FASHION Magazine

Roots gifts The Weeknd a custom jacket to celebrate his return to Toronto On Friday, The Weeknd returned to Toronto to close off the North American leg of his After Hours Till Dawn tour with two, long-awaited shows. To welcome him back to his hometown, Roots designed a custom varsity jacket for the “Blinding Lights” […]

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Canadian artist collaborates with Emporio Armani for brand’s 40th anniversary To mark the 40th anniversary of Emporio Armani, Toronto-based artist Maxwell N. Burnstein was tapped to interpret the storied fashion brand’s history and future. Burnstein, who is self-taught, has done so in a series of collages that illustrate how the Italian fashion house has stayed […]

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We were devastated to learn our dear friend and colleague David Livingstone, the former Editor-in-Chief of Men’s FASHION passed away April 20, 2017 at his apartment in Toronto. He was 69. David was a gifted writer and colourful character with a sharp, caustic tongue. He was well-loved in Canadian media circles, and while it might […]

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A great designer is one thing. A great designer who can throw a great party? That’s quite another, and something Greta Constantine has become deservedly synonymous with. Despite fall-like temperatures, Toronto’s glitterati took to the Yorkville home of Krystal Koo last night for one last kick at the poolside can—that, and of course, the debut […]

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If there were ever an excuse to wear Canadian, it was Saturday’s second annual Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards (CAFA), which took Toronto’s swanky Fairmont Royal York hotel by literal storm. In the thick of Hollywood’s awards season, the CAFAs were probably as close to the Oscars as anything we’ll ever attend, with homegrown designers […]

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See the photos from the Hérmes menswear event » Just like $50k and a 5-year waiting list would never stop us fashion gals from a Birkin bag, a little rain held no one back from attending Tuesday night’s blowout Hérmes menswear event in Toronto. Held at the Distillery District’s Fermenting Cellar, the event gave well-heeled […]

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See photos from inside the CAFA Awards »

Toronto had its first-ever dose of fashion Oscars this past weekend, as the best in Canadian talent gathered for the inaugural Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards at the Fairmont Royal York. Aiming to shine a light on often politely under-appreciated homegrown talent, awards were given out to the best in design, styling, photography, modelling and to one person who stands in a category all by herself: Jeanne Beker. The television host/journo of 30+ years was awarded the CAFAs first Vanguard Award for well, everything.

Looking around the glittering ballroom, there was a real sense of “everyone who’s anyone is here,” which is quite the feat on a blustery night in the middle of winter. Topping that A-list was be model Coco Rocha, who stunned as no one else (in the room) could in a one-shouldered white gown by Dsquared while accepting the award for Model of the Year. Also in town, designing wonder boys Dean and Dan Caten, who scored the Best International Designer award. Taking a page out of the CFDA’s book, the CAFAs partnered with Swarovski to fund the Emerging Talent Award, which gave $10,000 and a mentorship by Joe Fresh founder Joe Mimran to Sarah Stevenson, the floral-happy designer who also won TFI New Labels last spring. With so much pegged on her impending success, it seems sure that her name will rise to the rank of fellow winner Jeremy Laing, who picked up the much-deserved award for Womenswear Designer of the Year.

See the Canfar party images »

On a frigid late fall evening in Toronto, Bloor Street came alive with black ties and ball gowns for Canfar‘s AIDS-fundraising fête, Bloor Street Entertains. The annual event has a way of tempting the shimmery, well-heeled patrons onto the streets and into the street’s various shops which each serve an intimate dinner made by the city’s top chefs.

Before guests shuffled away to Mulberry, Holt Renfrew, Nespresso Café Bar or any of the various chic boutiques participating, they took to the Royal Ontario Museum for a pre-twilight party to get things started. The Gatsby-themed event kicked-off with a can-can dancing drag queen who wasn’t successful in getting the ladies to join in on the high leg-flying number. And with good reason: the dance is quite difficult long dresses. Design Exchange president Shauna Levy wore a slick, floor-length Greta Constantine, while grande dame Catherine Nugent was dressed in a vintage Bob Mackie deco style number.

