FASHION Magazine

Imagine a pack of angels on their way to a workout. That was the image conjured by Calgary designer Paul Hardy’s ethereal collection for Spring 2010. Floating down the runway at LG Fashion Week were military jackets with veil-thin blouson hems, gauzy tunics over knit leggings, lace bloomers, cotton sack dresses and jackets patched together from what looked like bits of handmade paper. Decorative touches included lace jabots tied around necks and waists, and muslin crunched into giant corsages. The palette was all cream and white and as pure as Hardy’s intentions. Following a trip in Uganda in January 2009, the designer is developing privately-funded “green” sewing units that will provide women in East Africa with work. They will produce Hardy’s new Reversal of Fortune collection, a moderately-priced line incorporating recycled fabrics.  Revenue will help establish trust funds to educate African orphans. Sounds like Hardy deserves a pair of gauzy angel wings all his own.
Check out the gallery after the jump.

Lovely in…cruise-inspired party wear

Spotted: Booby Ball 8

Ahoy, ladies! FASHION hit the high seas on Friday at the Booby Ball, a fundraiser in support of Rethink Breast Cancer, and reeled in some charitably-mined Lovelies.

Check out a gallery of our favourite looks, after the jump

French women seem to have it all: elegance, effortless style, the ability to eat pan au chocolat, brie and crème fraiche and never gain a pound.  Sigh.

Here to solve some of our envy is luxury cosmetics and skin care brand Chantecaille, which just debuted at Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew (737 Dunsmuir St., 604-681-3121, holtrenfrew.com). They may be New York based, but their soul–and founder, Sylvie Chantecaille–is French.

My latest find is a new store that has opened up on Broadway, my favourite shopping district. The Better Good Store Ltd. (640 Broadway Ave, 306-242-4663, thebettergood.com) is a one-stop eco-friendly shop for products that support sustainable living–carrying everything from clothing and home decor, to cleaners and body care products, to delectable treats and kids toys. All their stock is either organic, fair trade, natural, local, handmade or crafted from reused, recycled or renewable materials.

Channel the philanthropic spirit of Audrey Hepburn, a fan of the iconic Hermès silk scarf, by picking up your own foulard this Thursday at Hermès one-day only charity silk sale (scarves, ties and small leather goods all at half price!) in Toronto to benefit Multiple Sclerosis research at St. Michael’s Hospital. The largest MS clinic […]

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Skoah (skoah.com) is a Vancouver-based spa and skin-care product line that believes everyone needs time to relax. They also believe that no one is more deserving of some downtime than the parents of terminally ill children.

Miss Rowe is holding a pop-up showroom for four Saturdays this month (starting tomorrow), selling Spring 2009 stock and samples from Spring and Fall ’08. May 2, 9, 23 and 30, Noon to 4 p.m., 285 Manitoba Dr., Toronto, Studio #3, missrowe.com Awearness, a shopping benefit for ovarian cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital. Designer […]

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With Earth Day right around the corner, plan on strapping on your gladiator sandals to support a good cause: clean water. The third annual I Walk For Water (iwalkforwater.ca)—a charitable initiative promoting awareness about and support for the women living in Africa without easy access to clean water–takes place on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. […]

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I think I’m in love. For the past few months I have been searching for a pair of casual spring shoes, hoping that if I have the shoes, perhaps the snow will melt. I’ve been flip-flopping: Vans or Converse? Chucks? Keds? It’s been so long since I’ve had a good pair of slip-ons…I didn’t know where to turn. And then, in a random conversation with a friend, all sole dilemmas were solved. He told me about Toms Shoes (tomsshoes.com). And my search was over.

The Princess Shop is having their second annual Glass Slipper Benefit for Princesses dinner on Friday, March 13 (from $60, TCU Place, 35 22nd St. E., theprincessshop.ca).

The princess of London is Lily Allen. She is—no exaggeration—everywhere: on enormous billboards, on the radio, on every gossip page, on catwalk playlists, on the February cover of Spin. (She makes a charming appearance in FASHION’s latest issue, too!) And just when you’re starting to feel a bit bothered, she does something you can’t deny is brill. Like cover “Straight To Hell” by The Clash with all the insouciance she can muster, turning a punk classic into ska-lite delight (with the help of one Mick Jones, by the way). The song is a smash, the first whopping success from the covers album Heroes for humanitarian charity War Child. It starts playing in your head every time you see War Child posters on the subway and you think two things: 1. Is there anything Lily can’t get away with? And 2. Oh, right. I was supposed to blog about that album.

While we normally sit at home all dolled up in our finest dress and heels to watch the Oscars, (what? We’re sure we’re not alone!), we couldn’t pass on the 1st annual To Oscar with LOVE charity dinner at the Eglinton Grand.