous concept designed to fit the lifestyle of the modern woman – urban, active and spiritual. Made from the softest, coziest bamboo stretch blend fabric, bamjamzâ„¢ delivers a new dimension in natural comfort and performance. This remarkable sustainable and easy to care for fabric breathes, regulates temperature, wicks moisture, controls odour and is hypoallergenic. Sourced from organic and FSC certified bamboo, bamjamzâ„¢ is an all-Canadian collection, having been created in Toronto, designed by Vancouver’s Carol Fergusson and manufactured in Vancouver, with fabric knitted in Montreal. Bamboo is a soft fabric and it’s one of the reasons why I …

DSQUARED² x Holt Renfrew

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Lots of collaborations coming out of Holt Renfrew. Just this week I posted about the exclusive Marc by Marc Jacobs tshirt. Today it’s DSQUARED² creating a limited edition Canadian pride hoodie. They are celebrating the collaboration in Vancouver during the Olympics. DSQUARED², synonymous with trend-setting fashion and imaginative designs, will introduce a limited-edition fleece hoodie paying homage to Dean & Dan’s Canadian roots. An event to celebrate the exclusive collaboration between DSQUARED² and Holt Renfrew is slated to take place on Saturday, February 13, at Holt Renfrew’s Vancouver location, located at 737 Dunsmuir Street, between the hours of 5PM and 7PM. The inspiration for this limited edition piece stems from Canadian pride. The hoodie, which retails for $350 CAD, captures Dean and Dan’s all-original and playful sense of style. “Keep it warm. Keep it real. Keep it Canada,” says Dean and Dan Caten, Creative Directors of DSQUARED². “And don’t ever let them see you sweat… in a sweatshirt!” I had a little sticker shock when I heard the price, $350. I don’t know why I’m …

Marc by Marc Jacobs Loves Holt Renfrew

Marc by Marc Jacobs Loves Holt Renfrew

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A magenta bag was waiting for me when I returned home from work on Friday.  I love unexpected deliveries from Holt Renfrew.  I removed the grey and white tissue paper and was greeted by a black, white and pink box.  I saw the tell tale jumbled letters, it was Marc by Marc Jacobs. I was right, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Holt Renfrew teamed up to create a limited edition tshirt celebrating the winter season.  I absolutely adore that the scene takes place on a chairlift.  It’s a pretty cute tshirt.  I’m wearing an x-small in the photo.  I would have preferred a small just for some extra room.  However, the x-small is comfy, soft and not claustrophobic in anyway.  Breathing isn’t an issue in this shirt. The tshirts are available only at Holt Renfrew all across the country.  The box comes with it too but there are limited quantities available.  It’s pretty sturdy and I plan on storing some jewellery in it.  Danielle from Final Fashion tweeted about her package and asked an important …

geekiviews: Jean Leggings by Joe’s Jeans

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I received a package containing a pair of Zip Ankle Jean Legging in Black by Joe’s Jeans from Holt Renfrew PR just before Christmas. Jean Leggings were never something I would have tried before this package arrived. I hate to say it, I’ve drunk the koolaid, I like them. When I pulled them out of the magenta bag, they looked a little small. I’ve come to realize that you need to buy them smaller than you think. They are denim and do stretch a bit. They are comfortable, it was the first thing that surprised me. They are like wearing non-denim leggings. The fabric is stretchy and soft. The zippers on the side make it easy to put on and remove. I checked out the stash at Holt’s. They have a ton of different styles included distressed denim, acid wash and  tie dye. The price range is $116 – $140. The pair I have are $128. I thought it was hilarious that the distressed denim ones cost $140 even though from a production standpoint I …

geekiviews: Test Driving Shu Uemura False Eyelashes

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I went to the Toronto Meets Tokyo Shu Uemura event at Holt Renfrew a couple weekends ago. I was treated to a make up application that included Shu Uemura lashes. I was going to find out why these lashes are so raved about. TORONTO MEETS TOKYO shu uemura will come to life this Saturday at Holt Renfrew; our principal makeup artist Taca Ozawa will be there to complete artistic makeup for the women who dare to try! Lashes application will be offered, as well as sketches done by a Japanese Manga Artist. The event will take place in the centre court at Holt Renfrew, with models dressed in kimonos and made up with artistic makeup. Taca Ozawa wasn’t my makeup artist. Stupid me didn’t ask/remember her name because I loved what she did. I chose something pretty simple for lashes. The Luxe Black style were huge but not over the top. I didn’t feel like feathers or sparkles at the time. Inspired by the mink false eyelashes custom-ordered by celebrities, this synthetic version features a …

