FASHION Magazine

See the Vancouver street style images »

Street style is often influenced by its surroundings and our latest batch of photos from Vancouver is vivid proof. Last month, the city’s Robson and Granville streets were closed for Viva Vancouver, an indie clothing and accessories market selling awesome wares while encouraging the liveability of the area, in keeping with the city’s pledge to be greenest worldwide by 2020.

On the street, stylish shoppers didn’t disappoint wearing print-heavy ensembles as they perused the market’s various stalls. The year’s most popular prints were in full view ranging from checkers to ikat to polka dots. In addition to the ever-popular florals and stripes, fall’s focus on the black and white trend was evident.

Have you ever invested in a gym membership only to use it but once a month? Made a promise to stop eating sugar and carbs only to give in the moment a dessert plate is offered? Our western editor Joy Pecknold can certainly relate, which is why she jumped at the chance to try Vancouver’s newest (and probably the hippest) three-in-one healthy lifestyle program, The Tight Life.

A holy trinity of trainer, nutritionist and chef, are behind The Tight Life. Three Vancouverites—Keighty Gallagher, Carley Mendes and Christina Culver—dreamt it up to solve a common dilemma: when you cleanse, you have no energy to exercise, whereas if you do a boot camp it, it’s common to binge on bad food posthaste. The solution is so simple, it hurts: “A combination of healthy diet and regular exercise.” D’oh! Actually doing it is the tricky part, so they facilitate. I took their three-week Glory Zone package, which includes two hour-long group workouts a week with Gallagher, weekly nutrition guidance by Mendes and two post-workout salads a week made by Culver.

See inside the new J.Crew Pacific Centre location »

No Timberlake suit and tie will get in the way of a woman’s right to cardigans in every colour with the opening of a women’s only J.Crew in Pacific Centre today. The opening makes it the American retailer’s second Vancouver location and seventh in Canada. Bring on the J.Crew!


The more than 4,000-square-foot store on the mall’s lower level launches with the brand’s spring/summer collection. Touring the shop with Tom Mora, Head of Women’s Design, he points out the plethora of eye-catching prints—running the gamut from “Hawaiian sunset” to “punk floral”—and delicate details including embroidery and eyelet. The brand’s beloved cashmere pieces, cropped pants, costume jewellery, pencil skirts, schoolboy blazers and Italian leather shoes and bags are here too. We were chuffed to also find the Sperry Top-Sider for J.Crew boat shoe collaboration.

See the Partyskirts collection »

Just take one peek at the Fall 2013 runways and you’ll notice how major a trend full skirts are set to be. So it’s perfect timing that Partyskirts, a new line of must-have silk skirts, has just launched its covetable versions for spring.

The Vancouver-based line is designed by sisters Lauren and Mariel Armstrong, and is currently sold in boutiques and online. The spring collection includes two styles: an original mini length ($195), and a new “Lady Length” ($245) that falls just below the knee. Both of these options come in a variety of striking neon colours, so you get the ease of only have two signature styles but multiple colours to choose from. Dare to wear them with a trendy crop top, or sky-high stilettos for a sexy summer look. Depending on whether you dress them up or down, these skirts are perfect for formal occasions, such as prom or weddings, as well as non-formal occasions.

See the Man Repeller party photos »

She may be The Man Repeller, but Leandra Medine draws a crowd of both ladies and gents. This time, it was a legion of Vancouver admirers that lined up for her Wednesday night appearance at Gastown boutique Secret Location.

A bounty of her kin, and by that we mean well-turned-out fashion bloggers, turned out including Little Fashionisto’s M’c kenneth Licon, A Fashion Love Affair’s (and Style Panel’s!) Cara McLeay, Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ Katharine Horsman, Alicia Fashionista’s Alicia Quan and Partly Sunny’s Sunny Shum.

