RELATED: This Toronto-based Advocate Wore the 52-foot Amsterdam Rainbow Dress

The makeup artist, activist and social media star describes being raised in a house that was “tucked in the woods on a hill overlooking a beautiful river and giant willow trees.” The property was in Nova Scotia on the border of Newport Corner and Brooklyn, which had a combined population of fewer than 2,000. “My parents lived a very simple, beautiful country life,” explains Sexton. “They never really believed in TV or video games or things like that. They would just tell me to go outside and not come back in until the sun went down. So I would explore the forest and see what I could find and watch the plants grow. Nature will always be a part of what grounds me.”

In August, Sexton and their fiancé bought their home in Waubaushene as a way to bring more balance to their life. You would never know it from Sexton’s bouncy persona — where they often begin a social post with a cheery “Hey cuties!” — but city life was taking its toll. “I am so bad at saying no,” they admit. “I wasn’t taking any time for myself, and I think I was burning out.” Demands included content creation for advertising partners, appearances on shows like Cityline and The Social and ambassadorial duties for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR). On top of that, Sexton had a full-time job as an educator for Fenty Beauty, which had them flying all over Canada and to the United States. “It was intense,” they say.

They decided to kiss their Fenty Beauty role goodbye and take weekends off as well as a break in the middle of the day to walk Atlas, their Australian cattle dog. “I’ve been blown away by how much wildlife we see here,” they smile, citing a bear and lots of deer. “And there are these giant woodpeckers that are the size of a cat.”

The return to nature has been super healing for Sexton. “I’m really big into Japanese forest bathing,” they share. “I truly believe that trees give off particles that we absorb through our skin and they reduce our stress, anxiety and blood pressure.”

This new chapter has also come with new projects. Sexton will take on more of a leadership role with Sexfluent, CANFAR’s youth-focused HIV and sexual-empowerment program. (Sexton is HIV+.) And in January, they released their first video as part of an ongoing partnership with Jean Paul Gaultier. “It’s me talking about HIV and getting to celebrate JPG’s fragrance and fashion,” they say. “So that was really a big one. JPG has been my favourite brand since I was baby Myles.”

Next on the horizon is a podcast, which is an extension of Sexton’s advocacy work. “I’ll be covering different topics around inclusive language and creating awareness about HIV/AIDS and sobriety,” they explain. “This will allow me to go into more depth compared to in a 60-second video.”

And like many of us, Sexton is reconciling their love of fashion with their sense of responsibility. “I’m trying to be as conscious as I can,” they say. They seek out small-batch indie designers such as Montreal’s Denis Gagnon, whose high-waisted wide-leg trousers have been a go-to for five-plus years. Toronto jewellery designer Jenny Bird and gender-free, queer-focused New York brand Fang are other favourites.

With a wardrobe that includes body-con dresses and thigh-high boots, Sexton admits to being nervous about how their new neighbours were going to receive them. “I was dressing down when I would go to the grocery store and Costco and things like that,” they say. “And then people started recognizing me from TikTok and they’d be like, ‘Oh, you’re not wearing your regular outfits.’” So Sexton amped up the fashion factor, which has sparked a different, somewhat bemused, reaction. “Now, every time I leave the house, they’re like, ‘Are you going to an event?’”

Photography by NICK MERZETTI. Creative direction by GEORGE ANTONOPOULOS. Styling by ASHLEY GALANG. Hair by DUYEN HUYNH for LAKMÉ. Makeup by MYLES SEXTON. Prop styling: LAURA BRANSON. Photo assistant: RYAN FRANCOZ. Fashion assistant: KAREEM ALLAN MCCLEAN.

This article first appeared in FASHION’s Summer 2023 issue. Find out more here.

The post Myles Sexton on Nature, Fashion and Their New Podcast appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

RELATED: Coco Meets Barbie in Chanel’s New Cruise Collection Shown in L.A.

Some of the gents sporting Chanel that night are “friends of the house” including the National Ballet of Canada’s Siphe November. The stylish principal dancer began his relationship with the brand about two years ago, a perk that has allowed him access to an array of Chanel that he mixes with his wardrobe of cool independent designers and high street labels. Even better, November is a perfect sample size in Chanel clothes and shoes.

In L.A., he threw an oversized jacket thrifted at Value Village over a Chanel T-shirt to check out the new Rodeo Drive flagship. He lunched at Matsuhisa in a Chanel bomber jacket and black leather pants from Gap. And he attended the show in a tweed jacket with satin collar and cuffs over Ms. Min trousers. I sat down with November to chat about how he wears Chanel and how growing up in a small town in South Africa has given him a unique perspective on the storied brand.

How did you choose your look for the Cruise show?

There’s always one piece, whether it’s a pant or a hat, that’s the thing that allows me to step into my vibe for that day or event. For the show, it was that jacket. The whole look was inspired by Versailles and old drawings of the Sun King, Louis XIV. And the fluffy socks helped create a ballet feel without it being literal. It’s still me but it’s the Chanel version of me.

And there was a Michael Jackson influence with the sunnies. Especially with the loafers and the socks. He was also inspired by the courts of France. And he was the King of Pop. But I didn’t anticipate the way that jacket would shine in the lights which made it so much more spectacular. It sparkled so beautifully. It was a real moment and I felt like a star. I wanted to feel like the Sun King and I did.

Chanel does not make menswear, so you are a guy wearing women’s clothes.

And I love that. One of my biggest fashion idols is Pharrell (Williams). I remember I saw him once when he came to Toronto. It was, like, 2014 and it was at the height of when he had that Vivienne Westwood hat that everyone had an opinion about it. And I remember watching him through that whole time and he just kept wearing it. And then seeing him wear Chanel and rocking it and looking so fire made me want to wear it too. Chanel sunglasses are the only sunglasses I wear because of him.

A lot of guys would not wear pearls. Do you associate pearls with femininity?

No, I don’t. A pearl necklace on a man’s bare chest looks good to me. Jewellery is an accessory. It has no gender. If you look at different cultures around the world, historically they approach jewellery as a form of self expression and status. I see pearls as an accessory for self expression as opposed to an identity.

That must partly come from growing up where you did. I imagine you didn’t have any specific references for pearl necklaces.

No, I had none of that. In my culture, men and women wear beads as part of their traditional wear. I didn’t grow up with pearls tied to an image and then in my teens I saw artists breaking those boundaries — like Pharrell wearing pearls and mixing it with high jewellery and rappers breaking those codes. There’s a rebellious nature to men wearing pearls, which I like for sure.

Do you have a favourite Chanel element?

One of the first shows I saw was dedicated to the camellia and to me, it doesn’t get any better than that. It’s so part of the identity of the house to me, even more than the two C’s. There’s something so rich about it. There’s so many ways you can play with it. I have a white camellia pin that I love to pop onto different outfits. It makes me feel Chanel without being too Chanel-ified.

Again, not to harp on the gender thing, but a flower is so conventionally identified with women.

To me it’s not associated with anything but care and sensitivity and beauty. So if it makes me look better, I’ll put it on.

Do you think of Chanel as something precious that you only wear on certain occasions? Or do you look at it the same way you look at a cotton T-shirt?

Sometimes I approach it as “this works well with what I want to wear” or sometimes I make it the main event and the Chanel piece is the star. I look at clothes in general as kind of an everyday conversation. I don’t take very good care of my clothes, if I’m being honest. Because I think they’re supposed to be worn.

You’ve visited 19M, Chanel’s new Paris headquarters for 600 artisans including embroiderers, feather workers and goldsmiths. What was that like?

It was crazy. Seeing all the creativity that goes into developing new styles — as an artist that’s something I really connected with. As someone who puts a lot of hours into perfecting my work and understanding that whether my leg is two degrees higher or lower evokes a whole different emotion in the person experiencing it, seeing that attention to every little detail changed everything for me. It added a different layer of appreciation for the garments and what the brand represents.

The post How One Man Wears Chanel appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

RELATED: The Chanel Lipstick This Makeup Artist Uses on Margot Robbie, and Everyone

The first clue that this was going to be a lighthearted romp came as guests walked into a lineup of food trucks serving falafels, pizza and other casual fare. A local radio station played over the loudspeakers and a giant scoreboard seemed to hint at a roller derby with the jumbotron catching glimpses of smiling celebs. Designer Virginie Viard‘s parade of pink short suits, leather jogging pants, board shorts, and cutout swimwear — often worn with leg warmers — seemed well suited to California’s fitness-crazed lifestyle. There was lots of sparkle for awards season and Hollywood premieres, including glow-in-the-dark heels and eveningwear that glittered with fireworks and ice cream floats. Palm trees showed up everywhere, one model carried a skateboard, and a VW van handbag had a couple of surfboards attached to its roof.

After the show, guests could join the professional roller skaters who were swooping and spinning around the rink. Snoop Dog, wearing a Chanel scarf babushka-style around his long braids, brought the house down with a short set. “This is my first fashion show,” he told the crowd before mentioning that his wife was wanting a Chanel bag, or two. He’ll find plenty at the four-storey flagship Chanel  just opened on Rodeo Drive.

Click through below to see some of the most attention-grabbing looks from the show — we think Barbie would approve.

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

1/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

2/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

3/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

4/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

5/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

6/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

7/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

8/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

9/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

10/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

11/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

12/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

13/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

14/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

15/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

16/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

17/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

18/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

19/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

20/20

Chanel Cruise 2023/2024

The post Coco Meets Barbie in Chanel’s New Cruise Collection Shown in L.A. appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Vivienne Westwood, who died December 29 in London at age 81, is widely credited for being the “high priestess of punk.” But she was so much more than that. Westwood was a visionary whose designs always led, never followed. She was a wit who could skewer aristocratic snobbery with a shrewdly mangled plaid. She was irreverent and provocative, receiving her Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace panty-less and putting the Queen with a safety pin through her lip on a T-shirt. But beyond being fashion’s foremost provocateur, Vivienne Westwood is the reason corsets, crinolines, rubber, leather and latex are accepted aspects of modern dress.

