Fashion Journalist in the City

Diane Kruger by Karl Lagerfeld

2010-03-15T20:01:00.009-04:00

If you had asked me last year which actress I would be reincarnated as, I would have promptly said, Cate Blanchett. But right now in this very moment, I would die, (like, Rachel Zoe die) to be Diane Kruger.

Not only does she have enviable style and a breakout role in a critically-acclaimed movie but she has recently been shot for German Vogue by the Keiser himself, Karl Lagerfeld.

In this editorial, titled Dandy Diane, Kruger puts on the men's looks à la Annie Hall and a young Coco Chanel.

Can't you picture her strolling down the streets of New York or Paris in the 1920s or the 70s?

What I loved about the Fall 2010 season was the return of the suit. There were masculine touches in the slim tailoring, the smart shoulders and the pinstripes but it made the suits all the more feminine and sexy when paired with a blouse and great heels.

And Kruger is the perfect model for this male/female power force. It's hard to pull off such a masculine image (suit, tie, hat tilted just so) and still look completely feminine and soft, but Kruger pulls it off beautifully.

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010

2010-03-09T20:19:00.013-05:00

I was going to write a review of Lee McQueen's last collection before he passed away but I felt that my words couldn't do it justice. I can only say that his absence will be sorely felt; for his clothes and his radical vision where a thing of beauty.

He was the only designer who wasn't afraid to take huge risks with his collections; will there be any more innovators, free-thinkers and dreamers like McQueen? I hope so.

Here is a review from the New York Times.

PARIS — With a pattern of angel wings undulating over her shoulder blades, the model walked through the gilded salon in one of Alexander McQueen’s final creations before he chose to leave this world. The private show that took place Tuesday, to the classical music Mr. McQueen had been listening to as he cut and fitted the 2010 autumn collection, was a requiem for a great designer. His vision of Gothic glory, with a world bathed in religious symbolism, was translated not just with immense subtlety and beauty but also with the urgent futurism that was the essence of his spirit. So the abstractions of Hieronymus Bosch paintings were not just printed on the sensuous and shapely outfits, where a taut bodice grew out of a multifolded hipline or emerged from soft fabrics flowing around it. Instead the images, with a focus in the British royal heritage of lions rampant or Grinling Gibbons’s wood carvings, were screened, manipulated and digitally woven. This was part of the designer’s exceptional reach from historic past to cyberspace future. But the anger and energy that had always driven Mr. McQueen to his finest work had turned to a mesmerizing calm for this 15-piece collection, which he completed before his suicide last month. The medieval headdress no longer had the wild, joyous madness that it had when Isabella Blow, his friend and mentor, wore one for a 1990s photo shoot. Everything in this collection seemed to be distilled from last season’s short and taut dresses balanced on animalistic footwear. Here sandals wreathed in gilded roses matched the salon’s ornate decoration, while the mirrors reflected the models’ golden feather Mohawks. The intense workmanship was of couture quality, which is the way Mr. McQueen had been moving his signature line. There were damp eyes among the small audience and sobs backstage — both from personal grief and at the scale of the loss to fashion of this singular designer. In this collection Alexander — Lee — McQueen showed his sensitivity to history, his powers of research, his imagination, his technical skills and his love of women, often misinterpreted or misunderstood, but here evident in every fold and feather.

For more photos of the show click here.

Update: Watch a video to see the clothes up close

Comics

2010-03-02T20:05:00.007-05:00

I grew up with a love for reading. When I was a kid I devoured Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, The Babysitters's Club, Nancy Drew, Anne of Green Gables and any book my mom gave me.

But I was especially fond of comic books. My favourites were Archie, Calvin and Hobbes, Tintin and Asterix. I would just read them for hours and hours and I fell in love with all the characters.

When I was a teenager and through most of my early twenties, I forgot about comic books for a while until I discovered the graphic novel; Fables, Watchmen, Batman, Y: The Last Man are just a few of the ones I am currently obsessed with.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the women in these stories; how they are represented, what they mean to me personally and how their clothes reflect women in general. I guess I've been thinking about it because I am considering getting a tattoo of James Jean's Sally Jupiter (from Watchmen.)

In Watchmen, Sally Jupiter is a strong, kick-ass babe who loves fighting crime and making sure her hair is set juuuust right. In her heyday, she goes through many challenges, including surviving a sexual attack, but she still manages to keep on fighting. Her costume is a deliberate tease; fashioned to fool criminals (and men) into thinking she is a diminutive sex kitten.

But it's also a deliberate statement that says she is in control, she is liberated and she is sexually free and in charge. She can be sexy and still catch the bad guys.

The portrayal of women in comic books (especially how they are dressed) has always fascinated me, if even it's subconsciously. The clothes are usually skin tight and revealing, and you would think that Cat Woman would have a hell of a time fighting crime in a leather bodysuit.

The clothes always seemed to restrict the women; just as women in real life have historically been oppressed by their corsets, their high heels, their tight jeans.

And sure, sex sells. Men make up a large comic book readership but I feel that women are gaining on them. And although the women in comic books still wear titillating clothes, their personalities and actions make the clothes stand as a symbol of female power; they are taking back their sexuality once owned by men and making it their own and controlling it.

And that is definitely something I can root for.

Here are some other favourite comic book characters and their amazing outfits.

Cinderella- Fables

Wonder Woman

Bat Girl

Cat Woman
Dark Phoenix

My imaginary model boyfriend

2010-02-25T20:08:00.000-05:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you will know that I have a little thing for model Jamie Dornan.

To me, he stands out in multiple ways from other male models; he's not a skinny waif like so many you see on the runway and in ads (ahem, Prada, Burberry;) he's beautiful but rugged (he can rock clean shaven and scraggly beard;) and most importantly, he has an unforgettable face.

He always gives the camera what I call his "fuck me" look: Head tilted down, eyes looking up at you as if he's about to eat you. Or kill you. It's hot and as a result, he takes beautiful photographs and Calvin Klein really knows how to show off his best assets: his body and his face.

And for a while, I could only enjoy looking at him in magazines and the one role he had in Marie Antoinette until I found a video of him on Nylon TV. We learn that he loves hamburgers (what a coincidence, I love hamburgers too!) and he doesn't take modeling that seriously. It's a fun watch.

If you are not familiar with Jamie, then please, enjoy these photos of him (and Eva Mendes) in the Calvin Klein Spring jeans campaign.

You are welcome.

Bloggers vs. the rest of the fashion world

2010-02-23T18:55:00.009-05:00

I came across an article from The Global Herald called London Fashion Week AW 2010 – New Digital Era Spells Trouble for Fashion Bloggers.

It highlights the gap that is closing between fashion bloggers and the fashion elite (editors, buyers, writers, PR, etc) and how fashion weeks are dealing with what to do with the growing army of said bloggers.

This article specifically talks about the mass of bloggers at London Fashion Week taking over the press area and whether they should be considered press.

Lately there have been many articles talking about whether bloggers should be allowed to cover shows, much less sit in coveted first-row seats. With the rise of Tavi (Style Rookie,) BryanBoy, Garance Doré, Sea of Shoes, Fashion Toast, Style Bubble and more, fashion bloggers seem to be taking over the fashion world with their alternative insight into style and thousands upon thousands of devoted followers.

There is no doubt that many of these bloggers have intelligent insight, experience, style and thoughtful, smart writing. They fill in the void that mainstream fashion publications can't give to the public such as unbiased commentary and a different viewpoint on style without the interference of advertisers.

But the real question is: How much credibility do they have and wear should they sit in the fashion heirarchy?

Many people questioned whether Tavi, a 13-year-old American girl, should have been sitting in the front row of Dior, when a more experienced writer or editor from a major publication could be sitting there.

They argue that Tavi, and many other young bloggers (it seems that a lot of these fashion bloggers are quite young, in their teens and twenties) don't have the experience that writers and editors have.

While that may be true, that doesn't mean take their insight any less worthy. Bloggers are invited to fashion shows for several reasons; fashion houses are hoping that the bloggers will write favourable reviews of the shows resulting in readers buying their products; they are also starting to realize that the Internet is a powerful tool to bring in new customers and influential style bloggers can bring in those customers that mainstream publications can't.

But I think the divide between bloggers and the mainstream is starting to close, whether Condé Nast likes it or not.

Blogging is not just a fad; in fact social media is just really starting to pick up steam. Fashion houses are only just starting to use Twitter and Facebook to draw in people to watch their shows live and buy their products.

In the end, it's very smart for businesses to use bloggers to help promote their product. And in that respect, bloggers are kind of like magazines and newspapers; they help to sell fashion brands.

Fortunately, bloggers aren't dependent on businesses to survive. They can say anything they want to and not lose readers or advertisers.

But back to this whole credibility issue: Sure, Tavi was barely alive when Marc Jacobs first started at Louis Vuitton, but many established writers weren't around when Monsieur Dior was alive, and they seem to get by just fine.

I think that intelligence and a unique point of view are more important than experience. And the fact that these bloggers are honest with their readers, that gives them enough credibility to be able to cover the same events and interview the same people as the mainstream fashion elite.

So future fashion weeks, be prepared to install a bigger press room; the bloggers need their space too.

For more related reading:

Fashion world agog over blogger

Elle editor leads backlash over 13-year-old blogger

My New York picks

2010-02-20T11:44:00.016-05:00

New York Fall 2010 is officially over and I finally had the time to go over most of the collections to choose my favourite looks.

NY Fashion Week for me is always synonymous with one man: Marc Jacobs. An invite to his show is one of the most sought-after items of the week thanks in large part to his beautiful, sometimes quirky and always fun collections.

For this collection, he brought it back to the basics; classic lines, elegant suits, beautiful furs, long flowing dresses; it Old Hollywood glamour with a modern edge. Gone were the layers, the trashed-up motifs and the multiple references to different eras. Instead it was a very streamlined, elegant collection that I'm sure many women would love to wear.

And if you can't get into Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein would be next on your list of must-see shows.
Designer Francisco Costa experimented with silhouettes. Arms and shoulders were emphasized, giving coats and dresses a bit of a futuristic military feel. Waistlines were either moved up or dropped below, giving dresses new shapes. I am always impressed with Costa's technique and construction. He can mold material into strange new shapes that have never been seen before.

Here are my other favourite looks:

Derek Lam

Vera Wang

Zac Posen

Naeem Khan

Oscar de la Renta

3.1 Phillip Lim
Marchesa

To me, NY Fashion Week was going back to what they do best; sportswear, subtle elegance and wearable clothes. We saw a lot of new shapes, specifically emphasis on shoulders and arms as well as new waistlines. Leggings were nowhere to be seen (thank God!) and looser but tailored clothes were back. All in all, a great week of beautiful clothes.

Skating in style

2010-02-18T18:19:00.011-05:00

The Vancouver 2010 Olympics are in full swing and I have enthusiastically joined Team Canada.

There are a lot of winter sports I enjoy watching; snowboard half-pipe, speed skating and luge. But I have become obsessed with figure skating and I can partly thank American skater Johnny Weir for that (don't worry, I'm still Team Patrick Chan!)

I first heard about Weir when he skated to Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" at the 2010 Nationals. He wore sequined gloves, had metal bits going up one arm and his face was painted black and blue.

Two days ago, Weir skated in the short program wearing a black corset with pink ruffles.

Skating is known for having ridiculous costumes (see Ukraine's "Avatar" inspired look) but Weir's get-up took it to a whole new level. An awesome level.

Not many male figure skaters would have chosen to wear a garment historically worn by women. It just shows that Weir is not afraid of taking risks sartorially and yes he is talented skater.

