TOPSHOP opens tomorrow!

YAY!  After months of buzz, hype and the like, Canada's first TOPSHOP and TOPMAN stores officially open tomorrow!   Housed in Yorkdale Mall's The Bay, the UK-based brand will boast the same selection of trend-conscious pieces, specialized collaborations, and bespoke services that both brands have become internationally known for. 

So, what can you expect?  Yorkdale's TOPSHOP and TOPMAN will evoke the spirit of London’s iconic Oxford Circus store.  With just over 15,000 square feet of retail space, the store will span two floors within the Bay.  Polished black glass portal entries, matte porcelain flooring and white neon signage, will embrace the brands’ signature look.

 "The opening of TOPSHOP and TOPMAN signifies a momentous occasion for The Bay as we celebrate our first flagship, bringing a UK fashion landmark home to Canadians,” says Bonnie Brooks, President and CEO, The Bay. “We are excited to open the doors of the Yorkdale location to consumers on October 5th, and look forward to rolling out more flagships across Canada in the near future.”
 
Treats!  To kick-start the festivities, the first 10 shoppers in line will each receive a $200 TOPSHOP gift card.  Plus, shoppers will also have an opportunity to capture their favourite style scores in a special, in-store photo booth, and will be treated to complimentary TOPSHOP make-overs & homemade treats.  During the grand opening day, customers will be encouraged to enter the TOPSHOP London Calling contest, for a chance to win 2 tickets to London, including flights and 3 night’s accommodation, 2 tickets to the Topshop Unique Show, and a pre-trip shopping spree!  
 
S'gonna be a party y'all  Live DJs will provide entertainment over opening weekend and an exclusive TOPMAN branded playbutton will be awarded with any purchase over $50. Throughout the city, TOPSHOP TOPMAN street teams will surprise Torontonians with pre-loaded giftcards. For the best chance of keeping up with the TOPSHOP TOPMAN team, style-savvy consumers are encouraged to follow TOPSHOP TOPMAN tweets.
 
Don't Miss: Collaborations with Simone Rocha and Michael van der Ham; Smoke & Mirrors, a '70s-inspired cosmetic line;  emerging menswear designers including Uniforms for the Dedicated, Daniel Jackson, and David David; special, limited edition and Exclusive Canada-inspired TOPSHOP and TOPMAN items available for the duration of the launch period.
 
Can't Make it in? 

• Canadian online shopping, an international first, will launch on October 5th at thebay.com/topshop and thebay.com/topman.
• A Canadian specific social media presence has been created to keep fans across the country up to date on the brand. Twitter:  twitter.com/topshop_canada and twitter.com/topmanCA  Facebook:  facebook.com/topshopcanada and facebook.com/topmancanada

And the Vincitrice is...

Photo by Ellen von Unwerth, Vogue Italia May 2011

Diane Mauro!!! Woot, woot!  Congratulazioni bella!  Send me your address so I can put your Missoni for Target treats in the mail.

Grazie to all who entered and be sure to keep checking back for some truly great upcoming giveaways.

xo 

White Cashmere Couture in Aisle 6

Phillip Sparks' play on the June Cleaver shirtdress, made entirely of...wait for it...Cashmere Bathroom Tissue 

Models in their BT Couture creations at Cashmere's Fashion with Compassion 2011, by RLR

You've probably seen the commercial - you know the one of the model who can't help but have a PDA with her bathroom tissue dress at the end of the catwalk?  Hilarious.  But did you know it was an actual event? I was lucky to be invited to attend the Fashion with Compassion™ show on Wednesday at Toronto's AGO to see the amazing designs for myself.

The show, now in its eighth year, supports the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and celebrates the return of the limited-edition Pink Cashmere Bathroom Tissue with twenty-five cents from the sale of every package going directly to the cause, throughout October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, 15 Canadian designers showcased garments and accessories crafted in 100% pure, luxurious Cashmere Bathroom Tissue. 

The show was hosted by Canada AM host and breast cancer survivor, Bev Thomson, and was curated by design superstar Farley Chatto.   The dresses themselves were created by a cast of fashion luminaries including Philip Sparks, Marika Brose, José-Manuel St-Jacques, Christopher Paunil, LIZARES by Brian Maristela, L’autre Couture by Luko Marion, Carrie Hayes, Jason Matlo, Richard Robinson, LOVAS by Wesley Badanjak, Simon Bélanger, Hoax Couture by Chris Tyrell and Jim Searle,  Franco Mirabelli, Ever Thine hats by Mikki Rizvi and accessories by Rita Tesolin.

Turns out that everything - even toilet paper- can be art.  I was blown away by the intricacy, the creativity and the beauty of the designs.  I'm thinking that when my daughter gets married, we should save money by wrapping her in bathroom tissue, hopefully with the help of Farley Chatto.  Except if it rains, of course.  In that case, maybe we'll do tinfoil?

Click through the slideshow below to see 2011's entire incredible collection.  Want to see the dresses up close? The couture creations will be on display all month in The Bay’s flagship store windows at Yonge and Queen Streets in Toronto and on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Montreal.  

Oh, and don't forget to Vote Couture for the Cure - vote for your favourite design on the Cashmere website and the company will donate $1.00 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation on your behalf!  

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Colonel Mustard in the Closet with a Hanger

Originally posted in The CLOSET  

Jil Sander, Proenza Schouler, Hermes Fall 2011 RTW - photos courtesy style.com

I've always thought of yellow as a strictly summer colour.  The bright hue brings to mind sunshine, lemons and tulips...not exactly fall fare.  So when I started to notice all the pops of spicy mustard yellow on the runways this fall, I was surprised but totally excited.  After all, one can only take so much red, brown, black and camel.  Fall's been needing a good dose of colour and I'm loving this totally new, on-trend option.

Don't have a CLUE how to wear mustard?  I'm not one for rules, but these tips should help:

1)  Mustard looks marvellous with white, black, purples, oranges, shades of brown and denim.  Don't be afraid to colour-block or, if you prefer the more subtle approach, look for a spicy yellow bag, belt, or shoe.  

2)  Were you an early adopter of mustard yellow this summer?  Don't be afraid to carry your mustard pieces from summer into fall but be sure to consider the fabric; keep more weighty fabrics in rotation but be sure to store any of your summer-weight items...except for silky blouses, of course.

3)  It's always nice to add a little shine to your look.  When it comes to mustard, gold jewellery (real or faux) plays off beautifully against the brown-based hue.

4)  Yellow can be a tricky shade for certain skin tones.  Counteract the sallow effect by loading up on a little more eye-makeup than usual.  Or, if you're up for it, try a bright red lip as seen at Jil Sander and Hermes (see above).  The team at Sephora will help you get your look just right.

Want to add a little colour to your fall and winter wardrobe?  Click through the slideshow below for some of my mustard musts:

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Missoni for Target Contest

As you probably know, the Missoni for Target collection sold out in record speed.  Many of you had to deal with frustrating website crashes and since it's not always easy to make a cross-border trip in the middle of the week, most of us came away from the whole hyped-up collabo empty-handed.  Well, not to fret my loyal, ever-stylish readers.  I dragged my family to Port Huron the day after the launch and snagged an extra Missoni for Target treat just for you.  Tell me your favourite Italian word (mine's fruttivendolo) and win this adorbs infant/toddler Missoni for Target hat & mitten set.  Will draw the winner this Friday!  Open to Canadians only.  Buona fortuna!!!