Coco Rocha: Model Moment

April 16, 2009 – Coco Rocha, the Canadian supermodel with her unforgettable name, made an appearance at Toronto Fashion Week this past March. She attended the highly anticipated Project Runway Canada finale, seated alongside legendary supermodel Iman (host of the series). She surprised us all with her new hair color, red, which she said was a refreshing change.

Her chameleon traits have served her well in an industry fueled with built-in obsolescence, but Coco Rocha’s level-headedness explains her longevity. Discovered at the age of 14 at an Irish dance competition, she has managed to maintain a life outside of the fashion world - at times blurring the lines between the two. A memorable moment in her career, and in fashion, was the Celtic jig she performed at the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2007 show. With her international success, it is nice to see her continue to return to her native country and help elevate Canada’s fashion profile.

Other notable model appearances at Toronto Fashion Week included Iman, Irina Lazareanu, Taryn Davidson, and Amanda Laine.

Picture: Coco Rocha and Sachin Bhola

Travis Taddeo: Toronto Fashion Week

April 13, 2009 – Montreal designer Travis Taddeo chose to present his second collection at Toronto Fashion Week this season. Remaining true to his aesthetic, Taddeo’s vocabulary expanded for Fall 2009: He brought the kids out of the club and onto the streets in a toned down version of what we saw in his first collection. Highlights included fur accessories that draped along the back and attached across the chest (pictured below) and his trademark skinny pants. Also, it was nice to see fellow Montreal designer Denis Gagnon make the trip to Toronto Fashion Week to show his support.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of empty seats at the show. Taddeo’s first collection was quite strong which made it hard from him to top that one off. Lowlights included the lack of originality: Some of his looks read American Apparel – or slight variations thereof – which failed to show his unique voice as a designer.

Still, the energy was high and I look forward to watching his growth in the future.

Photo Credit (first two below): George Pimentel

Fashion Music

March 25, 2009 – Choosing the right track to set the tone for a show is an integral part of the presentation. Here are some of the tracks that were heard during Toronto Fashion Week’s Fall/Winter 2009 collections.

Annie – Heartbeat (heard at the Barbie by David Dixon show) *See Video Below
Black Kids – I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend…The Twelves Remix (heard at the Joe Fresh show)
Kid Cudi Vs Crookers – Day ‘N’ Night (heard at the Ed Hardy show)
Empire of The Sun – Walking on a Dream (heard at the Lundstrom show)
Marilyn Manson – The Beautiful People (heard at the Nada show)

Iman: Scene At Toronto Fashion Week

March 22, 2009 – For some, the celebrity attendees at a fashion show are more noteworthy than what comes down the runway. At the 17th edition of Toronto Fashion Week, we saw top Canadian model Irina Lazareanu open and close the Joe Fresh show, Kresha Turner walking in The Heart Truth show and MTV’s Dan Levy & Jessi Cruickshank were at the Bustle after party, to name a few.

Perhaps the biggest headliner (for me anyways) was legendary model Iman. Now in its second season, Project Runway Canada brought on the supermodel to host the show. The finalists presented their collections on Thursday March 19, 2009, and because this is scheduled to air at a later date, the tents were highly secured. For real. Even with my staff pass - the golden ticket into the VIP areas, hair & makeup, seats at shows, etc. – I couldn’t get in. Fortunately, we were producing the very next show scheduled in the tents after Project Runway Canada, and, while backstage, I had the opportunity of meeting Iman. My two cents: She is an undeniable beauty in person and her presence is awe-inspiring.

Thank you Warren for taking this picture!
Picture: Iman and Sachin Bhola

Barbie Celebrates 50 Years

March 22, 2009 – After the highly publicized show in New York, Barbie continued her celebration in Toronto, Canada. It’s hard to believe that the iconic doll, conceptualized by Mattel, has been around for fifty years (looking good, girl!). Kicking off the first day of Toronto Fashion Week was a Barbie blow out: The tent’s cocktail area featured a wall display highlighting some showpiece Barbies from days gone by, including the 50th anniversary model (pictured below).

It was nice to see Canadian designers and retailers getting into the spirit. Hudson Bay’s windows on Queen Street all featured a Barbie display, Town Shoes launched limited edition shoes, and finally designer David Dixon presented his Barbie line later that evening.

The show ran about 45 minutes late (apparently the clothes arrived late). It was a full house with some guests sitting -- and others standing -- in the aisles. While the energy was high and the effort was good overall, some of the looks failed to read “Barbie.” For instance, some models wore plaid shirts, charcoal skirts, grungy oversized hats à la Marc by Marc Jacobs, and a pink belt. Note: Just because you pull the look together with a pink belt doesn’t make it “Barbie.”