Unfortunately Weir is going through some controversy now because he wore fur on one of his costumes and brought PETA's ire on himself.

What really stands out is how unique and beautiful his costumes are. They could be cheesy but instead they're fun and creative.

Tonight is the men's freestyle program and Johnny will be going for the gold. But even if he doesn't get a medal, he is definitely the best dressed of the bunch.

So say we all

2010-02-16T22:48:00.008-05:00

If you know me at all, you will know that I am a huge sci-fi geek; to be more specific, I am a Battlestar Galactica fanatic. I am still upset at the way the series ended but that's off-topic.

Anyway, the creators of BSG made a spin-off; a prequel called Caprica. The show takes place in the future but despite the high tech gadgets and gear, many of the characters dress as if they came just from the 1960s à la Mad Men.

The difference, however, between these two shows is that whereas the characters in Mad Men are flawlessly styled, the characters in Caprica come off as a bit more worn; they are not perfect. The jackets are a bit loose, the ties askew, the pants don't fit juuuuust right.

Take Joseph Adama (played by Esai Morales.) He is a civil liberties lawyer who came from a poor family and loses his wife and daughter in a suicide bombing. He wears a fedora hat with a wide brim and two feathers.

His suits are usually a bit loose on him but they look stylish, wearable and more importantly, they look like what a lawyer would wear; nothing too fancy but subtly beautiful.

And that's what I love about the costumes. They reflect the flaws in the characters and the dark mood of the show. So although they have style, they might not care whether their clothes are tailored to a tee. Still, it is wonderful to watch.

Lee

2010-02-13T21:18:00.021-05:00

I fell in love with Alexander McQueen's designs around the same time I discovered fashion.

Looking back I think it might have been because of McQueen that I came to love fashion so much. It wasn't just because his designs were so wacky and ahead of the curve, but they seemed to match my strange dreams (or nightmares?) about the world; macabre but sensual; insanely beautiful but frightening; a world that I couldn't really put my finger on but knew existed. It was as if he could put everyone's fears and dreams into a collection.

I remember watching his Spring/Summer 2010 collection live through his website. The site crashed because so many people wanted to watch it as well. What I saw almost made me weep. I was so looking forward to his next collection. And the one after that. And the one after that...

To say he was a visionary is an understatement. To say he was a genius; well, that goes without saying. The world is a lot less beautiful now that Lee is no longer here.

Click here to see more of his collections.

Spring 2001

Spring 2002
Fall 2002
Spring 2003
Fall 2003
Fall 2004

Spring 2005

Fall 2005

Spring 2006

Fall 2006

Spring 2007

Fall 2007
Spring 2008
Fall 2008
Resort 2009
Spring 2009
Fall 2009
Spring 2010

RIP Alexander McQueen

2010-02-11T11:01:00.002-05:00

Giddy'up!

2010-01-25T19:21:00.000-05:00

My first experience riding a horse was quite memorable; mostly because the reason it was memorable was why it was also my last time on a horse. Let's just say it involved a fat horse called "Salt & Pepper" and me, a 10-year-old Girl Guide, flying off the saddle straight into the mud.

But that incident hasn't stopped me from loving horses and all things equestrian, especially where fashion is concerned.

John Galliano's haute couture collection for Dior today pulled from many references including equestrian dress with riding hats, nipped-in bright red blazers, ruffled blouses, long tartan skirts and even riding crops. Instead of riding boots, the models wore high leather boots with stiletto heels.

The second part of the show was less about riding and more about old Hollywood glamour. Lots of lace, pouffy taffeta and bows.

Maybe it's time to get back on that saddle.

Take a ride on the Orient Express

2010-01-21T19:10:00.001-05:00

I've always loved trains; partially because when I was a kid I read Agatha Christie's "Murder On The Orient Express" and immediately wanted to hop on board. I also enjoy traveling by train more than any other mode of transportation. They're a smooth ride; they have people who serve you yummy treats; you can sleep on them and you always see interesting scenery out of the windows.

When I went to France for the first time a few years ago we rode on the train a lot to get across the country. One trip took 10 hours but I barely noticed. Why? Because I was on an awesome train!

One of the other things I love about trains is that you can get up and walk around fairly leisurely. A plane is too small and cramped to take long walks and you can't walk around in a car or on a bike. But because trains have quite a bit of hallway space; it's easy to get around and stretch your legs. You can also meet interesting people while taking these walks.

But I digress.

Annie Leibovitz shot P. Diddy and my favourite model, Natalie Vodianova, for Vogue in a train setting called "Brief Encounter." It sets such a romantic and yet erotic mood; you can actually feel the sexual tension coming through the photographs. It reminds me of those old school English movies where the dashing young man has to leave his lover behind on the platform, but not before one more romp in the train car.

You should also watch the Chanel video starring Audrey Tautou having a fling on a train.

Now I have even more reasons to love trains.

The triumph of the 12s?

2010-01-19T19:03:00.002-05:00

Last week I got a free copy of Elle Canad a in the mail. I usually don't buy that magazine but the editorials were really pretty.

I came upon one that really caught my interest; the model was gorgeous but I knew something looked different. Her leg and thigh seemed to be bigger than usual but I thought it must have been the angle; as I flipped through the editorial I realized that I was looking at plus-sized model, Crystal Renn.

What was astounding to me was that the magazine didn't proclaim "Plus-sized model here!" in any of the headlines or captions, as is usually the case when fashion mags feature plus-sized models. It was integrated as a regular editorial without all the pompousness and the facade of being an equal opportunist.

Usually plus-sized models are only featured in major fashion magazines as part of a yearly "shape" issue or as a publicity stunt to show that they "care" about women who aren't stick-thin.

It made me realize that editorials with plus-sized models could work seamlessly side-by-side editorials of thin models. But is this success a triumph for us non-models who are size 12 and up?

I thought about my reaction to the photos; I realized that although Crystal Renn is larger than a typical model, she still has a "perfect" body (hour-glass shape, flat stomach, symmetrical, perfect proportions and luminous skin) whereas many women who are size 12 and up aren't so lucky.

But that's why Crystal Renn is a model, and us mortals are not. Even though she is plus-sized, women still envy her because she is beautiful and has an enviable figure. I didn't feel better about myself looking at Crystal Renn's gorgeous body. I don't see how having a plus-size model is better for the self-esteem of women. But then, women's fashion magazines aren't around to help with self-esteem or body issues; they are there to present beautiful clothes on beautiful women.

I believe that plus-sized models should be featured more in fashion magazines not to make women feel better but to show more variety; frankly, I love looking at a plus-sized model's body. They fill out the clothes so well! And there would be more models to choose from rather than the same ones (Kloss, Zimmerman, Sasha, Trentini, etc.) It would be great to see some new faces and different body types to keep the magazines fresh.

The New York Times ran a profile on Renn the other day which trumpeted "The Triumph of the Size 12s." Renn is probably the most prolific plus-sized model in the business.

While I would call Renn's spread in Elle Canada a triumph, I wouldn't call it a triumph for size 12s everywhere. Regular women will always be envious of models no matter what their size.

Golden Globes: My picks

2010-01-17T11:23:00.015-05:00

Tonight is the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards; where TV and movie actors come together to celebrate the best of 2009 (according to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.)

To quote Taylor from The Rachel Zoe Project: award show fashion is about "pleasing the masses." As a result we don't see many fashion-forward dresses on the red carpet.

However I have come up with my fantasy list of what the actors should wear on the carpet, masses be damned!

Carey Mulligan

I still haven't seen An Education (blasphemous, I know) but I have seen her rock the red carpet in quirky, fun dresses. She has an ethereal elfin look about her; so she can get away with wearing more avant garde clothing.

I chose her to wear this fun S/S '10 Gianfranco Ferré dress. Because Carey has such delicate features, I thought she should wear something a bit more edgy with strong shoulders and a cool print. It's not overpowering but it makes a strong statement.

Marion Cotillard

I recently became a huge fan of Marion's after watching Public Enemies last week. She is so gorgeous and an amazing actress. I'm in love with her. She has a great body so I think this S/S '10 Valentino jumpsuit would look really chic. She could let her dark hair fall around the shoulders and wear lots of diamonds. She would own the carpet. Anot many actresses would dare to wear a jumpsuit at the Globes (except for Tilda Swinton.)

Penelope Cruz

Penelope's obvious beauty usually outshines her dress, so I wanted to pick something a bit more subtle that would compliment her big eyes and that big, dark head of hair. This S/S '10 Nina Ricci is an interesting choice; I like the one-shoulder sleeve with the diagonal ruffle. And the slightly see-through dress make it sexy but not obvious. It's beautiful without being prom.

Nicole Kidman

Nic always wears figure-hugging, show-stopping dresses and this S/S '10 Miu Miu takes it one step further. It will show off her slim figure but the puffed up shoulders make it more fashion forward. I really love the blue, scale-like sequins.

Kate Winslet

I've always wanted to see Kate Winslet in something less matronly. She always goes for restrained glamour; and though she always looks amazing, I feel that she should go for something with more va-va-voom. This S/S '10 Lanvin dress has tons of glamour but also sex appeal with that slit down the leg. Lanvin was one of my favourite Spring collections and I think Kate embodies the sophisticated but fun woman the collection stands for.

Cameron Diaz

Cam likes to take chances with her clothes. Who could forget the hot pink Chanel from last year's Globes? This S/S '10 Nina Ricci would look banging on her body. I like the floppy bows, and the cute shoulders. It's quirky but glam.

January Jones

I've recently become obsessed with Mad Men. I bought the first season last weekend and became a hermit all week because I couldn't stop watching it. I just bought season 2 yesterday. God help me. January Jones (who plays Betty Draper) is a knock out. On the show she exudes old Hollywood glamour but in real life, she is more of a vixen. Last year she knocked it out of the park with a geometric Versace gown at the Emmys. This year I am also choosing Versace because I love the colour purple but I also like the cool sci-fi-ish pattern. It's a bit futuristic but sensual.

Tilda Swinton

Never one to conform to trends, Tilda Swinton can be counted on to wear the unexpected. Most people usually don't understand her style; but that's what so great about her. So I chose this S/S '10 Roland Mouret jumpsuit. The shiny blue will work well against her pale skin and peroxide blonde, short hair. And it just looks like so much fun to wear.

Olivia Wilde

I am one of those people who think Olivia Wilde > Megan Fox. She is a great actress and is super sexy but in a more natural way. She also wears hot clothes. I think this S/S '10 Alexander McQueen dress would be perfect for her. It's all about showing off the legs and the waist. It's futuristic but romantic. I think she would have a lot of fun wearing it.

Kate Hudson

Gold + Kate = party. We all know that woman loves to have a wild time, and she would have a ball in this sexy piece by Zuhair Murad. When I saw it, the first thing I thought of was Kate. It's young, it's flirty, it has a lot of cutouts to show off her body and it's not a prom dress. Perfection!

I am excited to see what the actors will actually wear to the Globes. Here's hoping it won't be too boring!

Anna, how could you?

2010-01-15T18:12:00.000-05:00

When I found out that actress Jessica Biel would be on the cover of February American Vogue, I was devastated. Ok, that's a bit dramatic; I was more disappointed.

Let me count the ways in which Jessica Biel is not deserving of a Vogue cover.

1. She doesn't have a lot of fashion sense (see the MET gala, all of her movie premieres).

Let me elaborate: Her style is boring, matronly and predictable. Nothing to write home about.

When there are actresses such as Diane Kruger leading the way in fashion, Biel can't even compare. Diane Kruger is way more deserving of a cover.

2. She is a bad actor (see Powder Blue, I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, The Illusionist, etc.)

3. She has, on numerous times, complained that her beauty has hindered her career. Snort! What an insult to the likes of talented and beautiful actresses such as Emily Blunt, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson.

