May 15, 2020 at 07:23PM Kristin Rankin didn’t set foot in a hair salon until she was in her mid-20s; until then, her mom had been her go-to hairstylist. “I was very androgynous and tomboyish, and she always cut my hair just the way I wanted it,” says Rankin, who is now a hairstylist herself. When she eventually booked her first appointment at a traditional salon, she walked out mortified. “I felt really misgendered because [the stylist] did my hair in this very poufy, feminine way,” she recalls. It was the moment that informed her approach to hairstyling. She eventually opened Fuss Hair Studio (which has since become part of the New York-based salon chainFox & Jane) in Toronto; it was one of the first salons in the city to banish gendered pricing and offer cuts based on hair length. After a first-time client tweeted about her positive experience at Fuss as a transgender woman, Rankin launched the Dresscode Project, a global alliance of salons and barbershops championing inclusivity and positive, gender-affirming services for LGBTQ2S+ clients. Kristin Rankin. Photography by Rebecca Wood. Last year, Rankin and Pantene U.K. partnered on a campaign featuring model and Pantene ambassador Ángela Ponce, the first transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, and Paris Lees, a transgender-rights activist. “As a direct result of their work with the Dresscode Project, Pantene changed its mission statement from ‘great hair for women’ to ‘great hair for everyone,’” says Rankin. Many cosmetics and fragrance brands are
Tag: FASHION Magazine
Toronto’s Uncle Studios to Host Virtual Pop-Up for COVID-19 Relief
May 15, 2020 at 06:14PM Toronto-based slow-fashion clothing brand Uncle Studios has today announced the launch of a virtual pop-up series to help raise funds for COVID-19 relief. Called ‘Camp Horizons’, the pop-up (which in pre-COVID times was a physical event) will begin on Sunday, May 17, and will include giveaways, panel discussions and events. The brand has partnered with numerous high-profile Canadian and international brands for the series, including Nudestix (which just recently released its first hand sanitizer), Jen Atkin’s OUAI Haircare, Glow Recipe, Greenhouse Juice, Orosa beauty, Canadian bodysuit brand La Reyna, Vancouver-based self-care brand Blume, Toronto’s Locals Only restaurant, Canadian plant-based beauty brand Cardea Auset, Toronto’s Consonant Skincare and Neophyte Jewels. A new event is scheduled to take place every Sunday until June 7. In a release, co-founder Allegra Shaw, said, “Uncle Studios’ pop-up experience has always been important in terms of building a strong community so it was important for us to bring that same experience online. As the pandemic continues, we want to come together with fellow creatives to use our platform to give back to the charitable organizations helping societies’ most vulnerable.” As such, 100 per cent of the ticket and care package sales from the event will be donated to CAMH and Nellie’s Administration equally. The care packages are still being finalized however they will include items from the brands involved in the pop-up. As for tickets, the brand is offering a “pay what you can” system. “We understand this is a challenging
Self-Isolation Diary: A Day in the Life Of HBC’s Tyler Franch
May 14, 2020 at 10:18PM We’re officially in Month 3 of self-isolation with an uncertain road ahead but for some much-needed inspiration, FASHION is reaching out to some of our favourite Canadians to get a peek into how they’re living their lives in lockdown (remember: #StayHomeSaveLives). Each week, keep an eye out for new self-isolation diaries from actors, designers, influencers and artists who are riding this uncertain time out with us. Tyler Franch, Fashion Director, Hudson’s Bay I live with my partner, Elie, who has been integral in helping maintain my sanity! I’m a fairly social person so not being able to be with friends and family has been difficult. The occasional happy hour Zoom call is nice, though. I make sure to organize my day the same way I would have pre-COVID. I need time in the morning for a coffee and smoothie while I catch up on the news and emails. In between Zoom meetings and strategizing for the Fall season, I make sure to take a proper lunch break outside of my workspace. It’s essential to not be online 24/7 so I also try to mark the end of a workday by going for a walk or getting down to the water for a cycle. image courtesy tyler franch Being in the business of fashion, so much of what we do relies on using our senses. From touching and feeling fabrics to a specific scent and the feeling you get in a showroom—removing that tactile experience has
Meet the 12 Queens On the First Season of Canada’s Drag Race
