FASHION Magazine

By now you’ve probably heard about #Normcore. If not, you’ve likely been living in some kind of very basic cave. The Internet-at-large became aware of Normcore as a thing a week or so ago, when New York Magazine ran an article on the anti-trend trend. Young, hip New Yorkers were eschewing fashion trends and labels in favour of a pared down, muted look called Normcore, all light wash denim and sneakers at the bar. It was Larry David meets your dad in circa 1994. Or the combination: Jerry Seinfeld. I, a vintage lover with a weakness for 1950s sundresses who just figured out how to make crop tops happen, met the news with some concern: I couldn’t pull off loose T-shirts and straight jeans back when they were the actual norm! Not for the first time, my chubby ‘90s inner child was nervous. Visions of ill-fitting Gap Kids jeans and summers wearing Osh-Kosh T-shirts over Nike bathing suits danced in my head. And those visions were wearing Asics.

But all was not lost. After New York Magazine’s article on the trend exploded, K-HOLE, the New York-based trend forecasting collective behind the term took to Facebook and other forms of social media to express their displeasure. Apparently, New York Magazine (and I along with them) mistook Normcore for another creation of K-HOLE’s: #ActingBasic, which is defined as an “aestheticized version of the mainstream.”

Confused? Me too.

See Rihanna’s style from the beginning » There’s never a dull moment when it comes to Rihanna’s style. Since breaking onto the scene in 2005, She has transformed from a Barbadian pop princess into the badgalriri that our Instagram feeds now know and love. After dipping a toe into designerdom with Hervé Leger mini dresses […]

The post Rihanna Style: From pop princess to fashion allstar appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See all our stylish workout shopping picks »

There’s nothing quite like new workout gear to get that extra boost of fitness motivation. With sneakers back on-trend and designer athletic gear collaborations being announced quicker than we can process (ahem, Rick Owens for Adidas and Nike for A.P.C.) the options are better than ever. Following our Spring trends guide, mixing and matching colours with graphic prints makes for the perfect recipe for how to look good at the gym.

Earlier this year, Paris based designer Rick Owens decided to take up running, only to realize he didn’t have cool enough footwear to complement his cardio ambitions. “What shoes am I going to wear running?’ I can’t wear my big chunky basketball shoes — I’d look like a dinosaur running through the Tuileries.” Quelle horreur! His design instincts told him to take matters into his own hands. A quick call to Adidas was made and voila: Rick Owens for Adidas.

Announced yesterday on WWD, the new sneaker line will include six styles for men and four for women. There will be leather, suede and other Rick Owens signatures including a colour palette of black, grey and maybe a teeny splash of colour.

See our sneaker shopping picks »
See sneaker style on the street »

A designer’s runway bow rarely generates buzz—that is, unless it’s Phoebe Philo’s. Since the 39-year-old British fashion phenom took the reins at French luxury house Céline in 2008, she has been popping out post-show in Paris to thunderous applause for her stunning minimalist-driven collections. But lately it seems all eyes have been focused on her feet. Adidas Stan Smith trainers, Nike Air Max 90s in pink—when it comes to game-day dressing, Philo prefers to rock a pair of runners rather than a haute pair of heels. So does Kristen Stewart. At the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012, she appeared on the red carpet in a body-skimming, floral-embellished Zuhair Murad dress paired with black stilettos, which she quickly ditched in favour of her Barbara Bui leather high-tops. First Lady Michelle Obama has slipped into metallic cap-toe Lanvin sneakers to carry out her White House duties. Even fashion’s favourite street-style star, Italian clotheshorse and editor-at-large of Vogue Japan Anna Dello Russo, who is never spotted without her five-inch spikes, was photographed wearing sky-blue New Balance trainers in Milan in January.

This spring, kicks are taking a walk on the wild side on runways, including Junya Watanabe, Moschino Cheap & Chic, Ruffian, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Ashish, and at luxury footwear labels like Christian Louboutin, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo and Pierre Hardy. At $500 and up, these new sartorial stars won’t be clocking any time at the gym, but they might give your wallet a workout. Surprised? Don’t be—this shift toward high-end sneakers hasn’t exactly snuck up on us. Running shoes first emerged as status symbols during the 1970s. “They were worn not just in the gym or to do athletics but for shopping and on your leisure time,” says Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto and for its latest exhibition, Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (April 25, 2013 to April 22, 2014). Mixed-media and graphic designer Karim Rashid, famous for colourful, eclectic designs that range from furniture to footwear, also knows a thing or two about retro sneakers. As the creative vision behind this exhibition, and an avid runner, he believes that “the running shoe [conjures up] nostalgia” and that currently, “there’s a big revival going on.”

