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What They Wore: Holt Renfrew Knot on My Planet


Approximately 20,000 elephants are killed every year for their ivory. Scientists and conservationists warn that at this rate, both African and Asian elephants will be extinct in the wild within our lifetime, which is a horrifying thought. What makes this worse is that ivory trade is not banned in Canada! Since 2018, Holt Renfrew raised more than $250,000 in support of #knotonmyplanet to benefit the Elephant Crisis Fund, a joint initiative of Save the Elephants and the Wildlife Conservation Network with the goal of ending the ivory crisis and secure a future for elephants. Last night, supermodel and Global Ambassador of #knotonmyplanet Doutzen Kroes along with Alexandra Weston, Divisional Vice President, Brand and Creative Strategy, Holt Renfrew hosted a cocktail party to celebrate the national charity shopping weekend – Sep 7 and 8, with the aim of raising another $200,000 for the Elephant Crisis Fund.

“We hope, through our retail platform and as a leader in the industry, to use our voice to further amplify the incredibly important conversation around saving the elephants and wildlife conservation as a whole,” said Alexandra Weston. “This is an incredibly rewarding partnership that everyone can be a part of and is creating positive impact in the world.”

If you love elephants and want to do something about this crisis, there are a few things you can do to help. You can shop the adorable limited edition #knotonmyplanet collection, including Kotn tees, sweatshirts, socks, and more ($20-$125) at Holt Renfrew stores and online, with 100% of the profits going to the Elephant Crisis Fund. You can snap photos of the elephant-inspired artwork at the Bloor St store and spread awareness to your friends and family. And you can sign this #IvoryFreeCanada petition to stop the ivory trade in Canada, because killing majestic creatures for the sake of a silly trinket is both cruel and pointless.





More photos after the jump!
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Shopping: Holt Renfrew H Project Spring 2018


Just before Christmas, I got to preview Holt Renfrew’s H Project Spring 2018 collection with a special focus on clean beauty, sustainable and ethical production, and brands that give back to charities. There was so much to love, I couldn’t wait to shop these products. Well, the wait is almost over, as H Project items are now arriving in stores across the country.

In February, clean beauty products, including makeup, skincare, and haircare from brands like Ilia, Lilah B, Kosås, Osea, and lots more hit the stores. And whether you choose the 100% natural Tata Harper body scrub, or the vegan and cruelty-free advanced protection cream from Osea, or the most amazing organic salt spray from Rahua, the new clean beauty H Project arrivals will have you looking your very best this spring.

The fashion arrivals are equally tempting, with cute pieces from Kotn, designed in Toronto, ethically-made in Egypt, with profits from special pieces to be donated to the Elephant Crisis Fund, to seriously cool jeans from Outland Denim – a brand that not only gives back to anti-trafficking groups that rescue and rehabilitate victims of sex-trafficking, but empowers and employs these vulnerable women to provide them with a living wage.

If you’re into fun prints and beautiful boho dresses, then you’ll be obsessed with everything from Lalesso – a brand with a sustainable and conscious mindset, with all garments produced in Africa, supporting the local workers and industry. The H Project Spring 2018 collection also includes cool jewelry and accessories. My faves are from Mercedes Salazar – cutest bags and earrings (created by Colombian artisans) that are guaranteed to spice up any outfit.


And that’s just to name a few! Lots and lots of other gems are part of the H Project Spring 2018 collection, and you should most definitely check them out in stores this spring…I know I will. Check out more photos after the jump and share your faves in the comments!
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What They Wore: Boobyball Toronto 2017


Boobyball has become one of my personal fave parties of the year; a party that puts fun in fundraiser (raising money for Rethink Breast Cancer), can pack a huge club to the brim, while still somehow making the entire affair feel intimate. This year, the theme was Get Physical, and the organizers had really outdone themselves, transforming REBEL into the 80’s/90’s wonderland, complete with gigantic Rubik’s Cubes, tables wallpapered in old teen mags, photobooths aplenty, old-school arcade games, and even an all-pink faux gym/locker room. There was so much fun to be had, and just as much food to go around with catering by the (amazing) Food Dudes and Nando’s, as well as sweet treats from Krispy Kreme and Sweet Jesus, and an open bar stocked with delicious drinks and Flow water. I may or may not have eaten way too many donuts, but probably worked them off on the dancefloor because the DJ was on fire that night (or is it lit?).

The best part of this year’s Boobyball, however, was people-watching. I loved how committed some of the attendees were to the theme. Neon windbreakers, scrunchies, leotards, legwarmers, mullets…you name it, we saw it! It made me kinda-sorta regret not dressing more theme-appropriate, though I do love the blinding sequin dress that I wore that night.

If you live in Vancouver, Ottawa, or Halifax, there’s still time to get your tickets to the Boobyball party in your city. Just a word of advice – more is more when it comes to dressing for Boobyball – bring your 80’s/90’s A-game!