May 14, 2020 at 09:43PM After months of anticipation, the 12 queens participating in the inaugural season of Canada’s Drag Race—scheduled to premiere on July 2—have been revealed. The show, an extension of RuPaul’s Drag Race, includes many features from the critically-acclaimed series such as the reading challenge, makeovers and Snatch Game, as well as “a dash of maple-flavoured Canadian realness,” according to the press release. Each episode will test the queens’ talents, “challenging them to master singing, dancing, acting, impersonation, costume making and improvisation.” Presiding over the 10-episode series is a panel of expert judges: Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Stacey McKenzie. Etalk Senior Correspondent Traci Melchor will make regular appearances as Canada’s first “Squirrel Friend,” with weekly celebrity guest hosts joining the panel throughout the season. The season premieres Thursday, July 2 on Crave, with new episodes rolling out weekly on Crave’s TV channel, website, and the Crave app. Read on for introductions to the 12 queens competing to win the $100,000 grand prize and become Canada’s First Drag Superstar. .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=aI1fjvsXDbY] Anastarzia Anaquway, Toronto Anastarzia’s drag is inspired by her Caribbean roots and heavily influenced by the American drag pageant scene. She has won more than 15 pageants including Miss Canada International, Miss Gay Toronto, and Miss Black Continental @ Large. “Being on Drag Race is
Texture Talk: This Haircare Line was Developed by a Team of Scientists with Afro-Textured Hair
May 14, 2020 at 07:30PM Welcome to Texture Talk, a new weekly column that celebrates and deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from springy S-patterns to densely-packed coils — because curly hair is far from one big category. This week, we’re revisiting our (pre-pandemic) trip to industry giant Procter & Gamble’s headquarters, where FASHION got an inside peek into Gold Series, a haircare line that was co-created with Black scientists, stylists and dermatologists. Backstage at Alice + Olivia SS2020. Photo Courtesy of IMAXtree. Black women often feel bullied about their hair choices, and Rukeyser Thompson isn’t having any of it. “If you choose to wear your hair straight, great! If you choose to wear it natural, fantastic!” she declares during a panel discussion at Procter & Gamble’s largest research and development centre, in Mason, Ohio. Thompson, P&G’s section head of haircare research and development, is seated before a group of Black Canadian journalists and influencers. She is joined by her colleagues Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson, principal scientist and senior manager of scientific communications, and scientist Sawanna Lucus. Together, the three women of colour represent the larger group of researchers of African descent who created Gold Series. The wallet-friendly collection is one of the first mass haircare lines targeted solely toward afro-textured hair that is natural (with voluminous coils), relaxed (chemically altered to straighten strands) or transitioning (moving from relaxed to natural). Backstage at Christian Coven SS2020. Photo courtesy of IMAXtree. Launched in the United States in 2017 and
7 Work From Home Outfits You Can Actually Wear to Work
May 14, 2020 at 06:37PM As we perfect our work from home outfits, we’re finding new wardrobe favourites we won’t want to give up when we eventually go back to the office. To avoid legging and tracksuit withdrawal, we’ve rounded up our favourite pieces that are comfortable enough for WFH but are also office-appropriate. If you’re planning any new purchases, try to think ahead and not succumb to an overall athleisure aesthetic by mixing in some of our work-worthy suggestions. Click through for our favourite work from home outfits you can actually wear to the office: <div class="sjm-attachment-carousel–header gallery-container–default" data-slick='{"speed":400,"adaptiveHeight":true,"variableWidth":false,"centerMode":true,"centerPadding":"0","slidesToShow":1,"lazyLoad":"ondemand","prevArrow":"Previous”,”nextArrow”:”Next”}’ data-simplemodal=’false’ > 1/7 Half Packet Tunic Top ($195, Club Monaco) Shirt dressing is the key to classic style. Try this striped tunic that has a bit of a pyjama vibe at home with your favourite elastic waist pants or with a wide leg trouser for an office look. Buy Now 2/7 Trench Wrap Dress ($298, 1-01 Babaton) A slinky trench is an easy wrap dress at home and doubles as the perfect light layer over workwear. Buy Now 3/7 Italian Merino Rib Polo ($134, Everlane) A ribbed polo is the sophisticated sister of athletic wear. Stretchy and soft enough to wear at home but this slick sporty style works well tucked into a skirt for work. Buy Now 4/7 Long Wool-Silk Cardigan ($125, Cos) A cardigan dress is cozy enough to wear curled up on the couch but belt it and add a block heel for a 9-5 look. Buy
Erdem, Holt Renfrew, Burberry and More Sign Letter Demanding Change to the Fashion Calendar
May 14, 2020 at 04:21PM The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the fashion industry hard – however in amongst all of the uncertainty, there is a movement to affect positive change on the industry’s future. With stores shuttered and fashion weeks cancelled and going digital, this time of quarantine has given designers a chance to reflect on the traditional fashion calendar and a cohort of some of Canada and the world’s top brands has decided that things need to change – immediately. In an open letter to the fashion industry, a group of designers and brand executives from the likes of Erdem, Holt Renfrew, Burberry, Mary Katrantzou, Carolina Herrera, Altuzarra, Proenza Schouler and Tory Burch, have proposed a new schedule that is not only kinder to the environment but allows brands to more accurately cater to their customers’ lifestyles. The letter begins by saying, “We agreed that the current environment although challenging, presents an opportunity for a fundamental and welcome change that will simplify our businesses, making them more environmentally and socially sustainable and ultimately align them more closely with the customers’ needs.” It continues, “We hope to achieve this by adjusting the seasonality and flow of both womenswear and menswear goods, starting with the Autumn/Winter 2020 season.” The letter then outlines three ways in which they would like to see the schedule/old order of business change. “Put the Autumn/Winter season back in winter (August/January) and Spring/Summer season back in summer (February/July), create a more balanced flow of deliveries through the
