FASHION Magazine

If you’ve ever been in the midst of an H&M collab opening or a Black Friday sale, you know that if you don’t stand your ground, you will watch your treasures slip away before your eyes. It’s hard to wait on the sidelines and see your frenemies snatch up the very stuff you’ve long coveted […]

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It’s Labour Day weekend, which likely has you doubled up with a bad case of Summertime Sadness (symptoms include listening to Lana del Rey on repeat, refusing to cut off that festival wristband, and insisting to all your friends that Birkenstock tanlines are actually an accomplishment). You probably have plans to drown your sorrows in […]

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Net-a-Porter turns 15 this year, and there’s no denying it’s one overachieving teen. Since going live in 2000 (cue dial-up Internet sound effects), the London-based e-tailer has spawned offshoot websites The Outnet and Mr. Porter, launched a magazine, and recently introduced luxe sportswear into their inventory, because, you know, #athleisure. So their latest venture should come as […]

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With recent reports of favourite lipstick brands containing worrying amounts of lead, there’s no better a time to consider the switch to eco-friendly beauty products. And for those obsessed with online shopping, buying all-natural and organic beauty products just got a whole lot easier: a new online beauty boutique, Clementine Fields, opened to the public last week.

The Toronto-based site offers a range of all-natural and organic beauty products for skin, hair, face and body—and ships directly to doorsteps across North America. (Plus, free shipping for Canadian customers making orders over $50!) What makes Clementine Fields stand out from other online beauty shops is its selection: the well-curated list of luxury brands all meet the standards of the Enviornmental Working Group, an American watchdog group that monitors toxic ingredients in products, among other eco concerns.

In terms of available brands, Clementine Fields include fan favourites like Tata Harper and One Love Organics but we’re most excited about their exclusive-to-Canada offerings.

Get excited, Canada! Zara is launching its Canadian e-commerce website this Wednesday March 6, and from what we’ve gathered, it’s sure to make the online shopping experience even better. The new online store will be found at Zara.com, and it will sell the entire range of clothing found in Zara’s 22 Canadian stores (Read: if […]

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Check out our top picks at Barneys Warehouse »

Bargain hunters and designer addicts rejoice! Today marks the launch barneyswarehouse.com, the long-lauded online hub for Barneys New York’s semi-annual designer blowout outlet sale. With big-named duds (think Manolo Blahnik, Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone, Yves Saint Laurent, Marni and more) discounted up to 75% off and easy shipping to Canada worked in, there’s no doubt the website will be as huge a hit for the company as it is us shoppers.

Check out our top picks from Violet Crown Vintage »

The low down: After living the life of a freelance writer (and awesome street style photographer for us) in her hometown of Toronto, Lia Parsley and her husband moved down to Austin, Texas where she began her Etsy shop, Violet Crown Vintage in August of this year. Parsley’s interest in fashion, styling and vintage treasure hunting made her realize that she had a perfect opportunity to find and share some great pieces from a city that is known for having some of the best vintage clothing in the world.

Parsley did her research before they made the big move and found out that in the 1800s the city became known as the “City of the Violet Crown” because of the purple glow that appears over the hills and horizon after sunset during winter. “Twilight being my favorite time of day, I knew in the name ‘Violet Crown’ that I had a particular feeling I wanted to capture for the brand,” she says. And thus, a store that provides unique and timeless vintage pieces—that are still contemporary—was conceived.

You guys, luxury retailer Hermès wants to deliver packages straight to your door. Well, that is, if you pay for them. As of September 25, Hermès launched their Canadian online shopping site which delivers anywhere in Canada AND is offering free shipping until November 2 to celebrate their entrance into the Canadian interwebs.

You may ask yourself, what does Hermès sell online? Well, they sell carrès (a.k.a. their signature scarves), bags, watches, fashion accessories, jewellery and even a tiny plush horse aptly named Hermy. And that’s only the beginning.

As we watched Mark Zuckerberg ring the bell on Wall Street Friday morning, we wondered: how is this going to change how we use social media? And, for those of us who are style-inclined: how is this going to affect the fashion industry?

