Toronto Fashion

July 30th-August 2nd
Island Soul @ Harbourfront Centre. An amazing celebration of Caribbean culture through food, music, and art! For full listings: http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldroutes2010/islandsoul.cfm

July 31-Aug 1
11 am Chosen Ones Vintage Sale @ 107 Shaw Gallery, 107 Shaw St. Great vintage from great vendors.

THURSDAY
7 pm (Missed)-Percieved Opening Reception @ Gladstone Hotel Gallery, 2nd Floor, 1214 Queen St. W. The exhibit seeks to test racist constructions with a 21st century satirical minstrel photography exhibit. The exhibit runs until August 22nd. read more...

If Betsey Johnson dropped acid, she might hallucinate a vision that is the apartment of Toronto fashion designer Kirsty McKenzie. Like something out of the Gladstone Hotel's annual Come Up To My Room, her top floor studio and living space is anything but the conservative west end street she dwells on. Although some might find her home to be a complete overload to the senses, Kirsty has clearly built the space to inspire, "It makes me feel creatively charged. It calms me. It's a fake world I've created." read more...

Summer’s almost here and naturally, we’ve been scouring the net for our seasonal must-haves. If we closed our eyes and made a reasonable dream, we'd open them and see this look presented to us. We'll take the Grey Goose La Poire on ice SVP.

For a sexy summer night: read more...

by Caitlyn Holroyd

Day 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...

Photos: Ian Warong
Words: Jen McNeely

Lauren Baker, owner of Ossington’s new consignment clothing store LAB, is most certainly who Malcolm Gladwell (Tipping Point, Blink), would describe as a ‘connector.’ Which is why the new boutique, that shares a space with Silver Falls Vintage at 15 Ossington, played host to Toronto's most followed fashion trendsetters, an eTalk camera crew, every Queen West pretty young thing and k-os on the decks (no less), for its grand slam opening a couple weeks back. With stylish friends spanning the city limits, there’s no doubt that LAB will become a natural trading post with offerings ranging from a cute purple no-name summer romper to barely worn L.A.M.B, vintage PORTS blazers and perfectly weathered butt-hugging jeans. Better yet? Score some cash and bring in your sweet apparel for hanging. read more...

Looking around the new H&M flagship store at Yonge and Dundas, glasses of wine in hand and arms piled high with nautical striped skirts, Garden Collection shorts, perfect grey basics, and a rogue straw hat, we couldn't help but wonder, why haven't we been shopping like this all along? Suddenly, a Madonna/Britney-esque desire to shut a store down and toss back the booze while you buy seemed entirely reasonable. (Not too mention a fairly sound business proposition. Do you know how much more you buy when you're drunk?)  read more...

Nipples, corsets, cartwheels, masks and bikinis at the second night of FAT 

by Elli Stuhler and Becca Lemire

Ahhh, Alternative Fashion Week. The place where fashion has fun. Where models dance on the runway. Where ladies in corsets who look like Cher sing Carmen on the runway. What more could you want under one roof in Liberty Village? Here are some highlights... read more...

It will be Jessica Mary Clayton’s fourth time participating in [FAT]. This year she will be presenting her collection Heretic.

Where is home?
Toronto with my beau and pooch, Particle. read more...

This year will be this bodacious beauty’s third time participating in [FAT] 

Favourite thing you've ever modeled for [FAT]?
Either: Corset for Starkers or this topless – necklace – tutu number for Elizaveta Yankelovich.   

Most awkward moment on the runway?
I’ve been topless twice on the runway for FAT, and the first time my grandmother was in the audience. Although, it was probably more awkward for her.  

What do you, as a model, get out of Alternative Fashion Week that you can’t get anywhere else?
There is something very relaxed about FAT, unpretentious, and fun. I get to do something I really enjoy (model) while gaining runway experience with up and coming designers.     read more...