FASHION Magazine

See the Matière Noire collection »
See the Malerie Urbanovitch collection »

The tie that led to Edmonton’s Malorie Urbanovitch and Montreal’s Cecile Raizonville sharing the runway at World Mastercard Fashion Week last night could have felt like a showdown. Instead, both designers held her ground, a testament to the growing strength of the Mercedes-Benz Startup competition that brought them there. After a Canada-wide search for talent, Urbanovitch and Raizonville, who designs under the label Matière Noire, were declared winners at a Toronto fashion week event in October. Last night’s show, along with industry mentorship along the way, was their prize.

Matière Noire opened the presentation with boxy tops and tulip skirts accented with lunar photo prints and geometric patterns inspired by Inuit tattoos. Some were knit into pullovers or embroidered on belts in collaboration with Quebec weaver Marie-Anne Adams. Most intriguing was the way Adams had trapped strips of leather under net for jacket sleeves.

See the Beaufille Fall 2014 backstage beauty photos »

If you describe the beauty look of a ’90s chola girl—that is, dark-lined lips and pencil-thin brows—it doesn’t exactly match up with what’s on-trend for 2014. Right now, the bushier the brow the better, and lip statements are more ombré than tattooed on. But with girl gangs as the official inspiration for Beaufille’s Fall 2014 look, Maybelline New York lead makeup artist, Grace Lee, couldn’t help but reference chola style in the makeup. “Really, when I think of girl gangs I think of cholas. I’m gonna say it: We are going chola chic.”

Lee started the look by blocking out models’ brows with Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Dark Spot Concealer + Treatment—“ we don’t want them to look alien-like!”—and then focused on contouring around the eyes. Chola chic is, as it turns out, a very monochromatic look. Maybelline New York SuperStay 14HR Lipstick in “Beige for Good” was applied with a soft bristle brush to the crease and under the eye, the formula providing a dewy finish worthy of any cream eyeshadow. Cheeks were also dabbed with the lipstick, and then contoured with a second colour, Maybelline New York FaceStudio Master Glaze Blush Stick in “Warm Nude.”

See the Beaufille Fall 2014 collection »

Girl gangs are having a moment. On the international runways, the stylish underbelly of girl power has been slaying at Rodarte, Rag & Bone and last night in Toronto at Beaufille. The latest collection out of sisters Chloe and Parris Gordon was a nod to badassery, yet done with their signature effortlessness so as never to feel too hood.

Sticking to a relatively monochromatic palette, full looks in either red or black dominated as a rust front-tie dress, crimson moto-over-mini and standout black cape-over-dress. Beaufille’s trademark hook-and-eye played a central role throughout the collection, embellishing tight-fit trousers, day dresses and a standout shawl-collar trench. Meanwhile, beat up silver florals adorned snap back baseball caps as Wu-Tang played on high.

See the looks from Toronto Fashion Week »

It’s official. Toronto has had enough of winter. For the kick-off of World Mastercard Fashion Week, the fashion crowd opted for lighter layers and vivid pops of colour. If we dress for spring, it’ll come quicker right?

Toronto socialite and fashion patron Sylvia Mantella went for a bold orange coat, accenting her ivory and bright pink Mikhael Kale dress underneath. Why go for one bright colour when you can rock two? Stylist Odessa Paloma Parker’s bubble gum pink furry coat looks even more chic when paired with an equally psychedelic clutch. Habitual street style stars Samantha and Caillianne Beckerman were out in full ‘90s kitsch in bright yellow with a ying-yang backpack and a homemade DIY Simpson’s appliqué denim jacket. They glammed up their look, switching out their usual relaxed tresses in favour of throwback ‘40s curls and victory rolls, while fellow blogger Mo Handahu added byzantine blue to her look matching the deep hue of her burgundy jacket. Model Stacey McKenzie braved the cold and went for full glamour in a thigh-high slit dress with embellished mock-epaulettes.

See the Line Knitwear Fall 2014 collection »

Pink is the new neutral when it comes to cold weather dressing (we can thank Carven, Céline and Miu Miu for starting that trend last fall) and this season Line Knitwear designers John Muscat and Jennifer Wells have fallen for the shade’s feminine wiles. From bright and bold to pale and powdery, the design duo embraced their softer side this season with a spectrum of playful pinks in drapey magenta shawl coats, fuchsia wool motos and pale pink angora crops.

Speaking of angora, the soft downy wool appeared in almost every runway look as sweater, skirt, tube top, short and—most prolific—the shoulder snood, which was worn shrug-like over tunics, bustiers, jumpsuits, even swingy shawl collar coats. (Put a snood on it?)

See the Sid Neigum Fall 2014 collection » 

When a string quartet playing smooth adagios greets you for a Sid Neigum fashion show, you would be forgiven for mistaking this as a sign for a softer, dare we say, even romantic, collection out of the hard-edged designer. And in a way, we were sort of right.

As soon as the lights went up however, the quartet took up a modern staccato piece, which jolted us back to Neigum’s sculptural reality for Fall 2014. The show moved through various colour schemes, each relying on the various fabrics used to generate movement and architectural shape.

