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

Domenico Vacca Interview

April 16, 2009 – Known for his traditional Neapolitan tailoring, designer Domenico Vacca introduced sartorial style to America in 2002. Since then, people can’t seem to get enough of him: Major Hollywood film and television productions, including the cast of Entourage, Lipstick Jungle and actors like Denzel Washington have turned to him for his unapologetically Italian aesthetic. AskMen.com sat down for the Domenico Vacca interview to discuss his Fall 2009 collection presented at New York Fashion Week, current trends in menswear and more.

Written By: Sachin Bhola

http://bit.ly/1qrZrR

Photo Credit: Zimbio.com

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)

Models Own Clothes

March 25, 2009 – Some models show up to work in the model uniform: jeans and a T-shirt (or some close variation). Others stand out with their individual style or willingness to fully embrace the latest trends. At the Dubuc after party during Montreal Fashion Week, male model Felix paired some Champion sweat pants with some leather lace-up wing tips. When I asked him about the look, he told me the original plan was to show up in some Buckler pants, but he ended up borrowing his buddy’s sweats last minute. Well, it worked, and people that night couldn’t stop photographing him.

At the Nada rehearsal in Toronto, I couldn’t help notice Chantilly’s no-heel shoes (pictured below) – a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs she picked up in Miami.

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.