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Ever since 424 Fifth arrived at Hudson’s Bay, I’ve been obsessed. Ladylike silhouettes, high-quality finishes, and a touch of quirk – sign me up! Well, last month, I got to introduce Yorkdale’s latest lucky shopper Emily to the brand and show her three ways of wearing plaid this fall.
More after the jump!
We are almost in September, which means a couple of things – fall and fall fashions. And while I’m certainly not a fan of cold weather, I am usually all about fall collections. Last February, I posted photos from H&M Studio’s Paris Fashion Week show, and now, we finally have official lookbook images, and photos of most pieces that will be hitting the stores on September 4th.
I have my eye on a few things from this collection, including the faux fur jackets, and that gorgeous striped dress. And while I do hope that warm weather will stick around just a bit longer, living in Canada comes with a few certainties, and one of them is – winter is coming…eventually, so it’s never too early to buy a plush faux fur coat.
Will you be checking out the collection next week? Which pieces are you coveting? Share in the comments!
More after the jump!
Be still, my beating heart! Converse x Missoni Fall 2014 collection images are here and they are EVERYTHING. For the record, it took me 3 tries to type the word ‘everything’ correctly, because my fingers are freaking out. First of all, I’d like you to know that I will wrestle you for a pair of those black and white zigzag high-tops, and second of all, September 15th can’t come soon enough, because that’s when this collection will drop in Canada. Also, if you’re on a budget, don’t fret, the shoes are pretty affordable, ranging from $85 USD to $100 USD this time around.
“Since 2010, Converse and Missoni have partnered together to create eight premium First String sneaker collections. Converse First String is a limited-edition collection that celebrates craftsmanship, authenticity and collaboration at the highest level. This fall, Converse and Missoni take their partnership to the next level with an expansive all new Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker offering for both men and women. The new collection features Missoni’s iconic patterns printed on the signature Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck Taylor All Star Fancy sneakers.”
If you are as obsessed about this collab as I am, you will be able to pick up a pair at the following retailers: Town Shoes, Browns Shoes, Little Burgundy, Gravity Pope and Livestock, just make sure to leave a black and white pair in size 9W for me!
More photos after the jump!
One of the best perks of being a blogger is meeting incredibly talented fashion industry insiders – designers, photographers, makeup artists, stylists, editors, PR pros, you name it. And while over the years I’ve met my fair share of famous designers, meeting Zac Posen at Holt Renfrew this week was somehow extra special. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Posen was loveliness personified – approachable, interesting, interested, enthusiastic, and just so nice. In the industry, where poker faces are the norm, and snark is commonplace, it was such a pleasure to meet a designer so friendly and so down-to-earth.
Posen was in Toronto for a special fashion show hosted by philanthropist Suzanne Rogers, with proceeds benefiting Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Boost Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention. The day after the show, the designer stopped by Holt Renfrew to attend the Zac Posen Fall 2014 trunk show, with 10% of all purchases made from the evening donated to The Fashion for Passion Foundation in support of Boost Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention. He circled the room accompanied by Anna van Ravenstein – Pat Cleveland’s beautiful model daughter. Van Ravenstein fluttered around, showing off Posen’s breathtaking Fall 2014 collection, exuding the same boundless energy and playful personality that her famous mother possesses in spades, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
After checking out the collection, making mental wishlists of the dresses that I would buy if I could afford them, I finally got my chance to meet the man of the hour. Along with Hannah Yacobi and her FAJO Magazine team, we chatted with the designer about his Russian heritage (had no idea!), about his show, and of course, fashion. When it came time to snapping photos, after the obligatory “normal” pic, my new BFF turned his face towards me as I turned beet red for a priceless photo. We all laughed, said our good-byes, and he went on to charm the next lucky attendee, as we were left gushing about his loveliness. Just another day in a life of a blogger.
More photos after the jump!
I suppose it’s not a bad thing that spring is taking its sweet time getting here, because last month’s Toronto Fashion Week Fall 2014 shows feel as relevant as ever. Even if I am getting quite fed up with my winter clothes, I wouldn’t mind wrapping myself in some covet-worthy leather jackets, beautiful printed dresses, and fuzzy mohair sweaters that I saw on the runways in March. This season, thanks to Best Buy Canada and VIVA Beauty from Best Buy, I was fully prepared for the craziness of fashion week – my survival kit included a fancy Canon DSLR camera, complete with a brand new SD card, and some beauty goodies to get me through the week looking fresh – it was a lifesaver! This season, I also didn’t attempt being in several places at the same time, but selected a few days and a few designers to support, and I have to say that it really worked out well for me. I didn’t feel as burnt out as usual, and I still got to see and shoot some amazing Canadian designers at work.
One of the highlights of my week was Beaufille. The latest collection from Chloe and Parris Gordon was full of standout pieces worthy of a good catfight. Loose silhouettes, paired with cleverly placed slits and hook-and-eye embellishments, embossed leather and of course the piece that stole my heart – the red moto jacket of my dreams – it was all very wearable, modern, and oozed the cool factor. Definitely my favourite collection from the Canadian sisters. The only thing I hate about this is the fact that I’ll have to wait forever (6-8 months) to get my hands on my fave pieces.
As usual, the Joe Fresh show was complete and utter mayhem. Even without a top model headliner, the show was packed, with people spilling out of their seats, and for good reason too. Once again, Joe Mimran showed a collection of affordable pieces that still managed to get hearts racing, and that will pretty soon be available not only in Canada and the US, but in 23 other countries worldwide! Not too shabby for a brand that began at a grocery store, non?