One of Neigum’s greatest skills, geometric shaping took new life in dresses and jackets in the shape, or soon-to-be shape of flattened boxes ready for assembly made from ribbed synthetic fabric in riff on corrugated cardboard. Held together with metallic bars that evoked memories of brass paper fasteners from school years gone by, the pieces were almost Gehry-esque in their undulating folds and angular ends.

Read today’s Toronto Fashion Week pop quiz »

It’s baaaaaack! World MasterCard Fashion Week kicked off in Toronto yesterday, with the city’s top fashion fans gathering at the (slightly freezing) tents for the Fall 2014 shows. Should you be one of those possibly-shivering-yet-totally-stylish people hanging out at David Pecaut Square, we’re coming to find you! Our street style photographer, Stefani Yarhi, is back again this season interviewing the people who make Toronto fashion week what it is. From standout stylists to backstage bloggers, our fashion week pop quiz is coming for you. So who made the cut on day one? Read on to find out…

See the Mikhael Kale Fall 2014 collection »

Mikhael Kale’s Fall 2014 show opened World MasterCard Fashion Week last night in Toronto, marking the designer’s first time showing on the official fashion week schedule. Film of a twisting nude female torso began the show, foreshadowing the nearly nude sheer organza to be featured later on in the designer’s latest edgy yet feminine collection.

Beginning with a series of stud-embellished cashmere and tweed pieces, the show moved into vibrant territory with shades of pink and green continuing throughout. Kale was inspired by dinner napkins, which he translated by folding organza and incorporating arty smudges to mimic stains. Creating the prints through a series of fabric manipulations, Kale’s incorporation of painterly prints echoes the same trend seen on runways internationally for both spring and fall.

Now in its third year, the Mercedes-Benz Start Up competition celebrates some of the most exciting newcomers to hit Canada’s fashion scene. This year, two winners share the prize and applause: Montreal’s Matière Noire and Edmonton’s Malorie Urbanovitch. We go behind the seams of their award-winning spring collections:

See the Antonio Azzuolo Fall 2014 collection »

Tailors tend to breed talented offspring. Dries Van Noten, Domenico Dolce, Emmanuel Ungaro—they’re all cut from families of exacting cloth. Menswear designer Antonio Azzuolo is part of that club, having been raised by two in Montreal. After years in the business (15 in creative roles at Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Gap and Kenneth Cole, and six at the helm of his own bespoke line) he launched womenswear for Fall 2014, bringing old school tailoring techniques into new territory for next season. In his post-show Q&A with ROM curator Alexandra Palmer last night in Toronto, Azzuolo spoke of adaptation—something he’s clearly done in this collection. His full canvas method (all the handiwork goes on below the surface, allowing for the outside to maintain perfect shape) was applied to both men’s and women’s belted coats. Wool culottes were worn overtop loose-fitting trousers for understated statement making effect. Meanwhile, a sixties mod feel was woven through, with graphic alpaca sweaters done in magenta, maroon and white with unfinished hems which were layered over perfect white shirts.

Usually when you picture a ‘downtown girl’ you imagine mussed hair, probably toped with a black toque and slept-in eyeliner that somehow only looks better as the day goes on. Kaelen Haworth’s eponymous line—known for its effortless-yet-edgy aesthetic—usually stays away from such a look, keeping her models fresh faced. But for Fall 2014, the Kaelen collection had a distinctly more feminine feel, which called for a beauty change up.

For hair, this meant a subtle updo that had DIY appeal. It should “look like she dragged [the hair] back herself,” said Pantene consulting stylist Justin German of the half-updo style. After prepping hair with Pantene Pro-V Volume Root Lifting Spray Gel and a soon-to-be-released dry shampoo from Pantene, German teased the top section slightly before pulling hair back into a ponytail, securing it in place with a couple of exposed bobby pins. Tightness was not the name of the game, as per the designer’s desire for ease and edge.

See all the street style from Toronto fashion week »

Another day, another blizzard. Despite Tuesday’s mild temperatures and snow-barren streets, yesterday’s freak snowstorm had fashion insiders reaching for their jackets, toques and mitts—anything to keep warm and dry. As you can imagine, with a winter that just won’t quit, Torontonians have an arsenal of stylish cold weather duds ready at a moment’s notice.

Stylist Matthew Chow colour blocked his way into our best street looks, with grey and white accents breaking up the black, and white toe capped Nike kicks, a clever way to disguise snowy shoes. Toronto Fashion Week founder Robin Kay turned up the glam, looking like a fabulously wealthy Russian, in a dark fur hat and coat, finished with a black Chanel quilted bag and knee high black boots. Street style stars Samantha and Caillianne Beckerman were somewhat subdued in a palette of blues and greys, still maintaining an element of fun thanks to a furry purse and stuffed bear. Micah Cameron from Hudson’s Bay and model Courtney Fallow braved the storm, both donning opaque tights and black booties. Blogger Anita Clarke brought her typical spunk and energy to the day; navy printed trousers and a Phillip Sparks shearling collared army jacket finished with sensible hiking boots. At least someone was enjoying the snow.