4. She has never been in a movie where she is not the girlfriend/sexy love interest. In other words, her roles are boring.

And this is the woman Anna Wintour chose to be on the cover of Vogue. It's insulting to all the other amazing actresses out there. True, Biel is beautiful; but that's only skin deep. There is nothing else there. Trust.

And really, when was the last time anyone really cared about her? Exactly.

Girl crush

2010-01-14T19:00:00.000-05:00

Diane Kruger came onto my radar last summer when she was promoting the brilliant film Inglorious Basterds at the Cannes Film Festival. She wore a long white and silver dress with a train and a revealing back.

Ever since then I have been watching her sartorial choices and have been happily pleased with what she has worn.

Her style is usually edgy yet feminine, like the Karl Lagerfeld mini dress with the metal breast-plate paired with thigh-high black leather boots.

She can pull off everything from flannel shirts to flirty jumpsuits. She always seems to be just ahead of the curve; always beyond the trends.

This woman takes chances and never plays it safe.

Cheers to you, Diane Kruger, and to a fashionable 2010!

Finding the perfect lotion

2009-12-30T11:08:00.003-05:00

Winter is my favourite season. I love watching snow fall and trying to catch flakes with my tongue. I love listening to the crushing sound snow makes when I walk on it with my boots. I even love the crisp, cold air because it makes me feel more alive.

But one aspect of winter I cannot tolerate is the way it treats my skin. As soon as November rolls around, snow or not, my skin transforms me into the elephant man. Thankfully the condition is usually contained to my hands and that is terrifying enough. Painful, deep crevices appear magically overnight and will not go away unless I slather my hands with lotion all throughout the day.

I start off the day with Lubriderm lotion. That lasts me the walk to work. When I get to my desk I pull out Olay Quench. That lasts me either an hour or a trip to the washroom after I wash my hands. And it would continue all day; my poor, pitiful hands being ravished by winter and me, desperately applying lotion in the hopes of having soft, smooth hands for the whole day. Is that too much to ask?

But then a Christmas miracle happened. My friend Michelle gave me the best gift a woman could get (no, not a hot man.) She got me a miracle lotion that not only made the dry cracks in my hands disappear, but made my skin soft and healthy even after I wash my hands.

It's called Glysomed. I know it sounds like a scary drug that gets marketed on TV, but trust me when I say that you need this lotion.

Ladies and gents, go to your nearest drug store and pick up this gem. And I swear to you, you will never, ever, have elephant skin again.

Now I can enjoy the winter again.

Not for vegetarians

2009-10-29T18:59:00.013-04:00

I can't decide whether to be repulsed or amazed by this editorial for Vogue Hommes International. It's so confrontational; pairing a pantless model romping around dead animals and their blood. A modern Hannibal Lecter? Or a Dexter (minus the dead people?)

The title of the editorial is "Plaisir Solitaire" or "Solitary Pleasure;" a fantasy of death and nudity. Perhaps it is a political stance saying that whether we kill the animals ourselves or not, we're all butchers if we consume meat?

Whatever the message is, I find it very provocative and I can't stop staring at the photos.

Shot by Steven Klein.

Caught in a bad romance

2009-10-28T16:34:00.002-04:00

Have you guys heard the new Lady Gaga song "Bad Romance"? I can't get it out of my head. I walk to and from work listening to it over and over.

What's even more awesome is that I'm going to her "Monster Ball" concert when she comes to Toronto at the end of November! Can't wait to dress up and dance to "Poker Face."

And here she is on the December cover of Flare magazine. I love how is is festive without being overtly holiday-ish.

Anything that sparkles on a cover makes me happy. And while I'm not usually a fan of pink, I really like her hair colour here; it's kind of ashy and old but in a good way.

I'm looking forward to the inside spread.

So fresh and so clean

2009-10-22T18:21:00.020-04:00

"I don't see why people make such a big fuss about $3 hot pants and $5 shirts" said the man sitting beside me waiting for the Joe Fresh Style show to start. Ah, Canadians can by so cynical about their designers, even when those designers are successful.

Last night I went see the show at LG Fashion Week in Toronto, which moved locations from City Hall to a bigger venue at 1030 King Street West which is great because the streetcar picks me up right in front of my building and takes me straight to the tents. Less walking is a good thing because I was wearing super high heels and I don't think my feet could have taken a lot of walking before all the waiting around I was about to endure.

When I stepped inside the tents all I could see was a sea of black. I swear I was the only one wearing colour (red) aside from a couple of volunteers who were wearing fuschia tights.
Women were wearing boyfriend jackets, leggings, booties, leather jackets and cute purses. Men wore well-cut suits, bow-ties, Oxfords and skinny pants. I felt that the fashionistas had a better turn out style-wise this year than in past seasons.

Here's who I spotted: Heatherette designer Richie Rich chatting up Jeanne Beker; model and Canada's Next Top Model judge Stacey McKenzie; Degrassi: The Next Generation actor Adamo Ruggiero (aka Marco); National Post gossip-hound Shinan Govani, Ben Mulroney and actress Kristin Booth.

The show started about 25 minutes late and my feet were hurting so much that I almost considered turning around and leaving, but thank God I didn't because it was such a fun show.

I knew it would be a cheeky, fun show when Theodora Richards (daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards) came prancing down the runway. Richards stumbled right near the beginning, kicked off her shoe, made a *oops! Oh well, I'm hot!* face and kept on shaking her hips.

The clothes were sexy; butt cheek-skimming mini-dresses, short-shorts, body-con dresses and fishnet knee-length stockings made appearances. You would have to be young (or seriously fit) to wear these.

The theme was underwear as outerwear; with bras sewn on top of blouses, bloomers and high-waisted undies-as-shorts. Sheer blouses also made an appearance.

For those who don't want to show off their backside, there were also boyfriend shirts-as-dresses in white and blue.

The really cute stuff were the pleated knee-length skirts and the blouses with rosettes in shades of lemon yellow and light pink.

The colours for the first half were white, light blue and beige. Then it moved on to yellow and pink.

The men also had some great selections with leather brogues, cardigans, tennis shorts and gingham bloomers and blazers.

Accessories were kept to a minimum but the small saddle bags were very cute. Unfortunately for shoe-lovers, Joseph Mimran pulled a Karl Lagerfeld a la Chanel and used clogs. Clogs are not sexy, not even while wearing Chanel.

It was a young, cool and fun collection and I can't wait to try on the clothes when they hit the shelves.

Me wearing a vintage blazer, a sequined minidress from H&M, cuffs from Forever 21 and tartan shoes from Winners.

Theodora Richards flouncing down the runway after kicking off her shoes

I see London, I see France...
I want this trench coat.

Theodora makes a dramatic exit.

For photos of the complete collection go here

November Vogue and "Nine"

2009-10-14T18:02:00.000-04:00

Vogue's November issue features the four women stars of the upcoming movie "Nine."

There has been a bit of a hubbub over the overuse of Photoshop on the cover. I don't really know what the fuss is about; there have been way worse cases than this. But I actually like the cover; I like the soft lighting, the deep reds, the romanticism. It's pretty.

Style.com has released behind-the-scenes video of the shoot. It's fun to watch the women joke around with each other. And Penelope Cruz is so naturally gorgeous it's insane.

If you can't go to the movies

2009-10-09T18:01:00.011-04:00

This editorial caught my eye in two ways: a) It's Jamie Dornan and b) it reminds me of a movie. I'm obsessed with movies. If I didn't have to work, I would probably spend most of my time watching movies. That and drinking wine, reading comics and dancing around my apartment with the music turned up really high.

I like to think of editorials as mini-movies; there's a narrative, characters and each photo captures a part of the action; a sliver of time.

I really like this editorial because it has nice movement; even though it's frozen you can picture Jamie Dornan kicking off his stress in the dirty water; the weariness in his pose when he leans into the rake; the playfulness when he half-grins and the dreaminess when he sneaks away for a cigarette in a barn.

There's a thoughtfulness in these photos.

(photos: Vogue Hommes International)

Under the sea

2009-10-07T11:48:00.020-04:00

Who were those off-world sea creatures at Alexander McQueen S/S 2010?

Yesterday's collection set the standard for the future of fashion. The event was live-streamed on Nick Knight's SHOWstudio.com although the video lagged a lot and was choppy, and thanks to Lady Gaga's tweet, crashed the site so many people weren't able to see the video.

I was stunned by what I did see: The models walked to the sounds of drums, airy flutes and breathing in a sort of space jungle trance.

The first thing I noticed were the shoes. At first I thought they had a very alien-like appearance, tall stilettos with a wide front, but then from the side they looked like elegant hooves in reptile skins. Whatever they were; they looked literally out of this world. And kudos to the models for being able to walk in them and make it look effortless; almost as if they were floating in water.

And then there were the dresses. In 3D, computer graphics, laser-cut glory. Nipped waists on dresses with very short hemlines, emphasis on hips and shoulders, liquid leather dresses, outfits that were half-suit half dress, shimmering pants, sheer tops, flowing and bubble skirts and string-like gauze blouses. Colours started off with a mix of reptilian yellow, jade and bright yellow, and then dirty brown (like you would find under the sea,) and stunning blues (which reminded me of the upcoming movie "Avatar") and some midnight black.

This is a collection I will be looking at over and over to try to digest what it means. But what I do know is that McQueen has changed the way I will look at fashion. Here's to forward thinking!

Update: You can watch the show here

(Photos: style.com, @mcQueenWorld)

Lindsay Lohan and Ungaro

2009-10-05T18:41:00.012-04:00

There has been quite a big hubbub over "artistic advisor" Lindsay Lohan and designer Estrella Archs' collection for Emanuel Ungaro; most of the critics panning the collection.

Style.com called it a "disappointing debut" and "a bad joke of a fashion show;" WWD said the clothes looked "cheesy and dated" and the New York Times said the collection looked "as if a McDonald’s fry cook had been installed as the chef of a three-star Michelin restaurant."

Ouch.

I read all this before I actually saw the collection so when I took a deep breath and plunged right into the photos, I tried not to let the reviews colour my opinion of it.

The first dress, a skintight fuscia mini dress with patches of light pink I actually liked. I could see young Hollywood wearing it; however I felt that I had seen it done before (at Balmain and countless others) and better. It reminded me of something GUESS would design.
But after that first dress, it all went downhill. The second look was another fushia dress with an bias-cut neckline and a twisted belt. However the dress fit awkwardly on the model.

Most of the colours used were hot pink, neon orange, white and black. And while in the hands of an able designer, the colours could have been stunning, here, they were disastrously paired together, for example a look that had tulip pink drop-crotch balloon pants, dark red bra and a neon pink bolero looked like it came out of the dumpster of a bad '80s TV soap. The colours clashed!

And I'm sure by now you've heard about the hearts. Specifically, the heart pasties. I didn't find those offensive as much as the hearts hastily pasted onto the models' foreheads.

This whole offensive spectacle reeked of greed. CEO Mounir Moufarrige, clearly looking to the success of celebrity American lines such as Justin Timberlake's William Rast and Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B., is hoping to cash in on Lindsay's name; not because she is a good designer, but because she is an actress who makes more headlines throwing hissy fits than for her movies.

It's offensive that this collection was thrown by a French fashion house during the world's most prestigious Fashion Week. It's a slap in the face to all the other real designers.

(Photos: style.com)

This is what we call a masterpiece

2009-10-04T13:08:00.001-04:00

Lanvin S/S 2010.

