Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Shoes.Of.The.Day: Fur

Oh winter, how I love you. The freezing weather, the snow up to our ears & the multitude of layers one must wear to feel some kind of warmth & relief, joy! Did I say I love winter? Back in the day, fur was used to battle the cold climates by our ancestors. Now these days, fur has become an 'it' item on every catwalks of the world, used on clothes, as trims, in accessories, etc. With that being said, fur is probably the most rebellious and controversial fabric used in fashion today as your either for or against the use of it. Activists and animal cruelty advocates like Peta and other organization are often seen protesting and condemning the use of fur. However, my post is not to condemn the use of fur nor be to be pro-fur. I leave this to the consumer and his choice to chose to wear it or not. My post is mostly to show the beautiful things that are created by designers out there with such a fabric or the look of fur by using faux fur. Please, no hate! ;)

-Ladies.Shoes.Of.The.Day:

(Irregular.Choice.Winter.2011)

Who
: Irregular Choice
What: Fur trimmed ankle boots
Why
: Love this pair of Irregular Choice boots with fur trimming. The use of earth tone colors work and the heel isn't too high, yet still sexy enough. Love the play on colors and fabrics with a dark chocolate brown in nubuck & a beige hair-like fabric which make the boot funky. The toggle-like hardware give the style some military touch without being so suggestive. Definitely swoon worthy!
How Much
: £120 (approximately $195 Cnd)

-Men.Shoes.Of.The.Day:

(DSquared2.Winter.2011)
Who: DSquared2
What: Pony fur ankle moccasins

Why
: Love everything about these moccasins. The color, the shape, the details, all superb. Just awesome. i also love the toggle-like shoe lace detail giving it a rougher edge than the traditional moccasin. The mix of deep chocolate brown leather trim and the grayish fur is beautiful. Beautiful pair of shoes.

How Much:
$1175 Cnd (@ssense.com)

Whether your pro or anti-fur, its hard to deny the beauty of the above shoes. What do you think?

-The.Shoe.Freak
(source: irregularchoice.com/ssense.com)

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Montreal.Fashion.Week.Fall.Winter.2011: Recap

Now that Montreal fashion week is over and that I have shared with you my experience attending the shows every day, it is now time to recap the week by naming my favorite shows. I must say, to begin with, that this edition of Montreal fashion week has surprised me in many ways, mostly for good and positive reasons. I discovered many new talents, seen very good potentials and overall, think this edition was a great success on every level. There was some sort of hype surrounding the week and it surely did not disappoint. But first and foremost, the level of creativity, design and taste seen on the catwalks was better than expected. Here are my top 3 shows of the week:

1-Melissa.Nepton


Everything about this collection for me screamed fresh, classic, chic and coherent. The last word in my previous sentence is what stuck to me the most about this collection. The coherence of the show from the beginning to end proved that Nepton was in control of the whole collection. Everything that was put on each model was there for a purpose. The colors used (mostly black, champagne, light gray, off white and printed black and whites) were beautifully rich. The fur amount was just right-loved the fur clutches. The silhouettes were spot on with the feeling of the collection-looser on the top and skinny on the bottom,
with one wide leg trouser as an exception. The fabrics were ultra luxurious and refined as seen on the stunning cocoon cross over coat-my favorite piece of the night. Another one of my preferred look was the great printed dresses that flowed through the runway with a black looser jacket. The sweaters felt lavish yet very comfortable. The styling was effective and not over the top; the models hair were coiffed in a high chignon style while tucked into a backless hat and make-up was subdued. The accessories were beautiful like the long scarf with fur pompoms at each tip or the oversize fur gloves and I can go on and on! Like one of my fellow blogger told me while leaving the show, it left us with a smile on, and our mood changed from all the blend austerity we had seen so far. Simply beautiful.

