FASHION Magazine

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Toronto is so desperate for springtime, that not even last night’s biblical style storm wouldn’t stop its style inclined inhabitants from flocking to Holt Renfrew for a party in honour of Rag & Bone’s neon-heavy spring collection. Packed to the racks of the department store’s third floor, partygoers—including designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, who made it in the nick of time after hours of flight delays—seemed especially eager to throw down to the DJ tunes and get crafty with the makeshift graffiti board that had been installed on a nearby wall.

And now for the fashion: Spring’s graphic black and white trend was embraced by many partygoers, most notably by stylist Mariko Lauren who channeled Wednesday Adams in a peter pan collar dress and wide brimmed hat and the always-fabulous Kealan Anne Sullivan, who artfully paired a vintage policeman’s hat with a black velvet cape, a white turtleneck sweater and beat up jeans. Socialite Stacey Kimmel braved gravity in a skin-baring halter black dress with selectively geometric fabric slashes. And at the other end of the spectrum, designer/photographer Ashley Rowe went for the kaleidoscopic effect with her lime green active suit suit, turquoise-dyed hair and gal pal stylist Cara Joy Purkis who wore head-to-toe red.

For those of you who thought synchronized swimming only existed at the Olympics, think again. The prettiest water sport proved to be alive and well at Greta Constantine’s annual summer bash last Thursday. Held in the grandiose backyard of Michael Cooper and Krystal Koo’s east Annex home in Toronto, guests were left spellbound when mid-soiree, a foursome of girls (IRL members of the Variety Village Synchro Club) jumped into the pool, performing to Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” After that, things got back to normal, and by that we mean many many Stoli cocktails held by gals in floor-length dresses (case in point: Ainsley Kerr and Shay Lowe wore matching diaphanous aquamarine gowns). Toward night’s end, as many free spirited gals kicked off their heels to dip in the pool, fifty-something artist Andrea Bolley was spotted dancing on her own to Diego Armand’s DJ set with moves that made many a youthful onlooker green with Advanced Style envy.

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When it comes to a Greta Constantine show, there are a couple of things an editor can expect: 1. It will be an hour late 2. Their signature draped dresses will fall somewhere in the mix. This time around, designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong delivered on both of these points. While we’re always perplexed as to why they are an hour behind schedule, the GC boys did manage to pull two new rabbits out of their hat last Friday at the Bay’s newly reno’d Arcadian Loft: chunky knits and black-on-black tailored separates. Big points for the colourful cozy mufflers and Rooney Mara–esque sharp-shouldered dresses and leather boleros. Judging from the abundance of strategic and oh-so-sexy cut-outs, skin is fall’s best accessory. As for colour, it’s all about those rich jewel tones, darling—ruby red, emerald green, sapphire blue and amethyst. The miss of the night? The white backless dress. Women don’t want to accentuate their hips (hello, Zumba class!) even if the volume is set on low.

Toronto’s Thompson Hotel shares our love for all things Greta Constantine. The super sleek hotel chain is making sure their staff is up to snuff by teaming up with the label’s designers, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong, to create a new chic staff uniform. Check out the sketch for the design above, and read up […]

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Pre–Toronto Fashion Week or “Rogue Fashion Week,”as some like to call it, kicked off last night with Greta Constantine’s Spring 2012 show. Swapping their usual venue, the Don Valley–neighbouring BMW dealership, for King Street West’s Century Room, but changing little else, designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong sent 51 looks that mainly consisted of the draped jersey and asymmetrical edge for which the duo are best known. Beginning with juicy-hued dresses in tangerine, cranberry, violet, and teal, the collection switched gears 15 looks in, morphing into a biker gang of sorts. (Those sorts being the same sorts you’ve seen time and time again.) Done well? Of course. Redone? Well, that too.

Last night’s HELLO! Magazine party at the Ritz Carlton was a virtual who’s who of home-grown Canadian superstars. The stunning Gabrielle Miller of Corner Gas charmed reporters on the red carpet while members of the cast of Being Erica proved that those who work together, play together. Dolce Vita chef David Rocco was on hand […]

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Last night, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong of Greta Constantine held court (along with many stylish subjects) in the lush backyard of a beautiful Rosedale home in Toronto to reveal the second collection in their new accessibly priced womenswear line, Primer. As could be expected, all of Greta’s signature fingerprints appeared in the line of richly hued draped-cotton and jersey dresses that were displayed on prettily posed mannequins positioned poolside. While the collection won’t be available for a few months, one thing you can look forward to are totally manageable price points, starting at less than $100 and ranging no higher than $500.

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Hot off the heels of sexy collaborations with Mark Fast and FASHION‘s own George Antonopoulos, Danier continues to prove its star status with SKIN, a capsule collection created in collaboration with Greta Constantine. Landing mid-August in Danier stores nationwide and on danier.com, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong’s take on leather goes way beyond the basic bomber.

Hot on the heels of their mass-market collabs with both Danier and Aldo, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong of Greta Constantine, bring us Primer⎯a capsule collection that aims to be just that, the accessibly priced “base coat for a woman’s wardrobe,” with price points ranging from $95 to $275.

When your first sight is a quartet of male models in shiny trunks, fake tattoos and sandals paired with work socks (toes and heels excised for summer) posing by a pool spanned by Grecian columns, you know you’re at a Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill production. The pair, known best for their women’s line, Greta Constantine, decided to throw a party to officially launch their menswear effort Ezra Constantine.

We always look forward to the Greta Constantine (gretaconstantine.com) show. Designers Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill are the go-to pair for silk jersey dresses that are ready to party party. (Their frocks have been spotted on the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Kreesha Turner, Iman and Nelly Furtado.) So when we heard they were doing pants for fall, we had to talk.