FASHION Magazine

Crimson lips, oxblood nails and barely there brows and lashes are the perfect backdrop for one of Fall 2012’s biggest fashion trends: the dark heroine. Inspired by characters like Lisbeth Salander, Morticia Addams and even Snow White (likely of the Kristen Stewart variety), the look took hold at shows as different as Gucci and Viktor & Rolf, transforming models into vampiric goddesses at each show. In this photo shoot ode, our beauty team sets the stage with sombre velvets, beading, lace.

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As per usual, the Grey Goose Soho House was hoppin’ and poppin’ with celebs last night, as the staple spot hosted private parties for The Reluctant Fundamentalist, End of Watch and Silver Linings Playbook. Kate Hudson, in a Gwyneth-at-the-Oscars-esque white floor-length Atelier Versace dress, mingled pre-The Reluctant Fundamentalist red carpet. The bearded and babeular Jake Gyllenhaal popped by too, to toast his film End of Watch alongside Anna Kendrick and America Ferrera (who is really looking great these days, we might add).

At that point, it was still early and the celebs in attendance were all chatting up their co-stars and pals. But then Jennifer Lawrence showed up, and completely flipped the celebs-who-are-friends continuum on its head when she, in a body-hugging scale-like dress, started chatting to none other than Kristen Stewart! Could Katniss and Bella be new BFFs? Could a Twilight-meets-The Hunger Games movie be in the works? Are we taking this too far? Maybe. Kristen Stewart, who seemed to have shaken Thursday night’s glamazon look, was back to her usual jeans-and-t-shirt pairing. As an equally awesome addition to the mix: Jennifer Lawrence’s parents Gary and Karen Lawrence were also in attendance at the Soho House to toast their daughter’s TIFF premiere.

As a pre-cursor to TIFF, the Venice Film Festival can sometimes be seen as a rival to our Canadian red carpet extravaganza. Luckily though, the Italian festival has given us a glamorous preview of what to look forward to style-wise from the celebrities that are expected to hit our fair city later this week. In past years at TIFF, stars have been know to dress down for their big premieres, rather than go full-out glamour as they have this year at Cannes and now in Venice. But don’t fret, we can still expect to see all of our favourite designers showcased on and off the red carpet this year. Stay tuned, as we’ll be updating the latest looks from Venice as they come in.

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Panelled, peplumed, zippered or embossed, leathers dominate with their versatility and sex appeal.

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In a bygone time, supermodels ruled the world, walking pack-like down a Versace runway or gathering en masse in front of Peter Lindbergh’s lens. Alone they were already unstoppable, but these Amazon women were also friends, a supermodel gang that had the world watching their every move. This supermodel-obsessed era was known as the ‘90s, and the true archeological evidence of this time was a show known as House of Style. In some of the most amazing news we’ve heard all week, MTV has just today announced the cult favourite will be returning in October, this time as a more digitally based series with lots of social media crossover.

Running from 1989 to 1999, the show’s 72 episodes not only captured the enormous power these women had at the time (in one episode, longtime host Cindy Crawford talks about how she once killed time trying to figure out how much money she made per minute) but the behind-the-scenes goings-on of their lives and of the fashion industry as a whole. The show took these seemingly untouchable beauties and made them a bit more real. Case in point: Naomi Campbell unabashedly applying zit cream on-camera.

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 »

Designer duo Dolce & Gabbana has just confirmed reports that they’ll be showing their first-ever couture collection in a hush-hush presentation on July 9. Continuing their ode to Sicily (you might remember their Sicilian street casting for their latest menswear collection), the designers will be unveiling the collection in their home base instead of in Paris, where all other couture collections are shown.

Press is completely banned from the presentation with the exception of three news outlets, and instead of the fashion house’s usual high profile, celeb-packed front row, the couture presentation will be clients-only (in other words: big spenders).

The designers are said to have been mulling over a couture collection for a while, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise considering the well-received one-off pieces they’ve created for celebrities like Scarlett Johansson this past year. However, the designers said they are only using the pared-down presentation as a potential lead-in to couture, as opposed to diving into the couture world head-on.

After folding their less-expensive line D&G last year with their signature RTW line, it seems like the Italian pair have their sights set on a brand repositioning, turning their focus to the high-luxury side of the market instead of the lower end. It might be a wise move considering current consumers’ insatiable appetite for luxury goods.

Though income earners in the lower bracket were pinching pennies post-2008, those towards the top seemed drawn to luxury goods more than ever, helping conglomerate LVMH pull in profits far exceeding their forecasts last year. In fact, Dolce & Gabbana aren’t the only designers who seem to recognize the value in the luxury market either: Versace returned to the couture world after an eight-year hiatus last season.

Though we won’t hold our breath for any images of the collection thanks to the secrecy surrounding the Sicilian debut, we expect the Italian duo will pull off high-luxury with aplomb.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of Leone (leone.ca), a local luxury retailer where Christian Dior, Prada, Versace and Alexander McQueen are among the dreamy designer labels. We asked the grande dame behind this family business, Maria Leone, about must-haves and milestones.

What was the first garment you sold at the store?
“It was a Versace flowered chiffon skirt. I definitely remember the emotions I had when we first opened the doors and cut
the ribbon.”

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are officially engaged, so move over Will and Kate, because it’s been dubbed the “true wedding of the century.” (Believe us, we wish we were lying.) Hyperbole aside, the news has spurred a million questions: What will she wear? Will Brad shave his god-awful beard? Will she Angeleg at the altar? Has Brad been practicing his lines to avoid pulling a Ross-says-Rachel at the wedding?

Immerse yourself in maritime hues, oceanic prints and aquatic details.

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The story of the shoot »
Trend report: Water World »

As Milan Fashion Week comes to a close, the beauty buzz has zeroed in on two distinct trends: brows and bangs. While it started catching editors’ eyes earlier in the season, the repeat appearance of barely-there brows at Gucci, Versace, and Prada and heavy fringe on Milan models and Hollywood stars alike have ensured both a top spot in the growing roster of Fall trends. And best of all, brows and bangs are easy to achieve on your own: a few extra minutes during your next salon visit is all it takes!

How to get them? Who else inspired them? Read on! »

Before I hand over the ready-to-wear reins to our editor-in-chief, Bernadette Morra, who will be reporting all the news from Paris Fashion Week, I give you my top 10 Milan must-haves for Fall 2012.

Check out our Milan top 10 »