Viktor & Rolf Spring/Summer 2013 RTW

I haven't even looked at Fall 2013 Couture yet, but bear with me as I rewind to take a look at a Spring/Summer 2013 RTW collection I can't believe I missed during my Spring/Summer 2013 RTW roundup.  Catching up on fashion magazines this summer, I came across a fabulous pantsuit that had me marveling over the brilliant construction of the pant leg.  Looking at the clothing credits, I learned that Viktor & Rolf was the designer.  Days later, while flipping through a different magazine, I came across another gorgeous pantsuit, and lo and behold, the credits confirmed that Viktor & Rolf were the ones to thank.  It was at that moment I realized I had missed out on a great collection.

I used to always follow the Viktor & Rolf duo because they consistently deliver a good show.  But when school and life get in the way, something has to go into the back burner.  Luckily, I reached past the flames of ignorance just in time to witness Viktor & Rolf's outstanding S/S'13 collection.  Right off the bat, the show started with floor-length gowns.  Accordion pleats were the first focus of the show, done in lamé as mesmerizing as molten silver.

Progressing, the pleats liquified into smooth draping, resulting in those oh-so-gorgeous pantsuits I first raved over.  The colour palette softened to a pure white, with shaved tulle similar to that of Spring/Summer 2010 RTW adding texture.

Then, infusion of colour came in the form of lavender, muted taro, and a quick burst of salmon.  Bow-ties attached to the front of slouchy trousers would almost have been unflattering if it were not for the fact they added that essential Viktor & Rolf personality.  Otherwise, the draping here is so light, so strategic, and so phenomenal that I couldn't help but utter "my goodness" every couple of seconds as I rode a wave of enchantment.

Finally, as the show came to an end, the final hurrah was done in a palette of black with silver and bronze metallic.  The excess sheen reminded me of the '80s TV show Dynasty, but with a much more sophisticated demeanor.

I've said before that Viktor & Rolf always gives a good show, and although they hardly disappointed this season, they went about giving a good show in a different way.  Instead of the exaggerated fashion verging on the unwearable (or as critics would say, completely unwearable), this was likely the most ready-to-wear collection I have ever seen the duo put together.  Although not shown in the photos here, luxurious goddess draping, over-the-top tulle and reflective plexiglass rose appliqués were contrasted against regular items such as varsity jackets, leather motorcycle vests, and tuxedo blazers.  Yet as normal as this collection almost is, the mishmash makes it odd enough to be runway perfection.  You can be sure these gowns aren't the only things that are shining; Viktor & Rolf seem to have an even brighter future ahead of them.

Watch the full show here.

Image Source: Style.com

Dconstruct Your Style

Every single year, I insist on attending my city's largest annual festival.  Every single year, I do the exact same thing: ignore the (nauseating) rides and (nauseating) food, and instead, scour the art and product exhibitions.  I had a great time today slowly strolling past painting after painting (I high suggest you check out silk painting - the natural sheen of silk gives these paintings such incredible depth), and unearthing the artistic talent of our local community.  Fashion-wise, I also managed to discover a Canadian talent that I am so excited to share with you.  Presenting: Dconstruct.

I have to admit that local jewelry design does not often appeal to me.  The designs tend to be outdated and the materials austere.  However, the instant I saw this gold cuff displayed in front of Dconstruct's booth, I sensed that I was in the presence of fantastic local talent.

Dconstruct is a jewelry label designed and manufactured in Winnipeg.  It's also an eco-friendly label, but don't think it produces your average crunchy granola fashion.  There are many eco-friendly labels out there that claim to be both green and fashionable, but with my fastidious eyes, I find a lot of eco labels to be just as bland, boring, and unflattering as I would expect them to be.  Dconstruct exceeds my expectations.

I can for once say with great earnesty that Dconstruct is an eco-friendly label that also produces products truly suitable for the diehard fashion girl. Every piece is made of recycled resin, and contains at least 40% pre-consumer material. Deconstruct's unique combination of industrial, architectural materials and smooth, organic resin results in jewelry that is soothing and minimalist, but with a modern and trendy edge.  Not every piece is made of industrial material, however. I saw the most beautiful things encased in resin: flowers, translucent leaves, delicate blades of seaweed, and even a spattering of silver sequins.

Another thing I find interesting is that the resin is not polished to a high gloss as most resin jewelry is.  There is a matte quality to the jewelry, giving it a soft, dusty appreance.  This quiet elegance actually makes the jewelry seem more expensive and valuable.  Stacked along one arm, these bangles would lend instant modernity to a simple, chic outfit.  If I had the money to invest in jewelry, Dconstruct is a label I would gladly support.

There were several designs shown at the festival today that are not available online (I give equal praise to Dconstruct's necklaces and vases).  However, I still highly, highly, HIGHLY suggest you check out Dconstruct's website here, and see for yourself what good Canadian creation can look like.

