May 11, 2020 at 08:55PM Moms can impact our lives in so many ways, personal style included. So on the back of Mother’s Day weekend here in Canada, we asked a handful of locals to unravel how each of their mothers informed their tastes. Evan Ducharme, multidisciplinary Métis artist and fashion designer Photo courtesy of Evan Ducharme “Something that I think I’ve inherited from [my mom], that she inherited from her mother and grandmothers, is the importance of presenting yourself in a neat and polished manner, and never overdone: your outfit, hair and makeup aren’t wearing you. There is a sense of nonchalance that I try to replicate. I’ve also plundered her closet over the years for some of those early ’90s pieces that she doesn’t wear anymore. And never fall asleep in your makeup (which we’ve all done a time or two!). My Mom had my siblings and I when she was quite young, so once we were all old enough, she decided to go back to school to pursue a career as a health care aide. In retrospect, I think that for us to see her take that leap, while raising three kids, has imbued us with a strong work ethic and a willingness to take chances.” Stef Sanjati, transgender activist, video game streamer and former video blogger and YouTube personality View this post on Instagram I got to see the new @inkbox Queen Street store last night w my mama @breadnona and my friend @aka.samyang ? and
Category: Fashionmagazine
Montreal Handbag Brand Partoem Launches Accessories for Dogs
May 11, 2020 at 07:19PM Timing is everything, and the launch of accessories for dogs from Montreal brand Partoem comes at a point when taking your furry friend for a walk is an even bigger mental health helper than ever before. The idea for the new line came from designer Madeleine Beaulieu’s mother, a graphic designer who has collaborated on her daughter’s leather goods line since its founding in 2017. “We always had dogs in our family,” says Beaulieu, adding that she’s in the process of adopting a retired racing greyhound. Not only do the collars and leashes allow customers to coordinate their own Partoem purchase with what their pooch is wearing; it’s also a way for Beaulieu to minimize the amount of refuse her Montreal studio creates during the production of its striking bags, wallets and keychains. “The more variety of sizes and different types of products that you have, the more you can reduce your waste,” she notes. Photography by Dominic Lachance. Working within conscientious perimeters has always been part of the Partoem design process, with Beaulieu selecting a limited colour range to work with based on the scope of what vegetable tanning practices can accomplish. “When leather is natural and not bleached, it’s a nice orangey-beige colour,” she says. Partoem offers an array of sleek products in red, orange, burgundy and black which have been dyed using carrots and beetroot, among other veggies. “I have a preference for warm tones for leather [and] colours that can be
What Modern Day Fashion Owes to Little Richard
May 11, 2020 at 04:49PM He was born Richard Wayne Penniman, but we knew him as Little Richard. We also knew him as “the architect of rock and roll”—the person who brought upbeat, exciting music to the masses in a way they’d never heard, or seen, before. And for that reason, we should know Little Richard as one of the original pioneers of gender fluid fashion. Before Billy Porter, who played him in the miniseries Shake, Rattle and Roll in 1999. Before Prince and his purple reign. Before David Bowie and Aladdin Sane. Little Richard, who passed away this weekend at the age of 87, rocked so they could run. When Little Richard emerged on the music scene in the 1950s, he wasn’t the amped-up exhibitionist that’s perhaps most familiar to us. Sure, he wore snappier examples of the popular suiting styles of the time, but there wasn’t glitter applied just yet. There was, though, a wavy pompadour; darkened, elegant eyebrows; eyes with just a slight kohl enhancement; and a moustache unrivalled in its manicured state. All rarefied and exciting hints at what was to come next. Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. As his stardom throughout the decade progressed, with his fame came the flashiness that has since influenced not only fellow performers like Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Steve Lacy and A$AP Rocky; designers from Jonathan Anderson (see his glitzy Loewe gowns for the fall 2020 season) to Alejandro Gómez Palomo of the ultra-glam brand Palomo Spain are indebted to
Toronto’s Province Apothecary Launches Virtual Skin Consultations
