FASHION Magazine

Ease into bikini season with this pretty pair of boardshorts by Roxy ($50, roxy.com). Perfect for sea and street, the lingerie-inspired hem ups the flirt factor of this summer staple.

Bookmark this new online store: A.D.F.M. (theadfmstore.com). Based in Vancouver, the name stands for Art Design Fashion Music, and it sells a slick selection of exactly that. Curated by style-loving dj Michelle Wong, it stocks art prints, design tomes and music downloads (creative V-Day gifts, anyone?) alongside fashion lines such as Funktional, Mackage, Eryn Brinié and Dolce Vita. The website also offers 24-hour personalized advice from stylists for those wanting a little wardrobe 411.

This spring, power pigment bags continue to light up the scene: Akris did crimson, Alexander Wang showcased blue and Alexander McQueen crushed on orange. Grab a hand-held hue with hometown Herschel Supply Co. (herschelsupply.com). In addition to neutral tones, the bags come in a range of kicky colours, such as burnt orange, moss green, navy, and a red and khaki combo (shown, from $70). With an interior pocket for discreetly hauling around a laptop, the bags carry off function too.

Like Helen of Troy and those ships, model-turned-designer Brian Atwood’s (brianatwood.com) handsomeness alone could move shoe units at The Room. Yet his super-stylish stilettos sell themselves. Thankfully, there’s now more Atwood than ever to go around, with last year’s launch of a second line, B Brian Atwood, and a haute handbag collection.

Who is the Brian Atwood woman?
“Always the most beautiful, sexy woman in the room. I’m not tooting my own horn. That’s just how it happens to go. [The heels] make you feel that—the power of the shoe.”

Is your B Brian Atwood woman any different?
“The B girl is jetset, but she’s funkier, more urban, and there’s ease to it. She doesn’t have $800 for a pump, but why shouldn’t she have a sexy pump?”

Editor: Sarah Casselman

Manjy Sidoo’s magnum opus may be motherhood (she has two teenage boys with her hubby David, a former CFL player), but her philanthropic endeavours are a close second. She’s a director at the Sidoo Family Foundation and a board member of the Vancouver Opera (VO), which she joined 10 years ago for the Chanel Gala 2002 fundraiser. Today, she’s a regular participant in VO events (and one of the best-dressed, in her sweeping Oscar de la Renta gowns), such as Purseuasion Designer Bag Auction and Luncheon, and Overture, an onstage dinner she’s co-chairing this year. This intersection of art and fashion inspires her involvement. “Fashion is all around us. It’s hard for me not to have a heightened awareness of my aesthetic surrounding,” she says. “If I see a beautiful dress or antique or piece of art, I have a visceral reaction.”

View Manjy Sidoo’s picks »

Boxing Day: It strikes fear in the hearts of retail workers, and trumps Christmas celebrations for all bargain addicts. For the rest of us, it’s an opportunity to pick up what our well-meaning significant others didn’t end up buying us for the holidays. If you are willing to brave the cold, the lineups (like the one pictured above at Toronto’s Eaton Centre), and the inevitable Christmas hangover, here are some shops that you should check out.

Johnson Hartig’s label isn’t fashion’s only Libertine. Joining the South Granville retail rise is Libertine Boutique (2715 Granville St., 604-732-7311, libertineboutique.ca). Owner Suma Men Peever, a lawyer in her past life, has an eye for timeless pieces. Her lineup—available in a palette of modern neutrals, from nudes and greys to marine and evergreen—includes Irwin & Jordan, Kristina Ti, Isabel Benenato and Nude. Looking for party attire? Snag one of Sophie Theallet’s resort frocks, a statement Iosselliani necklace or a metallic python purse from Sang A. This boutique also carries a selection of French perfumes, lingerie and homewares, so you can shop for gifts too.

Karl Lagerfeld, as quoted by Coco Rocha on Twitter, has a strong opinion on holiday loungewear: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life, so you bought some sweatpants.” Thankfully, Eileen Fisher comes to the rescue. The brand, known for simply chic and wearable apparel, has opened its first Canadian storefront in Vancouver (2721 Granville St., 604-733-5225, eileenfisher.com). Perfect for a cozy chalet getaway.

Just in time for Christmas, two beloved jewellery brands are opening second locations in the Vancouver area. With the arrival of Tiffany & Co. (Oakridge Centre, 650 W. 41st Ave., tiffany.ca) and Thomas Sabo (Metropolis at Metrotown, 4700 Kingsway Ave., Burnaby, thomassabo.com), expectations for a little blue or black-and-white box under the tree will double.

A rabbit-fur tassel might not radiate the same luck as a rabbit’s foot, but it can’t hurt your chances of a fortuitous 2012. In either slinky gunmetal or playful Day-Glo green, these bracelets by Vancouver Island–based Erika Lauren Design (erikalaurendesign.com) add instant charm to a New Year’s Eve getup. Made with found materials, they leave a light eco-footprint too. At Dream ($45 each, 311 W. Cordova St., 604-683-7326).

Jason Wu returned to Vancouver, his childhood home and the place he first learned to sew, to woo the waists of many a grown woman with his Kaws-inspired Spring 2012 collection. The Thursday night preview and cocktail party at The Room drew a mix of fashion folk and moneyed madams. Models in Wu’s punchy frocks worked the room, as did Wu himself, snapping photos with his fans. A few even paused to notice the Kaws-drawn pink paws worked into some of the floral prints.

What are the designer’s recollections of the city? “I had a tutor here named Muriel, she taught me English through reading fashion magazines, because that was a subject I was interested in,” says Wu. “That’s how I got bit by the fashion bug.” It’s safe to say the Wu bug infected more than a few at the bash—the only cure, a cascading gown of neon green.

View the photo gallery »

Twist and pout for Vancouver beauty brand Ilia (iliabeauty.com). Silky smooth with a touch of sheen, its tinted lip conditioners contain ultra-moisturizing jojoba oil, cocoa butter and vitamin E, and clock in at 85 per cent organic. I love Bang Bang, an on-trend red shade named after the classic Cher tune. It’s perfect for adding a high-powered punch to your office look ($24, at BeautyMark, 1268 Pacific Blvd., 604-642-2294, beautymark.ca).