Holt Renfrew Pop-up Shop is now open till December 6, 2009

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I got a sneak peak at the Holt Renfrew Pop-up Shop last night. It’s situated in the Fashion House showroom and is now open to the public. I liked the setup. The Holt Renfrew visuals team came in and gave it a “general store” store feeling. The clothing is casual with a lot of tshirts, relaxed sweaters and plaid button up shirts. Denim was the staple pant but there were a few non denim choices too. There were a lot of non clothing options too like jewellery, candles, bath products, scarves and hats. Great options for gift giving and a smart move with the holidays coming up. I love the Christoper Sherman ties, Philip Sparks curling sweaters, the kick ass Dandi Maestre jewellery and silvery hat. The clothing wasn’t as androgynous as I expected but it does have that unisex feel. There’s also a range in prices. I saw a fabric necklace/scarf thing for $22 $28 and then I would see an oversized Balenciaga Motorcycle bag which is around $2000+. Don’t feel too intimidated, walk …

Hmm, Holt Renfrew has a You Tube channel

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I just discovered the Holt Renfrew You Tube channel. I’ve found myself in a few videos. Holt Renfrew Media Cocktail during LG Fashion Week – I’m towards the end of this video. Seeing this was a surprise and I’m still mad I didn’t see Sam Neill in person. He was looking pretty good too. Stupid, stupid. I was at the Style Rules – Porsche Panamera Launch. I’m showing off my equestrian inspired outfit to the camera. I knew ahead of time that I made the cut for this video. You can see the back of my head in the video for The Sartorialist event. I’m talking to Roz, the stylist.

Sacai Ready to Wear – Spring 2010

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I talked about Sacai knits last year. I’m loving what Spring 2010 has to offer too. Designer Abe Chitose worked at Comme des Garçons and Junya Watanabe for 10 years before starting Sacai in 1999. I’m even surprised by my love of the odd pieces in the collection, the lace and terry jacket or the grey furry one with the white chiffon looking material. Sacai is available at Holt Renfrew. images: The Fashion Spot

Holt Renfrew Style Rules with David Donohue

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After the Philip Sparks Spring 2010 show, I headed over to Holt Renfrew for their Style Rules event. The guest speaker was David Donohue, a professional car racer. We were also introduced to the new four door Porsche sedan, the Panamera. I’m a huge Porsche fan. My dream car is a Porsche 911 Targa. It’s been my dream car for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, I’m not an owner yet. When I heard the Panamera was a four door, I was a little skeptical. However, after listening to David and Porsche Canada’s president talk about the car I began to change. The unveiling sold me, it’s not too bad. It’s larger than the two door models but smaller than the Cayenne. It has all the bells and whistles anyone with money could wish for. They opened the car up and let the guests take a look inside. It was drool worthy. In the end, my favourite car is still the 911 Targa. The Panamera is nice, but not the kind of car I would buy …

Holt Renfrew’s Northern Soul Windows, October 2009

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The Holt Renfrew Bloggers Windows may live on in Google Street View but that is not the case in real life. Currently, the windows are taking on a Canadiana feel, which I very much enjoy.  I walked out of the main doors and hear birds chirping.  At first I thought maybe some birds were holed up somewhere in the rafters.  Then I remembered that the only birds I see around Holts are pigeons.  I realized it was a tape at that point and chuckled to myself. There is a darkness and moodiness  in the windows attracts me.  The I like way it’s used in the colour palette of the clothing and through the richness of the trees and greenery. They evoke the spirit of fall for me.  I want to wear all my fall gear.  Looks like I’ll get that chance from the way the weather it taking a downturn quickly. Set to a soundtrack of birds and woodland sounds, the windows incorporate a mixture of two and three dimensional mediums. Natural settings are created …

The Holt Renfrew Bloggers Windows lives on in Google Street View

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View Larger Map I found out that the Holt Renfrew Bloggers Windows are on Google Street View. It was such fun to have the window for the month of July and I was a little sad when it came down. Then I went to India and the window seemed like such a lifetime ago. The trip changed me a little. All the feeling from July have rushed back with this Google Street View discovery and it’s like experiencing it all over again.