Though Zuckerberg’s proclivity for hoodies won’t land him a “style icon” status anytime soon, Facebook evolving into a public company will definitely impact the fashion industry in many ways.

The social media giant, which currently has 900 million users worldwide, opened to the public with an initial public offering of $38 a share, making Facebook the most valuable company that’s ever gone public. With a total worth now of $104 billion (in other words, almost unimaginable amounts of money to invest back into the company), the ability to do more in terms of advertising, online shopping and other ventures has never been more feasible.

For fashion retailers in particular, Facebook going public probably means that they will no longer be limited to simply tallying one’s “likes” as a measure of success. Though the sharing and community aspects of Facebook are valuable to retailers in terms of brand presence, there are now more opportunities to create new social media–friendly e-commerce and advertising tactics than ever before.

Previous efforts with online shopping on Facebook didn’t exactly take off, forcing retailers like Gap to shutter their Facebook shops. However, now that there is an unprecedented amount of money in the bank, Facebook can begin to explore other means of social commerce that will provide shoppers with a more “seamless and convenient” shopping experience.

Think about it: Burberry, for example, has over 12 million “likes” on their Facebook page. Though they have advertised heavily on Facebook for some time now, if the social media network could provide the retailer with new, improved means of advertising and online shopping, Burberry could capitalize on their huge social media following in ways they never have before.

Though we’d need a crystal ball to accurately predict how everything is going to pan out now that the company has gone public, it’s probably safe to say that this will not only mean big dollars for involved parties, but new ways of shopping and interacting online for everybody.

Online-shopping veteran Rebecca Tay explores the digital world of discount ready-to-wear while taking an exclusive tour of The Outnet’s HQ in London.

See the global top sellers | See the Canadian top sellers

Online-shopping virgins are rare these days. Any girl worth her weight in Wang (whether it’s Alexander or Vera) has not only done the deed but also experimented with the latest spine-tingling activity: trolling the web for designer discounts. Who hasn’t hit the sheets with their laptop primed for a little ready-to-wear rollback action? Half-price Lanvin ballet flats? Yes, please! Erdem floral dresses for a fraction of their original price? Click: “buy!” E-boutiques like Shopbop, Asos and Net-A-Porter have huge followings, but the new stars of the online retail world are the luxury-good bargain hunters. When it comes to these price-choppy waters, The Outnet is the mother ship, drawing more than one million unique visitors every month. It was launched in 2009 as an offshoot of Net-A-Porter, which was one of the first companies to offer designer brands online. With more than 200 high-end labels to browse, including Stella McCartney, Marni, Balmain and Marc Jacobs, this site is a destination for marked-down must-haves. Boots that once cost a month’s rent are now $200; almost everything, from Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen, is 50 to 70 per cent off. It’s a virtual dream, but I get the chance to see if this fairy-tale land of luxe-for-less really exists beyond the screen when I receive an exclusive invitation to spend a day at The Outnet.

Clothes-swapping parties have officially joined landlines and scrunchies as things of the past thanks to Swap.com’s new iPhone app. Take a snap of your tradeable, decide how much it’s worth, and post it to the Swap marketplace where you can exchange your goodies for others’ wears.

By Allyssia Alleyne and Lauren Chan

Last Wednesday marked the launch of The Peacock Parade, the Canadian response to American flash-sale websites like Gilt Group. Though we’re itching to scour the site for deals, it’s by no means the only place to get your fashion fix online. Check out some of the best Canadian online shopping destinations. You may never schlep out to the mall again.

Address: thepeacockparade.com
Hometown: Toronto
Customers: Members of the flash-sale website; shoppers who love designer labels and home-grown Canadian brands.
Brands: High-end celeb favourites like Black Halo, Cynthia Rowley, Prada, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Bonus: Members can sample designer pieces created exclusively for the Peacock Parade, by renowned Canadian designer brands such as Jenny Bird, Biko Jewellery, C’est Jol!, and Claudia Accessories.