Toronto’s The Bay Gets A New Room
Holding true to her promise, The Bay CEO, Bonnie Brooks has turned back the clock of time and has reintroduced an old department store favorite: The Room. Its predecessor, The St. Regis Room, was a high profiled destination for top end luxury designer brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Courreges and Oscar de la Renta. Today, Toronto’s Flagship store had a $5 million makeover of it’s 3rd floor to introduce The Room, which will have designer brands that can’t be found elsewhere in Canada.
Given the luxe profile Toronto’s flagship got, we can only hope Montreal’s can be just as nice. There is no word yet on revamping the Montreal flagship though.
Image credits: The Globe and Mail
The Style Box - Canadian Designers for Celebs
While perusing other people’s Twitter followers (I’m not sure if that’s stalker-ish but whatever), I stumbled upon Gail McInnes‘ site and discovered her and Amanda Brugel’s brain child, The Style Box.
Now, it’s been very difficult for me to follow Canadian fashion, I always seem to think that Canadians lack a certain something to push their ideas to the next level, however it’s always refreshing to see some initiatives that’s pro-Canadian and encourages people to wear Canadian designers. Which is what The Style Box is all about. It’s part rental shop, part showroom for celebrities, musicians, artists, politicians (basically only influential people) who would like to wear Canadian-only brands to events. No international designers here.
And that photo on their website? That’s pretty stunning. You can watch their little E! YouTube tid bit in my video files.
Image credit by David Wile
[Via Twitter]
MFW Spring/Summer 2009 - Not Attending
Fall is just coming around the corner everyone, and you know what that means: fashion week madness for a month and a half. Of course as a small time blogger, one can only count to be so lucky to attend a local fashion week at all. Those who are full time fashion journalist get to do the merry-go-round the globe in four (sometimes five) different countries: New York, Milan, London, Paris and Tokyo.
On our Canadian end, we have Montreal, L’Oreal (Toronto), and Vancouver Fashion Weeks - no surprise here. The obvious difference between say NY Fashion Week and one of ours is the scale and size of the shows. NY has approximately over 70 designers last I counted, while as MFW had like - 12 designers to showcase. Also, I’ve noticed that the Canadian designers seem to showcase more so on functionality than full on glamour like the rest of the world. On one hand, this is good for buyers who own small boutiques and want to get past the flashing in fashion and get down to saleability. We’re also in an economically advantageous status as the US economy keeps going down the drain, American buyers are less likely to pick the more expensive European brands and might even give a break to local Canadian talent because - well, they’re cheaper, I’m afraid to say.
Tickets to Attend Fashion Week
This seems to be relatively new to the scene of L’Oreal and MFW for a couple of years. Both websites have posted possibilities to buy tickets to see fashion shows, unprecedented a few years ago as fashion week is usually a very restricted “media and professionals only” circle. My guess is that there are two reasons for it:
- Because Canadian Fashion Weeks aren’t as popular, media and buyers don’t fill up the entire seating chart of many shows. This I can attest, when there are smaller, unknown brands showcasing, it’s sad to see these seats half filled. Selling tickets will fill those seats and will generate extra income in the process.
- Fashion is a hot commodity thanks to magazines, reality shows, websites and blogs. The instantaneous 24/7 fashion wire can’t even compare to the “real deal” experience of a real fashion show. Going to one of these things is like going to see a concert of your favorite band, nothing compares to the real thing. Organizers know this, and they will play that card this year.
The big guns over at NY, London, Milan and Paris don’t need to sell tickets because people are just fighting to even have rights to get in in the first place. Everyone is just dying to see these shows, and bless the lucky souls who know others in the business to attend these prestigious fashion shows, they are something else all together.
This blogger is staying home this year
While the chances of bloggers attending fashion shows and events have risen over the last couple of years, fashion week is still a little out of our reach. But this may now slowly change with the likes of Inside The Tents making an initiative in helping bloggers get to these events. I’ve already attended 2 MFWs and quite frankly don’t think I’ll miss it much since I won’t be attending this year. It’s long hours, crowded, expensive (the food), and all too much brouhaha for a 20 minute show. I’ve only enjoyed 2-3 collections but there really isn’t much to say about them except describing their looks. That’s all what fashion week is about - describing a collection. 95% of the time it’s “fabulous” and a season’s “must-have”. We’re not really told why certain designers didn’t showcase this year or last year, most of the time it’s due to money constraints as they can’t afford to show at fashion week. Plus it’s a hassle to drag the numerous (useless) swag they give you, what am I to do with a plastic martini shaker and made-by-crocs shoes that don’t fit?
I suppose it’s another story if I were to go to the bigger venues since the usual suspects usually turn out more interesting pieces for show. I’d be happy to just attend one of each of the big shows just once in my life and I’d be happy enough.
I’ll be watching MFW from the comfort of my own home, in pajamas, lying on my couch with my laptop with pepsi and chips. Now that’s luxe.