See the Carly Rae Jepsen behind-the-scene story and photos »
Watch the Carly Rae Jepsen behind-the-scenes video »
Shop the October 2012 Carly Rae Jepsen cover shoot »

The first thing to come out of Carly Rae Jepsen’s mouth after she rushes into Vancouver’s Sugar Studios, fresh off a flight from Los Angeles, is an apology. She wanted to arrive at her first fashion magazine cover shoot early, she tells the crew, but her driver had to “circle around the streets a bit” to shake off the paparazzi. The way she explains the schedule hiccup isn’t blasé, showy or even caustic. Jepsen’s honeyed tone conveys a blend of amazement and excitement that can only come from being nouveau famous. Unlike new wealth, freshly minted fame is not about flaunting what you have, it’s about being humble about what you’re worth.

At 26, the Mission, B.C., native has no reason to be modest right now. Ever since Carly Rae Jepsen’s song “Call Me Maybe” was unleashed last year, and fortuitously reintroduced to the Twittersphere by Justin Bieber (Jepsen is signed to Bieber’s U.S. label), the track has taken on a career of its own. It became a number one hit in 37 countries, achieving the kind of global success that has Lady Gaga going, well, gaga over it (Mother Monster tweeted “I’m coming after you” to Jepsen).

As of press time, Jepsen’s flirty anthem is 2012’s longest-reigning chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. Armed with a lyrical hook that brings to mind the mania of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Outta My Head,” Jepsen’s synth-laced cut is so omnipresent that nobody from her team calls it by its name. It’s referred to as “the song.” Will she be singing “the song” on The Tonight Show? Does she know Will Ferrell is protesting “the song” right now? Oh, my God, did you see what the hot guys on the baseball team from Harvard did with “the song”?

Fall is in full swing here at FASHION and although the abrupt temperature drop was quite harsh there’s not much to do but embrace this glorious autumn weather. Tomorrow’s Dundas West Sidewalk Sale is the perfect opportunity to don that favourite knit of yours you’ve been itching to throw on all summer. For those of […]

The post The Weekend To-Do: We’re hitting Pop Montreal, meeting Rachel Roy in Vancouver and shopping the Dundas West Sidewalk Sale in Toronto appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Rumours that Nordstrom is coming to Canada have been circulating for months and today, finally, the American retailer confirmed that they are indeed setting up shop across the country. The mid- to high-end range department store will be setting up shop in three of Sears’ former locations: Calgary’s Chinook Centre, Vancouver’s Pacific Centre and Ottawa’s […]

The post Get ready! Nordstrom officially announces 4 locations to open across Canada appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

As Labour Day is a celebration in honour of those who fought to work less than 12 hours a day, it’s only fitting to indulge in a little R&R this weekend. Whether it’s restorative or preventative rest you’re after—what with a new school year, TIFF and Fashion’s Night Out on the horizon—there’s plenty to choose from, should you decide to leave your Adirondack chair.

Read on for the full to-do! »

Victoria Beckham is late. Not fashionably tardy. Not mildly delayed. She is a full two hours behind schedule. Cooling their Louboutin heels at a private luncheon at Holt Renfrew’s Vancouver store is an immaculately dressed group of top tier clients, some in chiffony Lanvin, a few poured into Beckham’s signature body-con shifts. Downstairs, fans have been gathering in a roped-off area near the cosmetics department since the doors opened at 10. They are hoping for a peek as Beckham poses for photographers on a podium. Her private jet touched down around noon, but a paperwork snafu has kept Beckham and her hair and makeup team frozen in some kind of cross-border limbo. The most annoyed? Her one-year-old daughter, Harper.

See the entire collection! »

It’s always exciting whenever Peter Phillips, Chanel’s creative director of makeup, whips up a new covetable colour, but when a product launch comes in twos, anticipation also doubles. Add in the fact Chanel’s forthcoming Les Twin-Sets collection is a special edition for Fashion’s Night Out and it’s downright collector-worthy.

Check out all the graphic artists’ sweaters! »

What with Holt Renfrew’s limited-edition designer collection and Fashion’s Night Out festivities, we’ve already carved out time to celebrate the high-end mecca’s 175th birthday in style. Now Holt’s has announced yet another addition to their Hot @ 175 festivities (and yet another reason to camp out in front of your nearest Holt’s location): the luxury retailer will be hitting the road in a mobile pop-up shop next month, with specially created sweaters on sale for the occasion by seven internationally celebrated graphic artists.