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Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1283 2010-04-02T16:07:12Z 2010-04-02T16:07:12Z

Credit: Pimentel (Wireimage)

Fur has a longstanding reputation for being a hot button issue in the fashion community and the new Izma collection, presented by Canadian design staple Izzy Camilleri and former Fashion File host Adrian Mainella, had fur, fur, and a lot more fur.

The duo presented their first collection on March 28, kicking off the first official show at Toronto’s LG Fashion Week in their new home, Allstream Centre.

Spattered among the fur-obsessed collection were sheer fabrics, slim pants, and one exceptionally lovely evening gown. But mostly it was a collection full of fur, and lots of it.

Credit: Pimentel (Wireimage)

1 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1277 2010-04-02T15:51:25Z 2010-04-02T15:51:25Z

From March 20th to 27th, Calgarians took in the glitz and glamour as Alberta Fashion Week paraded the best of prairie-bread fashion designers. With six nights of sold-out shows and more than 2,700 attendees, event organizers are rightly touting the event a success.

Andrew Majtenyi presented his debut show in Western Canada while Kyle Nylund let the audience get swept away by theatrical cocktail dresses. Other designers showing at fashion week included the likes of Lael Osness, Madam Wolf, Caitlin Power, Haithem Elkadiki, and Jason Matlo, who was actually born in Calgary before moving to British Columbia and being claimed as one of Vancouver’s own.

0 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1270 2010-03-29T00:19:47Z 2010-03-29T00:19:47Z

It’s nice to get lost in a collection. To find clothes that make you forget about everything except basking in a perfect summer day, walking barefoot on the beach, or having a relaxing picnic in the park.

And with this collection of easy-to-wear pieces, you really could wear everything all summer long. Calgary designer Leah Bohnet is the mastermind behind the distinctly feminine line called Broken Doll Clothing.

For summer, find pretty paisley prints and floral designs with a soft bohemian style, with most of the garments being constructed from eco-friendly fabrics like tencel, modal, bamboo, and organic cotton.

GLOSS loves the Rust Paisley Nexus Dress ($134), Blue Floral Missy Dress ($128), and the uber hip Quint Dress ($124). Broken Doll Clothing is available in Vancouver at Velvet Room Boutique, in Calgary at Shisomiso, in Toronto at Distill, in Ottawa at Workshop Boutique, in Montreal at Rein a Cacher, and in Halifax at Sweet Pea Boutique. Find more retailers or shop online at www.shopbrokendollclothing.com .

0 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1258 2010-03-29T00:15:03Z 2010-03-29T00:15:03Z

Vancouver shoe designer John Fluevog announced the production of The Porter Shoe, being designed this spring, exclusively for Opus Hotel properties in Vancouver and Montreal.

“It was an idea that originated a couple of years ago, and as time went on it was more of a question of ‘why haven’t we done this yet,’” says John Fluevog.

Made with Italian Analine leathers and branded with OPUS Hotels inside, the black patent shoe features a pop of pink leather that matches the colour scheme at Opus Hotels.

The Porter Shoes ($329) will be showcased in the hotel lobbies and worn by valets and male guest service associates at Opus Hotels. And if you really love the shoes, they will be featured on the hotel mini bar menu and in limited numbers at all ten North American Fluevog Shoe Stores and online at www.fluevog.com .

0 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1256 2010-03-29T00:14:44Z 2010-03-29T00:14:44Z

Carrie Bradshaw would be proud of Toronto designed and Italian made shoes by Abel Munoz, who graduated from ARS Arpel Institute of Shoes and Accessory design in Milan before returning to his hometown of Toronto.

Whether you are looking for something feminine and fun like the bubblegum pink Jackie ($460) heel, the functional Roman ($550) boot, or the sexy Talitha ($430), Abel Munoz Accessories has something for everyone.

Check out more haute heels at www.abelmunozaccessories.com .

0 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1253 2010-03-29T00:06:17Z 2010-03-29T00:06:17Z

Hey sugar, sugar! Benefit Cosmetics really does make the best blush around and this season is no exception with Sugarbomb. The combination of four shades of rose, shimmering pink, soft plum, and peach will give you a glow while you are on the go. Sugarbomb is available for $28 at Benefit Cosmetics ( www.benefitcosmetics.com ).

0 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1250 2010-03-29T00:03:12Z 2010-03-29T00:03:12Z

Love this! Five new shades have been added to tarte’s smooth operator natural oil-free tinted moisturizer ($47). It’s free of parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, sulfates, fragrances, gluten and dyes, and best of all it has SPF 20, so every lady can avoid those pesky UV rays. A definite must! Find tarte’s smooth operator at Sephora or online at www.tartecosmetics.com.

0 Abdi Olow

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1242 2010-03-28T23:58:32Z 2010-03-28T23:58:32Z

A first for Montreal based Furi Design: their new lightweight outerwear for women is one of the new items in fashion to look forward to this Spring/Summer 2010. Crafted from luxurious noise free nylon and designed for freedom of movement and versatility, Furi jackets epitomize the move toward simplicity in fashion this season.

Very minimalist and tailored impeccably, Furi jackets are available in a range of colour palettes (light grey, lilac, natural and steel blue) and styles. Furi ( www.furidesign.com ) jackets retail for $225-345.

0 Peter Cheng

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1232 2010-03-28T23:46:57Z 2010-03-28T23:46:57Z

Driven by faith. Strengthened by camaraderie. Filled with compassion. Motivated by love. Infuse all of that with potent lyrics and compelling tunes, the product is yet another revolutionary album from Canadian rock group Starfield. Originally from Winnipeg, the complementary vocal harmonies of brothers Tim and Jon Neufeld are amplified by bassist James Johnston and drummer Dave Lalonde. Together, they continue to excel and explore with their fans in The Saving One .