“She was revolutionary in so many ways,” says George Antonopoulos, FASHION’s creative and fashion director. “She took historical elements like corsets and coquette silhouettes and made them supercool and exciting.” S&M gear and fetish wear became “normalized” in her hands. “And back in the ‘80s, she was the very first gender bending designer,” he says. “She created unisex clothing and showed men’s and women’s together on the runway and it all made sense.” She was also one of the first designers to use her platform to raise awareness for political and social issues including nuclear disarmament and climate change.

Ever the non-conformist, Westwood seemed to get particular pleasure from sending up British culture. “She took traditional elements like tailoring and tartans and Harris tweed and turned them upside down,” Antonopoulos says, adding that Westwood was the first designer he ever spent money on as a teenager. “I loved how disruptive she was. She was the designer that made me fall in love with fashion.”

In the ‘70s, Westwood met Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, and together the pair shaped the punk movement — he with the music and she with the clothes. They were romantic partners too, though Westwood later married her current husband Andreas Kronthaler, a designer who has worked alongside her since they married in 1992. In typical Westwood fashion, the union raised some eyebrows — he was 25, she was 50. But she could hardly care what others thought — a theme that ran throughout her career.

Perhaps that is why Westwood is also one of the most respected creatives of our age and one whose ideas have been referenced by so many who followed her. “She was a designer’s designer,” Antonopoulos says.

Below, a look at some of Dame Vivienne Westwood’s signature designs, from tartan to corsets, on the runway.

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

Photography by Getty Images

1/10

A model in the first show Westwood presented outside of London

2/10

Kate Moss, 1993

3/10

Naomi Campbell, 1994

4/10

Eva Herzigova, 1995

5/10

Kate Moss, 1994

6/10

Linda Evangelista, 1995

7/10

Kate Moss, 1996

8/10

Pamela Anderson, 2009

9/10

Two models, 2017

10/10

Bella Hadid, 2020

The post Vivienne Westwood Was “a Designer’s Designer” appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Michele arrived at Gucci in 2015 with a bang, taking over from Frida Giannini who had carried Tom Ford’s sexy/suit-y legacy forward when he left the brand in the mid-oughts. But that formula was stale and predictable and it was time for something new. I attended Michele’s first fashion show for Gucci in Milan — one that divided opinions as sharply as one of the knife pleats on the runway. With men and women both dressed in floral suits and pussy bow blouses, many left thinking, “what was that?” Others loved the gender blending. It was a fresh, young attitude that would eventually seep into the mainstream.

A visit to the Gucci showroom to re-see that first collection was like witnessing an explosion of creativity splattered all over walls. There were jarring mixes of colours and patterns, geeky glasses, fur-trimmed grandma coats and beaded birds and bees that seemed randomly placed. There was also so much that had not made it to the runway. It was an excess of ideas and designs made even more remarkable because Michele had kept it all bottled up inside in the years he worked under Giannini.  It was clear that old school sexy had been replaced with something that seemed much smarter — unapologetic eccentricity. Michele’s fur-lined slides, which became a must-have as soon as his first collection hit the stores, were the first clue that there was an appetite for his brand of quirk. And that’s exactly what Alessandro Michele delivered through his seven years at the helm of Gucci.

The reason many are not surprised by Michele’s exit is that despite high-profile fans like Harry Styles and the buzz Michele was so brilliant at creating like with his Spring 2023 show featuring 68 pairs of identical twins, Gucci clothes and accessories had become too predictable. Designers, like artists, sometimes reach creative limits and Gucci’s parent company Kering is a public one that needs growth to make shareholders happy. But the true question is: did Michele leave to take a mental break or to join another brand (Burberry could sure use him)? Only time will tell but we’d be very surprised if another big name doesn’t snatch him up soon.

Until then, we’ve rounded up Alessandro Michele’s top 10 most memorable moments from Gucci, from the opening look of his debut to Lady Gaga’s epic purple moment at the premiere of House of Gucci.

Photography courtesy of ImaxTree

Photography courtesy of ImaxTree

Photography courtesy of ImaxTree

Photography by Getty Images

Photography courtesy of Gucci

Photography courtesy of Getty Images

Photography courtesy of Gucci

Photography by WireImage

Photo by Getty Images

Photography courtesy of Gucci

1/10

Gucci Fall 2015

2/10

Gucci Fall 2016

3/10

Gucci Fall 2018

4/10

Harry Styles at the 2021 Grammy Awards

5/10

Gucci ARIA Fall 2021

6/10

2022 – Gilded Glamour

Alessandro Michele and Jared Leto at the 2022 Met Gala

7/10

Gucci Love Parade Spring 2022

8/10

Lady Gaga at the UK Premiere of “House of Gucci”

9/10

Rihanna at the Gucci Fall 2023 show

10/10

Gucci Spring 2023

The post Alessandro Michele Says Goodbye to Gucci appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Bilal Baig moved into a new apartment in Toronto a few months ago and apologizes for “the mess.” But there isn’t much visible on my computer screen, even when Baig takes me on a video tour. They show me the yellow walls in the living room, purple in the kitchen, and the art by Harmeet Rehal and Meera Sethi they haven’t had time to hang because Sort Of, the CBC and HBO Max original comedy written by Baig and Fab Filippo, has been renewed for season two and shooting starts this spring.

Since launching last fall, the show has been hailed for breaking barriers – from its normalized portrayal of trans people to Baig being the first queer South Asian Muslim actor in a Canadian primetime series. Unlike that other CBC show with an LGBTQAI2S+ lead, Schitt’s Creek, Sort Of has little to no camp and zero stereotyping. “One of the things we didn’t want to see was somebody snap their fingers and read somebody down,” Baig says, swishing their hand around and using the slang for pointing out a person’s flaws. In fact, the realness is what makes the show so widely relatable. When Baig’s character, Sabi Mehboob, reveals to their mother they are working as a nanny, she looks at them in horror and replies, “Like Mary Poppins?”

Uh, not exactly. For starters, Mehboob is often dressed in boho layers for day and shiny minidresses by night. Shelley Mansell, costume designer for season one, mined the wardrobe from local Toronto shops selling both new and secondhand including VSP Consignment, Fashionably Yours, Second Nature and Rewind Couture.

Baig, too, is an enthusiastic thrifter, citing Common Sort, Nouveau Vintage and Black Diamond as their favourite destinations. “I like things that feel lived in,” they explain, adding a desire to shop responsibly is also top of mind. “When I was in high school I was really silly with my money. I got a part time job at Baskin Robbins and all I did was buy clothes.”

Today’s look is a floaty butterfly print top, pleather leggings, a filigree cuff, and three of their mother’s bangles. Raiding her jewellery box is something Baig started as a child growing up in Mississauga.

“There wasn’t a punishment associated with me wanting to wear my mom’s bangles or explicitly exploring my femininity at an early age,” they note. “My parents had some very strong values on how they wanted us to be raised and at the same time, there was a lot of freedom in my childhood to express myself.”

Not fearing rejection allowed Baig to grow in a way they may not have otherwise, they believe. “And interestingly, I think my parents are on their own journey of learning more about themselves too.”

So what can fans expect in season two?

For starters, there might be romance on the horizon. “I think it’s so delicious where we’ve left Sabi at the end of season one,” Baig says, with a smile stretching across their rose pink lips. Mehboob had to give up plans to join their BFF in Berlin when the mother of the children they look after has a serious bike accident. That and “sort of” coming out to their own mother combine for an emotional growth spurt that pushes the character to a new level of maturity for season two.

“I think they’re in a more open place when we meet them at the start of season two and I think they’re a little bit more open to receiving love,” Baig describes. “And more open to just being themselves more fully and freely in the world. And I think a lot of fun comes from that.”

On April 10, the Canadian Screen Awards will air with Sort Of leading with 13 nominations. And whether Baig and their colleagues take home top honours, they have already won in ways that are far more personal.

“My DMs are so full of really beautiful expressions of love and gratitude from lots of different kinds of people,” Baig says. “People talk about how they watch the show with their parents and that their parents have started to use their pronouns correctly, or at least really making a strong effort to. Folks have messaged me letting me know that they feel more certain than ever that they will transition or come out to their family. It’s like this spirit of opening. It means that it has reached people and changed lives and opinions, and that’s major.”

Check out the trailer for season 2 of Sort Of here:

The post Bilal Baig Teases Romance and Fun for <em>Sort Of</em> Season Two appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

But his latest provocation does raise a lot of questions, especially in the areas of mental illness and fashion reporting.

Kanye West is impossible to ignore for editors tasked with keeping numbers high on their websites and social media platforms. From his false and incendiary claims (slavery “sounds like a choice”) to his harassment of ex-wife Kim Kardashian, Ye is the traffic gift that keeps on giving. But it’s also painful to watch someone with bipolar disorder (he was diagnosed in 2017) so recklessly attacking others. Social media has allowed us a front-row seat to the illness and we are witnessing in real time the impulsivity that is a core feature, along with grandiose delusions, feelings of invulnerability and self-destructive behaviours. (It should be noted that some of those same qualities might have contributed to Ye’s artistic achievements as well.)

But his illness can only be blamed for so much. It is the corporations who back his fashion ventures, the consumers who buy his wares and the media who keep shining a spotlight on him (as I might be criticized for doing here) who are enabling Ye to continue to wreak havoc.