Holt Renfrew Launches Vignettes

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Holt Renfrew Launches Vignettes was their TIFF party this year. The launch party for Vignettes will take place on Saturday, September 12 from 9 PM – 1 AM at Toronto’s Burroughes Building with a performance by The Stills and a special introduction by Coco Rocha. Holt Renfrew is also very proud to announce that the host of MTV USA’s IT’S ON Alexa Chung will be the special guest DJ for the evening. What the hell are Vignettes? Well Holt Renfrew created some short films for their men’s and women’s collections this season. The night was also the debut of my custom made leather dress from Mi Concept. It was a hit. I paired it with Luxury Rebel booties, YSL clutch and a Fizz Amethyst Ring borrowed from the Swarovski lounge at The Four Seasons Hotel. It was a fun evening and I got to reconnect with a lot of fashion friends I missed while away. I didn’t take a lot of photos. I didn’t talk to Coco but I stared at her a lot. She’s …

Pictures with The Sartorialist at Holt Renfrew

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I wrote about Cocktails with The Sartorialist at Holt Renfrew yesterday and I promised you pictures. Here they are. It looked like we wouldn’t get to speak to Scott Schuman at all that night. He was mobbed by everyone. We did manage to get a few minutes to speak to him right at the end of the night as he was being ushered to The Drake. This first shot is hilarious. Danielle and I were talking about it on twitter and I call it Attack of the Fashion Bloggers. Danielle is keeping his attention with the handshake and I’m preparing to bite his head off. LOL. The second photo is the respectable one with Scott looking dapper as all hell. Danielle mentioned that Scott had a great handshake and that is the truth. I love people who have a firm handshake. Something about limp wristed/dead fish handshakes turns me off. Scott came into Toronto like a rock star and he looked like he enjoyed himself aka Hammered! I have to admit that I’m glad he …

Cocktails with The Sartorialist at Holt Renfrew

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I mentioned that The Sartorialist, Scott Schulman would be at Holt Renfrew for a public appearance. I didn’t attend that because I was invited to a private cocktail for Scott later that evening. The attendees included a number of fashion industry types, media and Holt Renfrew customers. People have been buzzing about what to wear to the event for the last week. The crowd didn’t seem any more fashionable than normal, but there were a few over the top trainwrecks that were amusing to behold. What did I wear? I went with what I call my superhero outfit, a Greta Constantine dress called the Kebede after model Liya Kebede. The back reminds me of a cape and all I could think about was flying. You can see the dress in the slideshow below. I grabbed a drink and then was asked if I wanted to do an interview with Fashion Television. Of course, I said hell yes. The interview was done outside by the I want – I got window. I talked a bit about …

Holt Renfrew Reveals Fashion Blogger Windows

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The official Press Release is here: Holt Renfrew Reveals Fashion Blogger Windows. I’ve talked about myself enough so here is a slideshow of the other windows at the Bloor Street store. Images provided by Holt Renfrew. I’m a big fan of all the windows. At first I didn’t understand Bryanboy’s but Jennifer at Fashion Magazine straightened me out. Marc Jacobs did the Posh in a Bag ads which were very similar to Bryanboy’s own Bryanboy in a bag photos. It all made sense after that revelation and I enjoy his window much more. Jane’s was awesome and I loved how all the mannequin looked just like her. There wasn’t enough shoes though. Loved Tommy Ton’s window, especially the screens that were made using images from Jak & Jil. The Sartorialist got the biggest windows and they are pretty cool. Hello, newspaper boxes wrapped in suiting material, LOVE. Garance Dore’s was very French, perhaps the Baguettes were over doing it. I loved the mannequin with the camera the best. If you look close enough you’ll see …