FASHION Magazine

See all of the Spring 2014 campaign looks »

Right now, as Canadians, it’s difficult to think of anything but winter. Thankfully there is at least one among us who has his sights firmly set on the warmer months ahead. Toronto-based designer Matthew Gallagher has just released a colourful look-book for his Spring 2014 collection, and the tropical vibes have us day dreaming the snow away.

The playful campaign and accompanying video, produced by The Collections, Toronto Fashion Week cool kid organizing body, features plenty of bold retro silhouettes done in an array of tropical prints and hues. Gallagher’s peekaboo pink lining, intricate tailoring and thoughtful detailing are just some of the reasons we’re placing the designer on our list of ones to watch. The entire collection is a throwback to glamorous heyday of Hollywood and Palm Springs—those sky-high beehives and headscarves would be perfectly at home speeding along the Pacific Coast Highway in a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado, with a dashing beau in the seat next to us… but we digress.

See the Gucci fringe shots »

Gucci’s original bamboo handle is getting a major high fashion upgrade for Spring 2014. Hot on the heels of the release of the brand’s latest short film, “The Fringe”, the luxury Italian fashion house has commissioned fashion’s most sought after female DJs to give their spin on the coveted bag. Providing their It girl statuses to the campaign are Harley-Viera Newton, Leigh Lezark, Pixie Geldof, JaKissa Taylor-Semple (DJ Kiss), and Chelsea Leyland.

Winter be damned! We are officially setting out sights on spring, and along with it, its myriad bright, shiny list of trends to try. As we mentioned last week, all it takes are a few key pieces to transition your wardrobe through the seasons. Today, we’re taking a cue from our Style Panel, who has taken the transition one step further by working some spring trends into existing winter wardrobes.

The ‘90s made its way back onto the Spring 2014 runways courtesy of designers like DKNY and Rag & Bone, who re-introduced the nostalgic trend with a slick sporty twist. Blogger Nichole Alabi welcomes it with open arms, opting for a transitional look of loose fit crop top, baggy distressed denim and a pair of tan Ewing sneakers that would make even the Fresh Price envious. And while pastels are certainly not a foreign idea, the spring runways proved that head to toe looks in soft hues could still be interesting. Shorts Presents blogger Kayla Short and Lyndsey Forest of Over My Styled Body try the trend in two different ways, with equally awesome results.

Challenge 94: What are your spring transition tips? Read the answers now! »

With spring hovering that much closer, it’s finally time to recharge those warm weather wardrobes (insert smiley face emoji here). This season, there are a few key pieces that will easily transform your look, and we’re here to make that transition as easy as 1, 2, 3.

A ‘90s revival on the runways breathed new life into the slipdress, making it the ultimate wardrobe essential layered under knits, with plaid and camo. Meanwhile, sex appeal was made hip with the advent of the side-slit leather skirt on runways like Proenza Schouler and Reed Krakoff. The long-favoured bomber jacket also reappeared on the runway this season, in satin and with transparent touches at Marc by Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten. So get ready to ditch all that heavy winter gear and consider these three as your must-have items to elevate your look this spring

Jump to: THE SLIPDRESS | THE SIDE-SLIT SKIRT | THE BOMBER JACKET

Some of the most on-trend styles can often be some of the most uncomfortable. We have spent many a night staggering home on sore feet from sky scraping heels or sitting in uncomfortably restricting body-con dresses. All in the name of fashion, right? So imagine our glee when the athletic trend, one synonymous with comfy yet fashionable kicks and sporty gear, was bigger than ever on the Spring 2014 runways—viva la trend sneaker!

Despite being one of the most comfortable and freeing trends, the athletic trend has some restrictions. With such a relaxed silhouette and casual aesthetic, you have to be sure to keep things boardroom appropriate and far away from the locker room: sweaty old gym leggings need not apply. Clean lines and a sleek minimalist silhouette as well as luxurious fabrics—think Marni’s bejewelled visors or Marc Jacobs’ silk gym shorts—make sporty cues translatable to all facets of life. Beyond the iconic raglan tee or sneakers, sporty riffs also exist in fabric being appropriated into typically girly or formal silhouettes. Just take a look at Tommy Hilfiger’s neoprene fit-and-flare dresses or Tom Ford’s billowing mesh tanks, both perfect for a night out on the town.