2-Samuel.Dong


My surprised discovery of the week was Samuel Dong's couture-like collection. The hair, make-up and styling were lovely, reminiscent of couture catwalks. A lot of the pieces were very editorial and catwalk friendly; models were breezing through the runway with longer back tranes on ruffled coats, stunning multi-colored patterned dresses and sequined leggings while fur accents were everywhere. My favorite look was the stunning red coat with loads of ruffles while underneath, hiding, was a very intricate black and red diamond-pieced dress and the hot multicolored sequined leggings. Also, there was the charmingly simple but oh so effective dress in a colorful pattern with a contrasting black ruffled piece at the waist and a fur stole hanging on the model's shoulders. There was much to see in every look. It can be too much for some, but for me, it showed an attention to detail and showmanship that usually lacks from our catwalks in Montreal. Fabrics and details used like taffeta (used on puffy and ballooned skirts), silk (sometimes solid, sometimes printed with wild patterns), printed nylon and multicolored sequins were resonating with what we see on international catwalks, again, repeating myself here, but very couture-like. And the top reason why I admired this collection was for the superb workmanship. Simply exquisite.

3-Denis.Gagnon


The darling of Montreal fashion was at it again showing an incredible display of talent, creativity, workmanship and showmanship. The music, the scent and the way his show was presented (a two distinct segment-like presentation) provided a censorial experience filled with drama and emotion. His collection was great, as usual, however, it wasn't my favorite of the week because his second portion of the show left me a bit wondering. His first segment was truly genius. An all black masterful play of and with volume, changing his to-the-
body-tight silhouette of previous seasons for a looser and roomier shape, while playing with fabrics and exercising controlled intricacies as delicate yet astounding as possible on every shape. My favorite look was the amazing razor sharp fur jacket paired with a detachable zippered pleated skirt in leather. His signature zippers were there but not as visible as usual, which was refreshing. The shoes, in collaboration with Aldo again, were stunning yet a lot of models seemed to have trouble walking in them. There was fur on the back of boots or on the wedges, and there was black high wedges with hints of colorful appliques. The accessories (bags, hats, jewelry and so forth) were great as well. However the second part of the show left me puzzled as Denis Gagnon ventured into crazy wild colorful clothing in hot pinks, turquoise, bright yellows and more. Although the clothes were beautifully constructed and the pieces themselves were superb, I didn't find they fitted the aesthetic of the show we were witnessing at first. The crochet-type dresses were regal and very editorial, however I felt I was watching 2 different shows all in one which left me a bit perplexed. But, all in all, Denis Gagnon proved once again that he is a master of unimaginable talent. Simply wonderful.

***Worthy.Mentions
:


-Anomal.Couture
for her one-pieces with exaggerated shoulders and some showstopping dresses (the one shoulder Grecian inspired blue dress was stunning).
-Cluc.Couture for a refreshing presentation full of dynamic and well constructed Gothic clothes (not my style of clothing but I admire his creativity & like everyone else in the audience, marveled at the model wearing the orange dress and the emotion it brought the audience).
-Barilà for sending out clothes any woman would want in her closet and for picking up on the modern take of the 70's theme which is whats on trend everywhere internationally.

So there you have it, Fall-Winter 2011 season in Montreal is done. Now time to catch up with New York fashion week and the rest of the major cities afterward to see whats going on, and compare Montreal to them.

What shows did you like or dislike from the 20th edition of Montreal fashion week? Leave your thoughts or comments on your favorites shows of the week.

-The.Shoe.Freak
(source: montrealfashionweek.ca/modemontreal.tv/Jimmyhamelin.com)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Montreal.Fashion.Week.Fall.Winter.2011: Day.4

The final day of Montreal fashion week (day 4) ended with a bang as Montreal fashion heavy hitters like Denis Gagnon, Marie Saint Pierre and Barilà were taking center stage on the most prestigious night of the week. Exciting news for the fashion scene as there was such an exuberant feeling of anticipation and excitement in the air. Everyone was on their best outfits and looks of the week and everyone wanted to be seen & heard. People were scrambling to get the last few tickets available including me, however I gave up after a while but I met incredible people who got me tickets for the last few shows. I would like to thank them for their help (they know who they are).

And the buzz was justified. Great talents showcasing their looks, some really good collections and some really good pieces from the last day of Montreal's fashion week.