I don't think I've ever been as excited about a collection as this one. I've always been a fan of Alber Elvaz's trademark ruffled, dainty dresses but they always seemed out of my reach; they represent ladies who lunch in Yorkville, go shopping at Holts and have a driver. In other words; beautiful but not for most of the population.

This collection started out that way; with elegant ruffled dresses in black bone and salmon and stylish suits paired with one leather glove but what transpired after was a triumph of dress-making.

Masterfully draped knee-length dresses in nude, blush, light pinks, peach and poppy red; one-shouldered jumpsuits, floor-length dresses filled with gold sequins and belted leather pleated cocktail dresses and puckered quilted jackets.

What made this collection was so great was that it was completely unexpected. Each outfit was different and shocking.
I had to go through the collection several times to catch all the details; I'm sure the photos don't do it justice.

And let's talk about jewelry: Art Deco huge necklaces, cuffs and belts in jade, purple, red and gold.
The shoes were stunning: chain-links draped down the front made them edgy but elegant.

I think this is one of the best collections I've ever seen. Bravo Monsieur Elbaz. Bravo.

(Photos: style.com)

The sexiest collection I've ever seen

2009-10-03T12:18:00.007-04:00

And it's not Balmain! Rick Owens S/S 2010 was all geometric angles, layers of fabric that whipped awkwardly between models' legs and asymmetrical cuts; that doesn't sound too sexy right? But even though it wasn't obviously beautiful, the trapeze shapes, the angular leather motorcycle jackets and the spiky cuffs made me want to rip the clothes off the models and put them on me for a steamy night out.

There is something to be said about clothes that don't show off the figure of a woman's body; the shape may look odd but it's in that quirkiness that I find beauty and femininity.

Here are some of my favourite looks:

(Photos: style.com)

The best Rachel Zoe parody ever

2009-09-22T15:28:00.002-04:00

I've been having a hell of a time trying to watch the new season of The Rachel Zoe Project. The new season is only airing in the U.S. and is not available on iTunes Canada. Therefore I have had to resort to more sinister means of acquiring the series. You all know what I mean. And in the process, my poor computer has come in contact with several viruses, some of which are still lingering. But it's all worth it because I finally discovered how to get the show.

This season is really different from the last one; Rachel has moved her studio to a loft, there are a lot more employees, Taylor and Brad actually get along and there is even more drama.

But I think I have found my new favourite pastime: watching Rachel Zoe parodies.

Comedian Beth Crosby writes, produces and stars in The Rachel Zoe Project Parody and she is brilliant. She enunciates "may-jor" with the right Zoe flair, she wears the huge sunnies and she even bats her eyelashes in the exact same way Zoe does.

The people who play Taylor and Brad are also hilarious; "Brad" has an awesome meltdown and Taylor feigns disinterest at everything.

Watch it!

Toronto Film Fest

2009-09-14T22:14:00.013-04:00

This is really off topic, but I've got "She's Like The Wind," "Hungry Eyes" and "Cry To Me" on rotation. RIP Patrick Swayze.

Back to the topic at hand.

The Toronto International Film Festival has been keeping me very busy at work; covering the premieres and red carpets, but also covering the fashion scene.

Celebrities at TIFF usually go all out; sometimes with amazing results and sometimes they make me question their sanity (or their stylist.)

Here are some of the ones that made me take notice:

Tilda Swinton

Not many people understand Tilda's style and believe that a lot of what she wears is ugly. Her style is very different from what most celebrities wear. She isn't trying to cater to the masses and that's one of the reasons why I love her style. It suits her. If she wore a ballgown it wouldn't work but what she's wearing here is perfect for her.

Penelope Cruz

Penelope just glows in this outfit...or might that be because she's reportedly pregnant? Either way, she looks cute and chic in this dress.

Grace Park

I had to throw Grace in here because she plays Sharon/8/Athena on my favourite TV series, Battlestar Galactica. I hate the outfit though. The lacejust looks cheap and the skirt is out of place. She's gorgeous but has no sense of style here.

Eva Green

It's hard to tell what she's wearing but I can't just blame it on the photo. She's wearing all black and the clothes are shapeless! You can't even see her gorgeous figure. She needs to vamp it up à la Vesper Lynd in "Casino Royale."

Drew Barrymore
I had a very strong reaction to this Dior dress: Yellow. Like in "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" all I could think was that colour. But I really like it; it suits Drew's quirky personality and it reminds me of tattoos.

Colin Farrell
The open collar does it for me. That's all.

Carey Mulligan
She's touted to be the next "It" girl like Ellen Page was last year, and she looks so uncomfortable on the red carpet that it's very endearing. I really like what she's wearing here; a twist on the classic little black dress and shiny red shoes. I wish I could pull off short hair.

Amanda Seyfried
I love this look so much. A chic blazer over a blouse and skirt and killer bondage-esque heels makes for a seriously sexy look.

The colour alone makes this dress hot. I love how she doesn't have to show off a lot of skin to look sexy.

Pretty young things

2009-09-04T14:38:00.006-04:00

I'm sure most of you have seen the cover of I-D's Sept. issue starring Chanel Iman, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Arlenis Sosa. But since we don't see covers featuring black models often, I wanted to post the cover here.

And WHAT a cover it is! i-D's covers are usually really saucy, with models winking and giving smoldering looks. This one is no exception.

The colours really catch my eye. I love the metallic makeup on the models' skin contrasted with the graffiti background. It's such a sexy cover.

I haven't bought the issue yet so I don't know what's inside or whether the girls give interviews (I hope they do) but the cover alone makes me want to buy it.

i-D usually has that effect on me; the covers always lure me in. Like this one. Models winking! They get me everytime!

So here is a behind-the-scenes video of the girls at the i-D shoot:

A Valentino surprise

2009-09-02T14:29:00.003-04:00

A year after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, Valentino The Last Emperor is finally coming out on DVD Sept. 8 (I pre-ordered mine already!)

Last September, I was very fortunate to screen the movie, in the presence of Valentino himself, then party with him and his posse at the after-party, and finally, to cap off a crazy weekend, interview him, his partner Giancarlo and Emperor director, Matt Tyrnauer. That was probably the highlight of my career. How can I top that? Maybe if Karl Lagerfeld gave me a call...

So it goes without saying that if you are a fashion lover, then you must see the documentary.

And now I have some cool news! The team behind the movie, in partnership with Phase 4 Films and Decades Inc. are giving away a vintage Valentino gown! The winner will also receive the DVD.

All you have to do is send an email to valentinodvdcontest@phase4films.com with your name, address, phone number and email by December 31, 2009. You must be at least 21 years old.

Unfortunately this contest is open only to residents of the United States (sorry Canada!)

So fellow Canadians, even though we can't enter the contest, I strongly suggest getting the book Valentino Themes and Variations which has beautiful detailed photos of his couture gowns. It's almost as good as the real thing...right?

Body business

2009-08-31T18:53:00.002-04:00

In the fashion biz, it's pretty rare to hear models talk. They're models for a reason, right?

I am of the view that models should talk more; about what their jobs are like, whether they are being treated fairly, whether they have body issues; hell, just talk to us about the fabulous clothes you get to wear!

And while we do sometimes get snippets backstage during Fashion Week, and we sometimes get a few well-known models on a cover of a magazine talking about their fabulous lives, it's still a rare thing when a model speaks out on her own accord, and in all honesty, about her life as a model.

Last year, Model.Live followed three wannabe models trying to make it during Fashion Week. It was a very honest look at the struggle of newbie models. A few weeks ago, Jezebel's resident brainiac model "Tatiana" revealed herself to be Jenna Sauers;

who eloquently wrote about the unglamorous life of modeling. Last year, model Ali Michael spoke out on national TV after she was sent home from Paris for aing "fat legs" even though she hovered around 105 pounds.

And now model Crystal Renn has penned a memoir called "Hungry," detailing her journey as a thin model, who had heart palpatations she was so skinny, to being a successful plus-sized model.

Renn says that when she was first scouted, at the age of 14, she was told to lose 55 pounds. She lost the weight but when her agent told her to lose more, she realized she couldn't diet anymore. That's when it was suggested she become a plus-sized model and it was when she became a healthy size 12 that her career took off.

She says:

"I got to my lowest point, when I couldn't go lower, and it was either, 'I'm going to die and not accomplish the dream,' or, 'I can become a plus-size model and keep the dream,"' she said in an interview. "I am healthy now, the healthiest I've ever been in my life - both physically and mentally."

I'm not going to wax on about how fuller figured models are practically ignored by the fashion industry; that's for another post when I can think of something new to add to that discussion; but I'm just impressed that Renn, who is still in the middle of an incredible career, is brave enough to call out the industry on his thin obsession. More models should take a cue from her.

Anna and Dave

2009-08-25T11:02:00.005-04:00

Last night, the Queen Of All Fashion, Anna Wintour, appeared on David Letterman to promote The September Issue. It was amazing.

I barely noticed Dave's questions because all I could do was stare at Anna's reactions. She would alternate between tight smiles and her cold hard bitch face. That woman gives the best bitch face. I love her so much. My favourite part is when Dave asked her what a person could get if they had a $20 fashion budget and she disdainfully replied "you could buy lipstick."

It's obvious that Anna wasn't completely comfortable being up there surrounded by people who are most likely on $20 fashion budgets, but she gamely answered Dave's questions and tried to make little jokes. Please. Get that woman back to the offices of Vogue so she can boss people around!

Another great moment was when Dave asked her what the fashion industry is doing during the bad economic times and she replied that she was going to be at a Macy's in Queens. Queens! Can you picture Anna freaking Wintour in Queens autographing t-shirts? It boggles my mind.

Part one:

Part two:

Oh happy day! I die!

2009-08-24T12:12:00.004-04:00

Can't believe it's here....been waiting so long like this. Rachel Zoe, where have you been all my life? Finally, The Rachel Zoe Project Season 2 is premiering tonight! I think it's only in the U.S. though but that's what bit torrent is for!

Up until a few weeks ago, I have been in serious Rachel Zoe withdrawal. But then she launched her website and I signed up for her daily newsletter where she promotes her favourite products.

But you must watch this crazy, fabulous woman. I can't believe that it's taken this long for her to be on TV because she's so much fun to watch and her assistants, Brad and Taylor, are hilarious.

So for your viewing pleasure, here is a clip of this season!

What's Your Persona

2009-08-23T09:34:00.007-04:00

Last Friday I met up with fellow Toronto blogger Krist Papas, of the blog whatsyourpersona. Krist is a street fashion and portrait photographer who has also contributed to Toro and Toronto Life.

We had fun talking about photography (Karl Lagerfeld is a genius), fashion (does anyone wear anything besides H&M in this city?) and blogging (how influnetial is it?)

Check out some of his beautiful photos:

(Photos courtesy of Krist Papas)

September is almost here!

2009-08-19T14:36:00.008-04:00

"September is the January of fashion" as they say and I couldn't agree more. Have just started getting my September issues in the mail. So far I've gone through Marie Claire, Flare, FASHION and Harper's Bazaar.

I was really, REALLY impressed with Flare's issue. This was the first issue of Flare I ever bought and I was amazed at the beautiful editorials and the great articles. It helped that there were three (yes, three!) covers of one of my favourite models, Daria Werbowy, in the issue. The photo of her in the Louis Vuitton bunny ears was so gorgeous that I had it framed for my wall. Editor-In-Chief Lisa Tant wrote in her blog about how she chose the cover.
Maybe it's time for another magazine subscription.

On the other hand, I was disappointed with FASHION's issue. I'm a huge fan of the magazine but this issue fell completely flat. The editorials were boring and looked a bit amateur- specifically the spread that used several models just seemed disjointed from the rest of the issue. To me, the issue was a bit sub-par, especially for a September issue.

