Bags.Of.The.Day

As a fashion lover and creative person, I am passionate about every thing that is fashion; from clothes, to accessories, to shoes and all that is in between. Everyone by now knows my passion for shoes, however, there is another category in one's closet that I am equally passionate about: the handbag division for both men and women. In my humble opinion, i find that shoes and handbags go hand in hand, therefore, usually, if your a maniac about one, you will probably be as interested in the other. And its the case for me. However, I must admit that my passion for everything that is handbag is a newer discovery than footwear. Ive only recently started buying efty amounts of bags to garnish my closet compared to shoes, which have been my passion ever since I can remember. Its important to note that the men side of the business of handbags has drastically evolved these past few years and guys aren't afraid to carry cooler and different shapes these days, and designers are cathering to this new phenomena in a big way by chosing to show as many variations of shapes and colors as they would for the ladiesin menswear catwalks. With this being said, I've decided to create a new segment on my blog called Bags.Of.The.Day to compliment my Shoes.Of.The.Day segment. Hope you'll like it.

So here goes my first Bags.Of.The.Day segment...

-Ladies.Bag.Of.The.Day:

(Givenchy.Spring.2011)

Who: Givenchy
What: 'Antigona' ostrich and leather mixed tote
Why: It's the 'it' bag of the season. From Beyoncé to Charlize Theron, all the big and fashionable stars seem to be carrying it. And understandbly so. The Givenchy 'Antigona' bag comes in a multitude of fabric mixes. My favorite is the pictured one, a mix of ostrich and leather for an updated twist on the classic look of the bag. I love the simplicity of the bag. The shape is new and fresh without being too funky and the details are rich in their simplicity. Swoon ladies, Swoon.
How Much: $2425 Cdn (@ssense.com)

-Men.Bag.Of.The.Day:

(Alexander.McQueen.Spring.2011)

Who: Alexander McQueen
What: Leather duffle bag with suede trims
Why: This great duffle bag it the perfect size for carrying all your most needed things. It can also be used as a small weekender bag. Love the color, a deep and rich gray which remains classic yet is a different option to the basic black. And it wouldn't be a McQueen if there wasn't anything cheeky on it, in this instance, the signature skull McQueen appliquer on the sides of the bag. So stylish without trying to hard. Want it so bad!
How Much: $2060 Cdn (@ssense.com)

The handbag insdustry is full of wonders, and 'it' bags are made and created everyday. It will be fun to cover & discover them in this new segement. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

'till next time.

-The.Shoe.Freak

(source: Ssense.com)

Fashion.Events.Montreal:Glam.Soiree

(Ipanema.presentation)

Last Week, I attended the Glam.Event in Montreal. The soiree, hosted by PonyRide Distribution, was to, first and foremost, promote the new Spring.2011 Ipanema & Ipanema Gisele Bündchen collection. Fashion media & bloggers, Quebec artists, and fashion industry experts were invited to munch on canapes and drink some bubbly while chatting, discovering & most importantly shopping the many racks of clothing and footwear the PonyRide company distributes. I must admit that it was a fun and entertaining night.The staff, very cordial and welcoming, entertained the guests with a styling competition where the winner would come away with the ensemble they had put together. Also, they engaged in conversations with their guests, while promoting their many lines. There was lots of schmoozing & PR’ing involved, but done in a very charming way.

Aside from the Ipanema lines, which can be summed up to a cute and sweet line of flip-flops that many girls will want to wear in the summer, I discovered many other cool brands. PonyRide Distribution, according to their website, is a multi-faceted source for name-brands & international imports of medium-to-high-end clothing and accessory lines. Here are a few of my favorite collections that I was entertainingly exposed to by their sales rep & dedicated team.

Noë

(Noë.presentation.&.shoe.from.the.Spring.2011.collection)

A classic shoe line that comes in 46 different colors and sold at such prestigious shopping boot-stores at Galeries Lafayette in Paris amongst others, Noë uses different heels (stacked, pump & cork being the most common used) without altering the body of the shoe to keep the 'classic' component of the brand. Therefore, the multitude of colors becomes an important element in the branding of the line as well as the price points, situated in the $120 range, retail wise. in Montreal, hip stores like Billie and Lola&Emily will carry the brand. Definitely worth checking out.

(few.selections.from.the.Noë.Spring.2011.Line)

Torn by Ronny Kobo

With celebs like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Paris & Nicky Hilton and a slew of other starlets wearing its creations, Torn by Ronny Kobo is furiously becoming a hot brand. Based out of NYC, it offers a wide range of curve-hugging party dresses, cool tee-shirts and tops, as well as hot blazers and jackets. Retail prices vary around the $100 to $500 scale, which is pretty affordable considering the ferocious competition and cool range of their creations. My favorite piece was the wide shoulder stripped blazer graciously modeled for me by the lovely Jessica, sales rep for PonyRide. Big thank you to her.

(Torn.by.Ronny.Kobo.Spring.2011)

Thank you to PonyRide & its fun staff for an entertaining evening.

-The.Shoe.Freak

Shoes.Of.The.Day: Zara.Spring.2011

This edition of Shoes.Of.The.Day will focus on my top Spring 2011 offerings from the amazing Spanish-owned fast fashion chain Zara. Everybody in my surrounding is aware of my love affair with Zara as I shop there constantly. The chain creates amazing clothes, shoes, accessories and basics everyone needs in their wardrobe and you don’t have to pay crazy amounts of money while shopping there. They cover trends like no one else and are usually spot-on with hot items of the moment. You can build your whole wardrobe every season for little money, a real one-stop shop. Love Zara!!!