Watch the Barbie by David Dixon show below.

For more on Toronto Fashion Week visit: LGFashionWeek.ca

Fashion Week: Fall/Winter 2009

February 4, 2009 – The Fall/Winter 2009 ready-to-wear collections will be presented in the upcoming weeks, but with the recession on everyone’s minds (and wallets), some designers have decided to pull out. Vera Wang, Betsey Johnson, Carmen Marc Valvo, and Monique Lhuillier, among others, have decided to show elsewhere during New York Fashion Week.

What kind of cost saving does presenting “elsewhere” bring to these designers? Thousands – the largest tent in Bryant Park costs approximately $50,000 to rent. Let’s not forget about top models who can command thousand-dollar booking rates. Then there’s hair & make-up, well…you get the idea.

Fashion Music

November 2, 2008 – Ever wondered what the fashion industry is listening to? I kept a note of some of the standout beats that were played on and off the runway during Montreal and Toronto Fashion Week.

Chromeo – Needy Girl (heard at the Gsus Sindustries show)
Data – Rapture (heard at the Travis Taddeo show) *See Video Below
Kylie Minogue – 2 Hearts (heard at the Envers par Yves Jean Lacasse show)
Hercules and Love Affair – Blind (heard at the Montreal Fashion Week After-Party)
Inner City – Good Life (heard at the Montreal Fashion Week After Party)

Buffalo by David Bitton: Toronto Fashion Week

November 2, 2008 – This season marked David Bitton’s first time presenting at Toronto Fashion Week. True to its aesthetic, Buffalo by David Bitton moved into Spring 2009 with a nod to rock glam for her and collegiate prep - à la Brit Pop style - for him. One look backstage revealed some key items for next season - for her: ultra-slim denim done in a range of pastels, cropped-sleeve blazers paired over black sheered tanks and driving gloves; for him: oxfords done in plaids and madras prints, cardigans and a pair of nerdy eyeglasses to top off the look.

Dennis Gagnon: Toronto Fashion Week

October 29, 2008 – Dennis Gagnon closed both Montreal and Toronto Fashion Week. Now that’s impressive. See for yourself: Below you’ll find the designer’s Spring/Summer 2009 show that took place on Friday October 24, 2008. As for those 7 + inch shoes he custom made, some of the girls in Toronto did find them challenging! Enjoy.



For complete video coverage of Toronto Fashion Week (and better quality vids) visit: LGFashionWeek.ca

Kreesha Turner: Scene At Toronto Fashion Week

October 29, 2008 – The celebrity attendees at fashion shows can generate just as much attention as do the designs. Toronto Fashion Week was no exception. To name a few, seated front row at the Denis Gagnon show was stylist to the stars Phillip Bloch and spotted front row at the Gsus Sindustries show was model coach/judge on Canada’s Next Top Model, Stacey McKenzie.

After wrapping up the week, I was surprised to bump into Kreesha Turner - Canadian singer best known for her single, “Don’t Call Me Baby” – at the restaurant my friend and I were at. She attended a few of the week’s shows including Afshin Feiz and Denis Gagnon. For what it’s worth, she was very approachable and open to conversation.

Thank you Kathleen for taking this picture!

Picture: Kreesha Turner and Sachin Bhola

Toronto Fashion Week: October 20-25 2008

October 28, 2008 – 40 runway shows in 6 days, over 600 media onsite and some 20,000 attendees made up Toronto Fashion Week. Produced by the Fashion Design Council of Canada, this marked its 16th season running and 3rd season building tents in the heart of downtown Toronto, Nathan Phillips Square.

As the business hub of Canada, Toronto provides the Canadian fashion industry a better platform to develop their global position – attracting a larger number of buyers (national and international) and media (notably English media) compared to Montreal Fashion Week. In fact, some Montreal-based designers, such as BODYBAG by Jude and Morales, decided only to show in Toronto. However, a significant number of designers, such as Andy Thê-Anh and Aqua Di Lara, opted to present at both fashion weeks. Montreal’s edgier and worldlier market is a more suitable fit for these brands' images.

Business aside, the event was “fabulous” – the official title given to this week-long event. Designers presented their collections for Spring/Summer 2009 in two runway rooms. As I was working backstage, I kept a watchful eye on who/what was on/off the runway.

For more information on Toronto Fashion Week visit LGFashionWeek.ca