Rebecca Minkoff Teams Up with imPRESS Nails on 7 Fun Faux Nail Sets
May 14, 2020 at 03:06PM From her signature M.A.Bs (Morning After Bags) to her colourful, mix-and-match garments, fashion designer and household name Rebecca Minkoff has a knack for painting a chic and realistic picture of her customers, and meeting them right where they’re at in their lives, from the busy young professional to the time-strapped mom. Nowhere was that more evident than in her see-now, buy-now Spring/Summer 2020 New York Fashion Week collection showing back in February pre-pandemic. Scrapping the traditional runway setting, Minkoff opted for a two-hour presentation which highlighted a series of vignettes to better capture and represent the needs, wardrobe and environment of the modern-day working woman. Models (one woman was actually pregnant) were accompanied by babies, youngsters, strollers and breast pumps, and dressed in versatile, on-the-go fashion pieces (think: billowy blouses, floral dresses, colourful leather shorts and over-the-shoulder handbags) as they took over a rainbow-themed playground set complete with a swing set, park benches and an ice cream stand. A snap from the SS2020 New York Fashion Week presentation. Photo courtesy of Natasha Bruno. Her modern, female-focused lens was also evident in the models’ nails thanks to a limited-edition press-on nails collab with imPRESS by KISS Nails, which *finally* dropped this month. “These are do-and-go nails. They’re a great lifestyle nail,” commented celebrity nail artist and KISS ambassador Gina Edwards while giving FASHION a sneak peek of the colourful digits backstage. Rebecca Minkoff x imPRESS Press-On Manicure in Sunset Beach. Photo courtesy of imPRESS. Quick, wallet-friendly
5 Pieces Our Editors’ Love from Montreal-Based Brand Judith & Charles
May 13, 2020 at 09:57PM It’s no secret that the fashion industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. With retail stores shut for the foreseeable future, which has contributed to a decrease in sales, many brands across Canada are struggling to survive – including womenswear brand Judith & Charles. Today, the brand posted an impassioned plea on its Instagram account for support from its loyal base of clients across the country. The plea comes after the brand was told by its bank that it was not eligible to receive emergency government funding given the uncertain future of retail. If the loan is in fact denied, “we will have to close our doors,” the brand shared. It continued, “Virtually no other industry faces seasonality and deadlines like the fashion industry, and we are running out of time. For this reason we are reaching out to you to support us by making a purchase if you have the means in these difficult times. If our case is not appealed, the sale of 1,500 suits, or the equivalent, will provide us with the cashflow to continue producing and keep our doors open. Your continued loyalty and patronage, means the world to us.” The 30-year old Montreal-based brand is a regular go-to for the likes of Canadian powerhouse women including Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Tessa Virtue, as well as Meghan Markle. It is also nominated in the Womenswear Designer of the Year category at this year’s CAFA Awards. Specializing in fit and quality,
15 Canadian Podcasts to Subscribe to Right Now
May 13, 2020 at 09:50PM Need a break from binge-watching TV? Looking for some entertainment while doing dishes for what seems like the millionth time since quarantine began? Check out these 15 Canadian podcasts that touch on things like identity, the culture of celebrity, the intersection of fashion and technology, beauty entrepreneurship, wellness and more. Breaking Beauty In this podcast, Canadian beauty editors Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins interview brand founders on how they made it in the business, and share intel on which new launches to buy and the ones to skip. View this post on Instagram Mark your calendars?!! Jill will be hosting an IG Live with skincare guru & celeb aesthetician @reneerouleau on Tuesday May 5 at 8pm. Come hang out with us!! PS – any skincare questions for Renee? Drop ‘em in the comments below. A post shared by BreakingBeautyPodcast ??? (@breakingbeautypodcast) on Apr 30, 2020 at 7:02am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Show Your Work Elaine “Lainey” Lui, founder of Lainey Gossip, and TV writer Duana Taha co-host this weekly podcast unpacking all the recent happenings in the world of celebrity and entertainment. Topics the two covered recently include the post-royal rebranding of Harry and Meghan, Reese Witherspoon’s media empire, and Jessica Simpson’s new memoir. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: starting over from scratch https://t.co/8r84tZ8HTl — Elaine L. (@LaineyGossip) March 30, 2020 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Dear Seekers Toronto journalist and social media strategist Sasha Xiao began this podcast in 2018 as a means to connect with “curious, reflective and explorative