Have you ever been to Boobyball? Share your fave moments in the comments.




More photos after the jump!
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Holidays 2016: Best Beauty Gift Sets to Buy Now

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Despite what the weather outside would have you believe, we’re only a month and a bit away from Christmas, and if like me, you’ve been too distracted by the US election and this beautiful weather to even think about Christmas shopping, then this post is for you. I’ll be doing a usual gift guide a bit later in the month, but today’s post is dedicated to those beauty-obsessed people in your life.

Holiday time is the best time to buy beauty goodies for several reasons – not only are sales in full effect (Black Friday is coming, y’all!), but the stores are full of beautifully-packaged gift sets that offer amazing value as well. Just yesterday, I stopped by Sephora to grab a Caudalie gift set for $52 ($78 value), which contains a full-size serum that I use every day, and which normally costs $57! Even without the 2 additional products, this gift set is an amazing deal. Of course, not all gift sets offer this kind of value, some are just super-duper limited-edition, like this beautiful Pat McGrath Labs Metalmorphosis kit ($195). I don’t know any beauty junkie who wouldn’t be ecstatic to unwrap a gift like this on Christmas morning.

And then there’s another type of a beauty gift set – one that offers more than just beauty. At a recent holiday preview for The Body Shop, I learned that the company will restore 1 square meter of rainforest with every specially selected gift set purchased. How wonderful is that? And the best part is that there are so many fantastic gift sets to choose from!

Exclusive gift sets and value sets are all over the place right now, and whether you’re shopping to treat yourself or for a loved one, there’s no better time to pick one up. Below are a few of my favourites. Share your faves in the comments!

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Shopping: Holt Renfrew’s H Project x ela Handbags x Burt’s Bees Collaboration

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It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of ela Handbags. Each season I try to add at least 1 piece of ela’s special brand of “humble luxury” to my wardrobe, and I am always tempted to buy more, as cool new styles arrive. Well, now, thanks to the new collaboration between Holt Renfrew’s H Project, ela Handbags, and Burt’s Bees, there’s yet another ela bag that I have added to my bag rotation, and it’s a good one!

H Project has partnered with ela, Canadian accessories brand co-founded by Ela and Martin Aldorsson, and Burt’s Bees, to create an exclusive, limited-edition ‘editor’s pouch’ in support of Pollinator Partnership Canada– the largest non-profit organization in the world dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems. The pouch was designed in Canada, featuring a stunning floral motif, and comes with three beautiful Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Crayons – all that for only $50! 100% of proceeds will go to the Pollinator Partnership Canada, so you can feel even better about your purchase.

The clutch will be available at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada starting May 1st, just in time for Mother’s Day. Share your thoughts in the comments!

Photo Credits: Holt Renfrew

When Pepper Met Nelly – My Personal Pet Adoption Story

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If you follow me on Instagram, you must be very familiar with Pepper, my adorable and slightly fat black cat. Pepper has been in my life for over 7 years now, and every single morning, I get out of bed with a smile thanks to his furry face purring next to me. And while most of his life, he’s been spoiled and treated like feline royalty, he wasn’t always the pampered cat that he is today.

On my 23rd birthday, a friend and I made our way to an animal shelter in Toronto. My cat Scratch passed away a couple of years before that, and I finally felt ready for another pet in my life. As we walked through the shelter, we saw many animals in need of loving homes…it crushed me. I wanted to adopt every single one of them, but I knew that I had to choose one. After looking for a while, I noticed a tiny black kitten in a cage, and went to take a closer look. He sneezed a lot and looked weak, and as I picked him up and looked into his adorable kitten face I knew that Ethenol Pepper and I would be fast friends. After filling out adoption papers, Pepper came home with me, and has been part of my family ever since.

A while ago I read a piece of research that claimed that pet owners are happier people, and I truly believe this. While my husband and I were looking for a house, and Pepper had to live with my mom, I missed him like crazy. I missed his head-butts, I missed picking him up and having him purr into my ear after a long and stressful day at work, I missed playing fetch with him; I even missed errant toilet paper wrapped around his food bowl. Now that we are reunited again, I can’t tell you just how much joy this ball of fur brings to my life on a daily basis. Even my husband, the self-professed dog person, is now on team Pepper. These days I can often find the two happily snoozing on the couch together, Pepper on Rob’s belly, looking like he owns the place.

There’s no doubt that Pepper has a great life, but not all animals are this lucky. Every day, hundreds of beautiful animals at shelters across the country are in need of permanent loving homes. There are puppies, kittens, and of course, grown cats and dogs, waiting to be rescued…even pure breeds! And once you’ve been to a shelter, you know just how important it is to adopt animals instead of buying them.

Beginning November 1 and until December 31st, the Ontario SCPA will be running the iAdopt for the Holidays adoption drive which aims to change the lives of orphaned animals, and raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption during the holiday season. If you’ve been thinking about bringing a pet home this holiday season, I urge you to consider pet adoption.

