FASHION Magazine

See pics from the Toronto premiere of If I Loved You »

If you were anywhere near the Sony Centre on Saturday night, you’d have witnessed the collective swoon from virtually every guy, gal and gay in the vicinity. As one of the final events during the Luminato Festival, “If I Loved You” welcomed a troupe of babely troubadours to the city including David Byrne, Boy George, Josh Groban, Brent Carver, Steven Page, Brennan Hall and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig for a one-night-only performance of Broadway duets sung exclusively by men. Orchestrated by resident showman (and husband of Luminato creative director Jörn Weisbrodt) Rufus Wainwright alongside musical director Steven Oremus, the show brought songs from classics like Guys and Dolls, Porgy and Bess and West Side Story to the stage with as many modern day flourishes as were, really, there hidden all along. Case in point: a kiss between Wainwright and Koenig at the end of “We Kiss in a Shadow,” a mid-performance birthday cake for Boy George (the icon turned 53 that day) and a sing-along finale featuring Grease’s “Summer Nights.”

Go inside the party »

Those with a sunglasses problem might want to steer clear of Toronto’s new optical candy store—Cutler and Gross might just make you an addict. The decades old British brand has landed on Queen Street West, opening its latest instalment of bright popping eyewear to some serious cool kid fanfare at a party last week. Hosted by The Coveteur’s Jake Rosenberg and Stephanie Mark, the fête saw eyewear enthusiasts like blogger Anita Clarke and the Globe and Mail’s Odessa Paloma Parker throwing some (literal) shade, aided and abetted by Cutler and Gross design director Marie Wilkinson, who flew in for the occasion from London.

It’s a good thing the party was limited to a few hours. Each guest could have easily spent all day long trying on each and every one of the store’s 1,200 models, which include the brand’s quirky collaborations with labels like Giles, Alberta Ferretti and Maison Martin Margiela. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Head on over to 758 Queen Street West in Toronto for your own eye popping experience.

See the Mad Hot Ballet Gala 2014 photos »

On any other night, principal dancer Guillaume Côté’s dance moves would be mad hot. Given that the National Ballet of Canada already bestows that superlative on its annual gala, the connection was pretty clear. On Wednesday night, Toronto’s socials, patrons and dance lovers filled the glass-cased Four Seasons Centre for Mad Hot Ballet, this year entitled “Spellbound.” Beginning, fittingly, with a gala performance of several spellbinding numbers, the night’s repertoire featured four pieces choreographed by Côté. The standout among them was surely his solo “Body of Work,” during which he modernized Beethoven’s “Symphony 7 –II, Allegretto” with a series of undulating movements. Another had Leonard Cohen quirk-ified with three caryatid-meets-cabaret style dancers (Dylan Tedaldi, Kathryn Hosier and Felix Paquet) moving sprightly to “Tonight Will Be Fine” and “Dance Me To the End of Love.”

After the performance, guests in gowns (and some in tutus) spilled out into the foyer for cocktails, canapés and the second annual best-dressed award announced by FASHION editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra. Partygoer Lillian To took top honours for her ballet-inspired lashes which spelled out “mad hot.” Meanwhile, Morra herself was dressed in a custom Lucia Matis dress which featured the event’s creative (principal dancer Xiao Nan Yu mid-pose in the King Edward Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom.

See the photos from the Annabelle and Shenae Grimes party »

Last night, Annabelle Cosmetics threw an interactive launch party for its latest collection with new brand ambassador, Shenae Grimes-Beech at the ever-so-glam Arcadian Loft. The Canadian actress, who’s known for her roles on 90210 and Degrassi: The Next Generation, was all smiles when she formally welcomed everyone to the event. “For me, the brand feels nostalgic in a way—I’ve grown up with it, and still buy it today. I’m super proud to be affiliated with a big piece of home,” says the actress. Dressed in a leather biker jacket, a spring-appropriate floral dress and leather platform heels, Grimes happily talked to fans with husband, Josh Beech, who took to the turntables at the end of the night, closely by her side.

The venue could not be a more perfect setting for the hip, young crowd that not only included beauty bloggers (and Beauty Panel members!), but Grimes’s friends and family as well. With the party being an interactive one, guests mingled around, jumping from one fun station to the next including an Annabelle makeup wall, stocked with the latest eyeliners, mascaras and the brand’s new TwistUp retractable eyeshadows, was all up for grabs for the beauty enthusiasts. While the photo booth station (feather boas, oversized glasses and speech bubbles included) was a popular stop for fashionable attendees to work their best pout and poses, the coolest station would have to be the mix-your-own lipgloss bar. Taking home the ultimate beauty souvenir, guests lined up for the much-coveted personalized Annabelle Big Show Lip Shine signed by Shenae where lipgloss experts in lab coats mixed different colour combinations right in front of our eyes. It was no doubt a beauty junkie’s dream come true.

See the photos from Luminato 2014 Opening Gala »

A festival is never complete without an impressive party to kick it off, and last night’s Luminato art festival opening party was nothing but. Toronto’s elite, bloggers and artsy attendees joined co-chairs Rupert Duchesne, Joseph Mimran and Kimberley Newport-Mimran to mark the launch of the 10-day art festival with creative director Jörn Weisbrodt and hubby Rufus Wainwright at the helm of the festivities. Besides drawing Canadian notables like Toronto mayoral candidate Olivia Chow and celebrated stage director Atom Egoyan, Isabella Rossellini was there to promote her upcoming on-stage debut, Green Porno. In tune with the night’s theme, Berlin Underground, the opening party was held in the outskirts of downtown Toronto (Toronto Port Lands to be exact) at the Hearn Generating Station where the abandoned industrial space was transformed into a one-of-a-kind venue for a 450-deep dinner and party. Complete with leather-clad dancers/artists lounging in corners, 1930s German propaganda on projected screens and neon lights bouncing off the exposed industrial interior, the party could not have taken place in a more suitable location. Well-dressed guests (ranging from black-tie attire to jumpsuits and much-coveted crop tops) had the chance to not only get their makeup retouched by on-site YSL makeup artists in super glam vanity stations. From a hopping DJ and buzzy dance floor to a flipbook station and 3D printers, it’s safe to say that last night was nothing short of extraordinary.