And then there’s the matter of fashion reporting.

I am old enough to remember the ’90s (and earlier!) when critics like Suzy Menkes and Cathy Horyn spoke their minds in show reviews for The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times, respectively. Sometimes they would be banned from attending a show the following season, a wrist-slap that seems almost quaint today. But there’s very little critiquing now, partly because no one wants to upset a current advertiser or potential sponsor, but also because it’s up to you, the consumer, to decide what is good and what isn’t. There is just too much freedom of expression today for editors to declare what’s hot and what’s not. We show you what’s new and your choices are your business.

There is a problem, however, with what Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Versha Sharma describes as “fawning media attention” and, specifically, how it has enabled Ye to feel empowered to say and do anything he wants, without any consequences. She calls for fashion editors, journalists, headline writers, social media managers and editors-in-chief to “Please. Stop. Covering. Kanye. Uncritically.” If we do that though, don’t we need to Stop Covering Everyone Uncritically?

Fashion is just a slice of the pop culture sphere that Ye operates in, which makes his influence so potent. And also puzzling. With all the hate spewed and hurt inflicted, with his bullying of Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMA’s and alignment with racist homophobe Donald Trump, why has this man not been cancelled? Many people have for less. At press time, there was still no call to boycott Ye or his products. Does his illness provide him with a shield? Is it the traffic he generates, thanks to our ravenous appetite for voyeuristic thrills, that makes him untouchable?  Do his random acts of kindness (giving cash to the homeless, donating $2 million to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor among them) somehow redeem him, if only temporarily?  Or is there a point at which a person becomes so famous, they are simply uncancellable?

The post Is Kanye West Uncancellable? appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

But the real star of Inside the Dream is a 4 kg emerald—a dark loaf-sized rock that has brilliant green veins of precious material trapped within it. The Jaipur gem dealer whose family has owned the 21,000-carat rough gem for more than 25 years tells Bulgari creative director Lucia Silvestri that he has never had a good enough reason to cut it. But Silvestri is determined to convince him the time is right, as she is looking for an outstanding stone that will become the centrepiece of a magnificent diamond necklace.

For much of the rest of the film, which launched on Amazon Prime Video on September 13, we follow Silvestri, who is possibly the only woman in the male-dominated jewellery world who buys roughs and sees them through to their final state: precious works of art. We see her at her desk in Rome with a pile of purple and pink stones, using tweezers to place them on a wax board to try out different necklace designs. We see her creative wheels spinning as she imagines a diamond snake holding a giant emerald in its mouth. And we see her meeting with laboratory technicians, as the idea in her head begins to take shape with fire and other lapidary tools.

Director Matthieu Menu, who previously worked on profiles of Yohji Yamamoto, Karl Lagerfeld and Simon Porte Jacquemus for an i-D magazine series called Hometown, also weaves in Bulgari history, from its founding by a Greek silversmith in 1884 to the 1960s when Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor discovered the Bulgari shop on days off from shooting at the Cinecitta studios in Rome, then insisted on wearing the purchases onscreen. “It was the original product placement and not only was it free, they paid us,” quipped Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin prior to the screening at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Jewellery and fashion lovers will appreciate the behind-the-scenes glimpses of campaign shoots and how a 4 kg rock transforms into a 93.83-carat cabochon for the Serpenti Hypnotic Emerald necklace on Zendaya in Venice. But good luck resisting the temptation to head to bulgari.com immediately after the film for a little retail reconnaissance. Silvestri’s own jewellery is a greatest hits of Bulgari design and you’ll be wanting to sell your car or condo to own your own viper ring or Roman coin necklace by the movie’s end.

The post Zendaya, and a 4 kg Emerald, Star in New Bulgari Film appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The actor is referring to the ropes of pearls I have layered over a special edition Chanel-in-Monaco T-shirt from the 2023 Cruise event. Qualley, who plays a dominatrix in Sanctuary, which premiered the following day, kept her accessories clean for a knit look covered in Chanel’s famous CCs.

Tilda Swinton, Tyler Perry and Anna Kendrick were among the other head-turners mingling at the third annual Female Filmmaker Dinner. The event is co-hosted with Variety Magazine to spotlight talent from the Chanel Women’s Writers’ Network—a project that the brand has been supporting in partnership with TIFF. But it was the unmistakable energy of Hollywood networking in overdrive that gave this evening its buzz with so many actors, writers, directors—and future job opportunities—in the space.

Many expressed their thrill that TIFF was back full throttle, including director Elegance Bratton, whose film The Inspection premiered earlier in the day. He is so enchanted by Toronto he would like to buy a home here, he shared adding, “If New York and Detroit had a socialist baby, it would be Toronto.”

Qualley, meanwhile, giggled when asked what preparation she had done for her role as a dominatrix. Did it involved any whips, chains or leather? “It’s more psychological warfare and not overtly sexual,” she explained. Whatever the vibe of the film, she has reason to celebrate. Her performance with co-star Christopher Abbott has been called “riveting” and “electric.”

Here’s our roundup of photos from the Chanel and Variety event:

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of Chanel

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

Photo by Pat Martin courtesy of CHANEL

1/12

Tilda Swinton in Chanel

Tilda Swinton attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

2/12

Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

3/12

Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

4/12

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

5/12

Lashana Lynch

Lashana Lynch attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

6/12

Thuso Mbedu & John Boyega

Thuso Mbedu and John Boyega attend the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

7/12

Abessi Akhamie & Chester Algernal Gordon

Abessi Akhamie & Chester Algernal_Gordon attend the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

8/12

Lyric Ross

Lyric Ross attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

9/12

Kiersey Clemons

Kiersey Clemons attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

10/12

Leslie Mann

Leslie Mann attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

11/12

Ty Simpkins

Ty Simpkins attends the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

12/12

Andrew Scott & Kerry Condon

Andrew Scott & Kerry Condon attend the 3rd annual Female Filmmaker Dinner hosted by Chanel and Variety Magazine at Soho House in Toronto.

The post Margaret Qualley, Tilda Swinton and Anna Kendrick Mingle at TIFF’s Chanel Dinner appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

And in some respects we do that because of THE Queen, the woman who ruled for 70 years through ups and downs, deaths and divorces. Fires and family embarrassments.

Queen Elizabeth II was from a generation of women who were only expected to support their husbands, raise their children and bake perfect pies. But she embraced the job thrust upon her at age 25 when her father, King George VI, died. It’s a role with lots of rules and regs. Pomp and protocol. And, yes, perks, too. But it was never her choice. She stepped up and never stepped down, even down to her last few days when she welcomed new prime minister, Liz Truss.

Her Majesty evolved the role with the times—creating the walkabout decades ago and bringing television cameras into the palace. More recently she was the first in her family to tweet and have a Facebook account. She played along with Daniel Craig, pretending to arrive at the London 2012 Olympics by helicopter.

She shook hands with world leaders and visited factory workers and seemed just as pleased to be doing both. She cleverly crafted a fashion style that allowed her to be picked out in a crowd from half a kilometre away. And it wasn’t because she wanted attention. It was about the duty she undertook so profoundly—to serve the institution of the monarchy and the people of Great Britain.

She was also, of course, a wife, mom, grandma and great-grandma.

And through it all, truly a queen.

Below, we look back at Queen Elizabeth II’s life lived in style over the past seven decades, and some of her most iconic fashion moments:

Photo by Central Press/Getty Images

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Photo by Cecil Beaton

Photo by Serge Lemoine/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Photo by RDA/Getty Images

Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

Photog by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

Photo by Terry Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Photo by Indigo/Getty Images

Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images

Photo by Eddie Mullholland - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool /Getty Images

Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Photo by Eddie Mulholland/AFP via Getty

Photo by Yui Mok/Getty Images

Photo by Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/WireImage

1/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

(Then) Princess Elizabeth in uniform as Colonel-in-Chief of the Grenadier Guards, 1947.

2/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Princess Elizabeth and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on their wedding day, 1947.

3/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her coronation, 1953.

4/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth II with a group of local children during her state visit to Mexico, February-March 1975.

5/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth II in Paris at the Opera with French President Rene Coty, 1957.

6/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth ll smiles during her visit to New Zealand part of her Silver Jubilee Year Tour in March of 1977.

7/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Arriving at Aberdeen Airport in Scotland with her trio of corgis, 1974.

8/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

The Queen posing with the newly married Prince and Princess of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, 1981.

9/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

On a visit to Blois In France wearing a pink and taupe outfit designed by Ian Thomas.

10/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Attending the Royal Variety Performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome on November 29, 1999 in Birmingham, England.

11/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth II with Carole Middleton and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, exiting Westminster Abbey following the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, 2011.

12/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, which marked the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the throne, 2012.

13/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

The Queen attending the Order of the Garter Service, the most senior and the oldest British Order of Chivalry, 2015.

14/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her reign of 63 years and 217 days, marking the overtaking of her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria’s record by one day, 2015.

15/17

Queen Elizabeth Style

Queen Elizabeth II greets well-wishers from the balcony of the Chester Town Hall during her visit, with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, to Chester, Cheshire on June 14, 2018.

16/17

The Queen II Style

Queen Elizabeth II sits next to Anna Wintour as they view Richard Quinn’s runway show before presenting him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design as she visits London Fashion Week’s BFC Show Space on February 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

17/17

Queen Elizabeth II Style

Queen Elizabeth ll arrives at the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament on November 15, 2006. (

The post A Queen in Every Sense of the Word appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

I was already in bed, but something about the tone of his voice made me climb out and head down the hall to the living room. He stopped the video he was watching on the little portable TV we had brought from the city. And there it was. Breaking news headlines. Regular programming interrupted. Diana had left the Ritz Hotel in Paris and been involved in a high speed car crash in the Alma tunnel, one I had driven through many times during Paris fashion week.

