Hitchcock Blondes at Pink Tartan's Fall '13 Show

Runway photos by George Pimentel.  Stalker photo of Steven and Chris and slightly blurry image below by me (couldn't you tell?)

It was a packed house last night at World MasterCard Fashion Week for the Pink Tartan Fall/Winter 2013 show. Steven and Chris, Jeanne Beker and the rest of Toronto's top tastemakers were all on hand for Kimberley Newport-Mimran's show and I was seated second row, next to Susie Sheffman and the eLUXE team and close enough to touch the clothes (though I refrained, for obvious reasons). 

For Fall '13, KNP was inspired by a darker kind of beauty, “I always start designing a new collection with a muse. I envision her, her life, and then I dress her up. My muse this season embodied my favorite disturbing blondes- Constance Langdon and Marnie Edgar” she notes, “Beautifully dressed sophisticated blondes, but there is something underlying that you can’t quite put your finger on. This collection is all about rich luxe fabric—very Pink Tartan—a return to pulled together looks with a dark twist. As Hitchcock says ‘blondes make better victims’.”

This season, the show was styled by Cary Tauben, complete with Tippi Hedren-esque blonde wigs, black headbands and elbow-length black gloves.  The whole collection had a very sophisticated, very sixties feel and I loved it, I really did, and I get where he was going with it, but some girls just shouldn't be blonde. I mean, I would look (and have looked) completely ridic in a platinum blonde wig.  

Other than that distraction, I found plenty to covet from the collection including the cool black & green mesh pieces, the cobalt swing coat, the short-sleeved black & white dress with the long gloves and everything camel. Gor-juicy. Thoughts about the collection? Will you be a Pink Tartan vixen this Fall?

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World MasterCard Fashion Week

My speed-packing efforts last night, 11 p.m. 

As I sit here, $45 away from frequent roller Prestige status (as deemed by VIA Rail, that is), hurtling along the tracks towards Toronto and the first day of World MasterCard Fashion Week, I contemplate the following:

• My suitcase is zipper-busting jammed. I wonder if my sister has a steamer/iron? Oh please let her have a steamer/iron, otherwise it's Dishevelled Chic for Fall '13.
• I packed 2 pairs of very cute, very high, very open-toe shoes, and apparently a last hurrah winter snowstorm is en route to the city. Bad choice? Fashion over function I say (especially at Fashion Week)
• I have an interview with Joe Mimran due for iVillage.ca, 2 other articles due and no Photoshop on my laptop. Plus, I'm on a ghetto old train car with zero plugs so my battery is slowly but most certainly wasting away. 
• I think I forgot to buy diapers before I left. Nope, I'm sure I forgot to buy diapers. Crap.

It's always a massive amount of work to leave my husband and kids behind for Fashion Week.  Meals pre-cooked, house in order, clothes put out, backpacks packed - not to mention stuffing 3 good outfits into a carry-on with zero room for sartorial error.  Once I get to Toronto, I'll take the subway up to Yonge & Eg to my sister's house, do as much work as I can, then head downtown to the Tents for a night of Fall '13 shows.  On today's schedule, I've got 4 fashion shows (Miz by Izzy Camilleri, Chloe comme Parris, Pink Tartan and Bustle), then a party for Glam Media at The Spoke Club and then Holt Renfrew's Opening Night party on Bloor.  Fun! This is so not my typical Monday. Watch, eat, drink, sleep, dress, repeat. Is there room for a nap in there somewhere??

I'll be in the city until Wednesday night (at which point child-minding tokens run out) soaking up all of the great Canadian talent. Will be sure to report back with pics from the runway and backstage and of course, all the fashion flock rocking their finery at the Tents. Can't wait to get this party started!

xx

Hey, Pretty: Calvin Klein's Fall 2013 Collection

Olivia Wilde and Jessica Chastain go front-row at the Calvin Klein Collection Fall '13 show (dressed in, who else, Calvin Klein). © 2013 Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com

I'm having a grey, gloomy, rainy kind of day and aside from a steady supply of Tylenol Cold and the soft hum of my cappuccino machine, I've found incredible comfort in Fashion Week pics.  I like to imagine that I'm of the independently wealthy bracket and instead of making shopping lists for peanut butter and milk, my to-buys include several staples from the shows. Hmm, I must get that swingy midi-length black coat.  Oh, and I can't forget that navy cut-out dress lest any soirée invites pop up. And those black riding boots? Add those to the list. Now, I'm sure there's something else I need here...  

Though Fashion Week has already flown from NY to London, I had to share these pretty pics that crossed my desktop over the weekend. Francisco Costa showed his Fall 2013 Calvin Klein Collection on the runway at the company's NY headquarters last week to the hyper-elite, including Jessica Chastain, Olivia Wilde and front-row staple, Anna Wintour. Does the woman never sleep? 

The women's Fall '13 collection swayed oh-so-confidently down the runway in solid black, navy, forest green and white. The looks were a mash-up of soft and tough, with feminine silhouettes and sexy cut-outs, mixed with soft leather, statement gold-buckled belts and strong shoulders. Though the palette was classic CK minimal, the textured woven details and cool fabric paneling added loads of depth to the collection. My favourite part was when Carolyn Murphy (who walked her first runway show for the brand in '95 btw) closed the show.  She still looks amazing and it makes me feel amazing to know that I'm younger.  Okay, mental shopping list done.  It's good to feel productive, isn't it? This is almost making me forget my cold. Sniff x

Creative Director Francisco Costa  chums it up with a smiling (!) Anna Wintour. Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com

The ever-lovely Olivia Wilde. Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com

Photo-blogger, model and street-style star Hanneli Mustaparta. © 2013 Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com

Oscar-nominated Jessica Chastain in Calvin Klein Collection. Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com

Francisco Costa in a superstar sandwich.  PS - How tall is Olivia Wilde? Or how short is Francisco Costa? Must google. Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com

Carolyn Murphy, Karlie Kloss and two other models I don't recognize. Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com

Click away on the thumnails below for all the pics from the Calvin Klein Collection Fall 2013 show:

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Runway images © 2013 Dan Lecca, Image of Francisco Costa © 2013 Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com 

Currently Coveting: J.Crew Fall 2013

Photos courtesy of J.Crew

It's no secret that I adore all things J.Crew, but when I think of the brand, I think amazing colour, super fabrics, great cuts, preppy, preppy, preppy - I don't usually think of the exotic. When I spied the new Fall '13 collection from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, my adoration went to a whole new level and since Valentine's is tomorrow, I just had to share the love.  J.Crew's Head of Women's Design Tom Mora took an impromptu trip to Morocco at the end of last season and was clearly inspired - it's like Heathers goes to Marrakech. It's like a master class in how to mix and match colours/patterns/prints.  It's like my wardrobe fantasy.  I would actually be willing to skip summer just so I can wear look 1, look 7, look 30 (the black & white striped top, black coat, white pants) and that navy/cognac ensemble. And even though I've never really understood people who like purple, I think I finally get the appeal. Okay, I can't even look at these pics anymore - I literally just watched my wallet burrow itself right into the bottom of my handbag.    

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