May 11, 2020 at 03:15PM The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives more than anything we’ve ever experienced before. With most of the world practicing social distancing measures or under complete lockdown, we’ve all had to change the way we do just about everything. From working from home (and needing to be Zoom-ready at all times) to exercising in our living rooms and becoming our own hair stylists and manicurists, it’s been a period of adjustment. For brands, too. As stores are shut indefinitely, many brands have shifted the ways in which they interact with consumers – for many, this means connecting with them in ways they never have before. Enter online beauty consultations: with everyone at home and glued to their phones more than ever (who knew that was possible), a handful of brands are now bringing their experts directly to their consumer’s homes to chat product and regimen recommendations. I myself have a FaceTime consult with a facialist next week to try and work out why my skin is taking this time of no makeup and increased water intake to revolt and return me to my teenage years. If you’re also looking for a little guidance (or perhaps just a friendly face to have a chat with about beauty products – that’s fine too), here are seven brands offering online beauty consultations: Province Apothecary Photograph courtesy of instagram/@ProvinceApothecary Toronto’s Province Apothecary – which recently released its own hand sanitizer – has announced the launch of a new virtual
This Week’s Need-to-Know Beauty News
May 10, 2020 at 01:00PM Supergoop *finally* launched in Canada at Sephora View this post on Instagram Oh, Canada (sorry, couldn't help ourselves) we are so excited to *finally* say this: shop Supergoop! exclusively @sephoracanada today ?? A post shared by Supergoop! (@supergoop) on May 5, 2020 at 8:01am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Good news SPF lovers (which really should be all of us) – cult suncare brand Supergoop is now available in Canada. This week, the brand launched exclusively at Sephora with four of its key products: Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40, Dailyscreen Moisturizer SPF 40, Zincsreen 100% Mineral Lotion SPF 40 and (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder SPF 45. Holly Thaggard, the brand’s founder and CEO, said of the brand’s products, “At Supergoop!, our mission is to make SPF not just a habit to wear every single day, but a part of your routine that is easy and fun. We strive to develop a range of products that feel good on the skin, work for all skin types and tones, and fit seamlessly into your existing skincare and makeup lineup. We recommend playing around with a few different formulas to find the right fit for your specific skin needs and daily routine.” Holt Renfrew launched an exclusive new spring candle collection from Diptyque Photograph courtesy of Holt Renfrew Now that we’re all spending so much time at home, chances are you’re (literally) burning through your candle stash, which makes Holt Renfrew‘s exclusive launch of Diptyque’s new spring candle collection perfect timing. Called
Here’s All the Culture News You Missed This Week
May 09, 2020 at 02:00PM Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande teamed up on quarantine song Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande have just collaborated on their first single, Stuck WIth U, for a good cause. Net proceeds from the song, which was written and recorded in quarantine, will go to the First Responders Children’s Foundation. The organization, as Grande notes on Instagram, funds “grants and scholarships for children of the first responders who have been impacted by COVID-19.” For the video, the singers requested their fans on social media for video submissions, releasing an instrumental version of the song for people to dance to. “Help us make the #StuckwithU video,” Bieber wrote on Instagram last week. “I want to see you guys having fun in quarantine. This is the prom song for everyone who can’t go to prom now.” In addition to tktkkt, the video features cameos from celebrities like Michael Bublé, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Chance the Rapper, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jaden Smith. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE49WK-oNjU] Selena Gomez announced a cooking show After Antoni Porowski and Amy Schumer, it’s now Selena Gomez’s turn to announce a cooking show influenced by all the kitchen time clocked during quarantine. The singer will be hosting a 10-episode culinary series on HBO Max, the new streaming service launching May 27, and will get tips from
The Fashion News You Missed This Week
May 09, 2020 at 01:00PM Danielle Bernstein, Founder of WeWoreWhat, Releases Her First Book View this post on Instagram THIS IS NOT A FASHION STORY I spent my youth shopping at discount department stores, getting boozy in suburban backyards and proposing marriage to every boy I dated. By age nineteen, I was a college dropout living in a West Village shoebox with three roommates and only six months to prove that my blog, @WeWoreWhat, could become a full blown career… or else board the LIRR back to my mom’s house. Flash forward ten years, four boyfriends, and two million Instagram followers later – and I’m more than just an influencer. I’m a bonafide business woman—a CEO, tech founder and fashion designer with seven figure deals in the pipeline. Despite these successes, I have never been your typical play-by-the-rules fashionista. I disrupted the fashion industry using my own playbook—one that I’m finally ready to share with you, my readers. “This Is Not A Fashion Story” is the down and dirty tale of how a Long Island-born teenager achieved her dreams, and made a ton of mistakes along the way. It’s about falling in and out of love, but mostly learning how to love yourself. It’s a story that proves success isn’t about a college degree or your upbringing. It’s about trusting your gut, knowing when to take risks and fighting to get what you want in love, life and business. But above all it’s the story of how a young girl