There was something ominous about the reporting from the get-go. A tension and weight to the delivery. We were both riveted. Then around 11 pm, reports that she was in grave condition. And soon after that, the gut-punch. Diana was dead.

We looked at each other in astonishment.

As so often happens when one is told someone they know well has passed, the first reaction is disbelief. The mind struggling to comprehend. Of course we didn’t know her personally. But all of us who followed her marriage, and its dissolution, felt we did.

Newscasters read statements from Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth, saying they were “deeply shocked and distressed.” British Prime Minister Tony Blair was “utterly devastated.” My thoughts went to William and Harry, who would have been woken near dawn to be delivered the devastating news. And my husband, so quiet, was possibly recalling when he was told, at age six, that his father had died, just weeks after being diagnosed with leukemia.

We sat there for hours watching the commentary, with few details emerging. At certain points, all that was aired was the British flag at half-mast with the caption, “Princess Diana 1961-1997.” Newsroom staff were clearly as shocked as the rest of us.

The next morning we drove back to the city so I could go into work at The Toronto Star to write a piece which I titled: Princess Diana, Supermodel of the Royal Set. The camera lens loved her and so did we, I wrote. And while Buckingham Palace might have liked her to remain as silent as a mannequin, she had become much more than than a fashion plate. She used her beauty as power, turning the spotlight on those who weren’t as fortunate as her.

Until her luck ran out.

The days following her death were surreal. It was like the world had stopped turning, not unlike the period, only four years later, after 9/11. We sombrely connected with friends and family. We watched the floral bouquets outside Buckingham Palace grow, the Queen’s television message after being criticized for not addressing the public, and the heartbreaking site of Diana’s sons walking behind her casket which was topped by a note addressed to “Mummy.”

And now we watch the emotional fallout of her death. One son who is devoted to royal duty. The other who is not. Each dealing with the trauma in their own way, as all sons who face the untimely loss of a parent do.

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

Photography via Instagram/princess.diana.forever

1/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

February 6, 1986: Princess Diana wears a red ski suit during a skiing holiday in Klosters, Switzerland.

2/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

May 13, 1986: Prince Charles and Princess Diana arrive at the British Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, to attend a dinner reception hosted by the British Ambassador Sir John Whitehead. The late princess wears a gown designed by David Emanuel.

3/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

December 9, 1996: Princess Diana wears a navy blue John Galliano slip dress and her sapphire engagement ring three months after her divorce, to an event honouring Christian Dior at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

4/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

June 14, 1993: Princess Diana wears a pink Catherine Walker coat dress to the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle.

5/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

April 24, 1996: Princess Diana is spotted leaving the Chelsea Harbour Fitness Club in her gym attire.

6/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

1994: Princess Diana is captured during an oil painting session at American painter Nelson Shanks’s studio in London, wearing a petticoat and a white chiffon blouse designed by Tomasz Starzewski.

7/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

April 1, 1987: Princess Diana wears a military style suit by Catherine Walker and hat by Graham Smith to the passing out parade at Sandhurst.

8/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

November 1, 1988: Princess Diana wears a purple Bruce Oldfield velvet gown to a charity dinner in aid of Dr. Barnardo at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

9/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

April 14, 1986: Princess Diana wears a blue sequinned dress paired with a pair of emerald and diamond earrings and a diamond necklace featuring the Prince of Wales’s feathers (a gift from her husband, Prince Charles) to the Vienna Burgh Theatre.

10/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

November 10, 1988: Princess Diana wears a floral Catherine Walker gown to a dinner banquet hosted by the British ambassador at the British Embassy in Paris.

11/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

July 18, 1986:
Diana wears a casual gingham outfit designed by Laura Ashley.

12/12

Best of Princess Diana Style

November 1, 1988: Princess Diana wears a Viv Knowland veiled hat at The Armistice Commemoration Day in the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.

The post Princess Diana’s Death Was a Gut-Punch to Us All appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

It was 1994 and I was working for the Toronto Star when I met him in his Paris office overlooking the exquisite Place des Vosges. The occasion was the launch of his first fragrance, L’Eau D’Issey, which went on to win multiple awards and become an international bestseller.

As I wrote then, I was struck by his lack of pretension, his simple, cluttered desk, his twinkling eyes, his warm smile.

He had every reason to be bitter and angry. He was a seven-year-old boy riding his bicycle in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb fell. It left him with a pronounced limp and, no doubt, profound invisible scars. His mother died three years later from the radiation. But unlike other designers whose life challenges have led to self-medicating, suicide or a narcissistic need for attention (or a combo of the three), Miyake seemed happy, serene even. And that joy was translated into clothing that bounced and billowed, expanded and contracted, and seemed endlessly charming and entertaining and…yet…comfortable, as anyone who has worn pieces from his Pleats Please line knows. In 2007, he stepped back to create a textile innovation lab with a focus on sustainability, more evidence of his lack of need for the limelight and public adoration.

We saw him as a visionary, a ground-breaking talent whose innovations were celebrated in museum exhibits and worn by some of the greatest musicians, writers and contemporary artists of the 20^th century. Miyake saw himself as a man who simply liked to sculpt with cloth.

Having witnessed the worst, he seemed determined to find beauty wherever he looked. During our interview he suddenly stopped mid-sentence and began staring at the shadows on the wall. “Look,” he said. “The light.” I remember the moment so clearly, and how it captured the essence of his artistic core. RIP Miyake-san. Though it seems you had found peace already in your time on earth.

The post Issey Miyake Was the Sweetest Designer I Knew appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

“There’s something about watching high heels and a bathing suit walk down the beach,” Stewart mused. “I was laughing out loud throughout the entire thing. The collection had a real buoyancy.”

She wasn’t the only one who found designer Virginie Viard’s latest work full of whimsy. Clients, press and celebrities including Tilda Swinton, G Dragon and Johnny Depp ex Vanessa Paradis had flown in from all corners of the globe for the event. And there were plenty of locals, too, including royals such as Princess Caroline of Monaco (a BFF of late Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld) and her daughter Charlotte Casiraghi.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by G-DRAGON 🌐 (@g__dragonn)

Guests lounged under striped cabanas while models strutted by at the water’s edge. Many of the looks riffed on the region’s cultural and leisure pursuits. There were cute pink tennis racquet cases, superyacht-ready swimwear, and black satin footwear inspired by the pointe shoes worn by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Slot machine purses nodded to the Casino de Monte-Carlo, made famous in films such as Golden Eye and Ocean’s Twelve.

And the Monaco Grand Prix, which takes place at the end of this month, provided endless amusement. Several models carried racing helmets or miniature versions made into purses. Tweed and silk jumpsuits lined in terry cloth seemed like luxe versions of what a pit crew might wear.

Lagerfeld had always wanted to show at the Beach Hotel, Viard shared in a touching press release. “To me, Monaco is a matter of feelings above all. That’s Karl, Caroline, Charlotte. From very early on, I knew we would hold a show there, and more precisely at the Beach Hotel. Besides, Karl was dreaming about it.” Lagerfeld owned the villa, La Vigie, above the beach club and shot several Chanel campaigns at the home including an iconic one from the ‘90s starring Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. “I will never forget the times I spent there: terraces and balconies, big umbrellas, baskets of flowers — so much beauty,” Viard recalled.

Those florals popped up as bib-like clusters on striped shirt dresses and black satin gowns. But it was the racing prints that spoke to Stewart.

“I don’t know if it’s because I like cars and I like to drive really fast,” she said, adding that she isn’t one of the many who have recently taken to watching Formula 1 racing. “The first car that I ever drove as a teenager had a strip of checks around it and the top of the car was completely checkered.” You could even say she has a checkered past.

Swipe through the gallery below to see all the looks from the Chanel Cruise 2022/2023 collection.

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

1/67

2/67

3/67

4/67

5/67

6/67

7/67

8/67

9/67

10/67

11/67

12/67

13/67

14/67

15/67

16/67

17/67

18/67

19/67

20/67

21/67

22/67

23/67

24/67

25/67

26/67

27/67

28/67

29/67

30/67

31/67

32/67

33/67

34/67

35/67

36/67

37/67

38/67

39/67

40/67

41/67

42/67

43/67

44/67

45/67

46/67

47/67

48/67

49/67

50/67

51/67

52/67

53/67

54/67

55/67

56/67

57/67

58/67

59/67

60/67

61/67

62/67

63/67

64/67

65/67

66/67

67/67

The post Kristen Stewart Reveals Her “Checkered” Past at Chanel’s Cruise Show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

And so are we. So FASHION has adopted a new tagline: Unapologetically Ourselves. We feel it reflects where we are now since transforming, two years ago, from a traditional women’s magazine to a brand for all ages, sizes, genders, ethnicities and orientations.

Since then we have written about so many fascinating fashion and beauty lovers — from a guy who wears sequins to an 80-year-old woman with pink hair. We have featured people with a range of styles — from elegant to eccentric. And we’ve heard over and over again how emotionally and spiritually connected our subjects are to their fashion and beauty choices.

@fashionmagazine You are unapologetic about who you are. And so are we. So #FASHION has adopted a new tagline: #UnapologeticallyOurselves ♬ Stacked – TruFeelz

So when our team gathered for an editorial conference a few months ago to discuss future story ideas, we realized that we are living in a new era. Fashion has grown to have a broad definition and style is as individual as a fingerprint. People are feeling unapologetic about their life choices, and that has extended to what they wear, how they adorn their bodies, even how they style their hair. Often, when challenges arise, it’s clothing that becomes a comfort or a way to convey the turmoil inside. In the last year we’ve met a cancer patient who wore heels to her surgery as an act of defiance and a transgender woman whose courage around coming out was symbolized by a floral crown.

