All posts tagged: Toronto

IDS10: I want – I got Favourite Things Part 1

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I love wandering the aisles of The Interior Design Show floor scanning for things that catch my eye.  This year Paul and I avoided the products.  We were on a tight timeline and learned what to focus on from last year.  Sleek kitchen appliance and tiling are not things I’m too interested in or have use for on I want – I got.  This is the first post in my three part series called IDS10: I want – I got Favourite Things. Foscarini x Diesel – I couldn’t believe any of these gorgeous fixtures were associated with Diesel. I’m impressed. Tahir Mahmood – This was my absolute favorite artist of the night. The wood mortal and pestles are so beautiful. The fact that Tahir can move from wood to ceramic lamps with ease is amazing. Cubeshops – I can’t believe I didn’t know this store is on Baldwin Street in Toronto. It’s super kawaii and I squealed like a little girl with every new discovery. Science & Sons – This radio totally tugged at the …

Holt Renfrew Extreme Sport Windows

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I think the new Holt Renfrew window display is very fitting for spring. “There was an abundance of sport references in the spring collections and designers like Alexander Wang, Balenciaga and Prada really led the way. Our windows capture this trend and exaggerate it with an ‘extreme’ theme’” says John Gerhardt, Holt Renfrew’s Creative Director. “We were also influenced by the photography of Sam Taylor-Wood who plays with ideas of gravity and weight. In our windows, the mannequins are in a state of suspension, defying gravity while participating in a variety of daring sports.” Systems of bungee cords were installed in each window to suspend the mannequins in place as they mountain bike, skateboard, surf, rock climb, repel and sky dive. All of the finishes and props echo the sport theme and the patterns of the fashions of the spring 2010 season. images: courtesy of Holt Renfrew

Ask a Geek: Where to find Shapewear in Toronto

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Sometimes readers ask me questions. If they are of value to all my readers I post them online. If you have a question, please feel free to submit it using the contact form. I’ll definitely do my best to answer it. I want – I got reader Sabina wrote: Hi Anita, I know you’re a huge fan of shapewear and I would love your advice. I’ve never purchased any before, but require some to wear under my wedding dress. it needs to target my tummy area and doesn’t have to extend that far down my legs (i.e., I’ve seen ‘bike short’ type shapewear and this is unnecessary for me). It has to be in nude. Do you have any recommendations? What sort of price point do your recommendations come in at? Any brands to avoid? Sounds like you are looking for the shapewear that looks like a strapless swimsuit. I’ve never tried one of those on so I can only make recommendations based on experience with the versions that have the leg option. I have …

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 …

Top of The Burroughes New Years Eve Photos

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Oh New Year’s Eve, what a hilarious party. I didn’t take any photos myself but a photographer named Will took a ton of photos and posted them on his website Lost in the WILLDERNESS. My mask is creepy as hell isn’t it.  When I showed it to my cats they were hissing like crazy at me. I’m loving Photoscape.  It’s a great freeware photo editor and it allowed me to combine these photos with ease. images: lostinthewillderness.com

Art Starts presents The Style Council

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2009 was the year of speaking engagements for me. The lovely Rea McNamara created The Style Council (she also got me glammed up as Grace for Eye Weekly). She asked me to facilitate a session on fashion blogging and also give a demo of fashion styling tools: Polyvore, Looklet and Shmmoter. The Style Council is a fashion media program that brings together a collective of emerging writers, stylists, and photographers in documenting their own style, as well as what they see on the very streets they walk. Watch us create Toronto’s first community-driven Stylebook, which will focus on the unique styles of the Dufferin Eglinton / Oakwood Vaughan communities. The Style Council is a pilot program of Art Starts, an arts-based community development organization that has been operating in Toronto since 1992. It was very relaxed atmosphere for this presentation. The girls sat on couches while I talked and showed examples on the projector. I used a shorter version of my Queen’s talk (which I’m still angry about not recording, too nervous). The new aspect …

Mark Fast Cocktail at Ame

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Mark Fast was in town last week for a Spring 2010 preview. I wasn’t able to attend the preview during the day but I went to Ame for a cocktails in his honour. Mark is from Manitoba originally. He studied at Seneca College in Ontario briefly before going to London. He attended the prestigious Central Saint Martins and got his BA and MA. Mark designs by hand on a domestic knitting machine. His work is formed onto the body as he knits, and he has devised innovative stitching techniques, blending lycra with viscose, angora or wool. He is inspired by the endless possibilities of lycra yarns, sculpting areas of tension and areas of volume over the body. Mark’s fascination with the cinema drives his creative process as he channels the energy of the characters who inspire him into his knits. Obsessed with texture, Mark’s most recent work explores the relationship of garments to the wearers body. I didn’t realize the work that goes into a Mark Fast dress until I saw the models milling about …