Up Close with Technicolour Drag Queen Mango Sassi
May 09, 2020 at 12:38AM Jason Hatton, a prop stylist and visual merchandiser by day who has worked for high-end companies like Chanel, has the incredible ability to turn himself into Mango Sassi, a spirited drag queen with an affinity for vivid hues. Read on for Mango’s story. Photo courtesy of Mango Sassi. On Mango’s drag journey: “Last Halloween was my 10-year anniversary of doing drag, but I’ve only really been focusing on it for the last three to four years. I have an annual party that I’ve been doing for the last seven years, and that was usually the time I would get in drag along with all my friends. It has since developed from there. One of my favourite things I’ve done while in drag is take the subway for a couple of daytime gigs! The first time I did it, I was quite afraid, but after I saw the reaction of people, it was such a lovely experience: You get smiles, joy from people, and people wondering what the hell is going on! You usually get really positive responses.” On Mango’s first drag experience: “Oh boy, it’s kind of a blur! It was 10 years ago on Halloween. I love disco, so I created this disco look with the very little knowledge I had about drag. It was a bit of a hot mess. But, saying that, I was living my best life! I mean, when you’re in drag it doesn’t really matter how perfected or how
Three Pieces to Buy From Canadian Fashion Brands to Contribute to COVID-19 Relief
May 08, 2020 at 10:17PM As we approach the end of week eight in quarantine, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our daily lives. There’s no shortage of ways in which to contribute to relief efforts by organizations on the COVID-19 front line, including via some of the most beloved fashion brands in Canada. In recent weeks, brands including Mackage and Aritzia have created custom garments to help raise money for coronavirus relief efforts and to support frontline workers, whilst others like Sentaler continue to donate a proceed of their sales to testing and treatment research. So if you’re looking for a way to get involved, and also give your wardrobe a little update, here’s three pieces by Canadian brands to buy now to help you look and feel good: Mackage View this post on Instagram DESIGNED TO GIVE BACK Now available for pre-order, our limited edition Krys Rainbow Hoodie is designed to give back: we will be donating $50 from each sale to United Way Centraide. A post shared by Mackage (@mackage) on May 4, 2020 at 12:40pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Montreal-based outerwear brand Mackage has designed a limited edition hoodie to help raise money for United Way Centraide. The Krys hoodie is finished in a bold white hue with velvet rainbow detailing on the logos on the arm and hood. The design was inspired by the Quebec movement that saw rainbows pop up across the city with the phrase, “Ca va bien aller” which means “everything will be alright.”
Simons to Launch New Collection Showcasing Indigenous Design Talent
May 08, 2020 at 08:18PM Highlighting the work of eight Indigenous designers from across Canada, Simons will launch a capsule collection on June 1 in collaboration with Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto (IFWTO); it boasts bold patterns, complex beadwork and intricate embroidery that all speak to the unique traditional backgrounds of the creatives involved. Each participant was asked to lend their particular craft to a templated set of garments designed by the Simons team (including a boxy top and high-waisted trousers made from an organic cotton and linen blend), and some also created a selection of accessories. “It’s such a great opportunity to show the broader fashion public—whether it be media, bloggers, stylists or anyone who’s interested in clothing—that despite the fact that we’re all using the same garments, they all look incredibly unique,” says Evan Ducharme, a British Columbia-based fashion designer who is part of the project. Ducharme is Métis and has ancestral ties to the Cree, Ojibwe and Saulteaux peoples. “It allows for the uniqueness of our Indigeneity and our own individual nations to come through in the work,” he adds. Ducharme and fellow collaborators Caroline Monnet, Niio Perkins, Warren Steven Scott, Tracy Toulouse, Tania Larsson, Jordan Bennett and the brand Injunuity Design Studio (helmed by Cheryl Copenace) were invited by Sage Paul, the founding collective member and artistic director of IFWTO, to take part in the opportunity. “When Simons was brought up in the conversation, my interest was piqued because I don’t think any major Canadian fashion retailer