See our gallery of stylish workout wear »

It can be more than difficult to find the motivation to get to the gym and keep up with your New Year’s resolutions. But it’s time to make this the year you follow through. To help, we’re making this year’s journey more stylish with 13 picks that may actually inspire you to get dressed for the gym. No need to sacrifice your fashion sense; these picks are sure to provide you with both function and sophistication.

First tip? Brighten up. And we love strong prints, vibrant colours, and sporty accessories for doing just that. From technicolour shorts to ombre running shoes, brands such as American Apparel, Nike, Lululemon, and adidas are finding ways to spice up our stylish workout clothes.

See a close up of Kate Middleton’s outfit today »

Pictures from today’s Paralympic events brought back all the Olympic joy we’ve been missing these past few weeks—joy which includes the return of Prince William and Kate Middleton having the time of their royal lives. Our excitement over their lovey-dovey cheering of athletes was so great that it inspired the creation of FASHION’s first animated gif. (We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!) Now, onto the important topic of what Kate’s wearing:

See what else Kate wore this weekend! »

It’s not often that we can say we spent the weekend doing the same things as Kate Middleton, but thanks to the Olympics dominating almost all of our time, we’ll allow this one comparison to living like the duchess. While our participation was limited to the living room couch, Kate wasn’t just celebrating in the stands: on Monday she watched the men’s Laser sailing race from a yacht!

See every look Kate Middleton has worn since her engagement! »

Well! In a stylish turn of events, Kate opted to save her sporty attire for this afternoon’s celebrations, which welcomed the Olympic torch to Buckingham Palace. First thought: she really has an eye for colour! You would never guess that those cobalt blue skinny jeans are not Team GB issued, but they are, in fact, Kate’s own pair from Zara. (Barefoot is one thing, but a royal in track pants? Never!)

If you thought Ralph Lauren’s made-in-China garments for the U.S. team’s Olympic Opening Ceremony outfits were scandalous, then brace yourself for something even worse: Egypt has admitted that they not only outsourced the outfits for their 112-person Olympic team, but that the China-made products are knockoffs. The Associated Press spoke with Gen. Mahmoud Ahmed Ali […]

The post Who okay-ed this? Egypt’s Olympic uniforms are Nike and Adidas knockoffs! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Check out all the Olympic-themed fashion! »

We’ve officially reached the one-week countdown to the London Olympics, which can only mean one thing: the Olympics have hit their peak, leaving no one (not even the fashion industry) untouched in their wake. From the Canadiana-themed the Bay collection to one of Opening Ceremony’s covetable collaborations at its temporary pop-up OC London store, there is so much amazing Olympic-themed fashion at our fingertips that even the least athletic of us can confidently get their sportif chic on. We’ve got a lineup of the most stylish Olympic-inspired collections for your viewing pleasure, as well as a few staple sportswear pieces should you be inspired to get a sweat going yourself!

Despite sticking behind the design, Adidas pulled the plug on a pair of outlandish sneakers Jeremy Scott had created for them following a torrent of public outrage. The orange, purple and grey Roundouse Mid “Handcuffs” kicks were topped with orange plastic shackles, the doomed addition that ended up causing an uproar about the shoes’ alleged racist connotations.

A sneak peek of the sneakers was uploaded onto Adidas’ Facebook page with a playful tag line that read “Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?” The pic was almost immediately greeted by a wave of backlash, the comment count quickly climbing into the thousands. “Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted,” a spokesperson for Adidas insisted in a statement. “The design . . . is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott’s outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery.”

Scott spoke out about the design as well, tweeting in all caps “MY WORK HAS ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY CARTOONS, TOYS & MY CHILDHOOD…” and linking to a picture of…My Pet Monster? So, the shoes everyone was up in arms about were actually inspired by a plush toy popular in the ‘80s? For those who aren’t familiar with him, the exceptionally colourful Mr. Monster had his own pair of orange plastic handcuffs, which makes Scott’s reference point pretty clear.

Adidas decided to pull the design from its market release date in August anyway, presumably to do some damage control. What’s your take on the Jeremy Scott x Adidas “Handcuffs” debacle? Were Adidas and Jeremy Scott not being careful enough about minimizing offence or are people simply overreacting?