Image Source: Dconstruct

You can dress me up, but you can't dress me down

Boy, it's been a fantastic week!  My summer job is a constant reminder of how lucky I am, and this past week once again proved that I work with an amazing group of people.  Looking forward, the weekend will be a good one too!  While I'll be attending the city's biggest festival of the year with my parents tomorrow, and reconnecting + fine dining with a long-time friend, I kicked off the weekend today with a leisurely, relaxing shopping session with my mom.  A long-awaited visit to Holt Renfrew resulted in, not bags of clothing, but a bag of popcorn and a sparkling lemon drink in my hands.  I tried on quite a few things during my shopping trip, but I'll spare you the boredom and narrow it down to all the dresses I whipped off the hook today:

H&M Diamond Print Dress

I took a liking to this dress the second I saw it on the rack.  After being unable to find a size 2, I dejectedly picked up a size 4.  As I zipped up the dress in the dressing room, to my surprise (or horror?), it fit fabulously around the torso.  I can either rejoice over the fact that I'm not a walking stick anymore, or cry over the fact that my stomach is not as flat as it used to be (I'm planning an exercise regime as we speak).  Anyway, back to the dress.  Although the torso area fit, the shoulder and back area were still loose.  That, along with the cheap quality of the dress and the $30 price tag, kept me from taking it to the cash register.  Shame, because that diamond print is really unique!

H&M Floral Dress

Another dress I instantly took a liking to, even though I knew the straight waist wouldn't look good on my frame.  It did end up being more flattering that I thought, but I would still have to wear it with a belt, and I'm tired of cinching everything that's too large for me.  So while the placement of the floral is so pretty and fresh, the dress' lack of versatility was a key reason why I put it back where it came from.  It stood at a cheaper $15, but its cheap fabric made $15 seem expensive.

Topshop Botanical Floral Bodycon Dress

The print on this dress is interesting, and it sure doesn't deserve the fabric it's printed on.  Pulling this dress over my head, I may as well have been wrapping myself tightly in one-ply toilet paper.  The fabric was so thin that e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g was accentuated to exaggerated degree.  Why does it feel like I've lost my decency, despite everything being covered up?  I imagine this is what girls wear clubbing, minus a couple inches off the bottom.  Ridiculous.  That's all I have to say.

Alice+Olivia Lora Drop Waist Pleated Dress

Here I am again, trying on yet another piece from Alice+Olivia!  I'm a huge fan of the '20s revival we've been having (hey there, Great Gatsby), so I was eager to test out this drop waist dress.  Unfortunately, I couldn't fill out the torso well enough (I thought flat chests were all the rage in the '20s...) and the metallic gold was unforgiving in showing me how my hips just couldn't support the pleated skirt.  My mom disliked the mesh back, saying it instantly cheapened the entire thing, but by then, I had already planted a big "NO" on this dress.

Image Source: H&M, Topshop, Alice+Olivia

Flare, Falter, Fame

This is old news, but if any of you follow Canadian fashion magazines, you'll know that Flare underwent a change of lead in June 2012. Lisa Tant, the Editor-in-Chief of eight years, known for her daring foray into social media, left to become publisher of HELLO! Canada. Yes, HELLO! Canada, otherwise known as a celebrity gossip magazine. I can't speak for other fashionistas, but although the job position is a step up, the magazine is a definite step down. Imagine going from working in the throes of high fashion, to working for a magazine tripping over its heels to obtain photos of celebrity babies.

Now, there was talk about her sudden move being due to an earlier Tweet where she leaked details of Lady Gaga's top secret fragrance. Of course there's no confirmed link between the two, but working in media, you have to be extremely careful of what you put out. Especially in her position, she was a pretty high profile figure, basically acting as the face of the entire Flare brand, and being known as Canada's Anna Wintour.  But fast forward to Flare's new Editor-in-Chief: Miranda Purves, former fashion editor at Elle. I've only read through a few of the issues under her direction, and I'm not quite impressed yet.  Flare was initially my favourite Canadian fashion magazine because of Tant...she added personality to the publication that the other magazines lacked. Purves has not won me over yet, but I look forward to getting a better picture of her style this summer by catching up on the latest issues of Flare.  (Update: After going through a couple issues, I find this new Flare to be a little lacklustre.  Purves rarely shows her face in her Editor Letter, and although that is an admirable and humble attempt at making the magazine more about the entire team, I feel a loss of connection to the Flare brand.  I find her Letters fairly straighforward and the content average.  Nothing yet is making me say, "Hey, that's really great," but time will tell whether Flare comes back shining.)

But anyway, back to Tant. If you think the story ends there, you're wrong. In early November 2012, Tant was named Holt Renfrew's Fashion Editor, a position made specifically for her.  It turns out the job at HELLO! Canada just didn't demand enough creativity from her. Opportunities come at the strangest of times.  Even when you think you've got your career down, you never know when you'll be whisked away on another exhilarating adventure. This whole ordeal just reminds me to keep going after what I want.  Doors may constantly seem to be closing in my face, but all I need to do is reach out and give them a tug in my direction.