And so the #FASHIONforall mission statement that has adorned the spine of our print issues for the last two years has been replaced with Unapologetically Ourselves. And it’s a phrase you will find popping up again and again on our social media and website and in our magazine. Because, like you, I am #UnapologeticallyMe and we at FASHION are #UnapologeticallyOurselves.

Click here to subscribe.

The post Special Message from FASHION’s Editor-in-Chief appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

When he was travelling the runway circuit as an editor for American Vogue, Talley’s assessment of a collection was often a lesson in fashion history, with references to Cristobal Balenciaga’s innovative silhouettes, or how Yves Saint Laurent revolutionized women’s dress. His observations were always delivered with excitement and appreciation, rather than the dry tone of an academic. Everything was, “Fabulous, darling!” – even the most head-scratching ensemble because he was unconditionally supportive of creativity. And his endless enthusiasm was infectious.

As Talley’s stature grew in the fashion world, his mere presence at an event made it significant. He became an icon, even before he started wearing colourful Daniel Day caftans to cloak his girth, a result of the emotional eating that started after the grandmother who raised him died. At six foot six, he literally took up more space than anyone in the room. And yet, he seemed more interested in the people around him, charming socialites and encouraging young people who approached him to follow their dreams.

The 2017 documentary The Gospel According to Andre and the publication of his 2020 memoir, The Chiffon Trenches, shed light on the pain behind Talley’s rise to the top. He was born in Durham, N.C. and grew up at a time when segregation still existed. He was sexually abused when he was a boy, tormented for being Black and stoned by students at Duke University on one of his weekly walks to buy fashion magazines. His most valuable education began when he interned with Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, and he landed at Vogue in 1983 where he held various titles, ending with editor-at-large.

Through his film and autobiography, we also learn how behind his back in Paris he was called Queen Kong, a term coined by Clara Saint, a publicist for Yves Saint Laurent. “There’ve been some very cruel and racist moments in my life in the world of fashion,” Talley expressed. “Incidents when people were harmful and mean-spirited and terrifying.”

After leaving Vogue, he seemed to grow lonely and bitter, calling the fashion world, “a vicious cruel beast.” He didn’t seem to understand the need for the budget cuts that were gutting the magazine industry, expressing horror that legendary editor Grace Coddington should have to line up for a taxi at the Paris airport. He came across as egomaniacal and entitled, which is unfortunate because given his wit and intelligence, and how dedicated he was to elevating others both at Vogue and through his support of the Savannah College of Art and Design, one would have hoped for a more serene retreat from centre stage. He certainly deserved it.

The post André Leon Talley, the Former Influential <em>Vogue</em> Editor, Dies at 73 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Instead, he created his own system — one that didn’t include going to fashion school and peddling fancy clothes to department stores.

Abloh was an architect and part of a DJ collective that had a small clothing line. He was tight with hip-hop artists Kanye West and Travis Scott — fellow creatives who dressed like him in sneakers, tees and cargo jackets. He and West did an internship at Fendi in 2009 and three years later, recognizing that a new generation were mixing streetwear with luxury labels, Abloh founded Off-White. The upscale casual wear bearing graphic black and white stripes and arrows took off, appealing to well-funded international students and tech entrepreneurs who were re-writing the rules on corporate dressing. Abloh preferred concept stores to traditional retail and in the summer of 2018, recreated his Chicago studio at the Ssense flagship in Montreal.

“Virgil was the first to merge music, architecture, culture, art and fashion,” comments George Antonopoulos, creative and fashion director of FASHION. “He created a lifestyle, not just a label. I think that’s what gave Off-White so much clout. He was also the king of collabs before collabs were king, finding success with IKEA, Nike, Mercedes-Benz and Rimowa.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @virgilabloh

“Everything Virgil touches, people are interested in,” Christopher Casuga told The Globe and Mail in 2019. Casuga and his wife Lia were the first in Canada to carry Off-White at their CNTRBND boutique in Toronto. In 2016, Abloh entrusted the duo to open one of his first Off-White stores on Yorkville Avenue. “Virgil has always told us to never be afraid to follow your dreams and believe in yourself,” Casuga told FASHION the day after Abloh’s passing. “It is a very sad moment for myself and my wife as he is a big reason we are who we have become today.”

Casuga and Abloh had been close friends ever since meeting at a party in Chicago in the late ’90s, and were part of a circle that included West, Scott, creative director Heron Preston and Givenchy designer Matthew Williams. “This is before they became who they are today,” Casuga told The Globe, recalling an event held at a Toronto nightclub that he calls, “one of most epic parties in Toronto ever. Virgil was DJing, Kanye was literally swinging off the ceiling.”

Abloh was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear in 2018, making him one of the few black designers to lead a major French fashion house. The casting for his debut Vuitton runway show was heavily BIPOC and included several rapper friends, as if he were signalling the traditional fashion world that he was setting a new agenda. Which he did.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Louis Vuitton (@louisvuitton)

Abloh paved the way for other non-fashion-schooled creatives to be seen and heard in the upper echelons of the luxury business. Fittingly, he was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential in 2018. Abloh was a visionary and a disruptor. But he was a husband, son, father and friend too. And that is the greatest loss of all.

The post Visionary Designer Virgil Abloh Dies at 41 After Private Battle With Cancer appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

More than 850 guests gathered in a range of locations on or near Bloor Street and at several after-party spots further afield.

CANFAR ambassadors appeared at each venue of Bloor Street Entertains to share the story of how their lives have been impacted by the virus. “I was born with full-blown Aids,” 23-year-old Ashley Rose Murphy told a rapt crowd at Tiffany & Co. Her early years were filled with hospital visits – “I thought all kids did that,” she shared. But when she was seven, her adoptive parents told her the real reason for all the doctor appointments. Thanks to advances in treatment and one pill a day, Murphy lives a relatively normal life, though not without stigma. “A bunch of parents at my school got together and told the principal they wanted me out because of my health status,” she recalls. “That principal stood up for me and told them their kids could leave; I was staying.”

Fighting stigma is one effort the $1.1 million raised will go towards. Another is spreading the word about self-testing kits, which became available in Canada last year. More than 65,000 Canadians are living with HIV, though 14 per cent aren’t aware of their status. CANFAR’s goal is to eliminate new HIV transmissions in Canada by 2025 through increased prevention.

Click through to see photos from the event.

Four seasons after party. Photography by George Pimentel

Four seasons after party. Photography by George Pimentel

Clio After Party. Photography by George Pimentel

Clio After Party. Photography by George Pimentel

Louis Vuitton dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Louis Vuitton dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Park Hyatt dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Tiffany & Co dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Tiffany & Co dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Tiffany & Co dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Yorkville Village dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Yorkville Village dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Four Seasons dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Four Seasons dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Lumas dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Lumas dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Holt Renfrew dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Holt Renfrew dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

Holt Renfrew dinner. Photography by George Pimentel

1/19

2/19

3/19

4/19

5/19

6/19

7/19

8/19

9/19

10/19

11/19

12/19

13/19

14/19

15/19

16/19

17/19

18/19

19/19

The post Toronto Galas Resume with Bloor Street Entertains Fundraiser for CANFAR appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The show had first been unveiled in May at an old limestone quarry in Provence, France, a region that inspired the flower prints in the collection. The quarry was the location for the film The Testament of Orpheus directed by artist Jean Cocteau, a friend of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s. There was no audience at the presentation so Chanel chose Dubai as the spot for its first post-pandemic destination show with invited guests.

Virginie Viard blended mod and punk vibes for looks that brought a fun edge to the tweed suits and flowy dresses — a bejewelled smock worn over fishnets with holes is just one example of the designer’s playful irony.

There was just as much fashion off the runway, though. Clients, press and stars of the Middle East and beyond busted out the bling with wall-to-wall Chanel including sequinned jumpsuits and glittering evening gowns from recent collections. And even women who chose to cloak themselves in black abayas clutched novelty purses — from a grapefruit-sized pearl to a giant bottle of Chanel No 5.

Star power included Penelope Cruz, who was cruising the scene in a white Chanel suit cut out in the back so a twinkling logo pendant dangled against her smooth skin. But it was John Legend who shone brightest — the singer flew in to perform five songs including the duet “Minefields” with Canadian-Moroccan singer Faouzia.

“It’s our first performance live in the same room together,” Faouzia pointed out before the show, relaxing in black satin pants and a turtleneck dotted with pink CC’s before changing into a white miniskirt and blazer for the stage. The pair had performed the song live once before for a Kelly Clarkson show but that was virtual, with Faouzia in Canada and Legend in LA.

Faouzia’s love of Chanel is a family affair — her sister and mother’s fragrance of choice is Chance. “Every time I smell it, I think of them. So even when I’m travelling I can be brought right back to them, just with a bottle of perfume.”

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

1/9

2/9

3/9

4/9

5/9

6/9

7/9

8/9

9/9

The post Chanel Brought John Legend and Faouzia Together for its Dazzling Dubai Show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

On this project, Beyoncé is reunited with Ghanaian-Dutch director Emmanuel Adjei following their previous work together on 2020’s visual album ‘Black is King.’