If you’re not sure what type of dog or cat to adopt, you can use Link to Meet Your Match survey tool, which helps evaluate an animal’s personality and behavior and matches them to an adopter’s preferences so they can take home a pet they can really click with.

So if you are ready to bring a furry friend home, please, please, please visit your local shelter, and participate in the iAdopt for the Holidays program. Not only will you be saving a pet’s life, but you will also be enriching your own in many wonderful ways. And once your pet goes home with you, another will be able to take its spot at the shelter, giving another animal a chance at a happy life.

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Read more pet adoption stories and share your own on iAdopt.ca!

This post was brought to you by the Ontario SPCA. All opinions are my own.

H&M’s New Discounts for Recycled Clothes Initiative

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Need another reason to love H&M? Here’s a big one! Starting February 2013, H&M stores worldwide will be introducing the new garment collecting initiative. Each store will be equipped with an I:Collect bin, and for each piece (or bag) of clothing recycled (no matter the condition), customers will be given $5 vouchers to spend on their next purchase of $30 or more. In turn, I:Collect will collect the garments, and reprocess them into new clothes. Easy, and good for the environment. It’s a win-win in my books.

“Every year, tons of textiles are thrown out with domestic waste and end up in landfill. As much as 95% of these clothes could be used again; re-worn, reused or recycled — depending on the state of the garment. Long-term, H&M wants to reduce the environmental impact of garments throughout the lifecycle and create a closed loop for textile fibers.”

Will you be taking advantage of this new environmentally-friendly initiative? I know I will.

You Are Invited: Meet Margherita Missoni at Holt Renfrew in Toronto!

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When: November 8, 2012 at 5pm
Where: Holt Renfrew Bloor Street

For months now, I’ve been stopping by Holts obsessively to inquire about a certain Missoni Elephant, with sales associates giving me “the look” and telling me to check back later…well, no more! Margherita Missoni, Chief Accessories Designer of Missoni, will be making a public appearance at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street on November 8 at 5:00 p.m to launch the highly-anticipated (by me) world-exclusive Missoni Bear and Elephant toys ($50), with proceeds benefiting OrphanAid Africa. Not only are these stuffed animals the cutest things I’ve seen in the longest time, but you’ll be buying something that will assist a great cause too!

“I began volunteering with OrphanAid Africa nine years ago, in its early days,” said Margherita Missoni, President of OrphanAid Africa Italia. “To see the changes and impact we have made to better the lives of children is incredible and rewarding. We are very pleased to have joined forces with Holt Renfrew. The funds raised will further strengthen our cause.”

I was advised that the collab will hit the floor on November 1st, so if you get there before me, make sure to save me an elephant! See you there?

Photo Credits: Holt Renfrew

TIFF 2012: Inside TIFF Gifting Lounges

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As promised, here’s a little insider’s look into the world of TIFF gifting lounges! And let me tell you, it’s good to be a celebrity, visiting Toronto, and being showered with gifts and pampered to the max! And sometimes other lucky lounge guests enjoy the perks…and then blog all about it! Enjoy!

1. Tastemakers Lounge

The first lounge I visited this year was rock-it promotion’s Tastemakers Lounge. And I was definitely in good company! This year, celebs like Emily Blunt, Kristen Stewart, Adrian Grenier, and Eli Roth stopped by to check out the goodies and get refreshed.

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And there was no shortage of goodies…from sexy La Senza underthings, to stylish Yorkdale offerings (Tiffany’s, anyone?), to yummy Popchips, to even yummier Demeter Fragrances, we could hardly keep up!

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There were also fun and useful Bobble bottles with built-in filters, sweets from Le Dolci, skin rescue from Indeed Labs (yes, please!), and manpering (man pampering) from John Allan’s! Just like interior designer Hilary Farr, I got my nails did, courtesy of imPRESS, grabbed a hot tea from the Tea Emporium, and went back to work, weighed down by a heavy swag bag. Wish I had an entourage to help me out.

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Read on for more TIFF swag!

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Don’t Miss This Week: TFI 25

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Today is the LAST DAY to purchase tickets to the Toronto Fashion Inclubator’s 25th anniversary gala at The ROM on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012!

Sponsored by the likes of P&G Grooming, Yorkdale Mall, Flare Magazine, Nella Bella, Barbie, TNT and many more, this gala is going to be amazing! Net proceeds from TFI25 will benefit the Toronto Fashion Incubator, the world’s first fashion incubator and an award-winning non-profit centre for fashion entrepreneurship. And, I mean, Suzanne Rogers is going to be there, and Suzanne Rogers only attends the fabulousest of the fabulous parties. True story. There are a handful tickets left, and you really don’t want to miss out on this one! So what are you waiting for?

Get your tickets here: http://tfi25.eventbrite.ca/

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