FASHION Magazine

With his distinct talent and penchant for performance art, it comes as no surprise that small-town Alberta designer Sid Neigum (sidneigum.com) once created a 300-pound dress from old tires and screws. He’s currently studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York as well as producing full collections for women and men, which he’s shown at Toronto’s LG Fashion Week for the past two seasons. Neigum is lighting up Canadian runways, but with an exceptionally dark appeal.

There’s less than a week to go before the five Mercedes-Benz Start Up finalists hit the runway at LG Fashion Week to show their Spring 2012 collections. Ready to see what Cassie Dee, Martin Lim, Travis Taddeo, Triarchy, and UNTTLD have been working on? As the official media sponsor, FASHION Magazine will be live streaming the entire event. But before the grand reveal, find out more about each of the finalists and what inspired their collections.

View the photo gallery »

As we reported back in early June, Mercedes-Benz and IMG have introduced Start Up, their internationally lauded joint competition and mentorship program for up-and-coming designers to Canada. Well, here we go!

Early Wednesday, the first Start Up step was put into place, as I—along with a slew of notables including designer Marie Saint Pierre and FDCC president Robin Kay—judged the Montreal semi-final applicants. As a fan and avid supporter of Canadian fashion, I was thrilled to be a guest judge. Especially since FASHION Magazine is the official magazine sponsor!

Me-ow! Kiki Dunst‘s campaign for Bulgari‘s new fragrance, Mon Jasmin Noir, surfaces, and features a lion to boot. [InStyle UK]

Sears has a new Attitude – the line will be headed up by ANTM judge Jay Manuel at LG Fashion Week. [Jaymanuel]

He’s like, a totally important designer! The ever elusive Azzedine Alaia emerges for an interview with model Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele: [Interview]

Rumors are swirling that Miranda Kerr will walk the Balenciaga runway in Paris, less than two months after giving birth. [PopSugar]

In her continuing quest for world domination, Kelly Cutrone is launching a clothing line. [WWD]

An employee was found dead at the American Apparel headquarters in Los Angeles. Data analyst Danarichie Lyndon Sindo had been feeling ill and was found in a restroom yesterday. Currently, police are not investigating Sindo’s death. [Gawker]

Spring 2011 LG Fashion Week will take place October 18 to 23 and will, once again, be at Exhibition Place. [LG Fashion Week]

L’ Amour Fou, a documentary about Yves Saint Laurent’s rise to fame, his partnership with Pierre Bergé and their decision to auction of their art collection, will be showing at the Toronto International Film Festival. [TIFF]

Lucian Matis told Ryerson’s weekly student paper, The Eye Opener, that it’s time to move on from LG Fashion Week and that he plans to show his next collection in New York. [The Eyeopener via Toronto Life] See the full Lucian Matis Fall 2010 collection

People are whispering because Yves Saint Laurent’s creative director Stefano Pilati was absent from the Metropolitan Opera Gala in New York–a big YSL-sponsored event–but the company CEO  said at the dinner that the designer is simply busy working on the next collection in Paris. We know, right? Getting work done instead of going to a party? Scandale.  [Grazia]

Jason Wu finally met the First Lady yesterday. Michelle Obama and the designer were at the Smithsonian Institution for the induction of the First Lady’s inauguration dress. [Vogue UK]

Our Twitter feed was buzzing yesterday with LG Fashion Week‘s latest news.  The event has yet another new stomping ground after their warehouse venue for the upcoming season apparently fell through. There are no details yet but we can tell you that the new venue is the Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place. [@NathAt and @geekigirl]