FASHION Magazine

Drink in the magic of Fall 2012 with FASHION’s first look at the hottest shows, most bewitching sets, best new trends and more.

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To celebrate fashion’s biggest season, we’ve put all of the most major ads (So much image slicing!) together in one space. We’ll be adding new creatives as they become available, so be sure to check back for all the biggest and best.

See all the campaigns »

Gone are the days when Hawaiian prints were only worn by middle-aged men touring through Oahu. From Altuzarra to Alexander Wang, tropical patterns have taken on a new, infinitely more chic form this spring. Jaime King kept her saturated flora and fauna skirt by Proenza Schouler from looking kitschy by opting for sleek black, while Liya Kebede took a pared-down approach to the trend with a nude Proenza Schouler dress flanked by tropical birds from the duo’s fall collection. Yasmin Sewell, on the other hand, opted for an eclectic spin on the trend by pairing her tropical Stella McCartney top with a black-and-white patterned skirt.

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For Alexandre Despatie, diving is all about aesthetics. “Every time I step on the boards, I’m judged by how I look,” says the two-time Olympic medallist while on set at his Men’s FASHION cover shoot in Toronto. “It’s a fact I live with. My form has to be sharp. Every angle of my body is studied—it’s what I’m marked on.”

At a solid five-foot-eight and 155 pounds, Despatie’s frame is noticeably well toned. As he approaches the camera in a brief black swimsuit, an air of confidence radiates from his diamond-cut build. “Our bodies are our machines—our Formula One race cars,” he later says, after throwing on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “They need to be perfect to run well.”

In the midst of preparing for the London Summer Games—his fourth Olympiad to date—the Montrealer is clearly running on overdrive. Heading to the gym six days a week, he maintains a schedule that befits his title as Canada’s 36-time senior diving champion. Yet his daily routine—which includes 1,000 crunches, one hour of strength training, 20 minutes of trampoline work, an indoor cycling program called PowerWatts and 50 sets of ab exercises called “pike-ups”—is something he feels “lucky” to be able to  do at all.

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.

A fragrant ode to a love affair, Jenna Lyons–approved lip colour, and a cure for toner guilt.

View our editor’s picks »

From Sydney to Tokyo, the black-and-white trend made big on the runways was spotted with as many different stylings as locales this week. Worn by Jessica Alba in the form of a simple menswear-inspired tux at the opening of Tommy Hilfiger’s first Asia flagship store; in the sweetest little Stella McCartney bow dress by Zooey Deschanel at the music video premiere of Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine” in Los Angeles; and finally, by Rihanna in a street-ready combo while on tour to promote her first acting gig in Battleship down under. We’ve chosen 14 affordable pieces (all under $140!) to help you channel these gals on your own terms.

View our 14 picks »
See the black-and-white trend in our Spring Trends Guide »

Want to get the raspberry-red look? 5 lipsticks you should try »
Which look do you like best? Vote now! »

The party to be at on Friday night—if you’re an A-list celebrity in Los Angeles, that is—was one hosted by Stella McCartney for the music video premiere of Paul McCartney’s “My Valentine.” The video (which stars Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman) was watched by everyone from Gwen Stefani to Gwyneth Paltrow, making the exclusive screening quite the red carpet event. While the majority of guests wore Stella McCartney Spring 2012 pieces, bright shades of lipstick were just as popular a style statement. Kristen Stewart and Zooey Deschanel certainly stood out above the rest, with almost-identical makeup that was focused on raspberry-coloured lips and heavily lashed eyes.

Whether it’s through Stella McCartney’s tireless battles to bring eco-awareness to the forefront, or with H&M’s bringing it to an affordable price range, we’ve learned that fashion really should not come at the price of being at odds with the earth. And since we know you’d love to do both, we’ve made it a cinch with this foolproof eco-friendly guide that hits all the marks with the hottest trends for spring.

View our picks »

Forget sports! It seems the London 2012 Olympics will be an international battleground of the sartorial sort after Prada announced today it would be designing the Italian sailing team’s uniforms. The all-blue, slim-fitting uniforms will feature prominent Prada logos on the sleeves.

The news is merely another drop in the ocean of Olympic haute wears. The USA once again hired Ralph Lauren to design its 2012 collection. This year the designer took a decidedly traditional turn with abundant whites and preppy polos (though with some unforgivable popped collars). Stella McCartney’s hotly debated collection for the UK has been receiving some serious media attention including complaints that it’s “too blue” and “won’t look good on out of shape soccer fans.” And then there’s Giorgio Armani, whose sportswear diffusion line, Emporio Armani EA7, promises to inspire its athletes in its latest video.

All things aside, this is all starting to sound a lot like Paris Fashion Week. But with the Olympics’ incredible viewership (it’s estimated to be around 4 billion people) and its serious commercial potential, it’s no wonder these designers want to put their name on a tracksuit.

So where does Canada fit into all of this? The Hudson’s Bay Company has created patched denim jackets (Olympic Canadian Tuxedo anyone?) and a wide variety of sweaters, tees and jackets. It’s a casual collection to be sure, but a definite commercial hit.

Who will reign supreme on the catwalk in the opening ceremonies? Only time will tell. But for now, we just hope this move towards designer uniforms means we’ll never have to see another one of those backwards Poorboy caps again.

See our editor’s 50+ shopping picks for spring »

View by inspiration:

MOLTO ITALIANO
Treat yourself to la dolce vita with glamorous retro classics.

BEDTIME
STORY
Silky pyjama-inspired separates make their way out of the boudoir this spring.

STRAIGHT
FLUSH
Start gazing through rose-tinted lenses: Blush is spring’s freshest neutral.

DARK
DELIGHTS
Boost the cool factor of sugary-sweet confections with tough black accents.

The fact that we spotted Paul (that’s Sir, to you!) McCartney outside his daughter’s show should really be enough, but no. We got Alicia Keys, Salma Hayek, and every gorgeous model leaving the show with their vibrant blue lashes, too! We’re feeling pretty happy with ourselves right now…

View the style snaps »