But despite the big expansion news, Joe Fresh Fall 2014 collection was as Canadian as they come, what with a ton of cute jackets (wool, moto, puffers, you name it!), intarsia sweaters, and faux fur dominating most of the looks. But perhaps because winter and I, we are done professionally, my personal faves were the lovely dresses printed with ethereal images of landscapes and nature. Once these hit the stores, be prepared to fight me for them. Elbows up, ladies!
Pink Tartan Fall 2014 was another collection quite heavily influenced by Canadian winters. While Kim Newport-Mimran stuck to her signature ladylike aesthetic, she mixed in a few unexpected patterns and fabrics, making this one of my favourite Pink Tartan collections ever (with the exception of this one).
The collection was very “glam cocktail hour at the chalet”, what with cozy intarsia sweaters, black and red buffalo check, fur stoles, and ginormous fur mittens, mixed with full skirts, metallic dresses, and leather pants. Practical and chic? I would like one of each, please and thank you.
Always a personal favourite, Mackage Fall 2014 show definitely did not disappoint. With scattered faux maple leafs lining the runway, the models rocked some of the best outerwear pieces I’ve seen all week. Clearly, co-creative directors of the brand Elisa Dahan and Eran Elfassy know what Canadians both want and need from their winter wares – style and function, and boy did they deliver!
Fur trims, quilted leather everything, pops of fuchsia, Black Watch tartan pieces, oh my! It was unfair how good everything looked…and also quite dangerous for my wallet. And don’t even get me started on their bags! Simply put…this collection was the bomb-dot-com.
More after the jump!
Leave it to Karl to transform the magnificent Grand Palais into something so seemingly ordinary as a grocery store for a fashion show. But when all of the groceries, shopping carts and baskets bear the iconic CHANEL logo, the “store” and the fashion show become anything but ordinary. As someone who’s fairly obsessed with all things whimsical and kitsch, I would’ve been all over those CHANEL-branded goodies. After the show, the lucky attendees were allowed to loot peruse the quirky “store” offerings, and the luckiest ones walked away with CHANEL Spaghetti, door mats, rubber gloves, Tweed Cola, and lots more. Best grocery store ever?!
The Fall 2014 collection itself was appropriately fun, what with “Lait de Coco” bags, colourful outerwear, tweed sunglasses, and pop-art faux (?) fur bags – all of it covetable, but definitely not for those that prefer their fashion nice and serious. The people that would be most into this collection are the ones that can appreciate a bit of humour in their daily dressing…so needless to say, I was really INTO.IT!
So what do you think about Karl Lagerfeld’s latest collection? Would you like a tall glass of “Lait de Coco” in your life? Share in the comments!
More after the jump!
Isn’t it funny that H&M Studio collection has become one of my most highly-anticipated shows of Paris Fashion Week?! Mostly, it’s because I know that whatever the design geniuses from H&M will show on that runway, I’ll be able to afford and thus add to my wardrobe. But also, because the last collection BLEW.MY.EFFING.MIND! So with those high expectations in mind, I livestreamed yesterday’s H&M Studio Fall 2014 runway show, watching the H&M-clad glamazons strutting their stuff at the famed Grand Palais in front of 600 attendees, as the up-and-coming French star HollySiz performed live throughout the show. There was also a quick peek at the star-studded front row, which included one of my favest Style Filles Solange Knowles, mocktress Jessica Alba, models Miranda Kerr and Jourdan Dunn, and a gorgeous DJ Leigh Lezark, most of them wearing the latest pieces from H&M.
The collection itself was a glamorama mix of faux fur, modern suiting, and earth tones, with a sprinkle of sequins and stone embroidery. Mini dresses worn with knee-high boots, faux fur coats over slinky dresses, draped blouses under masculine blazers – it was all very wearable, covetable, and hopefully mostly affordable. This season, my wishlist includes a couple of coats, a few dresses, and possibly a pair of boots…I already have way too many, but if they are as comfy as they are cute, I just know I won’t be able to resist.
So, what do you think about H&M Studio Fall 2014 collection? Are you excited that you’ll be able to afford something from the Paris Fashion Week runway? Share in the comments!
See the entire collection after the jump!
Stop whatever you are doing! This bit of news deserves a happy dance! Uber-chic Parisian designer Isabel Marant is the next designer to collaborate with fast-fashion giant H&M. Known for her it-girl-beloved effortless chic clothes, the designer had this to say about the collab: “I am flattered by this collaboration: H&M works with the best designers and this invitation is an exciting honour. I aim at creating something real, that women want to wear in their everyday lives, with a certain carelessness, which I think is very Parisian: you dress up, but do not pay too much attention and still look sexy. The collection is infused with this kind of easiness and attitude. Everything can be mixed following one’s own instincts: my take on fashion is all about personality”. Available from November 14, 2013, in around 250 stores worldwide and online (though sadly not in Canada), the collection will feature clothing and accessories for women and teenagers. Isabel will also, for the first time, create a collection for men.
Exciting, right?! Since I’m still drooling over her Dicker boots many years after they’ve been first released, I cannot wait to see what this collab will look like. I expect a lot of Marant-esque prints, and some cowgirl-inspired pieces like the jeans that Marant is wearing in the photos. For everything else…we’ll just have to wait and see. So tell me, are you excited about Isabel Marant pour H&M collection? Share in the comments!
Photo Credits: H&M
As a huge fan of Canadian luxury label VAWK, I am super excited to share that designer Sunny Fong is collaborating with eBay on a very special capsule collection launching on August 12th (available to September 15th)! The limited edition collection will consist of 7 gorgeous pieces, all priced under $120! Knowing how pricey Sunny’s VAWK designs are, I quite literally jumped for joy upon hearing how affordable this collab is. Picking up a couple of VAWK for eBay pieces is now firmly on my fall calendar.
So tell me, are you excited about this Canadian collab? Which piece(s) will you be buying?
Price list and item descriptions are after the jump.