In addition to the film, the jeweller has partnered with BeyGOOD and the Shawn Carter Foundation to create the Tiffany & Co. About Love Scholarship Program. Tiffany & Co. has pledged USD $2M in scholarship funding for students in the arts and creative fields at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“Date Night” follows another dreamy Tiffany & Co. short featuring the couple. We don’t doubt that Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s day-to-day is filled with private jets, chauffeured cars and lots of bling, which is why the intimate one-minute “About Love” film could probably double as a documentary.

In the video for the recently released campaign, Queen B sings “Moon River,” the song made popular by the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, while singing towards Jay-Z on a private jet (not quite the “two drifters” that Audrey Hepburn sang about in the film while sitting on a window ledge looking out onto a fire escape). Just before the Tiffany & Co. short closes, Beyoncé pulls up in a chauffeured car to reunite with her hubby at Orum House, an architectural masterpiece overlooking Bel Air.

Another clip has Beyoncé tinkling on a grand piano, while the 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond dangles down her back. That would be the same mega rock that played a starring role in the Tiffany & Co. print campaign released in August. Jay-Z, who in one scene watches a home video he shot of his beloved in (where else?) a private screening room, wears cufflinks reimagined from the legendary Jean Schlumberger Bird on a Rock brooch.

Tiffany & Co. describes the film as “stripped down and raw, capturing the Carters’ indescribable chemistry through stolen moments of intimacy.” The longing felt between the film’s co-stars is tangible as they share various tender moments.

The post Beyoncé and Jay-Z Go On a Date with Tiffany & Co. appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Decades ago, Linda Evangelista complained to a reporter, “Someone could come backstage with a gun and shoot us all,” or something along those lines. Whatever her exact words were, the sentiment was 100% accurate: fashion shows can be a target for people who want attention and sometimes security can be breached. Back in the day, it was by anti-fur protesters. This time a banner was carried onto the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2022 runway with a message about over-consumption. They needn’t have bothered. We all know the environmental impact of clothing. But saving up to buy one piece of Louis Vuitton that will be cherished forever rather than blowing the budget on piles of fast fashion that will be tossed into landfill soon after is actually the more sustainable choice. So, protestors, pick your runway wisely next time.

The transgression didn’t take away from the power of the procession under a row of glittering chandeliers at the Louvre. The theme of the collection was the idea that time is of no consequence and there was a lot of blurring of day and night, sport and dress-up. Think a pretty lace skirt with wide hip panniers anchored by a wrestling-type boot and you’ve got the gist.

Time was much more specific earlier in the day at Chanel where designer Virginie Viard recreated an ’80s-style runway with photographers standing in deep trenches in front of the first row. This was before autofocus technology had been perfected, later allowing photographers to shoot from the back of the room with long lenses. Aiming up at the models produced awful angles, which you will immediately see looking at show images from that period. But Viard was simply setting a mood. “I used to love the sound of flashbulbs going off at the shows in the ‘80s, when the models were on a raised runway. I wanted to recapture that emotion,” she said in a press release. Her smiling models and denim suits, fishnet skirts and butterfly prints definitely stirred up memories of an easier, breezier time.

ICYMI, here are some looks from both shows.

Photography Courtesy Louis Vuitton

Photography Courtesy Louis Vuitton

Photography Courtesy Louis Vuitton

Photography Courtesy Louis Vuitton

Photography Courtesy Louis Vuitton

Photography Courtesy Chanel

Photography courtesy Chanel

Photography courtesy Chanel

Photography courtesy Chanel

Photography courtesy Chanel

1/10

2/10

3/10

4/10

5/10

6/10

7/10

8/10

9/10

10/10

The post What Did the Louis Vuitton Protestors Really Accomplish? appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Depp’s wardrobe in the film isn’t nearly as fancy. She plays Sophie, the youngish girlfriend among a close circle of school friends who reunite for Christmas in the English countryside. It’s everyone’s last Christmas, actually. Silent Night, which is written and directed by Camille Griffin, starts off as a rather typical holiday tale. But things get dark quickly and in the end, (almost) everyone dies. The spoiler is intentional, so that viewers who might be triggered know what they are getting themselves into. But for a doomsday story, it’s surprisingly funny. Though Depp’s character delivers some of the more doleful moments.

Motherhood in the spotlight at TIFF

“Sophie broke my heart in a lot of ways,” Depp says. “She’s a mother-to-be and feeling all these maternal instincts of wanting to protect her baby. But life is being taken away from them in real time. And we see her not be able to fulfill that primal desire.”

Griffin’s own three sons also star in Silent Night, including Roman Griffin Davis, best known as JoJo Rabbit in the film of the same name. And we can’t help but feel that Griffin wove her own emotions as a mum into much of the script.

Would it be a different film if it had been written by a man?

“Absolutely,” Depp says. “Motherhood is an important part of the story. And even more so for Camille because her own three children were in the movie. And the concept came from her kids watching some catastrophe movie and asking her, ‘What would happen if this really happened to us?’”

Motherhood was also top of mind for Keira Knightly, who plays the hostess of the Christmas gathering.“Keira first read the script when she was pregnant and then had a little baby when we were making the movie. So I’m sure that informed a lot of her decisions.” Depp adds that she would like to be a mother herself someday.

Chanel advancing women writers

The female point of view is precisely the reason why Chanel has created a new Women Writers’ Network in partnership with TIFF. The multi-year program will provide funding to help advance the careers of women and non-binary writers. The network includes access to script consultants and established screenwriters, peer-to-peer sessions with emerging filmmakers, and a talent summit that allows writers to showcase their work to producers and other industry insiders.

Is that the sort of thing Depp sees herself doing down the road? “I’m a big journaler, but professionally not at this moment,” she says. “But never say never.”

The post Lily-Rose Depp Rules TIFF Red Carpet in Chanel appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

We are so proud to celebrate and honour Canadian fashion’s great creatives virtually at the upcoming Awards on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

A first for CAFA, the digital format democratizes the Gala while acknowledging our homegrown talent. This year has undoubtedly seen its share of challenges and hardships, but it has also taught us that we are stronger when we stand united.

CAFA’s aim has always been and continues to be to honour outstanding achievement and emerging talent in the Canadian fashion industry. Diversity and inclusion have always been a part of CAFA’s core values as is the goal of growing a stronger appreciation of Canadian talent both at home and abroad.

We want to ensure that CAFA’s focus is about celebration and shining a light on our amazing talent.  As such, CAFA has made the decision to defer The Suzanne Rogers Designer Grant Award and Suzanne Rogers will not be attending this year’s Gala.

We sincerely thank you for your continued support and hope you will be able to join us to celebrate Canada’s most fashionable night!

The article below was originally published on May 2, 2021 and provides the context for CAFA’s decision:

On the morning of Saturday, May 1, Suzanne Rogers posted an Instagram Story posing with former U.S. President Donald Trump at his private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Fla. Given that Rogers has positioned herself as the fairy godmother of Canadian fashion, members of that community reacted immediately with condemnations, citing Trump’s lack of support for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people. In 2016, a $1 million donation from The Suzanne and Edward Rogers Foundation established the Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute at Ryerson University to support emerging designers. Last November, the Foundation provided another gift of $1 million to the SRFI. But Rogers’ post seems to have trumped, so to speak, her previous financial goodwill.

Suzanne Rogers, her husband Edward and two sons dined at Mar-a-Lago on Friday and posed for a photo with Trump at the end of the evening. Rogers posted the photo with the caption, “A Special Way to End the Night!” By midday Saturday, after outrage began circulating online, Rogers took down the post.

Toronto designer Michael Zoffranieri was one of the first to express his dismay on social media, by reposting Rogers’ post, adding the caption, “Will Canadian fashion accept this?”

Phones began buzzing all over the city with members of the fashion community voicing their disapproval on social media and encouraging others to do the same. The Ryerson School of Fashion also posted a statement inviting “Suzanne Rogers to enter into a dialogue with our faculty, staff and students to discuss the impact that Trump and his community has had on further harming members of the fashion industry who are low income, Black, brown, Asian, disabled, Indigenous, trans, queer, and/or part of other systemically marginalized communities.”

The post was later removed and replaced with a message from Ryerson University which includes the following: “We do not believe social media is the appropriate platform to judge the actions of others.” It also goes on to say, “We will be respectful of differing viewpoints,” which did little to quell the ire, especially among those associated with the Ryerson School of Fashion.

Ben Barry, the Ryerson School of Fashion’s Chair and Associate Professor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, shot back on Instagram Stories with a message that the Ryerson University statement “are Ryerson’s words not mine or our school,” referring to the School of Fashion.

Various observers began questioning the integrity of Ryerson University, and whether they are motivated by the Rogers family’s deep financial contributions to the school, including the Ted Rogers School of Management.

Members of the SRFI Advisory Board began resigning, including Hudson’s Bay Vice-President and Fashion Director Tyler Franch and communications consultant Lisa Tant.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Anjli Patel (@anjlitoronto)

On Sunday, Toronto lawyer Anjli Patel, who teaches a fashion law course at Ryerson, wrote a three-part letter to Mohamed Lachemi, president of Ryerson University, and posted it on her Instagram account, @anjlitoronto. It notes that the School of Fashion’s guiding principles are inclusion, decolonization and sustainability. She encourages others to write to the head of the school as well.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Suzanne Rogers (@suzannerogerstoronto)

On Tuesday, May 4, Rogers posted a statement on her Instagram account. “I have always believed in equality, diversity, inclusiveness, and respect for all,” the statement begins. “The Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute, at Ryerson University, is a true reflection of diversity in Canadian fashion.”