I'm still going through Harper's Bazaar; there are so many editorials that I really have to sit down for a couple hours to get through it. Looks beautiful so far with great models.

Can't wait for Vogue!

And speaking of Vogue, check out this great profile of Creative Director Grace Coddington. The article is about her and the documentary The September Issue. In it we learn that Coddington drove all but one of the main fashion features in that particular Sept. issue- the "semi-disastrous cover shoot with Sienna Miller."

We also find out that she is the only one who can get away with being cheeky and opinionated with Anna Wintour. For example, Coddington had the idea to photograph the camera crew jumping in the air with model Caroline Trentini. "Wintour liked it — but made the comment that Richman's belly would need to be airbrushed to a slimmer shape; Coddington wouldn't hear of it. If the atmosphere captured by "The September Issue" is true to life, Coddington is the only one who stands up to Wintour that way."

I cannot wait to see this movie.

Update: Watch the red carpet arrivals for the movie's New York premiere on facebook here live at 7 p.m.

And here are two just-released clips!

1. Sienna's Wig

2. Texture Shoot

My first Vogue

2009-08-15T15:34:00.006-04:00

Back in 1997 I was 12 years old and obsessed with a lil' band called the Spice Girls. For me, no other band existed. I would play their first album, Spice, over and over again and dance to feel-good songs like Say You'll Be There and Wannabe. My cousins and I would bicker over trading cards and posters and I would store precious memorabilia in a binder I treasured.

I'm only remembering this now because when I went up to my cottage last week my cousin burned their music and we spent the whole ride up singing till our throats hurt. It was so much fun that when I got back home I immediately downloaded all their music and I'm listening to them now. It made me think about how much I loved them when I was a young teenager and how great it is that I'm 25 and still love their music.

When I was 12 it would be an understatement to say that I wasn't into fashion. It was jeans and a t-shirt everyday. And even though the Spice Girls were fashion icons (whether that was deserved I leave to you to decide) I never really cared so much for their crazy outfits except for Geri's Union Jack mini-dress.

Then Vogue put the Girls on the cover of their January 1998 issue. As soon as I saw the cover I bought it, even though the idea of Vogue and fashion bored the hell out of me. But who cares about fashion? The Spice Girls were in the magazine!

I don't really remember the interview or the photos inside but I do remember that cover. They looked so different from the outgoing, crazy women I saw so often in photographs and in their videos. They looked....mature. After looking at that issue of Vogue, my perception of the Spice Girls changed and I think a part of me changed as well. They weren't girls; they were intelligent, classy women and it made me want to be like them: opinionated, fashionable and smart.

Thinking about it now I find it surprising that Anna Wintour put a pop group on the cover; I'm not so sure she would do the same today. But it's undeniable that the Spice Girls influenced millions of young girls around the world with their powerful, pro-woman messages. I'm really happy that I grew up listening to their music and I'm thankful that Vogue put real role models on their cover.

Must-haves

2009-07-31T18:28:00.006-04:00

Sometimes when I'm at work I dream about things I really want. Call me materialistic, whathaveyou, but let's face it: Work can get boring sometimes and it's fun to daydream about stuff you want. Like today for instance, my friend Chris and I were talking about what we would do if we each won millions of dollars. Both of us immediately thought about moving to Paris and shopping along the Champs Elysees. Our other dream is to own a modelling agency heh.

But I was also dreaming about less-expensive things to get.

For example, Scott Schuman aka The Sartorialist, is publishing a book of his photographs, which comes out in August. Scott was in Toronto last week at Holt Renfrew to promote the book. Holt Renfrew by the way made window displays inspired by fashion bloggers such as Sartorialist, Sea of Shoes and Garance Doré.

Scott also told a Globe and Mail reporter that he wants everyone to know that he's good in the sack. A stallion with style.

Next on my fantasy list are The September Issue ringtones!

I can't decide whether I want to get Andre Leon Talley's "It's a famine for beauty honey" or a mignon saying "Anna's Wintour's office."

Third on the list is a pair of those ubiquitous Ray Bans I am seeing on every celeb.
Check them out on Rob Pattinson:

The beauty about them is that they look good on any face, no matter what the shape. I think they're called the Wayfarer Square. I saw a guy wear them today and he looked hot. That's a good enough sales pitch for me.

In non-fashion news, I'm going up to my cottage tomorrow for a week where I'll be lazying about in the sun, swimming, boating and getting into trouble with my cousins.

Ta ta!

Victoria: 1, Anna: 0?

2009-07-27T21:15:00.010-04:00

Rumour has it that Victoria Beckham, that wily, Birkin-obsessed alien woman, will be on the cover of a major U.S. fashion magazine in the next few months. Could it be that Anna Wintour decided to be kind and let Vicky be on the cover of her dreams? Will Vogue become a reality for Posh Spice?

Hello! magazine is reporting:

"It's all been kept very hush-hush, but she's going to be a cover star in the autumn. To say it's a huge coup is an understatement. For Victoria to have achieved that, for her own business successes, means she's considered a superstar in her own merits. She is beyond thrilled."

If this is true my friend Elaine will be screaming with glee and will make me raise a toast in Posh's honour. It's been a long time coming.

But I'm not sure whether to believe the reports. The Wintour is known to dislike the WAGness of Posh. I think a combination of her concrete balloon boobs, the tight face, the constant frowning and the always perfectly styled style turns the Wintour off Posh. But then again, she did put Blake fucking Lively on the cover. And Posh deserves Vogue more than Serena Van Der Woodsen. Right?

Anyway, I still like to believe that maybe Wintour is lying to Posh; she gets her to do a photoshoot, promising the cover, and ends up shitting on the polaroids. I love Anna Wintour so much.

And in case you need a reminder of how awesome Anna is, please watch the trailer for The September Issue which opens in October for Canada. So far away!

And here are the shots of stiff Posh, posing her tits off on a swing. It looks like the least fun swing ride that ever happened in the history of swing rides.

Love for Emma

2009-07-26T15:04:00.024-04:00

If anyone has seen the Harry Potter movies than I'm sure you know who Emma Watson/Hermione Granger is.

Lately I've been noticing her more, not just because of all the press she's being doing for the Half-Blood Prince, but because of what she's wearing. When she went on the Late Show with David Letterman, I fell in love with the Christopher Kane dress she was wearing.

Here it is:

After that, I poured through photos of Emma to check out what she's been wearing. And I discovered that she's a fashion girl through and through. Her style is very British and all about individuality. It's no wonder that Karl Lagerfeld and Christopher Bailey love her.

She's the cover girl of the August issue of Teen Vogue and the photographs are beautiful. Check them out:

One of the reasons I love Emma's style is that she's not afraid to take chances but (and this is very important) she dresses her age!

Unlike some teen stars who dress as if they are in their 20s and try to show as much skin as possible; Emma always looks classy and stylish but age-appropriate and young (she's 19.)

You will never see her force feeding us her cleavage and you will never have to worry about seeing her panties (except for that hilarious incident at the Half-Blood premiere where she accidentally revealed nude granny panties.)

I can't wait to see how her style will change as she gets older.

Here are some of my favourite Emma Watson looks:

Summer with Daria

2009-07-18T07:56:00.009-04:00

French Vogue is my favourite fashion magazine of the moment. Not only does it give me an excuse to read French aloud (by myself of course) but the mag has what I consider one of the best Fashion editorials every issue.

The August 2009 issue is no exception.

Featuring one of my favourite models, Canadian Daria Werbowy, the editorial shows Daria channeling different eras of fashion from the 90s Gap look to 70s disco (and do I spy Brooke Shields?)

But really all August issues are just lead-ups for September. I cannot wait for the September issues!

Speaking of Canadian models, did anyone watch Canada's Next Top Model? What do you think about Meaghan winning? I think she was the best of the final three but I was secretly hoping that Maryam would win.

(Photos: The Fashion Spot)

Most successful male models

2009-07-16T15:04:00.013-04:00

Lately I've been in a real male model mood. What does this mean? Well, for the past month or two, I've been obsessing over them. Most of my blog has been taken up by all the women models and I never really gave much thought to the males because they aren't as visible as their female counterparts. But lately the men have been bombarding my mind.

It started with the luscious Boyd Holbrook, who's long, blond hair and Brad-Bitt eyes ensnared me. And then along came Jamie Dornan, who I first noticed in the movie Marie Antoinette. And then...and then...the daddy of my obsession, Taylor Kitsch. As of right now, he is number one, and will forever hold a place in my heart as long as I keep watching Friday Night Lights.

So I was very excited when Forbes released their list of the most successful male models today.

Forget Kate, give some love to the guys! Girls, you can thank me after you've cleaned up your drool.

No. 10: Cole Mohr

No. 9: Taylor Fuchs

No. 8: Jon Kortajarena

No. 7: Tyler Riggs

No. 6: Ollie Edwards

No. 5: Garrett Neff

No. 4: Danny Schwartz

No. 3: David Gandy

No. 2: Matt Gordon

No. 1: Sean O'Pry

So what go you guys think? Are they hot or not? Do you like the really skinny models or the beefcakes?

Should Vogue be budget-consicous?

2009-07-12T12:57:00.006-04:00

Last week the New York Times ran a piece on how American Vogu e has lately been featuring "mid-range" products in the magazine. They called the new trend "budget-conscious."

They quote fashion director Sally Singer: “We’ve always shown a wide range of price points and lower-priced items,” she said. “As long as Anna Wintour’s been at Vogue, from her first issue, she had jeans on her cover with a Christian Lacroix top. She’s always had a high-low sensibility.”

But lately Singer says the magazine has been deliberately featuring more cheaper items because of the economy. “In the past year, I feel a greater need to signpost certain elements we’ve had in the magazine. Maybe we need to make sure the reader can find them more easily.”

But if readers were looking for cheaper items, why would they go to Vogue in the first place?

Vogue has never pretended to be anything but a snooty, high-society magazine that puts emphasis on living the high life no matter what the cost. People read Vogue so they can take a peek at that luxurious fantasy life. The magazine has never been apologetic for featuring items like a Fendi 24k gold mink coat because readers expect to see ridiculous items like that.

I expect to see outrageously expensive but fabulous clothes, shoes, bags and jewels in the magazine even though I know I can't afford them. But when I start to see items from the Gap or J.Crew I get a bit scared. Where is the fantasy? If I want to see clothes from the Gap, I'll pick up Lucky magazine or walk down Yonge Street.

I do understand the value of the point that during these tough economic times a magazine shouldn't be flaunting inaccessible wealth to the credit-card debt ridden people. But that's the lure of the magazine; it's inaccessibility.

Vogue has weathered two World Wars and several recessions and still come out on top. Why should this time be any different?

So Vogue, you can throw in a few lower-range products to make it seem like you care about the rest of us, but don't throw away your soul aka those gold mink coats. It's just not you.

Coco Avant Chanel

2009-07-10T12:23:00.011-04:00

The summer blockbuster season is almost over (anxious to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Monday) but there are two non-blockbuster films that I am very excited to see. One of them is the documentary The September Issue, about the making of Vogue's very popular September issue, and the second is the french film Coco Avant Chanel, starring the lovely Audrey Tautou as Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel.

Vogue UK released a few images from the film and talked to the costumer designer, Catherine Leterrier. This is what she had to say:

"The relationship with the House of Chanel was excellent," Leterrier told VOGUE.COM of the filming. "I was completely free designing exactly what I wanted for our film which takes place before Chanel created her 'maison de couture'. She started as a milliner. She became successful creating hats."

