My One-On-One with Kimberley Newport-Mimran & A Pink Tartan Giveaway

Pink Tartan's new washable line for The Shopping Channel. Photo via The Shopping Channel.

With its ultra-luxe fabrics, ladylike silhouettes and to-die-for tailoring, Canadian label Pink Tartan has quickly become a sartorial staple for chic women everywhere, including no-last-names-necessary celebs like Gwyneth and Charlize.

Fresh off her turn at Toronto's World MasterCard Fashion Week, and a few days before the launch of her gorgeous new washable collection for The Shopping Channel, I caught up with president and head designer, Kimberley Newport-Mimran, for a quick chat about what makes Pink Tartan tick.

Read the full interview on iVillage.ca...

Now for some exciting Friday news: KNP and the lovely folks at The Shopping Channel have offered RLR readers the chance to win a $100 GC to shop the new Pink Tartan Collection, and you'll need to act fast to win.

CONTEST RULES:

1) Leave a comment below telling me why you would love to put Pink Tartan in your closet.

2) Tweet the following for a bonus entry: "@realliferunway & @theShoppingChan are giving away a @PINK_TARTAN GC to shop the new collection & I want to #win! http://bit.ly/P9a6x3"

3) Contest closes tomorrow (Saturday, March 29th) at 5 p.m. We'll contact the winner via email.

4) Contest open to residents of Canada only.

5) Best of luck, lovelies!

Don't forget to mark your calendars. Pink Tartan launches this Sunday, March 30 on The Shopping Channel. Tune in live at 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. or shop the collection online at theshoppingchannel.com.

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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Pink Tartan Launches E-Comm Site

Image courtesy PINK TARTAN

Something must be in the air this week because yet another retailer is going online.  This time, I was especially thrilled because said retailer is Pink Tartan, Kimberley Newport-Mimran's extended closet full of luxe, sophisticated sportswear and chic accessories.  The site launches tomorrow and will ship to Canada, the U.S and internationally.  #trouble

Visit pinktartan.com and check out the gorgeous behind-the-scenes video below to get properly tempted. Can't wait for the Fall '13 show next week at World MasterCard Fashion Week - will be sure to take lots of pics xx

PINK TARTAN - Campaign Video from pinktartan on Vimeo.

Moves like Mimran

Kim Newport-Mimran works it with the lovely ladies from ASC Public Relations at the Pink Tartan Holiday Preview at Bayview Village

When Toronto's reigning queen of cool, Kim Newport-Mimran, hosted a private event at the new Pink Tartan at Bayview Village, I RSVP'd somewhat reluctantly, knowing just how well Pink Tartan woos.  I committed to keep my Visa locked tightly in my clutch and focus on the job at hand - get pictures, meet and greet, get out. Simple, right?

After they sent Rosedale Livery to pick me up, then plied me with Veuve and macarons, it was already too late. Once Mrs. Mim took me on a private tour of the shop in her ever-so-cool way - I wanted everything. 

Though I resisted the Thierry Lasry shades and the Mark Cross bag (just barely), I couldn't help myself, walking away with a cute pair of bright yellow shades, a Parisian Chic daybook, Marvis toothpaste and Crown Mill notecards in 'Joe Fresh Orange'. Now here's the shocking part: I spent under $100. Didn't think it was possible at Pink Tartan but happily, it is.  KNP has curated a lovely assortment of little luxuries for you and your favourites, like Mariage Frères teas (her fave) and her go-to EX VOTO White Edition candles, direct from Paris, because that's how she rolls.  Check out some of her can't-resist picks from Pink Tartan, including the adorable new Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour and Miuccia Prada MuaMua dolls ($35 each). Love them!

Happy weekend, lovelies.  My wine glasses are looking remarkably empty...Hmm..must do something about that ;)

Joe Fresh/Flare Revenge Party Pics

The entrance to the Queen/Portland Joe Fresh store where the Revenge party took place.  LOOOVE this store! 

Revenge star Christa B. Allen chats with a similarly-attired Kimberley Newport-Mimran (Joe Mimran's Pink Tartan designer wifey)

Joe Mimran (THE Joe Fresh) was my bestie (for 15 seconds, anyway) and graciously indulged my celebrity stalker side.  I could not possibly hide the goofy grin.

James, my husband and fave +1, looks on in bemusement.  I'm sure he's thinking, "Wow. She's such a famewhore" 

A pretty party-goer rocks shades of white and a cool graphic tee.

Revenge's Christa B. Allen also graciously obliged a pic.  Did you know she played Jen Garner's young self in '13 Going on 30'? Google it.  

 

Nobody ever takes pics of the paps.  These guys were working the room all night long.

The Joe Fresh Gift Bag that each of us took home at the end of the night (this pic by Ryan Emberley)  I'm giving mine away to one lucky winner; Read below for how you can take it home.

When you get an invite from Joe Fresh and Flare Magazine, the RSVP is always, "I'll be there +1"  And so it was that my willing-and-ready husband and I boarded the train and headed to Toronto for the season finale screening of Revenge at Joe Fresh's Queen & Portland store.  

We mingled, hors d'oeuvred (not a word but I like it), and shopped our way through the night with my man-crush, Joe Mimran, Christa B. Allen and Toronto's fashionable set and then, watched the nail-biting season finale of Revenge.  All in all, a supremely fun night and though I quite honestly hadn't watched Revenge before, I'm now hopelessly addicted. Arg.  There goes another night.  Thanks to Joe Fresh and Flare for the invite! xo

PS - Leave a comment below for your chance to win my Joe Fresh gift bag.  I'll accept entries until tomorrow at noon! For more party pics, click on the thumbnails below: 

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