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

Did Ya Know?

Barbie has her own ready-to-wear line for adults. The designer: Patricia Field.

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

Renee Thompson: Model Moment (PART 2)

Part 2 of my discussion with Renee Thompson...

SACHIN BHOLA: It’s a hustle.
RENEE THOMPSON: It’s a hustle! It’s not like we even get all the castings that the other girls get. We have to sneak into their castings and prove why we had to do that! When I first started going to Milan, Paris and Barcelona, I never got that 10-list casting… I had to steal my friends’ contacts -- and then I would book it!

SACHIN: I feel like when you are a minority model, you have to bring so much more to the table to prove yourself. What advice do you have for aspiring minority models?

RENEE: Do your research, build a tough skin and talk to people who love you to keep you grounded. Remember that it’s just a job. My advantage has been that I am very aware. How you treat people in the business, how you act and carry yourself – we as minority models have to be extra careful. We can’t pull a bitch stick out of nowhere. The models who are professional, well-mannered and show their personality are the ones with staying power. Clients want to work with them.

SACHIN: Renee Thompson, what direction do you anticipate the industry taking in regards to this issue?
RENEE: It’s fashion and things are always changing… it will get better. People are tired of seeing the same anonymous faces and want diversity. And just like everything else in life, sometimes you have to create your own opportunities and success will follow.

Thanks Renee!

Rudsak: Montreal Fashion Week

March 8, 2009 – A bit street, a touch of rock-n-roll and oh yes, lots of black, Rudsak presented its Fall/Winter 2009 collection on the evening of March 5th, the last day of Montreal Fashion Week.

Opting out of Toronto’s lineup, presumably due to budget constraints affecting the industry this season, designer Evik Asatoorian expanded his vocabulary with the addition of novel leather items including military ¾ length cargos for him and separate hoods for all.

One of the key takeaways from this collection was layering via mixing and matching different textiles and weights of fabric. We saw fur vests layered over lightweight cotton and silk tops, above-the-knee leather boots over sheer stockings, and wool coats accented with leather trims. Overall, Rudsak once again presented an attractive uniform for urbanites living in cold-weather cities.

Top 10: Hype-Worthy 2009 Models

March 7, 2009 – Sasha, Raquel, Lakshmi – sound familiar? While the supermodel ear is officially over, when even the least fashion savvy could recite household names like Naomi, Christie or Cindy, the new crop of girls are stars in their own right. Which fashion models will be destined to dominate headlines this year? Check out the Top 10: Hype-Worthy 2009 Models presented by AskMen.com and written by Sachin Bhola (yours truly!).

And then there were 10...

http://bit.ly/TtWko

Renee Thompson: Model Moment (PART 1)

Ever wondered what life was like for a model – a model of color? What if your race was démodé? Today’s minority models are drowning in the flood of Eastern Europeans monopolizing the industry. Amidst the chaos backstage at Montreal Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 09), I found a quiet corner to chat with Renee Thompson, whose thoughts on today’s hottest topic in the industry and tells-it-how-it-is attitude were as captivating as her look.

By Sachin Bhola
Photo: Courtesy of Nam Models

SACHIN BHOLA: Let’s jump right into it. The July 2008 issue of Italian Vogue, a.k.a. the “black issue,” featured only black models. It was the highest selling issue in the history of the magazine. What are your thoughts?

RENEE THOMPSON: The full cover-to-cover issue with only the top black models that have made it, and not the up and coming ones? Ya, I saw that one. Do you hear the hateration in my voice? Lol. I think it was great, but they’re depicting something we’ve known forever: Black girls are beautiful, they pose well and they’re on top of their game… we know all that shit already. Why don’t you (magazines) not try to fill your quota in one issue and spread it out? Now they’re just going to say “OK, we did our black thing, now can we go back to what we were doing?”

SACHIN: So do you think that ethnic models in fashion are trendy or something that serves to advance your position in the industry?
RENEE: Well it’s just like what they did to the Asian girls for the last two seasons: They were all over the place… doing major ad campaigns and being the ethnic counterpart to the white girl. Where are all of them now? I think black, Indian, Chinese, or any other race that is not visibly white is always a trend. In and out.

Fashion Music

February 11, 2009 – Glass Candy, the American hipster band from Portland, Oregon, was heard all over the Paris runways. Their track Beatific (below), off their album B/E/A/T/B/O/X , was heard at the Chanel Fall/Winter 2008 show. While their album is currently unavailable for sale in North America, you can download the mp3s off Amazon.com. Love them while they're still not mainstream!

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.

Sachin Bhola: AskMen.com

February 4, 2009 – AskMen.com, the online lifestyle magazine for men covering areas from health & sports to power & money, has introduced its latest contributor to its fashion pages, Sachin Bhola (a.k.a. me). Stay tuned for product reviews and other fashion coverage from yours truly. Click on the link below to view an article!

http://bit.ly/1GQ6gJ