hong kong, all is not lost
I recently visited Hong Kong, the city can be overwhelming that is sure. Louis Vuitton and Chanel shops litter the street and compete with Starbucks for sheer volume. All though Hong Kong seems to be obsessed with the acquisition of status symbols (Porsche 911′s appear to outnumber taxicabs) there still is a bit of culture and beauty that has escaped the wrecking ball.
I was walking the streets of Happy Valley early on my post jet lag day, I came across some rare examples of early architecture, later that day I ventured to some traditional markets. I even journeyed to the Big Buddha.
Yes, Honk Kong is a Mecca for shopping but there is so much more to see if you just look around.
Pure Genius
Mr Elbaz does it again, such a beautiful collection, check it out.
Mad about plaid
When Susie Sheffman and I were in Milan last spring, we went to the “re-see” of the Prada collection for fall 2009, the first thing that came out of Susie’s mouth was “the girls guide to Hunting and Fishing”. to be honest I never read the book, but it seemed to be a perfect description of Miucca’s look for this fall. Sometimes one designers collection can influence a fashion story, then the fashion editor finds looks from other designers to round out the shoot.
The first job at hand was finding the perfect location, with the help of the Ontario Tourist Board we found this wonderful resort, The Killarney Lodge in Algonquin Park. The fashion team starts their work, countless hours of scouring look books and a zillion calls, some frustration and the clothes arrive at the magazine. We pack up our team and off we go to Algonquin, arriving in a rag tag menagerie of station wagons and white rental panel vans instead of a fleet of Black Suburbans.
The work begins the night before the shoot, we go through the looks, finalize the make-up inspiration and then we get a little down time, the adventurous go for a dip in the frigid water and then we hang out for a bit on the porch of one our cabins. We start early the next day, make-up takes a while and I want to catch the early morning light. We are pumped by the excitement and shoot till late in the day. The shoot takes two days, there is hard work, it’s not easy balancing on rocks in platform shoes, particularly when one of the islands is covered in little gifts from the birds. It may not be glamorous behind the scene’s but it sure is fun. Check out the story in the October issue of Fashion Magazine,
fanny packs
fanny pack at D&G
I’ve had this uneasy feeling for a while, that questionable accessories of the late 80′s and early 90′s the Fanny Pack is on it’s way back.
I must be honest, I do look at them with mixed emotions. In our modern world we possess so many accoutrements, not just iphones, black berries and if your like me and technologically incompetent, also an IPod (I haven’t figured out how to transfer my music on to my IPhone). On top of that our wallets are packed with loyalty cards, one for your pharmacy, a different one for every airline you fly, electronics stores and authenticity cards from you wallets specific manufacturer.
When I was in Paris I was looking for a murse, you know ’cause of the Velibe. I had to carry my phone, mints, keys, wallet, etc. and alas my pockets were jammed. I saw a nice leather fanny pack at Prada in Galleries Lafayette …. but all I could think of was male strippers wearing hammer pants and loose sport back tank tops. When I went to the Prada on Avenue Montaigne, I asked the nice salesman if they were dubious or not, his answer was “If Mrs. Prada makes it it must be in fashion”
It seems that designers have the same issues as I do, Style.com announced their presence at Marc Jacobs and D&G and my friend Susie Sheffman from Fashion Magazine has been seeing them all over Milan Fashion Week.
Vanity Fair
Vanity fair at the R.O.M.
Last night The Bay hosted a cocktail party at the R.O.M. to launch the Vanity Fair Portrait exhibition. The guests were greeted by a row of handsome young men decked out in the Hudson’s Bay signature coats. We were treated to wine, champagne and a stirring yet brief speech by Bonnie Brooks heralding the opening of The Room, which has been redesigned by the internationally successful team of Yabu Pushlberg.
The show highlights the work of master photgraphers from the insception of Vanity fair in 1913 to its re-launch in 1983. It’s incredible how the images resonate, they have become part of our common memory, the photo’s of Madonna, Princess Di and Louise Brooks are iconic. The show highlights the work of such illustrious photographers as Edward Steichen, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino and Hoyningen-Huene. The usual suspects were there, Derick Chetty from the Toronto Star, Lisa Tant from Flare Magazine, Tu Ly, a raveshing Dawn Bellini from Hugo Boss who is expecting her second son in two weeks and Susie Sheffman of Fashion Magazine looking sleek in a customised Club Monaco dress.
tom ford does it again
Tom Ford is just so infuriating, he is handsome, creative and successful. Everything this man touches turns to gold. I went into the tiff screening of “A Single Man” with the secret desire that the film would suck. Mr Ford pulled it off again, the film hit me on so many levels, from the stunning visuals to the amazing performances of the actors. He was able to conjure up the best of Wong Kar Wai, Ang Lee and Gattica yet make it all his own. His attention to detail is brilliant, every visual nuance is used to bring you into the characters persona and move the plot forward. Colin Firth is brilliant as is Julianne Moore. Keep an eye out for it when it will be shown to the general public.
cocotastic
coco rocha kirk pickersgill of greta constantine
While many a Canadian Super Model is quick to forget the support they received from the their home press in the dawn of there carriers, one in particular is rumoured to have said “I would rather eat glass than be on the cover of a Canadian magazine”. Miss Rocha is always gracious and supportive, kudos to Coco.
CHANEL
Chanel couture 2009
Last evenings couture fall 2009 presentation from Chanel was the perfect combination of French luxury with German precision. Kaiser Karl pulled it off yet again to the pleasure of his devotes. There was a sea of Chanel bags, in every shape, colour and fabric. It was a virtual retrospective of past Chanel collections in the audience. The genius of Chanel is that even though we shoot it for our pages of Fashion Magazine on lithe young women it works beautifully on ladies of any age.
The collection was a study in long versus short, lots of short skirts with tails and skirts that were short in the front and long i the back. It was a sedate collection full of the mastery that only couture can offer. The play of proportions was true Karl.
The show ended with one of the gigantic perfume bottles opening up to reveal the bride and the groom. The groom being Karl’s new “muse” Baptiste Giabiconi.
The exclusive world of Couture is fascinating, the world embodies perfection on every level, from the impeccably groomed security men, the glamourous ladies who patronize it and most of all the House of Chanel.
-
- Chanel couture 2009
-
- Sasha Pivovarova (IMG)
-
- Baptiste Giabiconi (MARILYN) and Lara Stone (IMG)
-
- Chanel Stage
-
- Baptiste Giabiconi
-
- Vlada Roslyakova (WOMEN) and friends
-
- Kori Richardson (IMG)
-
- Vanessa Traina
all that glitters
The Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad put on a glittering show in Paris. It was full of glitz and glamour suitable for his Arabian Princess cliental. Not an inch of fabric was left unadorned, much to the pleasure of his audience.
The Unknown Hipster
“Born French, Unknown Hipster early moved to New York to become a painter, a poet, or whichever position was available on the Art scene. Once a lead tambourin for « Uneven dusk », it’s unclear what became his main occupation after the band quickly broke-up. All can be said is that Unknown frequently appears at Fashionable and Cultural events without being necessarily on the list”.
