Remember that time I told you about my photoshoot with Lily & Lilac for Ben Barry Models? Well, here is the result! It was so tough to choose the photos to put into my book, but with some helpful advice, I chose these four. What do you guys think?
Photography by Lily & Lilac
Makeup by Boriana
Styling by yours truly
I Wore: 1: Dress – Zara; Jacket – Club Monaco; Boots – Proenza Schouler; Tights – H&M; Necklace – Forever21; 2: Dress – Lanvin for H&M; Turquoise Ring – YSL; Black Ring – H&M
This is my seasonal challenge with Toronto Fashion Week(s)…attend the shows, get a feel for my favorites and then…delay posting them. Sorry if this comes a bit late, but some rest (and reflection) was in order. So now that I’m somewhat refreshed and ready to go, I give you my favorite looks from LGFW Fall 2011 shows.
Having written about VAWK already, I have to say that it was my favorite of the season, but there were definitely some notable looks from other collections that caught my eye.
1. RUDSAK
In Canada, we spend most of the year bundled up…And what I love about RUDSAK is that they prove time and time again that you don’t have to look like Michelin Man in order to stay warm. The variety of gorgeous leather coats, fur collars, interspersed with smart knit detailing really made me want to throw away my old Aritzia parka, in exchange for a more grown-up coat. It’s on my list for next fall. Stay tuned.
2. Juma
The Juma show, made my heart skip a beat with their gauzy dresses in beautiful prints. Pants and anoraks were also on my “must buy” list, with their perfect flow and fit.
Not part of LGFW, but rather the Rogue Fashion Week, Greta Constantine never disappoints. My favorite looks consisted of GC signature jersey gowns in deep rich shades – which looked comfortable enough to lounge in, yet glamourous enough for the red carpet. Love.
The show started out strong, with exposed zippers, leather and sheer detailing galore - kick-ass and feminine all at the same time. The second part of the show, however, was much more…ahem…daring - visions of tinsel, Christmas, and Halloween came to mind, as well as Lindsay Lohan for Ungaro (rosettes on boobs? come on!). But I guess we can just forget about the second part, and focus on the leather detailing and the sheer maxi skirts for now, which really were pretty amazing.
The final show of LGFW, with an encore to boot, LINE was one of the must-see collections of the season. And though lately, there’s a lot more to LINE that just knitwear, I loved their crochet and knit pieces the most – that yellow maxi dress was perfection!
What about you? Did you attend any of the shows this season? Any items on your “must-buy” list for fall? Share in the comments.
Photos: Greta Constantine, Amanda Lew Kee, Juma, Line Knitwear - by Jenna Marie Wakani via Toronto Life; Rudsak – via Rock-it Promo Flickr
I already shared my Prom (horror) story with you, and as you might know, because of it, I got to attend Prom at the ROM: Into the Wild fundraising event last month. As the theme of the evening suggested, attendees had to go wild with their outfits, and oh-so-many of them really did! There were animal ears and tails, feathers, masks, and animal prints galore (oh my!) - all in support of the Young Patrons’ Circle.
Le boyfriend and I had a blast of a time, and I was just a tiniest bit disappointed that no slow songs were played (the DJ told us that he wasn’t allowed)…what’s a Prom without any slow jams? Nevertheless, we still enjoyed the night, met some fun people, and snapped photos of the wildest attendees at every opportunity. I think my second go at Prom was much more successful than the first…and as an extra bonus, le boyfriend and I can now truthfully say that we were each other’s Prom dates. Yeah, yeah…we’re that couple. Don’t judge!
More after the jump!
Is there a brand more Canadian than Roots? With the exception of the signature HBC stripes, Roots is a company I think of, when I think of Canadiana. But looking at their Spring 2011 collection – no maple leafs in sight, all I could think of was…STYLISH!
Roots shoes and bags have become increasingly popular in the last few years - mainly because of the quality (which is superb), and the variety of styles available. Admittedly, though I don’t own any Roots leather pieces of my own, I was really impressed with the company’s Spring 2011 collection – supple leathers in colors ranging from sandy brown to hot pink, comfy-looking (and yet still stylin’) boots, leather vests, sophisticated shapes, and clothes that are perfect for layering. Impressive, indeed.
My favorite pieces were definitely the ones made with colorful leathers…yellow, orange, pink, and camel - amazing for those sunny days ahead! The below two-tone messenger bag was one of my faves – a perfect blast of color for practically any outfit, no?
So if you haven’t checked out Roots Spring 2011offerings yet, make sure to stop by a store near you, because beyond the usual medley of hoodies and athletic pants, their leather goods might just make you rethink your next designer bag purchase – the quality of leather is that good.
More photos after the jump!
If every lunch break could include a chi-chi meal with Toronto’s most stylish, I’d be one happy gal. Last week, despite a harrowing schedule of month-end (at work), and LGFW (at Heritage Court), I made a dash to Boehmer restaurant to get a glimpse at Fall 2011 collection of EDIT by Jeanne Beker.