"The research process was the same as for any other period film," Leterrier explained. "We did research from real garments - in museums, flea markets, vintage shops or private collections - and research from painting and photos. For the show of the end we used authentic outfits from the Chanel Conservatory and Audrey Tautou wore a Chanel suit inspired by 'Mademoiselle' in the Sixties."

My first impression of Chanel's costumes was a bit underwhelming; the colour scheme is very dark (grey, black, navy) and monochromatic but the tailoring, the details and the fit are exquisite. They perfectly capture Chanel's free-spirit and her transformation as a designer.

The photos show her in the popular Chanel suit, complete with pearls and a wonderful dark loose suit with a wide white collar and brooch.

Although the photos don't show whether we will see any more flamboyant costumes à la Lagerfeld (to see if Karl approves the wardrobe click here,) I am looking forward to seeing these subtle, beautiful clothes.

Click here to watch the trailer.

A work in progress

2009-07-06T21:33:00.019-04:00

Two weeks ago I moved to Toronto and am living on my own in my first condo. It's been a lot of fun; meeting new people, hanging out with old friends and staying up past the last GO train back to the suburbs.

I've also been having a great time decorating my place. I'm trying to make my home more personal by adding family photographs to walls and on tables. But I am also letting the fashion obsession come out in the decoration; stacks of fashion magazines against the walls and under the coffee table; fashion drawings on the walls, random bags strewn about and coffee table books lying around.

Like I said in the post title, it's a work in progress but I'm excited at my start. My current project is getting a bunch of Vogue covers and my favourite fashion photographs and putting them on my wall like a collage.

What do you guys do in your home that shows your fashion side?

I'll follow you until you love me, papa, paparazzi

2009-07-03T15:00:00.004-04:00

My friend sent me a link to a anti-paparazzi clutch bag. It's awesome especially if you don't like having your photo taken.

Here's how it works: When the device in the bag detects a camera flash it responds by emitting another flash that interferes with the photo. So if you take a picture of someone with the bag, all you will see is a flash of light. Brilliant, non?

Now if only Lindsay Lohan would use it so we wouldn't be subjected to her crazy mug every day.

Clear eyes full hearts can't lose

2009-06-28T13:08:00.010-04:00

Girls: Rob Pattinson has nothing on Taylor Kitsch.

I'm not sure if any of you guys have heard of a little show called Friday Night Lights. Well let me tell you; it's my favourite show right now, only second to Battlestar Galactica aka the Greatest TV Show Ever. And part of the reason why the show is so great, is thanks to hot Canadian actor, Taylor Kitsch.
What does this have to do with fashion? Well, Taylor used to be a model for IMG and has modelled for Diesel and Abercrombie & Fitch. And P.S. have you seen those abs??

I've only heard of Taylor Kitsch through Lainey Gossip because Lainey is obsessed with him and the show. And then he appeared as Gambit on Wolverine: Origins. So last weekend I was in Best Buy and saw Friday Night Lights on DVD and like the impulse shopper I am, bought the first two seasons. So now I'm hooked. Not just on Taylor but on the show. Guys, it's an amazing show and I'm surprised why hardly anyone knows about it. It's not focused on football. It's about relationships, family and friendship. And the acting is amazing, especially Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, but the whole cast is superb.

And then there's Taylor. He plays the brooding, conflicted and ususally drunk Panthers running back, Tim Riggins. I think his long hair is my favourite part of him.

So if you want to see great TV and a hot guy who can actually act, watch Friday Night Lights!

R.I.P. Michael Jackson: Style Icon

2009-06-25T20:32:00.008-04:00

I'm not going to talk about the Michael Jackson of the last two decades that has overshadowed his brilliant music career. I want to pay tribute to his lasting influence in fashion, which although can't be compared to his musical influence, is nonetheless still felt in the fashion industry today. Jackson died today at the age of 50.

Like I said in the title, he is a style icon. He turned a sparkling glove into a worldwide symbol. And now decades after he began his career, his style is still influence designers today.
In the Spring 2009 show, Balmain showcased Jackson-inspired military jackets. Funnily enough, Jackson was recently photographed wearing Balmain clothes that look like they could have been Jackson's from the 70s and 80s.

His style was showstopping and his upcoming tour "This Is It" promised to be a spectacle. WWD reports:

"The pop icon had costumes created specially for him by Crystallized Swarovski Elements. Along with the sets, the ensembles would have featured more than 300,000 crystals in 43 sizes and 27 colors. As Nadja Swarovski, vice president of international communications for Swarovski, told WWD Wednesday: “As the King of Pop, it is only natural for him to be crowned in crystal.”

Farewell, King of Pop.

The September Issue

2009-06-25T10:31:00.007-04:00

I just watched the trailer for The September Issue and I am trembling with excitement. I can tell that the documentary is probably going to rival Valentino: The Last Emperor as one of my favourite fashion docs.

My favourite bits include:

- Anna telling Oscar de la Renta to take out a look she dislikes from his upcoming collection. "I personally would not put this in the show."
- "This type looks so large and pretentious. It looks like it's going to blind people."
- Grace Coddington telling a minion to mention an "amazing" photo, because Anna has "killed half of it."
- Anna's reaction to a minion telling her that "he didn't do the Coliseum dress" in a photo shoot.
- Anna's minions nervously mumbling after she asks them "is this really the message we want to put in the September issue?"

Check it out here

The highlight of my day

2009-06-17T14:25:00.006-04:00

It's been a pretty boring day at work and I am feeling really tired (mostly from staying up late packing for my move on Saturday.) So when I saw the photos of my favourite male model, Jamie Dornan, starring in the Calvin Klein ads with Eva Mendes, I woke right up.

Boy is hot. A bit too greasy, but sexy.

And for some reason, the media is in an "uproar" over the CK ad that features a bunch of half-naked people. Boring! We've seen it all before. I don't see what the big deal is just because there is a little bit of nakedness going on. It's not as bad as all the violence we see on TV. The photos are pretty tame compared to all the nudity you can find in fashion magazines like French Vogue. But it's great publicity for Calvin Klein.

A little bit funny

2009-06-10T09:54:00.005-04:00

How to make an Hermes crocodile Birkin.

Take this: (picture courtesy of Perez Hilton)

And you get this!

I don't know about you but real exotic bags scare me a little. Something about the scales and the fact that the actual creature can eat you.

The dark side of modeling

2009-06-08T15:41:00.007-04:00

To the casual observer fashion and sex go hand-in-hand. The industry is built upon sexualized images to sell their product. And increasingly, the women selling fashion are getting younger and younger. Most of the time they aren't women at all but very young girls, as young as 13 years old.

The problem is that the sexual imagery in fashion photography has a lurid background behind the camera.

Sara Ziff, a model, has made a documentary called Picture Me about young models who will do anything to get to the top of the industry, and the price they pay for it.

This includes everything from respected photographers feeling up a model, to a 14-year-old model being asked to "twist" a photographer's penis, to 20-hour work days without any rest or food.

Here are some quotes from The Guardian's piece on the doc:

What alarms Ziff is that there's an expectation that models are comfortable using their sexuality. Often they can feel under pressure to conform, not least because they're being paid a great deal of money. On occasion, Ziff says, she has earned as much as $150,000 a day. "I've done shoots naked, totally naked. They sell it to you as: 'Here's this great artist and he wants to take your portrait.' I had to switch off the voice in my head that said: 'Do you really want to do this?' When you're being paid a lot of money and you want to appear cool you really don't want to show any resistance to going with it.
"But at the end of the day I used to wonder: what's the difference between doing a shoot in your underwear for Calvin Klein and being a stripper? Obviously you are compromising yourself. How far am I willing to go? How much am I willing to show for a big fat cheque?"

"We had to go in one by one. The photographer said he wanted to see me without my shirt on. Then he told me that it was still hard to imagine me for the story so could I take my trousers off. I was standing there in a pair of Mickey Mouse knickers and a sports bra. I didn't even have breasts yet. 'We might need to see you without your bra,' he told me. It was like he was a shark circling me, walking around and around, looking me up and down without saying anything. I did what he told me to. I was just eager to be liked and get the job. I didn't know any better."

"The images came out and they were practically pornographic. What the photographer saw was not what I felt. It had nothing to do with that 14-year-old and what she was feeling and everything to do with what the person behind the camera projected onto her."

The documentary also brings up the idea of creating a union for models, something which I've briefly talked about before. Modeling is a real job so why shouldn't they have a union with the chance to have days off, fair wages and most importantly, protection from abuse.

I'm glad to see that a working model is speaking out about the issue; there are so many faceless models out there too scared to talk about it.

Click here to watch the trailer.

Style Bazaar magazine interviews me!

2009-06-04T11:32:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Style Bazaar asked if they could feature me as one of their favourite bloggers in their online magazine. Needless to say I was very flattered and thrilled!

Check out the interview here and flip to page 30 to see my interview. And please check out the rest of the issue! There are other amazing bloggers featured, a great fashion editorial and features on my style icons Lady GaGa and Rihanna.
The site also has an online shop where you can buy great vintage, and a blog so check it out!

I must thank the lovely Tallulah for thinking of me and asking me great questions that really made me think about why I like blogging about fashion.

Thanks again Style Bazaar!

Le smoking

2009-06-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

There is something undeniably sexy about smoking. It's the moment between taking a drag and letting the smoke seep out. The cig resting lighting between your fingertips; your mouth parted just a little bit, and the ecstasy of feeling more relaxed; the world is right again.

Most people know that almost everyone involved in the fashion industry smokes. And I'm not talking about having a quick cig with champagne, I'm talking about all the time. In between shows, in between fittings, on photo shoot breaks, hell, on any kind of break. But hey, it's stressful job.

I'm talking about smoking because a friend of mine (same friend who went to the Ford Supermodel of the World open call last week) told me this weekend that she wants to try to quit the habit. She's not addicted to smoking but she likes the feeling she gets when she smokes. She told me that when she cosmetology in school, her teacher told the class to smoke with their left hands, so that when they were applying makeup to clients, they wouldn't be able to smell the smoke on their fingers. That's how much smoking is a part of the fashion culture.

Smoking in the media has been debated for a while now: Does seeing a celebrity or hot model smoking on TV or in magazines encourage people to smoke?
The media certainly glamourizes the act of smoking. There are countless famous movies where the protagonists are seen lighting up in a very sexy way. Does that make me want to smoke? No, but I do enjoy watching a person light up; especially if it's a sensual scene.

Fashion magazines are notorious for having photos of smoking models and there are two classic poses they use: Smoke floating out of a pouty, open mouth, or the cigarette is held like a cigar in an open, pouty mouth. It's hot, but is it wrong to promote smoking?

I don't have the answer to this, but please weigh in! Should fashion magazines be featuring models smoking?

And while you think about it, here are some hot photos of models smoking.

If I could only have one thing this summer...

2009-05-31T15:43:00.004-04:00

Let it be these shoes by Mimosa.

I've been thinking about high heels for a while now and my love-hate relationship with them. Two weeks ago I wore one of my favourite pair of heels to work; they're 5 inches, with a platform heel and a red tartan colour. I forgot to wear socks with them and so the skin on the sides of both my feet were ripped off after walking in them for 10 minutes. Needless to say it was a day where I had to make my friend Michelle get me food because I couldn't make the walk to the grocery store and I had to beg my cousin to bring me flats to wear home. That day, I hated shoes and what they did to my poor, shredded, tired feet.

But despite that, I still love them. I love how tall they make me; I seriously tower over so many people I feel indestructable. I love how sexy I feel when I wear them; the comments, the whistles and the stares I get is awesome. I just feel really powerful and hot in high heels. Flats may be more comfortable (even that is debatable) but I truly believe women shouldn't leave the house without wearing heels.

