FASHION Magazine

Toronto’s LG Fashion Week has found a new home. After living in tents at Nathan Phillips Square (a few short blocks from our office), then last season at King and Shaw, the show is moving to an indoor spot with 40-foot ceilings in nearby Liberty Village. FDCC prez Robin Kay told The Toronto Star that the runway will be inside the building, which will also have a tent erected outside.

The FDCC has also released a roughed in schedule with a start date of Sunday, March 28. (The shows close Thursday, April 1.)

Titled “Hanging Gardens of Babylon,” David Dixon‘s Spring 2010 show was filled with Middle-Eastern influences like the metal-fringed maxi skirt, the Valentino-esque one-shouldered gowns and the stacks of chunky silver bracelets (courtesy of jewellery designer Rita Tesolin). But strip away these scene-stealing directional looks and you’ll find a strong, cohesive collection of elegant and (gasp!) wearable pieces that will take you from the office (in the charcoal cap sleeve pleated frock) to cocktails (in the purple laser cut chiffon blouson dress) without any unnecessary drama. FASHION‘s final thought: Dixon’s dresses are recession proof.

Check out the gallery after the jump.

“Banish the black, burn the blue and bury the beige. Think pink!” sang Kay Thompson in the video introduction to the Barbie by David Dixon show. Apt lyrics for a collection inspired by both the 1957 movie Funny Face and the Barbie doll. With the runway alit with a rosy glow, models with long, bouncy locks and pink-hued lips debuted classic pieces in feminine fabrics and cuts. A polka-dot sundress, a high-voltage magenta skirt, a pintucked day coat and a sequin-sprayed jacket were standouts. This season’s Barbie girl even looked grown up enough to be called Barbara.

Check out the gallery after the jump.

David Dixon sent a trio of aluminum-spangled pieces shushing down the runway last night. The skirt above is as much flapper fringe as it is the flowing water of Dixon’s theme, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. A showstopper. SEE THE FULL COLLECTION Check out all of FASHION’s coverage of LG Fashion Week.

The post LG Fashion Week: Tuesday’s best look appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

To be honest, I thought we might be over them. I mean, once a shoe has been molded into a jelly version of itself, you expect it’s on the way out—one can only stretch a trend so far. But not so with the gladiator, a shoe still storming the streets this season, and storming them in classier, sleeker and downright gorgeous styles.

A recent birthday trip to NYC provided the slap in the face (or kick in the pants, I suppose): within my five-day visit, I had collected a mental catalogue of nearly a hundred pairs of the strappy shoe parading about town. How could I have been so blind to the gladiator’s obvious victory over shoedom? My recovery from the blow was quick. Feelings of revelation were rapidly replaced with twangs of desire and a moment of weakness in Zara even had six pairs slung up one arm as I bent over, nearly perspiring, zipping, sliding and buckling my tired feet into a deep brown pair of the warrior wears.

Now that I’m back on familiar ground, I’ve scoured the shops and filled my arms with gladiator shoes yet again—but this time with Halifax finds—letting you know where to find the sweetest sandals in this city.

Prolific fashion muse Barbie turns 50 this year and in honour of the style icon’s birthday, a line-up of top designers collaborated with Mattel to bring Barbie’s luxe life of mansions, convertibles and lavish wardrobe options into reality. The long list includes Volkswagen, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg. There’s also Canadian content from David Dixon, Cake and Town Shoes.

Rev up your air-kissers: Fashion Week officially got underway with the Holt Renfrew media cocktail party.  Upon arrival we took the escalators up to the newly-facelifted third floor–contemporary never looked so chic.  The walls have literally been brought down to reveal an au courant open-concept floor plan that highlights many of the lust-worthy labels that even those struck by this downward dog economy still covet.

{FASHION WEEK SPRING 2009 TORONTO}

By Sarah Casselman

Spotted: Editors looking chic despite the cold wicked wind of the west: lots of fur, chunky knits, coloured ribbed tights, croc-print boots, trenchcoats, skinny jeans tucked into boots, bejewelled flats and elbow-length leather gloves.

Now, on to the shows…

Shown: GRETA CONSTANTINE Fall 2008. Photography by Sarah Casselman

The media lounge is starting to fill up with grumpy eds: Not enough food, the loo sitch is rather bleak, and the rain is starting to wreak havoc on blowouts and Bruno Frisonis.  Best accessories spotted at the tents: Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink patent totes, jewel-tone cocktail rings, fedoras, bright scarves and feather hairbands.  New must-have nail colour: Red.

FASHION arrived at the tents ready for a full (read: long) evening of spring shows. We arrive at our seats just as the lights dim and take our place in the front row beside The Toronto Star stylist (and FASHION’s fab friend) Derick Chetty.

Damzels in this Dress (left)

Looking to spot some gems today, I was armed and ready with my Fashion Week essentials: Starbucks, a cellphone and sunglasses. After popping in at the Tevrow + Chase showroom to view the fall lineup (watch for print blouses, adorable bubble skirts and fab egg-shaped coats—j’adore!), I raced back to the Liberty Grand to join the fashion pack for today’s runway roster.

The torrential rain on Tuesday didn’t wash away the fashion crowd, who arrived ready for round two. And while Burberry umbrellas bounced about outside the Muzik building, the fashion forecast inside was favourable.