FASHION Magazine

See the behind the scenes shots and outfit selects » For those who watched episode upon episode of charity galas, masquerade balls and silent auctions on Gossip Girl, wondering “yeah, but actually?”—This one’s for you. This year, I ascended the ranks of Waldorf wannabes everywhere by becoming a co-chair of Operanation, the Canadian Opera Company’s […]

The post What it’s like to co-chair Operanation (+ what to wear to this year’s event) appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See the complete Sarah Stevenson for Target collection »

Move over Peter Pilotto, there’s a new Target collabo in town. Almost a year after designer Sarah Stevenson nabbed top honours at Toronto Fashion Incubator’s annual New Labels competition; images of her upcoming collection for Target Canada have been released! Launched last night at a fashion show in Toronto, the 15-piece collection rings true to the designer’s signatures, but re-imagined for the budget conscious at only $25-$60 a pop. The 15-piece collection features laser cut, layered and multi-hued floral prints on dresses, trousers, blouses and a statement blazer.

“I really had the Target guest in mind and I worked really loosely with the Target design team to really understand who that guest is and what they’re looking for,” Stevenson said. “I still wanted it to have my aesthetic and all the elements that are signature to my high-end line but making it wearable for the urban Canadian woman. I thought a lot about transitional pieces, that can be taken from winter into spring.” Given how hot florals continue to be on both spring and fall runways, it’s pretty safe to say these pieces will be wardrobe essentials for seasons to come.

See photos from inside the CAFA Awards »

Toronto had its first-ever dose of fashion Oscars this past weekend, as the best in Canadian talent gathered for the inaugural Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards at the Fairmont Royal York. Aiming to shine a light on often politely under-appreciated homegrown talent, awards were given out to the best in design, styling, photography, modelling and to one person who stands in a category all by herself: Jeanne Beker. The television host/journo of 30+ years was awarded the CAFAs first Vanguard Award for well, everything.

Looking around the glittering ballroom, there was a real sense of “everyone who’s anyone is here,” which is quite the feat on a blustery night in the middle of winter. Topping that A-list was be model Coco Rocha, who stunned as no one else (in the room) could in a one-shouldered white gown by Dsquared while accepting the award for Model of the Year. Also in town, designing wonder boys Dean and Dan Caten, who scored the Best International Designer award. Taking a page out of the CFDA’s book, the CAFAs partnered with Swarovski to fund the Emerging Talent Award, which gave $10,000 and a mentorship by Joe Fresh founder Joe Mimran to Sarah Stevenson, the floral-happy designer who also won TFI New Labels last spring. With so much pegged on her impending success, it seems sure that her name will rise to the rank of fellow winner Jeremy Laing, who picked up the much-deserved award for Womenswear Designer of the Year.

See the TFI New Labels runway photos »
See the TFI New Labels party photos »

Toronto Fashion Incubator crowned its annual New Labels prizewinner on Tuesday night at a glittering gala stacked with the city’s society and fashion hall of famers. For the second year in a row, Target added a red sheen to the event, promising an exclusive capsule collection to be sold nationwide next year in addition to the existing prize of $25,000 from high society’s grand dame philanthropist Suzanne Rogers.

As notables including Stacey Mackenzie, Arthur Mendonca, Nicholas Mellamphy and David Dixon (he currently moonlights as TFI president) indulged in post-dinner chocolate cake, the tables were transformed into a runway, on which the competition began. With a mix of aesthetics ranging from Secret Garden-esque to hard edged to femme to frankly, sloppy, four designers—Sarah Stevenson, Paria Shirvani, Christopher Paunil and 7/31—paraded their wears. In a decision that surprised no one, Stevenson’s pretty floral capsule was crowned the winner. With an existing reputation as Toronto’s resident floral print mistress, we look forward to seeing Stevenson’s career blossom (pun intended) following this major boost.

See all 55 shopping picks now »

Keep it light and airy in your twenties. Sport bright yellow in your sixties. Give the colour wheel a spin! This season, it’s time to try a brand-new hue no matter which age bracket you fall under.

Jump to age:
20s SUGAR RUSH | 30s SCARLET FEVER | 40s VEGGIE PATCH
50s BLUE CRUSH | 60s FRESH CITRUS | 70s CLEAN SLATE

View the photo gallery »

Even though the weather outside was miserable, flowers were in bloom at Sarah Stevenson’s Spring 2012 presentation at LGFW. I’ve seen Stevenson do floral before (her Spring 2011 featured pastels and hand-painted prints) but she does it well. This time around, the flowers were bright and inspired by springtime in her native Toronto. To create the prints, Stevenson combined different mediums mixing photography and digital manipulation a la Mary Katrantzou and watercolours and pencil crayons. Tiny blue and red bouquets covered sundresses and purple and blue petals fell to white on dresses and skirts. One standout dress had leaves draped on one shoulder and matching green butterflies on the front. Accompanied by perfectly mussed-up braids and bright lips, models looked like they emerged from a secret garden. Stevenson’s fresh take on her familiar floral prints had me longing for gardens in springtime on a gloomy October day.

Thought the thrill of being on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight was… being on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight? Well, when you’re an A-list celeb who’s flown north for TIFF, we guess there’s got to be more to sweeten the deal. Introducing the “Made in Canada” lounge, a post-show mini-shop (sans price tags, of course) hosting the most deliciously curated selection of made-in-Canada goodies. Everything from the custom Gregory Allen bow ties (he gets his shirts custom made!) to the Sweets from the Earth goodies (he just went vegan!) has a personal Strombo touch. The Ninutik maple sugar? It’s made next door to the host’s house! Apparently the aroma wafts through the heating vents in the winter… But lets not get carried away. (George? Me? A fur rug on the floor? Not kosher?)

By Gillian Pryor

Sarah Stevenson is a young talent with one impressive resume. After graduating from Milan’s Institute of European Design, she went on to complete her masters in collaboration with Costume National. Turning down an internship opportunity with Giorgio Armani, the designer chose to return home to Toronto to create her own eponymous line, which she debuted for spring. Showing her second collection at LG on Friday, sweet silk dresses and flow-y maxis were printed in the kind of abstracted and impressionistic swirls she has become known for. Showing the dresses alongside pleated trousers and floral blouses⎯all in a colour palette of purple, cobalt blue and black⎯the collection left us in a romantic dreamy daze.

View the Sarah Stevenson photo gallery »

Inspired by a mid-winter’s visit to the greenhouses at Toronto’s Allan Gardens, newcomer Sarah Stevenson brings a fresh perspective on prints to the Canadian fashion scene. Her debut collection was a romantic lineup of pastel-coloured lilies, tulips and apple blossoms (made modern in a cool kaleidoscope print). Hand painted floral degrade dresses made the grade, as did the art nouveau–inspired graphic swirl frocks. Stevenson’s mix of silk, satin and chiffon is not only ultra-feminine but eco-conscious as well (think natural fibers, printed to order to minimize waste). We can’t wait to watch Stevenson grow.

See a gallery of the Sarah Stevenson presentation»

Read our full coverage of Toronto Fashion Week»

Toronto-based clothing and textile designer Sarah Stevenson is making her debut at Spring 2011 LG Fashion Week in more ways than one: she’s showing on its runway for the first time and the show also marks the launch of her line, Sarah Stevenson Design. Stevenson is the first LGFW neophyte to take our our Fashion Week First-Timer questionnaire. Read all about it after the jump.