This whole week, my first experience as a fashion blogger, made me realize that its a lot of work, and you must be patient and be prepared to stay on your two feet for long periods of time. And you cannot be claustrophobic as at times, there was a sea of people all at once trying to get into shows, waiting in line or just having some good old drinks while chatting it up. The whole social aspect of the event is fun but can get tiring and its important to realize that at the end of the day, you are there to do a job, which is to attend, see and report on the great and not so great fashion that is presented to us while staying true to your own self, opinions, thoughts and likes or dislikes.

I attended 4 shows: Denis Gagnon, by Thomas-Samuel Mercure-Chrisitan L'enfant Roi presented by Trusst, Barilà and Marie Saint Pierre.

No pictures this time as I forgot my camera home. But as mentioned before, I will post a recap of Montreal Fashion week's best shows according to me. So stay tuned!

-The.Shoe.Freak

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Montreal.Fashion.Week.Fall.Winter.2011: Day.3

Day 3 of my Montreal Fashion Week experience turned out to be great. I have met so many wonderful people; many of my fellow fashion bloggers, great stylists, journalists, fashionistas and so on. Whats great about mingling is to see everyone's different point of view on fashion, collections we've just witnessed and how everyone interprets themes, looks and so on. Also, it is great to get to know everyone's attraction towards fashion and their path & history that lead them to where they are now.

Again, I wasn't able to take good pictures. And I think I'll just stop trying for the final day 4 of fashion week. Hey, it is my first experience at SMM20 as a fashion blogger, learning process!!! ;) No worries though as there will be official pictures from the Montreal fashion week sources in my end of the week recap post.

I attended 4 shows today: !Nu.I, Samuel Dong, Cluc Couture and Soia&Kyo. There were some very good stuff from all the shows, however my favorite was Samuel Dong. I didn't know what to expect from him as I didn't really know his aesthetic. I was surprised at his beautiful workmanship. Lots of his pieces were very editorial and made for a catwalk show which is what we usually come to see. The hair, make-up and styling was gorgeous. The multicolored, extra tight, sequined leggings were awesome and there was some pretty great shoes. Cluc couture's presentation was refreshing. And like everyone in the audience for sure, loved his orange dress; a very dramatic moment.

Here are some of my captured pictures for you all:

(start of !Nu.I's show)

(start of Samuel Dong's show)

(finale at Samuel Dong)

(start of Cluc Couture's show)

(great background display at Cluc Couture)

(start of Soia&Kyo's show)

(cool shot at Soia&Kyo)

(catwalk shot from Soia&Kyo)

Day 4, last day of Montreal Fashion Week, should be interesting with heavyweights like Denis Gagnon, Marie Saint-Pierre & Barilà showing.


Visit www.montrealfashionweek.ca for up-to-date moments, pictures, blog, and interviews of the day and week.

-The.Shoe.Freak

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Montreal.Fashion.Week.Fall.Winter.2011: Day.2

Day 2 at Montreal Fashion Week. One word: Exhausting! All the standing up, the waiting, the schmoozing, the ticket adventures, the champagne drinking (ok well that last one doesn't sound too bad lol), it can get long and tiring. Especially if you don't eat as you are trying to catch every show. And taking pictures is another adventure in itself! Depending on where your seated or standing (yes, I was in the stands on a few occasion, but didn't really mind), pictures can be hard to take. I'm not a tall guy to begin with and when seated behind 6 feet tall guys with their most fashionable winter head gears on, taking a good shot can be hard. I gave up after the 3rd show...lol

I attended 5 shows yesterday: Anomal Couture, Annie50, DinhBà Design, Bodybag by Jude & Melissa Nepton. There were definitaly some very good pieces in there and Melissa Nepton's collection was a complete hit.

See below a few pics of my day 2:

(start of Anomal Couture show)

(loved this one shoulder Grecian inspired dress from Anomal Couture)

(start of the Annie50 show)

(catwalk shot from Annie50)

(start of the DinhBà Design show)

(catwalk shot from DinhBà Design)

(end of Melissa Nepton's show...to be different)

(final at Melissa Nepton's show...my favorite piece of this great collection is the cocoon coat on your left...beautifully made and the fabric was stunning)

So there you have it, I promised a few catwalk pictures in my last post! I will try for better ones today!

And the madness continues, on to Day 3!

p.s: my BodyBag by Jude images were way too dark and blurry unfortunately. That is why I haven't posted them. Check out www.montrealfashionweek.ca for
complete coverage & pictures of each show.