-Ladies.Shoes.Of.The.Day:

(Zara.Spring.2011: $59.99/$99.90/$159/$99.90.all.in.Cdn.$)

(Zara.Spring.2011: $99.90/$129/$59.99/$139.all.in.Cdn.$)

(Zara.Spring.2011: $99.90/$39.99/$39.99.all.in.Cdn.$)

-Men.Shoes.Of.The.Day:

(Zara.Spring.2011: $139/$139/$99.90/$95.90.all.in.Cdn.$)

(Zara.Spring.2011: $109/$109/$95.90/$95.90.all.in.Cdn.$)

(Zara.Spring.2011: $59.90/$95.90/$49.90.all.in.Cdn.$)

Spring, can't wait for you to come already!

-The.Shoe.Freak

(source: zara.com)

Awards.Season.2011.Academy.Awards

After a long season of Awards season, the Academy Awards, the cream of the crop of the circuit, finally occurred last weekend. With much hype and anticipation, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with the fashion I saw for the evening. Besides a few complete knock-outs (its your year beautiful Mila), the gowns and the stars wearing them left me kind of blah for the most part. I was expecting way better, especially after a very interesting Golden Globes and SAG Awards and with the amount of usually stylish nominees and attendees. As well, a few weeks before, the Couture season was extraordinarily breathtaking, therefore the choices of gowns and beautiful dresses were there for the taking. I found that the women were way too safe in their choices besides the usually daring and awesome Cate Blanchett. What do you guys think?

Here are my favorite ladies of the night.

1-Mila.Kunis.in.Elie.Saab.Couture


Why: There is nothing I can say that can truly justify how amazing she looks. Stunning dress as it fits like a glove. The color is beautiful. The intricate mix of delicate lace and chiffon is sublime. The great hair, right accessories and subtle make-up add to the spectacular result. Mila's looks throughout the award season just kept getting better and better while saving her best look for last. Swoon worthy, Mila.

2-Cate.Blanchett.in.Givenchy.Couture


Why: The always fashion forward and bold Cate Blanchett strikes again with this gorgeously feminine yet ultra daring Givenchy couture. I don't think Ive seen Cate look better than this, and I think she always looks great. Says alot. Love the color, the detailing & the creativity of the dress. And, I love how refreshed she looks; the hair is awesome and make-up subdued. Beautiful Cate.

3-Natalie.Portman.in.Rodarte


Why: Pulling off a gown when pregnant is always hazardous. But Natalie looks absolutely marvelous in this deep violet Rodarte confection. The color is amazing on Portman's skin tone. The jeweled plunging V reveals great shoulders. Love the earrings and subtle make-up. She looks absolutely radiant. Great night for you Natalie.

4-Jennifer.Lawrence.in.Calvin.Klein


Why: At first glance, I thought the dress was too simple for such an occasion. However, looking at it over and over again, I am finding to love this look on Jennifer. She looks age appropriate, sexy, very fresh and trendy. The red color is amazingly sensual and sultry. The fit truly defines her great figure. Less is more here. Sexy bombshell Jennifer!

5-Hilary.Swank.in.Gucci.Premiere


Why: Usually I find all the glitter, feathers and what not to be too much and wedding-like. However, this beautiful Gucci Premiere gown worn by Hilary is the exception. Love the gradual ombré of the feathered skirt. The silver beaded bodice isn't over the top. And finally, the fact that Swank decided not to wear jewelery and let the gown speak for itself was a great styling move. Again, less is more. Silver statuesque Hilary!

***Worthy mentions: Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein because it was simple yet bold & the accessories rocked, Helen Mirren in Vivienne Westwood because she looks graceful, stylish and still age appropriate, Anne Hathaway in Vintage Valentino Couture because its pure old-Hollywood glamour at its best, Celine Dion in Armani Privé because the fit, the color, the diamonds and the hair are spot on & Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang because she looks red hot!


I will forgo the Men installment of my favorites of the night as there is so much I can say about Penguin suits (tuxedos, yes i know but hey, I find them boring!). And in all honesty, we fashion lovers watch it mostly for the ladies right?!

And that concludes the award season coverage for now. Until the next big award event!

-The.Shoe.Freak

(source: Style.com)

News: New.Collaborations

These past few weeks have been very exciting for my blog and I. I've met many new, interesting and motivating people who have been kind enough to help me in my blog venture. Fresh and exciting collaborations have taken form. All this in order to achieve my ultimate goal, which is to share with you all my passion for the sometimes crazy, but always exhilarating fashion field. Oh who am I kidding, the always crazy and wild field, but once your passionate about something, you live it to the fullest, right?

I am therefore pleased to announce that I have joined the YourKloset.com team as a collaborator and will be writing fashion related articles for them as well as continuing to deliver pertinent and fun entries on my own blog.

Yourkloset.com is a lifestyle online blogazine catered to the young 18 to 35 years old demographic and covering all aspects of life, from fashion to travels, arts and so on. Here is an excerpt of who they are, and what they represent taken from their website: “Who we are and what we are about can best be summed up in three words: fashion, style and lifestyle. And while bringing to university students and young professionals (18 – 35 years old, male and female) the latest styles and trends from our global kloset, we don’t sell out! This means we never suggest anything we would never wear, buy or gift. Our eclectic team of bloggers, stylists, and industry insiders deliver innovative and interactive messages, allowing our dedicated Kloset fashionistas to leave with valuable knowledge after every visit. In addition to fashion (now with a large focus on Canadian design and manufactured products), travel, art, tech, beauty and even sex, we will now be featuring video blogs on food and cooking, cocktails and style tips.”

Check them out regularly as, apart from cool and interesting articles, they always have amusing, exciting and innovative contests. And their prizes are awesome.

You can read my first 2 entries at the following: http://www.yourkloset.com/author/the-shoe-freak/

Your comments and opinions are welcomed.

Other exciting news will be unveiled soon, so stay tuned!

-The.Shoe.Freak

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)

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)