FASHION Magazine

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Can’t think of anything better than dancing the night away with the Yeti from that 1964 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV special? Neither can we. Well, that’s exactly what happened last Saturday night at what’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful new buildings in Canada, the Art Gallery of Alberta. A ticket to what might be the hottest party in Edmonton, the AGA Refinery late-night art party is in its eighth run since the new building, designed by Los Angeles-based architect Randall Stout, opened two years ago.

Despite the freezing rain, the fashion crowd headed way east for Intermix’s official launch party at Airship 37 in Toronto. The American store has been open on Bloor Street for a few months now, but last night was its official kick-off, which boasted a swagger-inducing performance by buzzworthy Brooklyn-based (say that three times fast) rapper Theophilus London and an appearance by The Coveteur girls. Ironically clothed in Versace for H&M, London hyped the crowd into actually dancing with their drinks—a sight to behold at any fashion party—while the models tried to break into the green room where a stash of gummies and chocolate was hidden.

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Amidst a flowing wine and champagne bar, the Calgary crowd kicked off the long weekend earlier this month with a fusion of art and fashion at the ninth annual ARTwear fundraiser fashion show.

If only we’d attended three weeks ago, we’d have learned how to fasten our own massive twig hats and carpet-foam dresses in time for Halloween. The VIP portion of the evening included a showcase at the Art Gallery of Calgary (AGC), where the Alberta College of Art + Design students presented creations from their Wearable Art atelier. The use of unconventional materials turned models into performance art pieces, as they mingled post-show with media, designers, and well-dressed guests paying for the cause (proceeds from the event go to the AGC’s Public and Education Programming for grades K-12).

Jason Wu returned to Vancouver, his childhood home and the place he first learned to sew, to woo the waists of many a grown woman with his Kaws-inspired Spring 2012 collection. The Thursday night preview and cocktail party at The Room drew a mix of fashion folk and moneyed madams. Models in Wu’s punchy frocks worked the room, as did Wu himself, snapping photos with his fans. A few even paused to notice the Kaws-drawn pink paws worked into some of the floral prints.

What are the designer’s recollections of the city? “I had a tutor here named Muriel, she taught me English through reading fashion magazines, because that was a subject I was interested in,” says Wu. “That’s how I got bit by the fashion bug.” It’s safe to say the Wu bug infected more than a few at the bash—the only cure, a cascading gown of neon green.

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If not for the many male accoutrements and red lips, we’d have spotted the largest convergence of stylish man repellers in the city at Holt Renfrew on Tuesday night. Gathered to meet their maker, Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine, at the launch of Holts’ in-house blog, Holts Muse, said repellers looked, well, unfortunately sexy, gussied up in many a layered shirt/sweater/skirt combo. The most un-man repellent of the bunch, Holts fashion gal Mackenzie Yeates, wore a set of lace-veiled bunny ears atop an all-black getup, while Holts PR’s Amina Said donned a pair of skin-tight leather pants. Meanwhile, the Man Repeller herself—in the MOST amazing bejewelled Dannijo necklace, we might add—rattled off her top five tips to dressing just like her:

1.     White t-shirt
2.     Crop top over t-shirt
3.     Chambray button-up unbuttoned
4.     Leather jacket
5.     Sequin pencil skirt

Well, if there’s a man out there who doesn’t get sequins, then we don’t want him anyway.

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Walking through the oversized doghouse gate in Toronto’s Distillery District, it was clear that the Paws for the Cause gala and fashion show had marked its territory. The second annual doggies-on-the-catwalk event had the city’s cutest pooches sporting Canadian-made coats from Babies & Beasts while their celebrity dog walkers strutted their stuff in darling duds by Philip Sparks. Plaid-on-plaid suits, faux fur–collared jackets and ladylike dresses ensured that models like eTalk’s Tanya Kim and MTV’s Aliya-Jasmine Sovani looked (almost) as cute as their leashed companions.

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By Phil Birnbaum

Last Friday, all things breasts took over the two floors of Andrew Richard Design’s stylish east-side Toronto studio for Booby Ball, the annual benefit supporting Rethink Breast Cancer. Flaunting their assets for an important cause, guests were decked out in prom-like brights, polka dots, poofs, and the like.

90210‘s Jessica Stroup and Toronto-native Shenae Grimes flew in for the 10th anniversary of the ball, a birthday party–themed bash with quite the appropriate party dress and fascinator ensembles for the festivities. They were seen heel-ing up the dance floor in between the arrival of a life-sized cake and live dance performance. (Yes, a Marilyn Monroe impersonator popped out of a cake). Complete with a bouncy castle, storm troopers, candy floss, and balloon animals, the event was fit for booby enthusiasts of all ages.

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Edmonton rolled out its red carpet last week for the city’s biggest fashion event of the year—also one of the largest fashion fundraisers in Canada—the 15^th Annual Fashion with Compassion breast cancer fundraiser. Over 700 guests wined, dined, and bid on auction items, while models and breast cancer survivors from the Compassion House walked the glowing white runway. The show featured clothing and accessories from local retailers, and closed with stunning couture gowns from New York’s Michael Kaye.

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A black carpet, sprinkled with male models in white tuxes, beckoned guests to the second floor of the Bay Downtown Vancouver for the Thursday night grand opening of The Room, the department store’s second den of high fashion. Erdem Moralioglu and Brian Atwood—both on their first visit to Vancouver—Jason Matlo, Monika Deol, and Jessica Stam (to name a few) were among the crowd of well-dressed revellers air kissing, clinking glasses, and noshing on Hawksworth Restaurant–made canapés.

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Moscow may enjoy white nights during its short but sweet summer, but as the cooler weather creeps in and the precious daylight dwindles, the Moscow girls are still lighting up the night. Winter white and cool camel were favourite looks earlier this week as the city’s best dressed came out to celebrate Coats! an exhibit marking MaxMara’s 60^th anniversary.

The Hoxton was abuzz with Brit power for the Topshop launch party and concert on Tuesday night, from main man Sir Philip Green and fashion director Kate Phelan, to Jamie Hince, one part of rock duo The Kills (more or less importantly, he’s also one part of Mr. and Mrs. Kate Moss, but you already knew that, didn’t you). Incidentally, the space was also abuzz with It girl power, from Harley Viera-Newton on the turntables, to Coco Rocha in the VIP section. While some complained of the noise, we were amongst the large group of fans including designer Samantha Beckerman, Pink Tartan gal Sarah Marantz, writer Sarah Nicole Prickett, and photographer Adam Levett, that were more than tickled to be enjoying such an intimate setting for rocking out to Hince and Alison Mosshart’s moody hits.

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Last week at the Calgary International Film Festival (calgaryfilm.com) opening night gala, FASHION and a stylish crowd celebrated the beginning of a 10-day Alberta film frenzy with a red carpet walk, the world-premiere of Jim Cliffe’s déjà vu flick, Donovan’s Echo, and a champagne reception with food truck fare at Eighth Avenue Place.

Veteran actor Bruce Greenwood arrived by limo to help present the film, in which he plays a police officer and friend to another movie-vet, Danny Glover.

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