Unfortunately I am finding it difficult to take my own advice ever since "the shoe incident." I'm a bit scared of them. I'm scared that my feet will never look the same again. I'm scared my feet will take up in arms if I put them in heels.

But I love heels so much that I might be crazy enough to endure the pain as long as I look good wearing them. Of course this may involve hobbling down the street, moaning in agony, but hell, I look damn good in them. I'm just going to wait until my scars heal a bit more.

This is why she's one of the top models

2009-05-29T12:12:00.001-04:00

I was recently asked who my favourite model is and I had no trouble answering. Natalia Vodianova. This editorial from June's British Vogue is a great reason why I love her and why she is considered one of the top models in the world.

Couture loses another master?

2009-05-28T13:56:00.016-04:00

The fashion world has been given another kick in their stylish pants with the news that Christian Lacroix, the french couture house, has filed for bankruptcy protection today.

The U.S.-owned company has been having major financial issues for years; never making a profit and barely breaking even. Customers have been cancelling or reducing orders and ready-to-wear sales for the fall season were down 35 per cent.

But it's not just Lacroix that's in trouble: Luxury behemoth LVMH just scrapped a plan to open a Louis Vuitton flagship store in Tokyo and earlier this year Chanel laid off 200 temporary employees.

The Times explains the impact of Lacroix's filing:

"The loss of Christian Lacroix to Paris haute couture is immeasurable. Although the designer hopes to hold a small presentation during the July couture season, this was the last house established under the formal couture rules. Even a restructuring would likely have severe implications on his 125-member staff."

But the haute couture market has been on the downturn for a long time; either closing because they didn't make enough of a profit or the great masters have stepped down (or died.)

I wrote an article about the decline of haute couture in Naked Eye magazine and related it to Valentino's retirement. My reason for saying that haute couture was a dying business was because of big business. Couture is not profitable. In fact just putting on an haute couture show can cost millions of dollars which the company will not make back. There are only a handful of people who can afford couture and their numbers are dwindling fast.

So it should be no suprise that Lacroix, renowned for its beautiful couture, is filing for bankruptcy protection. The real money is in accessories and ready-to-wear but even that market is taking a beating since people are realizing that it might be a tad bit insane to spend $1000 on a bag or $3000 on a dress.

The Times says:

"But just as royalty now has less attention than celebrity, so couture has lost its unique prestige, with the word bandied about by any high-end designer. And whereas fragrances produced from the mystique of haute couture once kept the houses afloat, now it is just as likely that a hip jeans brand like Diesel or a celebrity like Jennifer Lopez will have the perfume hit that has stubbornly eluded Lacroix."

So, with Paris Haute Couture week coming quickly in July, will there be one less House showing a collection? A friend of mine thinks that the company will be bailed out but I'm not so sure. Who would want to buy a company that doesn't make money?

But for the sake of fashion, I hope Lacroix will get help and is able to present a collection. We need beautiful clothes to look at now more than ever.

Photos from the Christian Lacroix Spring 2009 Couture show:

Wino forever

2009-05-27T13:59:00.008-04:00

The last time I think that Winona Ryder made the cover of a major fashion magazine was Vogue in August 2007. Back then she addressed her 2001 arrest over that little shopping spree at Saks and claimed it was due to drugs. I thought that the cover would boost her profile a bit and get her onto the big screen again but unfortunately I was wrong.

Wino has kept it low key, appearing in indie movies and playing small parts (she plays Spock's mother in the new Star Trek movie.)

I used to be a huge Winona fan back in the day. Some of my favourite Wino films are Heathers, Little Women, Edward Scissorhands and The Crucible. She was (and still is) incredibly gorgeous in a quirky pixie-like way. Those big eyes make me melt.

Now she's on the cover of the July UK Vogue and she looks so beautiful. I swear that woman doesn't age (she's 37.) She's promoting her new movie The Private Lives of Pippa Lee which also stars Keanu Reeves, Julianne Moore and Robin Wright Penn.

Will being on the cover of a major fashion magazine boost her career? I'm not sure but I really hope it helps. It's been almost 20 years since she made Scissorhands and dated Johnny Depp. She needs a major comeback. At least for my sake. Do it for me Wino!

I think one of her biggest lures for me is that she is the interminable outsider; she doesn't fit into the Hollywood mold. She has always been a little dark and quirky. Which makes sense when she says:

"I thought it was cooler to be interesting than to be pretty. I must have got that from my parents, who felt strongly about being an individual and being your own person and that looks aren't everything. I always knew that I wasn't, you know, beautiful. I never wanted to be beautiful, I never wanted to be a cheerleader."

Can I be a part of your court Karl?

2009-05-26T14:52:00.026-04:00

An ex-assistant of fashion genius Karl Lagerfeld has written a book exposing amazing information about the Kaiser. The book is called Merci Karl! (hee!)

Little tidbits include:

- That he takes "an eternity" to get ready
- He takes photos of himself at every photo shoot and surrounds himself with these photographs
- He surrounds himself with a "royal court" and nobody disagrees with him
- He dumps people "at the drop of a dime"
- He stops acknowledging peoples' existence

What else could you expect from genius? Personally I would be very disappointed if he turned out to be nice. A man like him should not be nice, he should be a cold-hearted, mean diva. The man creates amazing clothes. We should all bow in his presence.

To quash any doubts you may have, I'm posting photos of his Chanel Resort 2010 collection which I forgot to post about when it actually happened because I fainted at the gorgeousness.

And while you look through the photos, listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons (Winter.) It will put you in the right mood. The collection showed in Venice and had a Carnivale theme with masks, big hats, black cloaks and curly hair. Despite it being a Resort collection, the colours were surprisingly dark and moody; lots of black and dark red. Against the setting Venetian sun it looked very sexy and haunting.

Art and tees

2009-05-25T15:42:00.005-04:00

When I was at the mall on the weekend I stopped by some stores to window shop. I wasn't going to go into Bebe because their clothes are ridiculously overpriced but a t-shirt caught my eye. It was a white, long scoop neck t-shirt with a graphic of a fashionable woman.
Now I'm a huge lover of graphic tees so I immediately went into the store to check it out. Turns out, Bebe is doing a collaboration with Biba founder, Barbara Hulanicki.

I think graphic tees are a great way to liven up an outfit. Pair them with jeans, skirts, black leather pants or (if it's long enough) wear as a mini-dress. I like wearing them to work with a schoolboy blazer, jeans and heels. I don't like wearing outfits that are too serious so the graphic tee livens it up and makes it more playful.
And these Bebe ones I would definitely wear going out a night; with long necklaces, a cocktail ring and skinny jeans, hell yeah!
I think graphic tees are a great alternative to the usual party dress. And they're a heck of a lot more comfortable and easy to party in.

But not all graphic tees are great. I was unfortunate enough to notice a grey tee in H&M which was extremely ugly. It's too bad I didn't get a photo of it because it's hard to explain. Picture this: A zebra head on top of a tiger's body. Scary right? H&M has been producing a few unfortunate shirts like this. I call them the "hipster shirts." For some reason people think shirts with imaginary scary animal hybrids are cool. Please avoid!

(kind of like this only scarier)

So in short: Fashion and comic tees are cool, weird animal crossbreeds are not.

Mode as muse and wannabe models

2009-05-23T20:09:00.007-04:00

Today I went to the Eaton Centre to check out the Ford Supermodel of the World open call and to support my friend who was trying out. Unfortunately my camera died and I couldn't take photos so I will do my best to describe the scene.

We got there about 12:15 and there was already a pretty big lineup. There were girls of all sizes and heights. Some were typically pretty (what I call "mall pretty;") others had the model requirements (very tall, very thin;) some were too short but had pretty faces and were thin; and some had horrible style (one girl wore a bright pink shirt with holes along the arms and was so tight her belly fat was leaking out.)

Out of all of them (friend excluded) I only saw one girl who caught my eye; she wasn't typically pretty but she had an interesting face. I'll try to describe it from my memory. She had dark, full eyebrows, large wide-set brown eyes that were a bit too far away from her nose but it made her look elfin. She had a small, pouty mouth and a round-shaped face. She was very tall, I would say 6 feet and looked very young and shy. She captivated me and I'm really sad that I couldn't take any photos. I hope the Ford website puts up shots from the event.

Anyway, the line up grew pretty big and they had to start lining up girls outside the mall. There were lots of moms there. A Revlon hair guy went around to all the girls spraying their hair and pulling it back into a ponytail. When the girls got to the front they had their head shots taken and were asked a couple of questions about themselves.

I was standing beside a 16-year-old girl who seemed like she was at least 6 feet (although all of them were wearing super tall heels) and said that she already had an agent and had done some modeling. She told me a cute anecdote about her agent calling her while she was writing an exam and she had to refuse a modeling job because she obviously had to finish the test.

I talked to a few other girls there and asked them how much they knew about modeling and models. Most of them didn't know the names of contemporary models such as Daria Werbowy or Coco Rocha. They all think it's a glamorous job. A lot of them were trying out just for fun or because their friends or parents told them too. Some of them were interested in fashion but a lot of them weren't.

After my friend left, I headed over to the Indigo to find some good books and I came across The Model as Muse book that's part of the Met exhibition of the same name.
The Peter Lindbergh photograph of Kate Moss sold me.

The book and the Ford Supermodel open call got me thinking about what makes a good model.
Flipping through the photographs of the greats like Linda Evangelista, Veruschka, Jean Shrimpton, Lisa Fonssagrives, Naomi Campbell, Kate and others, I wondered how much of being a great model relies on the face, the body, the makeup artist, the hair stylist, the photographer and the numerous other people that help a girl become a model.

For me, it's about an interesting face; not necessarily beautiful, but a face that you can't help but notice and stare at. I think part of being a good model is knowing how to move your body in front of a camera and knowing your good angles. Being part actor and part chameleon is a model's job. I don't think you have to know a lot about fashion if you want to become a model, but it helps.
But really, I think it all comes down to that face. No makeup, no product in the hair, no fancy clothes on. If the face can inspire people then that's a good start for a girl to become a model.

Was there a potential muse in the line up I saw? I did see a lot of girls who came across as confident, who knew they were hot. But would they be able to inspire a designer, would they define an era, would they influence a photographer? I'm not so sure.

So you think you can be a model?

2009-05-22T16:46:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow at the Eaton Centre in Toronto, Ford Models is holding an open call for the Supermodel of the World contest.

The open call is being held on level three of the Eaton Centre from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Here is some background:

From the world’s best modelling agency comes Canada’s next face of beauty and fashion.

Ford Models is the world’s largest global fashion talent management company. Each year, Ford Models searches the globe for its next female Supermodel to join the Ford Models' prestigious Women's division.

Three Canadians have been crowned the Ford Models Supermodel of the World: Monica Schnare in 1986, Tricia Helfer in 1992, and Leanne Spencer in 1996. Who will be the Canadian finalist this year? Is it you?

Stay tuned as Ford Model Scouts visit Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and select models from each region to participate in the finals.

Want to know the prize? The winner receives a $250,000 (US) modeling contract with Ford Models.  The runners-up also receive modeling contracts with Ford Models for $150,000 (US) or $100,000 (US). Sweet deal!

I will be there with a friend who is entering the contest, taking pics and asking model hopeful questions about why they think they have what it takes to be a supermodel.

Also check out teenflare.com editor Laura Lanktree's blog about the contest; if you have any questions, she is the one with the answers.

Here is a pic of last year's winner, Shelby Furber.

Good luck!

