All posts tagged: Menswear

Balenciaga Menswear Lookbooks Fall 2007 and 2009

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I got the Fall 2007 Balenciaga Men’s lookbook at the Meatpacking district store in NYC. I was there for fashion week and was checking out the stores in the area. I prefer the Fall 2007 collection. It’s very preppy, which was keeping with the Balenciaga Fall 2007 woman minus the lego shoes. The Fall 2009 lookbook I got in the menswear sections of Holt’s bloor street. Not as exciting as the Meatpacking District, le sigh. I like the simple layout of the lookbooks. The format hasn’t changed either, I like that. The Fall 2009 collection is a lot more sleek and angular. I like the use of colours. I didn’t really see the connections with Balenciaga women’s as it was drapey, sparkly and full of prints.

i want: Terence Koh for Converse 1HUND(RED) Artists Chuck Taylor All Stars

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I love the minimalistic nature of these Terence Koh for Converse 1HUND(RED) Artists Chuck Taylor All Stars. Unfortunately, these are for the guys. Not in my size. Boo. I’m a 5.5 Converse! Enlisted as a contributor to the 1HUND(RED) project, Koh’s approach to the design of his shoe focused on subtraction. “I wanted to keep the DNA of the Chuck Taylor intact, while reducing the seams, and smoothing out the shoe’s surfaces as much as possible”. Terence replaced the usual curve of the ankle with a vertical construction to give the shoe a clean square look. A smoothed-out version of the signature Converse tread on the sole combines with a white on white All Star rubber license plate on the heel to round out the ultra-clean look and feel of the shoe. As a contributor to 1HUND(RED), a percentage of the net wholesale price of the shoe will go to help fight AIDS in Africa, giving consumers an opportunity to become agents of change and offering a way to turn design into power. The Terence …

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 …

TEFW – Philip Sparks Spring 2010

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Philip Sparks was the unofficial start to what I’m calling Toronto Extended Fashion Week. TEFW for short. The venue was in the usual haunts of the Burroughs Building. This season they used the bigger section of the 6th floor. They also had a great setup for the lounge area, complete with cheese plates and a DJ. I had a preview of the collection when I got to sit in on the Lookbook photoshoot. The collection included some pieces that I hadn’t seen which was a great surprise. The inspiration this season was cottage life and 1950s Canadian Pacific Railways gatewya ads. The collection featured fabrics like seersucker, cotton voile and ramie. Philip worked with textile designer Kerry Croghan to create his Gone Fishing print. It’s inspired from Thor Hansen fabrics and Canadian souvenir imagaery. These prints were used in shirts and ties. I love the fact that Philip doesn’t shy away from his Canadian roots. He embraces them fully and I really appreciate that love for our history and culture. I’m a born and raised …

i want: Riding Boots with Brown Cuff by Philip Sparks

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When I saw these boots at Philip’s Fall 2009 show I died. I immediately asked if they were going into production and then I asked what the sizing would be. Unfortunately, they start at Men’s 40 which is a 6.5 and too big for me. However guys that doesn’t stop you from getting a pair. The Riding Boots with Brown Cuff can be found at the Philip Sparks online shop. image: philipsparks.com

FASHION Magazine’s Men’s Fall Style Special Event

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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.