See the photos from Power Ball 2014 »

When an event’s billed “party of the year,” you’d better hope it lives up to its expectations. Power Ball 2014 sure did, with the harbourfront’s Power Plant gallery once again tricked out with a myriad of surreal installations, babely partygoers and many, many, many drinks. This year, the event was dubbed “Old World/New World,” which took form in old timey film projectors, hanging mummy-effect moon men and a computer-bed hybrid just ripe for Instagram opps. It was a jumping off point for guests too, who interpreted with mechanical headpieces, metallic cocktail dresses and one pair of seriously awesome Riccardo Tisci Nikes. Stylist Dwayne Kennedy took robot chic to the next level in a boxy ribbed synthetic Sid Neigum jacket that fastened with staples (staples!). Meanwhile, artist Stephanie Comilang went for true high low in white-on-white Jeremy Laing T-shirt and culottes and with a plastic bag for a purse. And while some chose to shoot for the future, others stuck to the classics, like writer Rea McNamara, who aced the menswear look in a sleek grey suit. With the party still raging way past its 1 a.m. last call, I can only image the only future/past Power Ball 2014 attendees are feeling is libation-induced.

See the pictures from Artscape Salon »

Earlier this month, Toronto’s art community hobnobbed at the converted heritage centre Wychwood Barns for Artscape Salon, a speed-dating style dinner that allowed over 200 guests to meet 20 of the city’s creative luminaries as they roved from table to table. During dinner, speakers including artist Gary Taxali, musician Maylee Todd, actor David Sutcliffe (read: Christopher from Gilmore Girls) and painter Amy Shackleton met with guests, switching up conversation as they went. Indeed, the chit chat was anything but boring, with my table erupting in ballet fandom during a meet-cute with National Ballet Principal Dancer Sonia Rodriguez, with talk of the AGO’s upcoming Art Spiegelman retrospective upon visit from CEO and director Matthew Teitelbaum and with a game of temp tattoo with illustrator Alanna Cavanagh, who gifted us drawn lemons, pears and watermelons. The Salon was just the latest in Artscape’s fundraising initiatives, which benefit the organization’s not-for-profit urban developments including affordable live/work studios, schools and theatres at the heart of Toronto’s arts community.

See all the Kleinfeld Hudson’s Bay party pics »

Is there a bigger bridal brand than Kleinfeld? Last night, to celebrate the Say Yes To The Dress juggernaut’s debut at Hudson’s Bay in Toronto, a lavish cocktail party took over all 20,000 square feet of the just-opened bridal salon. The space, with white-washed floors and vaulted ceiling could easily pass as a wedding venue itself (there’s even a small patio space for post-saying-yes cocktails!)—save for the dozens of dresses lining the walls. But what’s on display is just a sample of how much Kleinfeld has to offer: behind the scenes, there’s over 600 gowns to choose from, with more than 50 brands on the roster.

See the party pics »

For those with a severe case of spring fever, Monday is just another chance to party. Such was the case earlier this week at Toronto’s La Societe, where the keen toasted the launch of Veuve Clicquot’s first ever Yelloweek (through May 11), a week-long of bubbly pairings at the city’s best restaurants, spas, galleries and more. The event also served as an informal launch pad for Greta Constantine’s Resort 2015 collection. As models mingled with the crowd, they showed off the duo’s latest wares: jacquard-weave wrap dresses, vibrant body suits and killer collar details. Bring on spring!

For more information on Yelloweek and how to book your experience, visit yelloweek.com.

As the buzz surrounding tonight’s Met Gala reaches a fever pitch, many websites have done a good job of reflecting on the event’s storied past—the dresses, the glamour, the history-making moments! And while dishing on the red carpet has become a full on spectator sport, what happens beyond the velvet rope is something many of us plebes will really never experience. In the context of high society’s glittering history, the Met Gala is just one of many cool parties the crème de le crème mingle at. In 2011, Assouline published a retrospective on the greatest balls of the last century (the book has been on my must-own list since) and here we count down five that have made us green with past life regression envy.

See the Massive Party 2014 party pics »

As we predicted, last night’s tenth annual Massive Party at the Art Gallery of Ontario was sexy, stylish and the perfect start to spring party season. Sprawling much of the gallery’s 480,000 square foot space, it was one big ole Warholian ode to modern day pop art complete with larger than life dice, donuts and ironic hashtag banners. Guests were encouraged to bring their sartorial best, and awarded as such by a troika of hipster Joan Rivers who flashed everyone 10s as they entered past the red carpet.

Further inside, we were treated to a performance by the permanently moto jacket-clad Joseph of Mercury, who swapped his signature white mid-performance for a gold version designed by stylist Sarah Jay. Also in gold was The Collections’ Mel Ashcroft, who wore a lamé vest designed by Toronto designer Sid Neigum. And while many went wedding apropos (go big or go home, we s’pose), others kept it streetwise in X-ray imprinted fingerless gloves that were given out by scantily clad cigarette boys. A surrealistic post script: Mayoral candidate John Tory was there.

See the Massive Party dressing tips » After last week’s epic induction at Holt Renfrew, spring party season ramps up with the Art Gallery of Ontario’s annual Massive Party this Thursday. In its 10th year, the bash is a stylish, sexy night at the museum, complete with installations, performances and open bars a’plenty. And while […]

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