The second paragraph of Rogers’ Instagram statement goes on to address the Donald Trump photo in question, saying that she has no relationship with the former president, “good or otherwise,” and that she had never met him before that night. “No political statement, on any policy, was intended by the photograph. Taking and posting it was done with any considering the false assumptions and implications that would be made about my personal beliefs. I regret that my actions caused anyone to question my values or commitment to the communities and causes my family and I hold so dear,” she writes. Noticeably absent from the statement is acknowledgement that calling an encounter with Trump, however brief, “special” would be hurtful and concerning to said communities.

At the time of this publication, comments on the post were disabled.

The post Suzanne Rogers Will Not Attend This Year’s CAFA Awards Event appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The actor and Chanel ambassador viewed the show at the 16^th century Chateau de Chenonceau in the Loire region which is said to have been one of Catherine de Medici’s favourite residences. And no wonder. Models walked the floor of a regal ballroom built over the Cher river, with the checkerboard dance floor turned into graphic sequinned minis and a long fringed tweed skirt.

Designed by Virginie Viard to show off the talents of the Métiers d’Art, a group of embroidery, feather and other handcrafting houses owned by Chanel, the collection also featured flowers from the gardens embroidered on a jacket lapel, Renaissance-style ruffs in white organza, tasseled earrings nodding to the passementerie fringe on bed pillows, and the structure itself twinkling in the style of a child’s toy from waists and bags.

Much of the collection is black – a favourite Coco Chanel hue, and the only colour worn by Catherine de Medici after the death of Henri II, King of France.

“I was struck by the storytelling,” Stewart said in a video released after the show.  “I mean, the clothes are beautiful, but you could feel the generations of storytelling of this place folding in on each other.”

Snag your own front row seat to the show by hitting play below:

The post Kristen Stewart Was The Only Audience at the Chanel Métiers d’Art Show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Nancy Falaise, Montreal

With a goal of 10,000 signatures, salon owner Nancy Falaise aims to present a completed curly hair program to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Quebec that would introduce all curl patterns (wavy, curly and coily) into beauty school curriculum, beginning with the fall 2021 semester. “I’d like them to either use my program or [have me] help them create one. A good hairdresser, even if they specialize in one thing, should know the basics of everything. Hair is hair,” she says.

Solange Ashoori, Toronto

Owner of Toronto’s Ziba Style Bar, an inclusive salon that caters to all hair types, Solange Ashoori’s petition is addressed to the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges & Universities and calls for a major overhaul to all post-secondary hair programs in the province that tackles the insufficient education of curls, specially 3C to 4C curl patterns. For Ashoori, the public response to her petition asking for 10,000 signatures has been fascinating. “We weren’t even expecting the petition to get as big as it did. That reiterates that the need for this change is imperative,” she comments. “I hope that the ministry will accept our help and listen to the demands of thousands of stylists and people who are hopeful that this change will be implemented.”

Chloe Streit, Calgary

Grade 12 student Chloe Streit is demanding that secondary school cosmetology courses in Alberta include modules on Black hair through her petition pushing for 15,000 signatures. The young hairstylist-in-training was inspired to spark change after her employer, modeling agency Mode Models, released a new booking policy in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests that now charges clients if a Black model shows up on set to hairstylists ill-equipped to style their natural hair. “As a white woman in society, I started thinking about the ways my race gave me an unfair advantage in life,” says Streit. “I immediately thought of my cosmetology class and the ways in which our curriculum is so skewed to only catering to [Caucasian hair]. There’s very little representation of BIPOC cultures or trends, which I thought was utterly ridiculous and upsetting.”

Missed our last Texture Talk column? Click here.

The post Texture Talk: 3 Canadian Petitions to Sign to Demand Textured Hairstyling is Taught in Beauty School Ed appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

After graduating in 2014, Bai worked as a legal assistant in a law office, but her fashion consumption was still going full steam. “My friends were like, ‘Why not share it online?’” she says. “So my blog and Instagram are called CherMyCloset.” (And, yes, she is named after that Cher.)

After only one year, Bai’s little venture was paying the bills, largely through brand partnerships. She quit her law job and is grateful that her family didn’t balk. “All Asian parents want their kids to be doctors, lawyers or bankers—but not my mom,” she says.

Bai now has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, and she has stepped up the level of brands she wears to include Tibi, Chanel and Low Classic (a Korean favourite). She recently added the Louis Vuitton Multi Pochette Accessoires to her “blogger bag” collection. And a highlight of the past year was a makeup collab with M.A.C that is sold exclusively at Hudson’s Bay.

Still, as a blogger in a saturated market, Bai says she needs a Plan B. Hers is a fashion jewellery collection called TJE—the T is for her husband, Todd Xu, the J is for their two-year-old daughter, Jade, and the E is from her name.

Xu is a trained engineer who has been working as Bai’s full-time photographer. “He loves drawing and painting and has a more artistic side than I do so he does most of the jewellery design,” she says. “I do the social media for the brand.”

With so much time spent on social media, Bai is hyper-aware of shifting moods, including the movement toward more mindful shopping. “I have a responsibility to recycle clothes and wear them again, and I will shop less at H&M and Zara,” she pledges. “But it’s hard for influencers. I have to post at least once a day, and I can only post an outfit maybe two or three times. You have to always wear something new and trendy. You have to be on top of your game.”

How does she deal with that unrelenting pressure? “At first, I felt very pressured to buy a purse because it was trendy, even if I didn’t like it,” she says. “But now, I feel like I can be me. You have to stay true to yourself. Nowadays, everyone is a blogger and they shoot in similar places and have similar feeds with similar tones to their photos. Your strong suit is that no one is you. You have to be you.”

See the rest of this issue’s cover profiles here.

The post Cher Bai Is an Instagrammer, Entrepreneur and Mindful Shopping Advocate appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

For our FASHION cover shoot, though, Wilson arrived in her uniform of all-black layers—a typical off-duty-model look. But Wilson is anything but typical. With her luminous sage-green eyes and galaxy of freckles, she was snapped up as soon as she walked in the door of Toronto’s Elite Model Management in 2013. She has since travelled around the world, shooting in Barcelona and walking in a Tommy Hilfiger show in Shanghai.

“All of that is very surreal to me,” she says. “I never thought I would go to these places. We didn’t have a lot of money to travel when I was younger. So I am very thankful for all of these opportunities and experiences.”

The achievement must feel even sweeter given that Wilson was bullied while growing up—even by the three other black girls at her school who all relaxed their hair. So at about age eight, she convinced her mother to let her start relaxing her hair, too.

“It’s hard to put into words how it makes me feel to have my natural hair. I feel more like myself. I feel more in love with myself. It’s like I was never myself until now. It feels amazing.”

“She didn’t want me to, but she saw how sad I was,” says Wilson, who only recently, at 24, decided to stop. “It’s hard to put into words how it makes me feel to have my natural hair. I feel more like myself. I feel more in love with myself. It’s like I was never myself until now. It feels amazing.”

And those freckles, which drew taunts when she was a child, have become one of her greatest assets. “They’re a huge part of my look,” she says. “Sometimes [makeup artists] will cover the beauty mark by my eyebrow or the ones close to my nose. But if I catch them doing it, I’ll rub [the makeup] off.”

So how far does Wilson feel we have come in accepting different definitions of beauty? “It’s starting to evolve, but I think we can do better,” she says. This is especially true in terms of runway sizes and measurements—most samples are still created for rake-thin bodies, something she says is just plain unrealistic. “My hips are too big for Paris,” she grimaces, referring to her measurement of 36 to 37 inches. 

And how does that make her feel? “Sad,” she admits. But her growing sense of self-acceptance helps. “If a designer does like me, they like me for me,” she says. “And I don’t want to have to conform and change the way my body looks just so I can do one job—or for the pleasure of somebody else.”

See the rest of this issue’s cover profiles here.

The post Aleece Wilson on Finding Self-Acceptance in the Modelling Industry appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Once inside it was clear what the theme of the show would be. A garden of camellia shrubs flanked the steps to a series of rooms decorated like Mlle Chanel’s Rue Cambon apartment, which remains just as she left it when she passed away in 1971. Guests took selfies on the beige sofas and admired the gilt mirrors, coromandel screens and wheat accents – one of Coco’s talismans and good luck symbols.

Four replicas of her living room chandelier hung over the runway, and models descended from a curved cream staircase with mirrored walls, similar to the one where Mlle would preside over her own shows unfolding below.

If the ghost of Chanel were watching last night’s presentation, she must have been pleased. Artistic director Virginie Viard – in her first solo Metiers d’Art collection since the death of Karl Lagerfeld earlier this year – respectfully riffed on Coco’s signatures with a dash of modern flash, thanks to the exquisite skills of beading and feather houses Lesage and Lemarie, which Chanel owns. There were sequined and lurex jumpsuits and coats sash-tied with lavish wheat beading, ribbons and chains. A black/white jacket split down the middle nodded to Chanel’s two-tone spectator pumps. A tie-dye effect, inspired by a pink tweed suit created by Gabrielle Chanel in 1960 and lined in black, blue, pink and mauve tie-dye, gave a nice jolt to tweed suits and a chiffon dress trimmed in feathers. Miniature bags were playfully worn as jewellery. A golden cage purse references a bird cage given to Mlle by one of her seamstresses and remains in her apartment.

A gown in white duchess satin inspired by one worn by Mlle Chanel in a Cecil Beaton photo caught the eye of Yara Shahidi, who sat front row alongside fellow Chanel ambassador Charlotte Cardin of Montreal.

“I loved the show. I felt like I saw the entire timeline of the brand walk by me in a different way,” Shahidi said. “And the white silks always get me. Chanel bridal in general, even if it isn’t traditional bridal, is something I’ve been a fan of forever. I have an absurd archive on my phone of every bridal-esque piece.”