With Canadian fashion rockstars (HBC CEO Bonnie Brooks, Flare’s Lisa Tant, and Bernadette Morra of FASHION Mag count, right?) present and seated, Jeanne spoke of her line’s fall collection, the addition of more Plus-sized items and denim, once again adamant that she is not yet another celeb designer – she just has a real knack for picking and choosing all the right pieces to create a covet-worthy wardrobe for any woman.
Some of my favorites included a Pea-vest (peacoat + vest combo, or a sleeveless wool vest, if you’d like), which would look terrific layered over a leather jacket, an easy Equipment shirt (which comes in 5 colors), a sequined party vest, and a Burberry-esque Sherling aviator jacket - all versatile pieces that my closet desperately needs. It was also nice to see Peace, a Ben Barry model and a true size 18, rocking pieces from EDIT’s plus-size collection - looking just as stylish, as her skinnier counterparts. Diversity in fashion? It’s happening.
All in all, I was once again impressed with EDIT by Jeanne Beker pieces, which were classic enough to suit just about any woman’s lifestyle, yet with just the right amount of edge. The collection is well-priced, and the hottest items usually sell out within days (at least in Toronto, they do). Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Have you bought any EDIT pieces for yourself yet? Share in the comments.
EDIT by Jeanne Beker and Jeanne Jeans are available at The Bay stores nationwide.
Tablemates: eTalk’s Sasha Tong and Julia Seidl of Style Hog
Hip Urban Girl Lisa, and one half of Toronto is Fashion – Marc.
Photo Credits: All photos by Style Blog, final photo by Richard of Toronto is Fashion
VAWK, presenting at LGFW for the very first time, was the one show I was looking forward to the most this spring. After hearing so many wonderful things about Sunny Fong’s previous collections, and seeing the label in person at The Room, I was ready for a closer look at the VAWK world.
When I told le boyfriend excitedly about the upcoming VAWK show, his first question was: “Is Vawk a type of a Viking Hawk?“…Umm, no it is not, and he was only half joking. For those that aren’t familiar with VAWK (aka ”Viking Hawk”), it is a sophisticated ready-to-wear Canadian label for a confident modern woman – luxury and all.
My anticipation and excitement were totally justified. Sunny Fong’s Fall 2011 collection was full of lush Mongolian furs, cream knits, teal coats, mixed in with a dose of leopard print and leather - all to die for. After a first few looks, I lost track of all of my “must-haves”, realizing that I will definitely need to ask for a lot more Bay gift cards for my birthday. Another really amazing thing about the label is their support of diverse models on the catwalk – Helen, a 63-year old Ben Barry model, walked to roaring applause, rocking the low-cut black sheath better than some stick-thin young-thing ever could.
Overall, the clothes were gorgeous, wearable, and grown-up - pieces I wouldn’t mind splurging on. The painstaking details are really what set Sunny’s work apart from the rest - his clothes are beyonditricate – delicate with an edge. Even model Tori Leach, closing the show, seemed blown away, as she nearly fell on the runway, with Sunny catching her in his arms – hands down, my favorite moment of LG Fashion Week this season.
Now, I am not going to lie and tell you that I wish fall was here again (summer! now!), but when it is…I do hope that I have a VAWK piece or two in my closet to get me through the weather – full on Viking Hawk styles.
More photos after the jump!
As you might remember, last Christmas was my very first time visiting the One of a Kind Show! And boy, did I have fun! This time, le boyfriend and I headed out full of high expectations, eager to discover some new artisans and do some shopping. Once again, we were not disappointed.
The Spring 2011 show featured hundreds of talented artisans and I had to exercise a lot of restraint not to end up going way over my budget, especially when it came to gorgeous jewelry! There were just so many amazing pieces to covet – too bad I couldn’t buy them all. Here’s the rundown of some booths that caught my attention.
Custom-made fragrances are as fancy as it gets, and Aromachology offers just that – mix and match your fave scents to make something truly unique for yourself, or for someone special.
Oh, this booth…I oohed and aahhhed for close to 15 minutes, while the patient (and lovely) brother/sister duo Laura and Andrew Floyd of atelier l.a.f. helped me pick out a piece for myself. I settled on a pair of La Cuerna earrings, though if I could, I would probably buy the entire collection.
The food aisle was unanimously voted our favorite of the day – food samples, anyone? And though my macaron from Sweet Definition was stale, the flavours were just right. I am hoping that this was due to the fact that we got there pretty late in the day, and got one of the last few macarons. I am definitely going to give Sweet Definition another chance to prove that their macarons are crave-worthy. But next time, I am showing up early.
Hoi Bo was one of the booths I actually searched for. And while last time, I fell in love with their beautiful leather jackets, this season, I left wanting one of their gorgeous silk dresses – so simple, and yet so powerful. If you missed them at the show, you can still pay them a visit at their Distillery District studio.
More after the jump!
