Holt Renfrew

Summer puts us in mind of retreat-retreat from noise, heat, and stress to something simpler, quieter, more beautiful. If your backyard, balcony, or favourite park is where you'll be escaping to, tuck The Selby Is In Your Place in your bag, and you'll be careening through dozens of different worlds without leaving the city. read more...

We've all wiled away an afternoon or several lusting after the well-appointed spaces brought to our internet connections by the wonderful Todd Selby. Now, he's compiled his favourites into a beautiful book, The Selby Is In Your Place, and he'll be in Toronto signing copies at Holt Renfrew (50 Bloor St. W.), on Wednesday from 12 pm until 1:30 pm. Doodles, photos, and text are collaged together in a chic and elegant layout that brings the spaces and people captured by Todd to life. read more...

by Elli Stuhler

After last summer’s London trip, I spent hours (it’s massive, okay?) roaming the monstrous Topshop in Oxford Circus. While perusing through girly floral rompers, neon-hued heels and whimsical frocks, there was only one question going through my head.

Why the F#@% is there no Topshop in Toronto?

Yes, Holt Renfrew once carried Kate Moss’s Holiday collection, but that was in 2007. In the past year, rumours have been circulating Toronto that Topshop was arriving; in 2009, when owner Philip Green told the Toronto Star they would be opening a Canadian store within nine months, then The Bay announced they would house the line. In March of this year we thought we had made a groundbreaking stride with Topshop’s announcement that they would begin shipping online orders to Canada. read more...

by Heidi Craig

Wednesday

Pop Winds, Cop Car Bonfire & Sources @ Casa del Popolo 
Local indie group Pop Winds play Casa this Wednesday, in support of their new album, the Turquoise, released last month. They’re joined by experimental acts Cop Car Bonfire and the Sources. 
9:30pm. Pay what you can. Casa del Popolo – 4873 St Laurent.
http://www.myspace.com/thepopwinds 
http://www.myspace.com/copcarbonfire  read more...

CREDIT: Stan Denniston
CAPTION: Dreamers Storyboard #3 (detail)
YEAR: 2010

I left the house at 7:30 on an ambitious west end gallery hop to catch as many openings as I could. By 2AM I had hit up five openings, three bars, and two restaurants, run into twenty odd friends and guzzled... well... far too much vodka.

Stop 1 - Lakeview Restaurant; electrifying signage and a strawberry shake
As families and hot couples mowed down on burgers and slurped their shakes, I loomed over their booth to check out the bright coloured, wide angled photography of Adam Shax, featuring Toronto landmarks like Sam The Record Man, The Velvet Underground, Igor's bike thief headquarters and Lula Lounge. The traditional diner setting provided the perfect back drop for the impressively illuminated work. Forget Vegas, Shax makes our street signage beam with wonder; lit up like the most trippy of whacked-out carnivals - stepping into these frames is definitely a ride through a funhouse. read more...

by Diana Cina
With one of Spring/Summer’s hottest trends being sheer fabrics and bare-it-all designs, how could accessories not follow suit? Designers have been using Lucite, acrylic and plastic materials in a dramatic, yet playful way to adorn just about every part of you. From Fendi’s transparent clutch to Prada’s translucent wedge sandals and matching tote and Burberry’s chunky acrylic bangles, there’s nowhere to hide! read more...

Elli Stuhler

There was no orange at Orange by Angela Chen. This is probably for the best; the Vancouver-based, Parsons-trained designer’s collection was more of an ode to office chic than to the delicious fruit. The 23-look line, entitled Contrast, offered exactly that: bright whites against strong ebony, resembling a classic feel for a modern woman. read more...

Elli Stuhler

There was no orange at Orange by Angela Chen. This is probably for the best; the Vancouver-based, Parsons-trained designer’s collection was more of an ode to office chic than to the delicious fruit. The 23-look line, entitled Contrast, offered exactly that: bright whites against strong ebony, resembling a classic feel for a modern woman.

Sheer blouses tucked into asymmetrically draped skirts were a constant, as were sexy knitted tunics –both knee-length and cropped. The sheer and knitted fabrics merged in pieces like a white mini dress with a navel plunging neckline covered in a translucent layer. read more...

by Denise Dias
Ever notice how Jeanne Beker hasn’t aged at all in the last decade? We’re betting it has a lot to do with Chanel star make-up artist Kris Wares. And now, the guru of gorgeous is hosting the ultimate make-up service for all style hounds and fashion buffs at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street.

The newly launched CHANEL 5 à 7 offers professional make-up application, specialized touch-ups, tips and lessons from the experts while you sip on colourful mock-tinis. You can select customized Chanel looks from a glossy à la carte make-up menu, including a variety of signature styles that will transform you into a bronze beauty or red carpet goddess in no time. read more...

Photography by George Pimentel
Left to Right: Jeremy Laing Model, Jeremy Laing, Mikhael Kale, Mikhael Kale Model, Kirk Pickersgill (Greta Constantine), Greta Constantine Model, Stephen Wong (Greta Constantine), Denis Gagnon Model, Denis Gagnon

Monday morning, Toronto's fashion elite gathered in the Holts cafe for a very civilized presentation featuring Canada's top designers: Jeremy Laing, Denis Gagnon, Mikhael Kale, Lida Baday and Greta Constantine. Unlike years past when loud-mouthed fashionistas gabbed over the commentary while knocking back wine, we were all ears for Holt Renfrew's VP of Fashion Direction Barbara Atkin and co-host Jeanne Beker - the reigning Queen of Canadian fashion anything.

The designers took turns to talk about their inspiration for fall 2010, their descriptive anecdotes were buffered with 'ooohs and ahhs' from Atkin and Beker. Of course, we also took cues from the discerning eyebrow of MTV's Dan Levy.  read more...