FASHION Magazine

See all the photos from the Canadian Stage Theatre Ball »

If you’re going to celebrate an innovative theatre company, you better put on quite the show. Such was the case last week the Canadian Stage’s annual Theatre Ball, which brought together over 400 guests at The Carlu for dinner, drinks, a live auction and—most importantly—dancing! (Ask anyone on the fundraising gala circuit and they’ll be quick to admit that of all the parties, Canadian Stage guarantees the biggest dance floor. There’s something about musical theatre…)

While last year’s Theatre Ball was birthday party themed, for 2014 “Shatter: Provoke Your Curiosity” was the name of the game. From floor-to-ceiling panels that looked like artfully arranged pieces of a smashed mirror to shards of translucent sugar candy serving as centrepieces, the party felt like a journey inside Alice’s looking glass. When it came to what attendees were wearing, the shine factor was just as important.

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 all the photos from the Upgrade book launch party »

Is there anything more enticing than a promise to make your regular old life extraordinary? It was this premise that inspired Rana Florida to write her latest book, and the reason why a very swishy crowd gathered to celebrate the launch of Upgrade on Tuesday night. Held at the home of Suzanne and Mark Cohon, the party attracted a mix of Toronto’s most stylish and most social. It was certainly a who’s who of the city’s creative set—a group more likely to be featured as an Upgrade case study than those in need of the book’s advice.

Holt Renfrew’s Moira Wright (in a sleek black pantsuit and tuxedo jacket) mingled with Greta Constantine’s Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill, who were just days away from jetting off to Paris. The guest of honour was decked out in a stunning Clover Canyon dress—purchased just for the occasion—and Rana wasn’t the only one in digital prints and vibrant colours. Alexandra Weston toned down her purple, blue and grey Peter Pilotto skirt with a leather moto jacket, while Jane Apor’s fluro-orange clutch and heels added a pop of colour to her ensemble. Twitter Canada’s Kirstine Stewart was also rocking some orange, with a pair of bright pants that should probably be on everyone’s fall must-have list.