Cannes porn

2009-05-20T13:48:00.034-04:00

Each year I look forward to film festivals because you can usually count on amazing fashion. In particular, people who go to the Cannes and the Rome film festivals are known to pull out all stops when it comes to their clothes. But remember that Cannes is not the Oscars. You will be hard pressed to find a boring dress. Ugly? Yes. But not boring. It's more like the Met gala in that actors take big chances with what they choose to wear. The look is always bold, different and show-stopping. The point is to get people talking about them.

This year has been no exception. And to start it off, we have Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the premiere of Brad's new movie, Inglorious Basterds. These Brange photos just came in so enjoy!

The Brange

Pure Pitt porn. I was praying that Angeline would not arrive in a black gown as she is prone to doing. Instead she made the whole event about her in a leg and cleavage baring chiffon light pink dress. Sweet Jesus you can see her thigh. Fucking hot.
(btw- the dress is Atelier Versace.)

Diane Kruger

Diane's a gorgeous woman, there's no doubt about that. But she looks luminescent in this cowl-back, mermaid gown. She looks great in white.

Tilda Swinton
It's classic Tilda and only she can pull this off.

Shu Qi and Asia Argento
I really like the colour of Shu's dress. And it looks very dramatic.

Penelope Cruz

Am more of a fan of the first dress, not sure about the second. Something about it says "prom" to me. I think it's the lilac colour.

Monica Bellucci and Sophie Marceau
Probably the hottest woman at Cannes. Except for Angelina who just arrived and trumped them all. You can't beat the Brange.

Lily Cole (left)
I'm a huge fan of Lily's. Just look at her wild red hair! But I'm really in love with her dress. It has this twenties vibe and it looks vintage.

Hillary Swank

Evangeline Lilly
The colour is really bold and I like that she's not showing a lot of skin.

Eva Longoria
The huge folds on this dress takes it from prom to couture.

Eva Herzigova

The bottom dress reminds me of the one that Gisele Bundchen wore at the Met gala last year. I guess I'm a fan of tight, sparkly dresses.

Elizabeth Banks
Charlotte Gainsbourg

LOVE her. The top dress is so much fun and sexy. And she is the only one who can get away with wearing jeans at Cannes.

Brad Pitt
Everything about this look, from the weathered shoes to the cream suit, to the scarf and the aviators is perfection.

Asia Argento, Robin Wright Penn
Abbie Cornish

I love this photo because of the way the dress moves. It's so effortless.

(Photos: Canadian Press, Associated Press, Wire Image)

The devil she doth appear

2009-05-18T19:42:00.006-04:00

I just watched the Anna Wintour interview for 60 Minutes and it left me a little disappointed.

We see very little of Anna's creative process is making Vogue or her opinion of style and the recession.

What really comes through is how much of an influence she is in the creative process of all designers.

We see how she tells designers what colours to use for their collections (Dolce and Gabbana); we see how she picks which designers get to head which labels (John Galliano for Dior) and her complete power over new designers by featuring them in her magazine (Alexander Wang.)

It makes you realize that Anna Wintour really does control a lot of the fashion industry in all aspects. All designers owe their jobs to her and in return she controls them. Even Balenciaga creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere is scared of her!

It made me wonder whether that is really good for the fashion industry; the fact that this one person has so much power and is able to dictate her opinion to everyone and they obey.

But anyway, it was still fascinating to watch her. This woman scares me and I love her.

Here is the video:

Watch CBS Videos Online

Watch outtakes here.

We are not worthy!

2009-05-14T12:02:00.004-04:00

"Vogue is the best of everything that fashion can offer...we are a glamorous girlfriend." - Anna Wintour.

60 Minutes is airing an Anna Wintour special this weekend and they have released a sneak-peek of what's in store for us.

The clip shows Anna conducting a staff meeting, editing layouts and photos, choosing clothes for photo shoots and talking about how the magazine is dealing with the recession. The best part is when she sternly tells a Vogue staffer to "keep thinking."

I cannot stress how excited I am see this. I would be her foot stool just to have the honour to be in her presence.

Fashion piracy

2009-05-13T12:32:00.010-04:00

Design theft in fashion is a tricky business. How does the law define copyright when it comes to clothes? Is it if a designer uses the same print as another designer? Or is it the shape? The material? Most likely it's a mix of everything.

Fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg, whose famous 70s wrap dress has been copied for decades, has now unintentionally become a design thief.

A Toronto fashion label called Mercy, is getting an undisclosed sum from the designer, for ripping off the design of a floral jacket.

Here is a comparison of the two jackets (DVF on the left, Mercy on the right):

It's ironic that von Furstenberg, who is trying to create legislation called The Design Piracy Prohibition Act, is guilty of the same infraction that she is trying to stop.

Richard Lyle, one of the Mercy designers said: "That jacket had our fingerprints all over it. The little design gestures that are on the inside."

The DVF version ran in the Spring 2009 collection and is selling for $1000, while Mercy's version is selling for $300.

While I do see some similarities in the two jackets, most noticeably the sash with the bow and the short sleeves with the elastic hem, I feel that I have seen this jacket before.

I think that DVF's version is more of an inspired version of Mercy's, not outright theft. So where does one draw the line between inspired and theft?

However I do believe that Mercy's win is good for the fashion industry. There are too many retailers who are blatantly ripping off designers (big and small) and getting away with it.

See examples here, here and here. And there are many, many more.

So tell me: Is the DVF jacket a blatant knock-off or is just similar? And what do you consider a knock off?

For more copyright information and news, visit Counterfeit Chic.

(Photo: Toronto Star)

Natalia and Carine on CNN

2009-05-12T21:38:00.014-04:00

As you know, Natalia Vodianova is one of my all-time favourite models. I love the way shes comes alive in front of a camera. She has this soft, innocence about her but there is wisdom there as well.

And her life story (at 25 years old) is pretty incredible; she's a real-life Cinderella who was one day selling fruit in her native Russia and within a year, after arriving in Paris at 17, was one of the hottest models in the business.

She also snagged her very own Prince Charming; she married Justin Portman, a British real-estate heir. The couple have three children together.

Yet still after all the incredible changes her life has gone through, Natalia remains very down-to-earth and sweet-natured. She's not a diva at all despite her success.

She appears on the cover of this month's UK Vogue as part of their Body Issue.

CNN ran a feature on her where she takes us to Moscow with her family and shows us her favourite spots to hang out. You actually learn a lot about Russian culture and traditions from her; she's really knowledgeable about her country which is refreshing.

One of my favourite parts is when she pulls out a pink t-shirt with flowers surrounding a portrait of Vladmir Putin and giggles saying "A very important man."

P.S. Not sure why some of the videos are showing double. I tried to sub in YouTube vids instead but they aren't showing up. So please excuse my poor knowledge of HTML!

Part One:

Part Two

CNN also did a feature on legendary French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld. There's only one thing that I thought of while watching her: Fabulous. See for yourself!

Part one:

Part two:

Part three:

Food for thought

2009-05-12T15:17:00.016-04:00

As you can tell by the title of this post, I am really hungry. Not just for any ol' food but for macarons (not to be confused with macaroons but I would take those too.)

I started looking up pictures of them to ease the hunger pains and came across some wonderful photos. I think that macarons are some of the most colourful foods. They come in all sorts of vibrant colours: indigo, neon yellow, bright pink and shocking orange.

The more I looked at the photos, the more they reminded me of the Louis Vuitton Fall 09 collection.

The LV collection uses a lot of the same colours as macaroons.

See all the colours here:

And then notice the same colours in the LV collection:

And here:

And here:

Macarons were also used in comparison to Marc Jacobs' LV inspiration in the documentary Marc Jacobs et Louis Vuitton.

Check out the clip:

So how much does food influence fashion? I don't know but I'm sure when designers get hungry, a bit of that hunger seeps into their clothing.

Eyeliner and cigarettes

2009-05-10T17:22:00.013-04:00

I've been obsessing over Lady GaGa for the last month and in particular I can't get her song "Paparazzi" out of my head. Check out this video of her singing it live:

But I first noticed her because of her peculiar style. What amazes me about GaGa is that most people who don't know her music could identify her because of her wacky outfits. She is known as the "girl who doesn't wear pants" and is often compared to Christina Aguilera because of her ash blonde hair and red lips.

Since my revelation about Rihanna's unique sense of style I've been rethinking what I think is "good" fashion and what appeals to me. First; there is no such thing as "good" fashion but there is definitely bad fashion. Second; there are people like Rihanna and Lady GaGa who take fashion to the extreme. They don't dress in a conventional way but develop their own unique sense of style.

What I like about Lady Gaga's style is that always surprises you. It's never the safe choice. Her outfits may be kooky but she makes them work and it's always fun to watch.

Her sartorial choices always include either tight PVC or leather, big sunglasses, impractical heels and weird shapes. She's like a mix of David Bowie, Alice in Wonderland and a pirate but really sexed up.

Here are some of my favourite Lady GaGa looks:

First Ladies fashion

2009-05-10T12:38:00.004-04:00

Not about to be upstaged by the fashionable Carla Bruni, Spain's Princess Letizia (left) makes a stylish entrance in platforms and pink. Michelle Obama got nothing on this!

(Taken April 27 in Madrid.)

Rihanna's comeback

2009-05-07T14:22:00.001-04:00

Rihanna has gone through a lot of intense media scrutiny in the last few months while remaining quiet. In the last month she has been photographed hanging out with friends, going out to dinner and clubbing. However her real debut back into the spotlight was at the Met ball on Monday when she wore a Dolce and Gabbana high-shouldered tuxedo ensemble. Other than Madonna's Louis Vuitton get-up, Rihanna's sartorial choice was the most talked-about of the night. And really it's all because of those shoulders.

This season designers have gone back to the 1980s for some weird reason since that decade usually induces cringes from those who remember what was in style at the time. Big power shoulders were in. So Rihanna took it to the extreme at the Met.

When I saw the outfit I reacted with distate. I do think it's pretty ugly. But then I thought about it and I realized that it's not about being "pretty." The Met was all about being fashion-forward and avant-garde. Rihanna made the right choice in wearing her tux. And when you think about it; Rihanna never played it safe with her clothes. She's always been a bit of an extremist. And I think that's refreshing.

For once, a mainstream artist, a young woman, is showing her individuality by ignoring the rules of what Hollywood women "should" wear. And to be honest, even though there are many beautiful gowns that celebrity women wear; it all ends up looking the same compared to what Rihanna wears. And she pulls it off with attitude and confidence. Not many female celebs can do that without fear of being ridiculed. So Rihanna, I applaud you for your bold choices!

And P.S. Vogue named her one of the night's most stylish women.

Inside the Met ball

2009-05-06T14:10:00.003-04:00

Style.com posted this great video of the "Model as Muse" party at the Met. They interview everyone from Marc Jacobs, Kate Moss, Anne Hathaway, Gisele Bundchen, Victoria Beckham, Leighton Meester and tons more. The most common question asked is "Who was your model muse growing up?" and many of them chose Kate as their inspirations but others named Lauren Hutton, Stephanie Seymour (who was apparently the inspiration for Anne Hathway's poofy hair), Twiggy and Cindy Crawford.

Great moments:

- Seeing the dresses up close. It made me fall even more in love with Kate's Marc Jacobs dress and turban.

- Kate Hudson's husky voice.

- Kiefer Sutherland and Brooke Shields interviewed (separately) hours before the story broke that Sutherland allegedly head-butted Proenza Schouler designer Jack McCollough over Shields. I tried to see whether Kiefer was drunk but I couldn't tell.

- Victoria Beckham posing her ass off hoping that Anna Wintour will see and give her a Vogue cover.

- Josh Hartnett declaring his boyhood crush on Heidi Klum.

- Anne Hathaway trying to justify her ugly big hair.