FASHION Magazine

There’s a reason Shawn Hook was been nominated for a Juno Fan Choice Award this year. The B.C.-born singer songwriter has a way with singing, uh, hooks that stick. His catchiest tracks of late—”Sound of Your Heart” and as his new single, “Relapse”—bring to mind the suave tendencies of Justin Timberlake and yearning top notes […]

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On Lorde‘s current hit, “Royals,” the 16-year-old singer-songwriter wryly implores listeners to “call her Queen Bee” so she can rule a music scene that she clearly feels needs a new sovereign. Her buzzy debut disc, Pure Heroine, serves as both scepter and crown jewel to her fantasy reign, boasting sparse, electro-basted pop tracks that bring to mind early-Björk and late-Postal Service. In the thick of her North American tour—which includes an upcoming stop in Toronto—the New Zealand-born talent took time out to chat about her pointed lyrics, her thoughts on Will, Kate and Pippa and FASHION‘s provocative cover girl, Miley Cyrus.

Check out the latest looks from Rodnik! »

Kate Middleton’s not the only royal with her eye on the fashion world, as it seems as though Her Majesty The Queen has taken a liking to the world of British fashion. Well, kind of.

At Rodnik’s latest showing of their Spring 2013 collection during London Fashion Week, designer Philip Colbert did what he does best, besides making great clothes, and threw a fun party that included an impersonator dressed up as Queen Elizabeth II (the label has had Kate and Pippa lookalikes in their studio as well). And if that isn’t enough, Elton John and Katy Perry impersonators were also on hand in the front row to take in the collection, as well as make for great photo ops.

View the Fashion Cares performance and party photos »

The 25th annual M.A.C Fashion Cares gala set off with a bang on Sunday night, with a sequin-suited Elton John performing alongside Janelle Monae, Scissor Sisters, Chantal Kreviazuk and others in support of the the AIDS Committee of Toronto and Elton John AIDS Foundation. Co-chaired by Michael King and Elton John’s husband David Furnish, the show, aptly billed as a night of glitter and light, also featured speeches (and even a little runway work-out) by Linda Evangelista and Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared.

Sir Elton John stood before the Weston family and scores of onlookers in Holt Renfrew‘s Bloor Street shoe department on Saturday morning and gave the crowd a highly-charged pep talk.

“I have been coming to Canada since 1970,” declared the singer, in a pink-spangled shirt and dark suit. “I have always found that Canadians give very much not only with their pockets, but with their hearts and their voices. And I’ve always been very touched. And it’s kind of ironic that I’ve ended up with a Canadian,” he said, glancing around to his Scarborough-raised husband David Furnish.

View our vintage Fashion Cares photos

This Sunday September 9 marks the 25th Anniversary event of M.A.C Viva Glam Fashion Cares put on by the Elton John AIDS Foundation and The AIDS Committee of Toronto. Tickets are still available for this always glamorous event being held at the Sony Centre, which this year includes the likes of Janelle Monae, Scissor Sisters, Sky Ferreira and of course Elton John himself. Hosted by Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista and homegrown designers Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared, the evening will include a red carpet arrival, a cocktail reception, and a live fashion show of pieces inspired by the past 25 years of Fashion Cares. There will also be an exhibit that will showcase past Fashion Cares events through images, video and even costumes from Elton John’s personal collection. Look through our gallery to see some highlights of past Fashion Cares events, including Canadian model Donna DeMarco at 1988’s Fashion Blooms themed affair, as well as shots from more recent galas of Katy Perry and Lil’ Kim in a barely-there gold number. Tickets for the event right now range from $100 to $205 and are still available on Ticketmaster.

As we approach September 6, three of the country’s top metropolises are prepping for Canada’s first-ever Fashion’s Night Out, a veritable fashion fiesta that began with Vogue and CFDA’s first FNO in New York City in 2009. The one-night, after-hours festivities celebrating everything fashion will see exciting events taking place in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. […]

The post Full Frontal FNO: Our complete (and constantly updated) guide to what’s going down in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal on Canada’s first Fashion’s Night Out appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See all the anniversary pieces! »

We might as well pitch a tent and set up camp outside Holt Renfrew’s sleek Bloor Street entrance, because come September, it will be the place to be. Not only is Holt’s taking part in Fashion’s Night Out festivities September 6 (stay tuned for details!), but the store is also ringing in it’s monumental 175th birthday. In true Holt’s fashion, the Hot @175 anniversary will be rung in in style, with a slew of designer collaborations for sale in (what else?) signature magenta.

From its start in 1837 as a hat and cap shop in Quebec City to the go-to luxury mecca it is today, Holt’s has undeniably had a starring role in Canada’s retail legacy. To fête the occasion, everything from high-fashion designs like Christian Louboutin’s magenta-platform sling backs to fun finds like Pantone’s “Holt Renfrew Magenta” notebook will prove that even at 175, Holt’s still has it.

M.A.C Viva Glam Fashion Cares is one of Toronto’s hottest annual tickets, so it comes as no surprise that the fundraiser gala’s roster for this year’s event does not disappoint. From longtime HIV/AIDS activist Elton John (whose partner David Furnish co-chairs the event with Michael King) to new faces like Sky Ferreira (who we spoke with last month) and Janelle Monáe, the routinely sold-out gala is shaping up to be the go-to event of the fall.

Not only will there be enough musical talent on hand to easily keep you distracted all night (think everyone from Scissor Sisters to homegrown talent like Kreesha Turner), but in true Fashion Cares style, there will be an abundance of amazing fashion as well. Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED2, who are teaming up with legendary supermodel Linda Evangelista for hosting duties, are sending their designs down the runway at the gala, alongside looks from Vivienne Westwood, Elie Saab, Pink Tartan and more. On that style note, it’s worth mentioning that some of Elton John’s most memorable, famously flamboyant costumes will be on display as well as a quarter century retrospective highlighting the event’s most glamorous looks.

“It’s a blessing and a curse,” Sky Ferreira opines about the conflicting aspects of her sound, a duality in tastes that has seen her through gritty Debbie Harry–esque melodies to raw Jon Brion–produced ballads. The 19-year-old singer is a bit of a dichotomy herself: she will unabashedly profess her adoration for Britney Spears in the same breath as her love for David Bowie, and makes no apologies for being tricky to label.

View every look Kate has worn since her engagement » Well, this is upsetting. After a day of searching, we’ve only been able to come up with this pretty vague photo of what Kate wore to Monday night’s Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace. Thousands of ticket winners crowded the stands around the gilded statue […]

The post The best photo we could find of Kate from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert (plus complete wardrobe details!) appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Those of us with a former four-eyes complex will now have access to the mother lode of stylish options courtesy of U.K. eyewear design brand Cutler and Gross’ first Canadian flagship in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood. The brand is known for their handcrafted and cutting-edge designs that have made their frames standout since 1969 (not to mention creating some legendary frames for the likes of Elton John and Madonna). The store boasts over 4,000 pairs of kaleidoscopic-coloured frames to choose from and a VIP room that is dedicated to showcase over 600 vintage frames from the 40 years the duo have been creating their bespoke eyewear. The selection will also include their latest collection inspired by winter traditions and their collaboration with Erdem.

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