The freezing temps did wreak havoc on some original wardrobe choices. With her shoulders covered, philanthropist Sylvia Mantella said, “I was going to go strapless, but it’s so cold.” Also overheard from a patron in sparkly Roksanda Ilincic: “I was going to go for Balenciaga—it’s Canfar!—But I went for something more conservative because of the weather.”

See the Dress for Success party photos »

Last week, Dress for Success Toronto held it’s 3rd annual Heel of a Good Time fashion fundraiser. The event brought a full house of the city’s do-gooders to raise money for the organization to continue to help disadvantaged women gain economic independence. The gala, held at ultra swanky The Fifth Social Club, was a mix of on-going auctions, a fashion show and a celebration of long time advocate Jeanne Beker for her contribution to the cause.

With never-ending cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a bubble machine adding to the ambiance, a crowd of mostly women meandered through displays of goodies for the silent auction. After a tribute video of Beker’s fashion career, presentation of an award and a few words from her, a fashion show followed. Wares from her own line Edit by Jeanne Beker were on models that zigzagged through the packed house giving the crowd a chance to have a closer look. The night ended with a live auction of high value packages ranging from a private Calvin Klein shopping event for 5 to custom diamond jewellery created by !Xam’s expert designers.

See inside Jeanne Beker’s bag »

For those of us who came of fashionable age by the television set in Canada, Jeanne Beker is it. Trailblazing the industry since the launch of FashionTelevision in 1985, she is without a doubt the country’s most recognizably fabulous face. Known for her bestie status interviews with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Beker has often been referred to as pioneer, renegade, genius and trendsetter—-they’d all be accurate. Her omnipresent fashion presence has inspired many careers and since FT’s tearful end last year, she hasn’t stopped. Beker still covers major fashion events for E! News and designs not one but two collection, Edit by Jeanne Beker work wear and Fysh by Jeanne Beker optical.

See Christian Louboutin Design Exchange opening party photos »

Last night, lovers of the greatest name in footwear came to meet the man himself at the opening of Christian Louboutin’s retrospective exhibit at Toronto’s Design Exchange. The designer, who graced the crowd for a moment in the VIP room on the third floor said but a few words, the most important ones being “French and Canadians, we get along ok.” We’ll take it! With that ceremonious kick-off, the party, which had been on for an hour at that point, really revved up. Amidst three floors of Louboutin goodness, the crowd, which included actress Sarah Gadon, Jeanne Beker, socialite Krystal Koo, and Design Exchange president Shauna Levy, got down to the hip hop stylings of New York-based It girl/DJ Hannah Bronfman.

The exhibit itself is a fantastical treat for anyone who not only loves shoes but the naughty likes of Dita Von Teese as well. Brought to town by the London’s Design Museum curator Donna Loveday, the exhibit is comprised of a mini carousel, a garden and a hologram of Von Teese which set the quirky stage for 250 pairs of Louboutin’s most iconic and outlandish shoes since he opened his first boutique in 1991.

See all the photos from the Opera Atelier Versailles Gala »

In a city that’s packed with artistic endeavours, it can be hard to stand out and get noticed. But based on the fashionable crowd that gathered for last week’s Opera Atelier Versailles Gala, the independent opera and ballet company has made quite an impression on Toronto’s arts community. Jeanne Beker played emcee for the evening and—after impressively prancing across the stage in sky-high heels—reminded guests to “bid fiercely!” on both the silent and live auctions that happened throughout the night.

After all, the fundraising gala’s main objective was to support Opera Atelier’s international touring, which includes a very prestigious performance in 2014 at the Palace of Versailles. As in, at the opera theatre that was built to celebrate the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette—no big deal. The company’s founding co-artistic directors, Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, took to the stage throughout the night, both to introduce performances from the school’s students as well as performing with them. Impressive costumery was a big part of the gala—as Opera Atelier’s mandate is to perform rare operas from the Baroque era, authentic attire is a must. Costumes from past productions with gold brocade, intricate embroidery and elaborate hoop skirts were all on display throughout the Ritz-Carlton ballroom.