FASHION Magazine

See our gallery of backstage beauty snaps »
View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

Clean, simple and slightly androgynous was the idea for hair and makeup at Jeremy Laing. “It’s masculine, but with feminine tones to contrast the gender-bender look,” explained CoverGirl makeup pro Greg Wencel. Eyebrows were defined with a brow pencil, but the desired effect was for a full, soft brow—not a harsh or bold statement. Eyes were equally soft, with a light wash of CoverGirl Intense ShadowBlast in “Beige Blaze” and a dusting of warm eyeshadow on top. In a very Downton Abbey sort of move, no mascara was applied—this further impressed the idea of a masculine, androgynous look.

View the full collection » See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

The post TFW Video: Behind-the-scenes at the Fall 2012 David Szeto show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

See our gallery of backstage beauty snaps »
View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

One of the biggest challenges with The ShOws is the beauty: because the designers have already presented their Fall 2012 collections elsewhere, hair and makeup has to take inspiration from what was previously done. However, there’s always room for adaptations and change—which was certainly the case at Jean-Pierre Braganza’s show. “He wanted a smaller version of the hair,” explained Justin German, Pantene’s consulting stylist of the loose pompadour style. “There was trouble getting the clothes on over the hair in London!”

View the style snaps »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

What better way to wrap Toronto Fashion Week(s) than with even more of Lewis Mirrett’s awesomely sunny shots from outside the last day of shows. Take a gander at the PYTs in this gallery and stay tuned for a full rundown of the top trends spotted inside and outside of the shows later on.

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

In bowling, it’s called a turkey. In hockey, it’s called a hat trick.  Now that we’ve seen Jeremy Laing’s Fall 2012 collection three times (via both New York and Toronto) we want to know: what is this called in fashion? Given the wearability (no, it’s not a dirty word anymore) of Laing’s current line-up of tailored menswear-inspired separates, maybe the word for it is smart? Fewer architectural dresses found their way into the mix this season. Instead, big bleach-stained jackets, skinny trousers and strong coats took the spotlight. You’re not a Laing girl if you aren’t into layering—think jackets over diaphanous dresses over trousers. Zippers snaked their way down coats and maxi dresses, adding a familiar technical touch to his design aesthetic. Despite the many covered looks, he didn’t batten down all the hatches; a plunging neckline here and a sliver of skin there offered up a side of sexy that complemented this utilitarian feast that wrapped three weeks of shows.

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

The ShOws were created to bring back talented expat Canadian designers showing overseas, and London-based Jean-Pierre Braganza is a fine example of a local boy doing good—he’s part of the just-announced Alexa Chung–fronted British Designers Collective for 2012, which means he’ll be retailing his wares in a six-week pop-up shop in Britain’s Bicester Village shopping centre alongside Preen, Holly Fulton, and Erickson Beamon. Toronto got an up-close look at his black, grey and plum and lilac fall collection last night, with its sharp-fitting pencil dresses with slashes of block colour or digi prints, wild patterned knits and voluminous, Westwood-ish bustled skirts.

See our gallery of backstage beauty snaps »
View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

Graphic and grungy, the beauty at David Szeto was all about undone and lived-in style. CoverGirl makeup pro Greg Wencel described the makeup as a mix of futuristic grunge, taking inspiration from the graphic patterns of Szeto’s fall collection. It was also a lesson in mixing metals: metallic-tinted illuminators, bronzers, lip gloss and shadows all came together to create a perfectly sculpted face. Skin was given a wet, slick look thanks to Wencel’s own “MacGyver mix” of CoverGirl Intense ShadowBlast with a bit of makeup remover to highlight brow, forehead and cheek. Cheeks and hairline were further sculpted with Cheekers Bronzer, giving a dual luminosity to the skin. Eyes also got a touch of bronze: after applying Intense ShadowBlast in “Platinum Pop” across the lid and into the low crease, bronze was swept along the crease for added contouring. The lower lashline, on the other hand, was blacked out with Liquiline Blast eyeliner, smudged out to create a smoky effect.

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

As the opener to last night’s The ShOws at the Ritz-Carlton, Paris/Brussels-based designer David Szeto brought his commercial collection of updated wrap dresses, simple suiting and mix printed separates for the first time. It was luxe to be sure—think gold-linked belts with jewelled detailing, black on white ruffled collars and chain hems on Chanel-esque jackets. The collection is sure to do well in a retail setting, but perhaps didn’t feel special enough to take the ushering helm of the third week of shows.

View the style snaps »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

Last night, our boy Lewis Mirrett was treated to the paparazzi treatment, when a security guard booted him off the Ritz Carlton property. “But I’m just trying to photograph the clothes!” he protested, but alas, the clearly un-fashioned gent didn’t get it. (As if you haven’t heard of Tommy Ton!) Ever the trooper, he still managed to turn out some pretty wicked shots from between the bushes. Check ’em out.

View the full collection » See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

The post TFW Video: Behind-the-scenes at the Fall 2012 Ruffian show! appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

For the later showing at the Ritz-Carlton last night, The ShOws brought the New York–based duo behind Ruffian, Claude Morais and Brian Wolk, to Toronto for the retelling of their Fall 2012 collection. The label’s penchant for roughed up old-timey England was front and centre this time around, as the designers showed lengthy plaid double breasters, leather-trimmed updates on the riding jacket, velvet knee-length mermaid skirts and luxe-looking ruffled collars. The stellar collection was worthy of Mary Crawley, no doubt, but it was only too bad that it didn’t get the eyeballs it deserved, as so much of the likely fatigued fashion crowd skipped what was the 10th day of shows. Here’s one vote in favour of Toronto Fashion Week being, well, a week?

View the full collection »
See all Toronto Fashion Week coverage »

David Dixon has let it go to the birds for fall. Ruffling more than a few feathers, he sent out plumed frocks in a literal homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s famed classic, The Birds. Drawing on a feathery palette, he focused on stiff silk faille in black, cream and teal cut into shift dresses, pencil skirts and eveningwear fit for any Hitchcock heroine. His texture play—fluttering chiffon petals, thick swaths of lace, nubby tweeds and giant paillettes—kept the simple shapes feeling fresh and ready to take flight.