FASHION Magazine

In honour of the upcoming world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s Hadrian (on the Canadian Opera Company stage in October), the COC dedicated the theme of this year’s #Operanation to the gods of ancient Rome. The 14th annual Operanation transformed the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts into a coliseum of wonder. The atrium filled […]

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See all the Toronto Life Most Influential 2013 party pics »

At first glance, a party where every guest is nose-deep in a magazine may seem like the least social event ever. However, when it’s the launch party for Toronto Life’s annual Most Influential issue, a quick read-through is totally necessary: while everyone who made the list was invited, none of the Most Influential guests knew how they ranked. Hence the frantic-yet-totally-casual flipping of pages upon entry by guests like Robert Deluce and Charles Khabouth. Held in the ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton, deep red lighting and a swanky live band made the space feel like a Swing Era soiree.

While Toronto Life’s editor-in-chief Sarah Fulford was quick to make a few drunken stupor jokes, neither of the issue’s cover subjects—that is, Bill Blair and Rob Ford—joined in for the festivities. Sure, it would have been good for gossip, but they wouldn’t have added to the impressive style that permeated the event.

See the photos from the 2013 Air Canada enRoute Film Festival »

Air Canada, inventors of the flight godsend that is personal seat-back TV, celebrated the annual Air Canada enRoute Film Festival this past Thursday with a jam-packed screening and party in Toronto. Now in its seventh year, the festival serves as somewhat of a rite of passage for emerging filmmakers: not only do their works gain national recognition, they’re also streamed on Air Canada flights. (Talk about gaining a captive audience!)

Of course, at Thursday’s event the films were broadcast on a much bigger screen, courtesy a sold-out screening at Varsity Cinemas. Once the house lights turned back up, guests were whisked 51 stories up, for an after-party and awards ceremony at Panorama. Lainey Lui hosted the awards, while excited friends and family cheered on the winners from a very packed dance floor—which, thanks to a mid-’00s dance song playlist—stayed that way well into the night.

See the photos from the Cronenberg: Evolution opening party »

Spooksville made its way into TIFF Bell Lightbox on Wednesday night for the opening party of Cronenberg: Evolution (November 1-January 19), the exhibit celebrating the city’s most lauded director. The retrospective of David Cronenberg’s 40 years in film opens up a cabinet of curiosities with trippy artifacts, set designs and rare footage from various Cronenberg films including Crash, The Fly, Videodrome and Cosmopolis. My personal favourites: the original “bio-ports” used on Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh in eXistenZ (remember theeeeese?!) and a menacing Mugwump situated at a Naked Lunch bar setting for guests to pose for photos with. One such guest to take the photo opportunity: David Cronenberg himself, who posed alongside TIFF CEO Piers Handling and creative director Noah Cowan, earlier that day.

See the party pictures from the Joe Fresh after party »

When it comes to toasting a spring collection filled with inky, porcelain-blue items and chinoiserie prints, what better an after party venue than Susur Lee’s namesake restaurant? Just minutes after the Joe Fresh Spring 2014 show ended, friends and fans of the brand dashed down the street for the official celebration. The mid-week party has become one of the most anticipated events of World MasterCard Fashion Week and this season’s iteration kept the hype going.

At the centre of the fashion frenzy was Marjorie Gubelmann, an heiress from New York who’s made her name (and things like Vanity Fair best dressed lists, nbd) as DJ Mad Marj. “Wait, what? She’s the DJ!” many a guest remarked as they wandered past the DJ booth—though the well-populated dance floor, including swinging staples Suzanne Boyd, Andrea Bolley and Stacey McKenzie, spoke for itself.

If the almost-all-blue Spring 2014 collection was a nod to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team certainly wanted to show their support. The second side of the restaurant—coincidentally where Alana Zimmer, Heather Marks and the other Joe Fresh models were gathered—quickly became “the hockey room” when Joffrey Lupul, Jonathan Bernier and Dion Phaneuf showed up. Of course, the Leafs representation was courtesy front-row fixture Elisha Cuthbert, looking extra slick in liquid leather pants and a bushy fur collar.

See all the photos from The Libertine launch party »

In the grand tradition of secret bars and speakeasies, The Libertine may have one of the best locations out there. Hidden behind a tarot card reader’s business, the basement entrance to Toronto’s newest restaurant is sure to prompt many double takes. However, thanks to the crowd that gathered for last night’s launch party, the secretive snack bar is destined to become quite well known in the months to come.

A mix of fashion and foodie guests mingled while hand-crafted cocktails and bites of fried chicken made the rounds. Anita Clarke, wearing a custom plaid Philip Sparks jacket, looked just as dapped as her well-suited table mates, including the designer himself and NOW’s Andrew Sardone. Holt Renfew’s Blaire Borins matched the mysterious mood of the decor in a slate-grey Greta Constantine dress while ornamental necklaces and bright lipsticks were accessory of choice for other guests.

Check out the photos from the Joe Fresh after-party »

Given the well-heeled ladies and gents that show up for a Joe Fresh fashion show, you’d never believe the label’s wears run as affordably as they do. Though as any Loblaws shopper in Canada knows, they do. After last night’s punky all-black Fall 2013 outing, showgoers were looking to kick off their heels (proverbially speaking) with signature orange cocktails, mini tacos and pulsing DJ beats at the private watering hole, Storys.

Fresh off the Fresh runway, models Heather Marks, Meaghan Collison and a group of studly males in tight sweaters flooded the room with just enough impossible beauty to make the ogling worth it. Creative director Joe Mimran and wife Kimberley Newport-Mimran showed up in coordinated head-to-toe black suiting, adding their own luxe touch to the non-colour of the night. As the two cozied up to Loblaws frontman Galen Weston, nightclub impresario Charles Khabouth and our favourite dandy, Bruce C. Bailey, an informal dance party broke out with queen of the moves, Andrea Bolley, at the forefront. Just an average rip roaring night in Toronto as of late, it seems.

See all the pictures from the Toronto Life Most Influential party »

Last night Toronto Life celebrated the reveal of their Most Influential list by toasting Toronto’s 50 most influential people at The Ritz-Carlton. The lucky heavyweights—ranging from politicians to bankers to TV personalities—were profiled in the magazine’s December issue and, as the evening’s emcee Amanda Lang was eager to point out, also given a definitive rank. (Her 41st place spot obviously not affecting said eagerness.) Upon our arrival it was clear how those on the list have become so successful: they’re certainly not the familiar faces of Toronto’s late-night party circuit. The mood was much more about networking than clamouring for a cocktail, despite the impressive array of Ketel One and Tanqueray creations. Tailored suits and black dresses dominated—though oxblood items and fur accessories proved to be just as popular, including many a lush stole and a pair of furry booties on Leesa Butler.

For those of you who thought synchronized swimming only existed at the Olympics, think again. The prettiest water sport proved to be alive and well at Greta Constantine’s annual summer bash last Thursday. Held in the grandiose backyard of Michael Cooper and Krystal Koo’s east Annex home in Toronto, guests were left spellbound when mid-soiree, a foursome of girls (IRL members of the Variety Village Synchro Club) jumped into the pool, performing to Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” After that, things got back to normal, and by that we mean many many Stoli cocktails held by gals in floor-length dresses (case in point: Ainsley Kerr and Shay Lowe wore matching diaphanous aquamarine gowns). Toward night’s end, as many free spirited gals kicked off their heels to dip in the pool, fifty-something artist Andrea Bolley was spotted dancing on her own to Diego Armand’s DJ set with moves that made many a youthful onlooker green with Advanced Style envy.

See the photos »