“I felt like there was so much I would wear,” Cardin mused, citing the tie-dye tops in particular.

And what about boyfriend Aliocha Schneider? Would he wear anything from the show? “No,” he demured. “Yes you would!” Cardin countered. “What about that tiny pink purse? You could wear it as a necklace!”

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

Photography courtesy of Chanel

1/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

2/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

3/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

4/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

5/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

6/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

7/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

8/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

9/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

10/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

11/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

12/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

13/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

14/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

15/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

16/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

17/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

18/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

19/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

20/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

21/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

22/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

23/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

24/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

25/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

26/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

27/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

28/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

29/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

30/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

31/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

32/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

33/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

34/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

35/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

36/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

37/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

38/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

39/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

40/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

41/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

42/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

43/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

44/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

45/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

46/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

47/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

48/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

49/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

50/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

51/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

52/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

53/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

54/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

55/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

56/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

57/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

58/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

59/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

60/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

61/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

62/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

63/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

64/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

65/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

66/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

67/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

68/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

69/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

70/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

71/71

Métiers d’Art 2020

The post A Glance Inside Chanel’s Rue Cambon Métiers d’Art 2020 Show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

The night ends with a rousing dance party at the Four Seasons Hotel, which last night was a sea of sequins including the Beckerman twins decked out in Oscar gold. But it was the words spoken by CANFAR ambassador Muluba Habanyama as she roamed some of the venues that drove home the mission of the night: raising funds to support innovative research, awareness programs focused on prevention and testing, improving treatment and care and ending HIV stigma. After explaining some of the challenges she has faced since being diagnosed HIV positive when she was two, Habanyama, now 26, ended with a simple, “Thank you for helping me live.”

One guest at the Louis Vuitton dinner was so moved, he got up from the table and bought Habanyama a purse, before committing a sizable donation to the cause. Now that’s style.

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

1/69

Bloor Street Entertains

2/69

Bloor Street Entertains

3/69

Bloor Street Entertains

4/69

Bloor Street Entertains

5/69

Bloor Street Entertains

6/69

Bloor Street Entertains

7/69

Bloor Street Entertains

8/69

Bloor Street Entertains

9/69

Bloor Street Entertains

10/69

Bloor Street Entertains

11/69

Bloor Street Entertains

12/69

Bloor Street Entertains

13/69

Bloor Street Entertains

14/69

Bloor Street Entertains

15/69

Bloor Street Entertains

16/69

Bloor Street Entertains

17/69

Bloor Street Entertains

18/69

Bloor Street Entertains

19/69

Bloor Street Entertains

20/69

Bloor Street Entertains

21/69

Bloor Street Entertains

22/69

Bloor Street Entertains

23/69

Bloor Street Entertains

24/69

Bloor Street Entertains

25/69

Bloor Street Entertains

26/69

Bloor Street Entertains

27/69

Bloor Street Entertains

28/69

Bloor Street Entertains

29/69

Bloor Street Entertains

30/69

Bloor Street Entertains

31/69

Bloor Street Entertains

32/69

Bloor Street Entertains

33/69

Bloor Street Entertains

34/69

Bloor Street Entertains

35/69

Bloor Street Entertains

36/69

Bloor Street Entertains

37/69

Bloor Street Entertains

38/69

Bloor Street Entertains

39/69

Bloor Street Entertains

40/69

Bloor Street Entertains

41/69

Bloor Street Entertains

42/69

Bloor Street Entertains

43/69

Bloor Street Entertains

44/69

Bloor Street Entertains

45/69

Bloor Street Entertains

46/69

Bloor Street Entertains

47/69

Bloor Street Entertains

48/69

Bloor Street Entertains

49/69

Bloor Street Entertains

50/69

Bloor Street Entertains

51/69

Bloor Street Entertains

52/69

Bloor Street Entertains

53/69

Bloor Street Entertains

54/69

Bloor Street Entertains

55/69

Bloor Street Entertains

56/69

Bloor Street Entertains

57/69

Bloor Street Entertains

58/69

Bloor Street Entertains

59/69

Bloor Street Entertains

60/69

Bloor Street Entertains

61/69

Bloor Street Entertains

62/69

Bloor Street Entertains

63/69

Bloor Street Entertains

64/69

Bloor Street Entertains

65/69

Bloor Street Entertains

66/69

Bloor Street Entertains

67/69

Bloor Street Entertains

68/69

Bloor Street Entertains

69/69

Bloor Street Entertains

The post Inside Last Night’s Stylish Evening With the Canadian Foundation for Aids Research at Bloor Street Entertains appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

She places a foot on the opposite knee as she speaks, demonstrating a hip that is far more limber than most. Her hands ruffle like a flag in the wind, as if they have no bones. And the reactivity of her facial muscles is a show in itself—just one of the many gifts she brings to the stage, whether she is at home or guesting with the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg or The Royal Ballet in London.

“It’s only been done by a handful of ballerinas. And for ballets to stay alive, people have to dance them.”

Hodgkinson will give her farewell performance with the company in March 2020 in Marguerite and Armand, which was acquired in her honour by The National Ballet of Canada’s artistic director, Karen Kain. “It’s one that I wanted to dance for a long time,” says Hodgkinson of the ballet created in 1963 for Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn by British choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton. “It’s only been done by a handful of ballerinas. And for ballets to stay alive, people have to dance them.”

For a dancer as renowned as Hodgkinson, who has had numerous roles and full ballets created for her, choosing how to retire is tricky. Some principals return to an old favourite, but Hodgkinson didn’t want her final perform­ance to be clouded by memories of how she had danced the role when she was younger. Others go out with a bang, like Wendy Whelan, for whom a brand-new work was created when she retired from the New York City Ballet at age 47. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s so brave!’” says Hodgkinson. “And then I was like, ‘That’s such a great idea—to do something new.’”

This choice is both new and smart. Marguerite and Armand was created for Fonteyn when she was 43. Nureyev was much younger, so it’s the male role that “has the bravura,” explains Hodgkinson.

“Understanding how to build up to a role is super-important. So like a marathon runner, you know that on a certain day you need to be your best.”

She admits that age was a consideration when she and Kain started talking about her future a few years ago. “I didn’t know how I was going to feel in another two or three years, and I didn’t want to set myself up for something and then get there and feel that I didn’t know if I could do it as well as I wanted to,” says Hodgkinson, who left her home in Rhode Island at age 11 to attend Canada’s National Ballet School and then joined the company at 16.

As it turns out, Hodgkinson’s technique is still powerful and rich with nuance. And her characterizations have the emotional depth that can only come with maturity. That’s one of the benefits of dancing for so long, she says. “The technique becomes second nature so the other layers can sit on top of it.”

Hodgkinson chalks up her longevity to a combination of daily physiotherapy (her tote bag full of massage balls and stretching tools is her constant companion) and the guidance of Magdalena Popa, the company’s principal artistic coach. “She has worked with me through almost every role I’ve ever done,” says Hodgkinson. “Understanding how to build up to a role is super-important. So like a marathon runner, you know that on a certain day you need to be your best.”

“It’s just not going to get any better than this.”

The only major issue she ever had was when she was 21 and fractured her foot rehearsing Swan Lake. “We were doing a full run in the studio, and I did a jump and landed; I heard a pop, and I just fell to the ground,” she says. “It was my metatarsal, a stress fracture. That put me off for six weeks, and I was obviously devastated.”

But since that one hiccup, Hodgkinson hasn’t looked back, even sliding two children with fellow dancer and husband Etienne Lavigne into the picture.

Hodgkinson has projects planned for the next couple of years, including a new work with frequent collaborator Guillaume Côté that will be performed at Canadian Stage and Danse Danse next spring. So she seems more satisfied than sad about this career transition. “Thirty years is a good round number,” she says. “And I really wanted to do it at a time when I feel like I’m still dancing well and there’s still a lot that I can do. And Karen bringing Marguerite and Armand in for me is such a huge honour. I thought, ‘It’s just not going to get any better than this.’”

This article originally appeared in the Winter issue of FASHION Canada, on stands now. 

The post Greta Hodgkinson on Her 30-Year Career With The National Ballet of Canada appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

1/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

2/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

3/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

4/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

5/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

6/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

7/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

8/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

9/9

Suzanne Rogers Presents Victoria Beckham Spring 2020

“You all have order forms at your table and I’m going to be lurking around so if anyone has any questions or wants styling advice, please feel free to come and ask me,” Beckham said, reminding all that, thanks to the support of Net-a-Porter, 20 per cent of the take would benefit Camp Oochigeas and The Penelope Neuroblastoma Foundation, named for a 4-year-old who died of the disease and whose parents were in the crowd.

And what a crowd it was, dressed to thrill as has (thankfully) become the norm in this city.

“Is this what women wear to lunch these days? Backless and sequins?” one society matron mused surveying the scene. In the age of Instagram, and Rogers/Mantella-level fashion enthusiasm, the answer is yes.

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

Photography by George Pimentel

1/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

2/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

3/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

4/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

5/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

6/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

7/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

8/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

9/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

10/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

11/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

12/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

13/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

14/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

15/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

16/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

17/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

18/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

19/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

20/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

21/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

22/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

23/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

24/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

25/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

26/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

27/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

28/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

29/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

30/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

31/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

32/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

33/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

34/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

35/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

36/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

37/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

38/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

39/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

40/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

41/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

42/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

43/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

44/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

45/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

46/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

47/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

48/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

49/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

50/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

51/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

52/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

53/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

54/54

Suzanne Rogers Presents

The post Suzanne Rogers Brings the Fashion Industry to Toronto for a Victoria Beckham Spring 2020 Runway Show appeared first on FASHION Magazine.