Question 93: How do you wear the athletic trend? Read the answers now! »

In the clutches of this terrible, no good, very bad winter we’ll take any excuse to think about warmer temps. While it’s a little premature to bust out the short shorts and crop tops, we’ve found a way to inject some summertime ease into our lives thanks to our new favourite beauty trend: orange lipstick.

If you’ve never considered wearing a bright orange lip, the Spring 2014 runways provided a multitude of different ways to make it work. Prabal Garung and John Galliano both opted for a matte orange lip with slicked-back hair to create a clean and uncomplicated look, perfect for a casual Friday at the office. Dsquared2, on the other hand, showed the versatility of the colour, using a coral-orange lip with a smoky eye and ‘80s pageant queen hair to create quite the glamorous look.

Challenge 51: What are your tips on wearing spring’s orange lipstick trend? See the answers now! »

See the top beauty trends for Spring 2014 »

Ready to refresh your makeup bag? The beauty trends for Spring 2014 are all about colour, texture and letting your skin shine. Gone are last season’s moody berry shades, deep lips and velvet skin finishes. For Spring 2014, the top beauty trends include popsicle-orange lips, eyeshadows in every pastel shade under the sun and a whole lotta love for gold pigments. For those less inclined to pile on the product, good news: the no makeup makeup look is also trending this season.

See the full Joe Fresh Spring 2014 collection here »

Homegrown fashion brand Joe Fresh went full on blue for its Spring 2014 runway collection, resulting in a series of on-trend pieces that we’re sure will fit just perfectly in your closet this season.

Having taken inspiration from mod silhouettes in the past, Joe Fresh reverted back to the classic A-line, creating figure-flattering dresses in a range of geometric stripe prints. We love a bold print and the brand more than delivers with a vibrant ocean scene on a sleeveless V-neck dress as well as several floral, floral and camouflage motifs. What’s more, the brand amps up attention to detail with a painterly tromp l’oeil print on a tan trench. Scalloped edges add a girlish edge on the hems of a black-tiered skirt and polo shirt.

See the Spring 2014 accessories »

Though we’re already ahead of our wants, currently coveting into Fall 2014 by way of fashion week, there’s a bright new season ahead and our shopping brains are already thinking bare legs and bright hues. To get you in the Spring 2014 shopping mood, we swiped 15 amazing buys just-added to e-tailers around the web. And while they sure are pricey, they’ll pay off in #OOTD spades all season long. Just think of the Instagrams!

See our Sochi-inspired photo shoot »
See the complete athletic trend guide »

One of Spring 2014’s strongest runway trends involved countless retakes on the omnipresent athletic trend from Tommy Hilfiger’s neoprene surfers to DKNY’s retro street babes. On the eve of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, we round up some of the season’s looks suited to life on the move.

See the Gap Spring 2014 lookbook »

There’s nothing the fashion world loves more than a new style muse and when Gap hired Rebekka Bay as its creative director last year, our sartorial spidey senses went into overdrive. The mastermind behind upscale H&M sister brand COS, the soft-spoken Danish designer has already achieved cult standing among editors, bloggers and cool kids alike for her sophisticated approach to modern minimalist dressing.

Spring 2014 marks Bay’s first collection with Gap, and if insider reactions at the presentation in New York back in October were any indication, she hasn’t lost her Midas touch. Featuring a summer-ready lineup of acid-wash jeans, bleached pastels and perfectly slouchy sweatshirts, her spring collection is a lust-worthy first look at a re-imagined Gap and a new American style that’s refreshing, relaxed and seriously cool. We sat down with the newly minted creative director after her spring presentation to talk icons, Americana and giving Gap its mojo back.

See the Alexander McQueen ads starring Kate Moss »

In just her latest chameleon turn, model superstar Kate Moss is a futuristic urban warrior for Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2014 ad campaign images, which debuted online today. Part tribal goddess, part bondage queen, Moss looks totally fierce in a decidedly dystopian and unnatural setting shot on location in East London. Despite being a friend of the late designer, this is Moss’s first appearance in an Alexander McQueen ad, this time shot by long time McQueen collaborator Steven Klein.

In the ads, Moss’s Day-Glo cropped hair is gelled back for maximum impact, making her signature gaze all the more enchanting. Zipper-encrusted collars, pleated leather skirts and full feathered pieces show off the model’s svelte 40-year-old bod, while the gold arm cuffs highlight the vibrancy of her hair. Even the lookalike voodoo doll Moss shares the camera with is outfitted in replica miniature get ups.