-The.Shoe.Freak

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Montreal.Fashion.Week.Fall.Winter.2011: Day.1

I have been wondering what to post exactly from my week at the SMM20 (Montreal Fashion Week) that is occurring in our beautiful city of Montreal this week. Should I post about the shows I am attending, give my humble opinion of them, take pictures and post them, talk about the cool and not so cool outfits I witness from the fashion sea of hipsters, stylists, fashion lovers, bloggers and other industry mavens out there? What do I really want to blog about?...And while attending my first day, it dawned on me...I will be posting about my first experience at Montreal Fashion week as a fashion blogger, and therefore part of the big 'media' family. The whole experience, not just the catwalk reviews. Note it is important to mention that I have been attending Montreal Fashion Week for many years now, from the backstage commotion as part of my designer duties, to the few shows a season I always catch, mostly to encourage some fellow designer friends. But never have I been so immersed in attending the full week, from beginning to end, watching the full schedule and being oh so present on site at Marché Bonsecours. And never have I had to think about press passes, media lingo, line-ups for your media tickets, the many many many meets & greets, schmoozing and other PR'ing going on and what not. This is all new to me and this is what I really wanted to share with you guys more than anything. Hope you enjoy my ''journey''.

So here is the resume of my experience of Day 1.

I arrive @ Marché Bonsecours to obtain my Media accreditation. Yes, never would I have thought I would say that I am part of the big 'media family' one day, but hey, its pretty cool to be included.
A shout out & big thank you to Sensation Mode's Karine Poirier for her great help and niceness. And that is when the fun started (there is a bit of irony in my statement, yes!).

They should really come up with a How to book for first-timers. This was a first hard day. My camera decided to bail on me, I wasn't sitting in the best seats for pictures, I missed an entire show (Nadya Toto) because of an incredibly long line-up to obtain your media tickets (I thought our media accreditation was enough, but apparently not, we ha
ve to wait in line for our tickets as well), I was hot and sweating with the many layers of clothes I had on, the weather does not help as we have to wear coats and boots and change and all that good stuff, the meets and greets can be exhausting and hard, especially for someone as reserved as me. But hey, all in all, it was a good first day. Day 2 is another day! :)

Here are the few pics I was able to take from the different shows I attended. I promise I will try to take pictures of actual models wearing actual clothes in the next few days...Lol

(waiting for the Rud by Rudsak show to start)

(And the Rud by Rudsak show starts)

(The only image I was able to take from the Nadya Toto show, the photographers!)

(Start of the Post-Vernissage by Thrusst show taken from my Blackberry because my camera bailed on me...yeah i know, we see nothing and its blurry.)

As for reviews of the shows, I will write an entry on my favorite looks and shows on friday, so stay tuned!

-The.Shoe.Freak

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Montreal.Fashion.Week: The.Beginning

Montreal Fashion Week #20: Fall-Winter 2011


Montreal Fashion Week is back for the Fall-Winter 2011 collections starting this Monday, February 7th 2010 at Marché Bonsecours. I enjoy attending the events & catwalks during the week as it allows me to see old friends I don't have the chance to see that often because of hectic schedules. As well, it allows me to meet new friends-especially looking at you fellow fashion bloggers-and share our passion for fashion and this crazy industry. But, first and foremost, it allows me to really appreciate our local fashion scene, discover new talents and keeping in touch with the older ones.

We really do have a lot of talent in our own backyard and it is fun to see what they come up with every season. All their hard work, struggles and talent must be appreciated. As I completely understand all their efforts and struggles, myself being in their own shoes working in the design creation part of the industry, it is my duty to go support their visions and share them to you guys as well through this medium.

Hope you will follow me all throughout this week of tweets, pictures and post on all that is fashion in Montreal.

It begins on Monday...stay tuned.