Since the release of the self-titled debut album in 2004, Starfield has topped international charts with ensuing albums Beauty in the Broken and I Will Go , including the Billboard 200. They have won numerous Covenant Awards and were nominated multiple times for Juno Awards. Having just wrapped up a 37-city North American tour, the new album released soon after. To be able to share passion through song writing and performing for thousands at a time around the world, they are fulfilling a dream. Success appears endless. It’s time to bask in the glory.

Or not.

Tim Neufeld, lead vocals and elder of the Neufelds, believes a mutual awareness of humility grounds the band despite the glowing spotlight. Besides, the spotlight doesn’t seem to be the priority. “There’s always an acute sense of God leading and directing us to the places we go. He opens and closes doors, and we just stumble through with humility.”

Their latest, The Saving One , encapsulates the dichotomy of the human condition. It examines faith but not without doubt, joy but not without pain, love but not without despair. “It’s thematically and musically the most intimate and digressive album,” explains Neufeld. “This one also feels a bit paradoxical, with songs bearing complete opposite themes. It reminds me somewhat of Psalms with its prevalent themes of faith and joy but also fear and uncertainty.”

As a Christian-based band, Starfield has formed a formidable arsenal of fans around the world, but, according to Neufeld, iconic statuses come with responsibilities. “We want to be able to give our fans substance and speak into their lives through our songs, but we’re not doing this just to be entertainment and to rile up the people of God. It has to be genuine and real. If we’re not leading by example then it’s kind of a pathetic endeavour.”

And lead by example they did. Partnering with World Vision and other non-profit organizations, they strive to raise awareness for poverty-stricken countries. “We’re not accountable until we know. When we visit places like Thailand, El Salvador, Mexico, and Uganda, our purpose is to bring these desperate stories back to North America in hopes people will reach out.” Inspired, 1400 people signed up for child sponsorship through World Vision in just over 20 Canadian dates during the most recent tour.

Starfield will continue to shine and top charts as long as they remain intact, though with two of its members welcoming new first-borns recently, priorities may shift. “This does take us away from our families too much, but at the same time we feel called to do this. Ultimately, for us, it’s a combination of what we enjoy, what we’re good at, and what we could best serve God doing…and right now, that’s Starfield.”

The Saving One now in stores.

Click here to listen to GLOSS’ interview with Starfield.

Official website: http://www.starfieldonline.com

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/starfield

0 Nicole Stewart

http://www.glossmag.ca/?p=1225 2010-02-27T01:26:05Z 2010-02-27T01:26:05Z

It’s hard to believe the Vancouver 2010 Olympic games will be coming to an end in a matter of days. We have experienced moments of frustration as athletes were disqualified for touching another athlete’s skate or entering the wrong lane in the heat of the moment. Our hearts sunk into our stomachs when the fatal luge crash ended the life of Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili.

But it is important to remember that there have been moments of great triumph as well. Take the first gold medal on home soil by Alexandre Bilodeau, the flawless Ice Dance by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and the unexpected defeat over Russia in men’s hockey. But the things Vancouverites will remember for years to come are the people and parties.

And yes, it’s true: Vancouver has felt like a maze with miles upon miles of fencing and cattle call like lines, herding the masses to wait endlessly pretty much everywhere.

The zip line running through Robson Square has been a crowd pleaser – to watch at least. If you actually want to experience the magic of the 20-30 second ride you’ll have to wait in line for about 8 hours. I think we’ll be heading up to Whistler this summer, instead, thank you very much.

Rest assured the fashion community has not been left out. There have been countless events all over town to attend and even the provincial houses have been keeping it interesting.

On February 21, Alberta House had Paul Hardy in to share his inspiration for his 2010 collection and preview one of his signature pieces with Heather Marks. The established designer has dressed celebrities like Kate Hudson, Alanis Morissette, Bette Midler, Kelly Rowan, and Sarah McLachlan.

It is Ontario House, though, that has been touted as one of the best attractions, with stylish white and blue ropes hanging in the hundreds along the front of the building. But perhaps the best part of this pavilion are the vests (pictured with designers above), designed by Toronto Fashion Incubator’s in-house designers Jas Banwait, Paris Li, Mana Mojaver of MANAM, Sylvia Bora of Bora Birs, and Natalie Good/Rebecca Lipson of Andy Hall.

“The vest is an encompassment of five completely different styles – menswear, streetwear, eveningwear, funky and chic daywear,” says Jas Banwitt of Savillian ( savillian.com ). “Like Ontario, our diverse talents have been positively brought together to create a work of art! We have a lot of up and coming strong talent in Ontario. This vest represents the future of fashion.”

The vests, worn by 26 Ministry of Tourism employees including the Deputy Minister, are fashionable and functional, with hidden zippers and white contrast piping along the placket, a high collar, military-style epaulettes, and an optional cinching waist tie for women.

“We are extremely grateful to be awarded this incredible opportunity,” notes Susan Langdon, the Executive Director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator ( fashionincubator.com ). “The fashion industry is an important economic sector in Ontario and having a platform like the Olympics to showcase the calibre of local design and manufacturing is very meaningful to our community. It’s also the perfect occasion to show the world that although the TFI designers who came together to create the vests aren’t world-class athletes, they share that same Olympic spirit of teamwork.”

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