Image Source: Tant, Purves

Dree Hemingway

It's been absolute ages since I've done a model feature!  I used to have a system of alternating between one of my own posts and a model feature, but it became stifling to the point I felt my own blog was slipping away from between my fingers.  In the end, forcing myself to make a certain post when I wasn't in the mood just didn't work.  But having already discussed my preference for models over celebrities, you'll probably realize I started model features in the first place because I want to give models more credit for the work they do in this celebrity-obsessed world (fashion magazines, PLEASE STOP putting celebrities on your covers). So I apologize if I've been getting through these model requests at a painstakingly slow rate, but if you've requested a model feature, you'll see it, I promise.  So at the request of Iben, Dree Hemingway is up next on this blog's model feature!

Dree is, of course, great-grand daughter of Earnest Hemingway, famous literary icon.  While girls like her are sometimes more known for their impactful last name than their talents, Dree has fast become known for her modeling abilities (but ok, the last name doesn't hurt).  With her beachy blonde hair, elongated face, and soft, hazy eyes, she's got the qualities of a Parisienne, with a Californian sense of fun.

Like any other strong, powerful model, she has a penchant for black menswear inspired pieces when she isn't working the camera. Will you just look at that stylishly limp hair and almost deadpanned gaze?  The Parisienne aura is so palpable.

Her latest appearance was at one show: Matthew Williamson Spring/Summer 2012 RTW.  She's definitely more the socialiate!

If there are any models you want to see featured, just give me a shout if you haven't done so already!

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9   

Welcome to America

Ok, so Target has now taken over Zellers, and judging from the busy parking lots, the fact that Target's inventory is essentially the same doesn't seem to dull the allure of newness.  In another story, my initial reaction to the announcement that Nordstrom would be opening in my city was absolute joy. During my trip to America when I was still beginning to learn about fashion, Nordstrom seemed like heaven to me. An entire floor devoted to accessories?!  It was there that my mom and I found the Fendi Doctor Bag we would both still be talking about years later. 

But now that I think about it, I am reminded of the day I found out Hudson's Bay was being bought over by NRDC Equity Partners, an American private equity firm. For some reason, that piece of news affected me greatly, so much that I remember wanting to write an essay on it (even back when my essay writing skills were pretty nonexistent).

I've always been fairly patriotic, and so seeing such an essential part of Canadian history being Americanized saddened me. Even though we were all forced to learn about Canadian history as kids, to be honest, I retained nothing but the fact that we used to trade fur. Maybe that's why I found myself so attached to this particular part of our history?

Canada has never really made an impact in the fashion scene, but in fact, neither is America home to the most respected of designers. Yet with American dominance in every other aspect of life, their presence in Canadian fashion can't help but be a bit of weight on my heart. Admittedly, there really hasn't been a perceptable change in the way Hudson's Bay operates, and if anything, Hudson's Bay has been improving these past few years (see: Hudson's Bay: A Sea of Potential).  But the fact remains: I feel robbed of a history that should be ours.

So in the end, how am I feeling about Nordstrom?  My excitement still overrides the blow to my Canadian pride, but I would be much worse off if we didn't have Holt Renfrew. Our Hudson's Bay stripes might be seeing American stars, but our Renfrew pink is here to stay.

Image Source: Nordstrom, Bay, Bay2, Bay3

Dsquared² Fall/Winter 2013 RTW

I’ve always supported Dean and Dan Caten because they are our Canadian boys; it’s their ability to give voice (sometimes overtly) to Canadian style in the international fashion arena that makes them so special to us. Yet having said that, I’ve never really been head over heels about their aesthetic. It’s always cheeky and fun, and although I love the devil-may-care attitude, it generally translates into something a bit too messy for me.  Not this season, however. For Fall/Winter 2013, the Caten twins turned up the glamour dial. The first look of the show was the absolute epitome of 1940s heyday.

Set amongst a makeshift jazz club, models came out dripping in jewels (oh, those jewels), and slinking down in the richest of garments.  There was a lot of influence from menswear, but it felt so high octane that it still suited the glamour woman so well.  The mix of textures and colours was just delicious - brown fur mingling with sky blue satin, and gold hardware flirting with lavender leather gloves.

The look above is my favourite – the lavander was what caught my eye, but I adore how the heavily embellished floor length cardigan makes this look both high glamour and leisurely. Although fret not, the Caten aesthetic is still here: the socks worn with heels makes the entire collection a bit more down to earth. Evening came around, and the glamour became sultry, with looks being translated in black and the menswear taking charge.

Considering the Catens once had their models sloshing through mud, I say they should explore the other side of the spectrum more often. Their loud-and-proud personality gives traditional glamour a nice reboot. Sure, there were a couple of model trips and slips, but what’s fashion if not a little impractical?

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com