For more information on Montreal's fashion week, designer bios, schedules & venues, events, & much more, go to their website at http://montrealfashionweek.ca

-The.Shoe.Freak

Friday, February 4, 2011

Designers.To.Support.Update: XV.Collection.III

XV is the Montreal-based Jewelery designer duo that I have previously posted about on my blog. They came out with their 3rd collection for Spring 2011, and let me tell you that it is beautiful. Uniquely hand-crafted individual pieces with a mix of pretty colors, fabrics and hardware. The collection has grown to offer head pieces, pins, earrings as well a variety of great necklaces and bracelets/cuffs. And, you will not see anyone else wear these stunning pieces of jewelery as this collection is exclusive to trendy St-Laurent's U&I. And each piece is unique.

Here are a few pictures of their Spring 2011 collection. Their images and photoshoots are always gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing.

(Model: Valerie McDonald)
(Photographer: Ken Lam)
(Stylist: XV)

***Bonus
: Here's a very cool behind the scene video of the photoshoot. Thank you to the XV team for the video.



Visit their Website www.xvmood.com for the rest of the amazing collection & further information & join their Facebook group. Or visit U&I (3650 St Laurent, Montreal, Quebec).


-The.Shoe.Freak

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

My.Favorite.Looks.For.Spring.2011: Menswear

My previous posts were about the hot trends and items for us guys come Spring 2011 time. However, while going through the hundreds (literally!) of catwalk pictures out there, I put aside images of complete and total looks that caught my eyes. I decided to share with you guys my favorite looks from Spring 2011. Total looks that I would wear in my daily life and that I would love to purchase or own. Some sort of lookbook of things I want this coming season (or inspiration for when I go shopping). Enjoy!

Ill start with my favorite collection of the season. I was torn between two great collections in my opinion,
so I declared a tie between the two. My favorites are: Bottega.Veneta.&.Gucci

Every look of each of these collections made me wish, swoon and want every item. Lets see why.

-Bottega.Veneta

(Bottega.Veneta.Menswear.Spring.2011)

I'm already a huge fan of Thomas Maier's design for Bottega Veneta. And Spring 2011 just re-affirmed why. He has this amazing way to make everything ultra-casual, yet always beautiful. Loved the rich colors he used (dark blues, maroon reds, military greens, sand). The great crinkled and cool details on his tops were wonderful & the model casting was right on point. I also loved the whole urban military feel to the looks. And, finally, Bottega Veneta is known for their amazing accessories; I especially loved the modern urban-like feel to the bags. Love!


-Gucci

(Gucci.Menswear.Spring.2011)

Gucci's Frida Giannini has always had that extra p
ressure of filling huge shoes at Gucci (remember Tom Ford?) and I find that season by season, she is getting more and more in control of her task and doing a great job. I loved the whole collection. And it is rare I love everything Gucci does, even when Tom Ford was at the reign. I found that the suits were sharp, the skinny white pants cool, the knitted sweaters beautiful, the styling great, the leather jackets wonderful (loved the rich colors), the shoes swoon-worthy and the bags, oh the bags...one word...AWESOME!

***Worthy Mentions:
Ermenegildo.Zegna.&.Burberry.Prorsum

-Ermenegildo.Zegna

(Ermenegildo.Zegna.Menswear.Spring.2011)

Known for its exquisite tailoring, this Zegna collection left me in awe for its lovely casual wear with the gorgeous knitwear, loose, yet fitted, trousers, striking
belts and other pretty accessories. And, as usual, great suits divinely paired with checkered shirts and one-colored ties. Simply beautiful.

-Burberry.Prorsum


(Burberry.Prorsum.Menswear.Spring.2011)

Burberry Prorsum's Christopher Bailey is another designer I admire for his always commercial, yet ultra forward collections. This Spring 2011, Burberry Prorsum did not disappoint
again with dazzling leather trenches, biker jackets and super hot styling. Hot items like his rock&roll leather pants, marvelous sandals and attractive rain boots will surely be huge hits. Edgy-street fashion done right.

See below further looks I loved for Spring.2011 by other designers.


Lookbook.1

(Menswear.Spring.2011)

Lookbook.2

(Menswear.Spring.2011)

These are a small glimpse of what I like. As you can see, I am pretty eclectic in my taste. I don't believe in liking one particular look nor sticking to one specific style.

What do you guys like for Spring.2011? Please share your thoughts on any of the above or share your own likes & dislikes.

'till next time!

-The.Shoe.Freak
(source: style.com)