Christian Louboutin Exhibition Kicks off at Toronto's Design Exchange Today

Those iconic red Christian Louboutin soles. All other photos by me.

Today might be the first day of summer but in Toronto, it's ALL about Christian Louboutin. The celebrity shoe designer has brought his trademark red soles to the city for the highly anticipated North American debut of his retrospective exhibition, which opens today at The Design Exchange. 

At the media Press Conference yesterday, I sat front row (keener) to find out what makes Louboutin tick, and got a sneak peek tour of the exquisite exhibition featuring over 250 pairs of breathtaking shoes. Among other things, I found out that Louboutin enjoys odd pastimes like trapeze-flying, that he once left fashion to become a garden designer, that he's more inspired by showgirls than fashion, that he designs his Spring/Summer collections in Brazil or Egypt and his Fall/Winter collections at his country home with the heat turned off, and that in the future, he hopes to direct a Bollywood movie. Oh, and that famous red sole? Early in his career, he received a prototype of a floral heel and didn't like how the black sole clashed with the fabric. Luckily, his assistant happened to be painting her nails a vibrant red at the time, so he grabbed the bottle, painted the soles red et voilà - fashion history!

Christian Louboutin: An Exhibition Celebrating 20 Years of Design, Artistry and Magic kicks off today and runs until September 15, 2013 at The Design Exchange in Toronto, featuring a spectacular display of shoes, visual installations, sketches and personal artifacts from the designer's colourful 20 year career. Tickets are $22 and include a 1-year subscription to FLARE Magazine (while quantities last). If you love shoes, it's an absolute must. Want to meet the man himself? Christian Louboutin will be at Holt Renfrew Bloor St. for a shoe signing from 4-6 p.m. tonight. Word on the street is that the Loubouphiles are already queued up. Happy Louboutin Day to you! x

(As for whether or not I splurged on a pair after all, scroll down to find out. #eeeeek) 

Our press kit featuring bios of all the big shots. This is the journalistic equivalent of a 'cheat sheet'.

Shauna Levy, President of Design Exchange, Donna Loveday, Head of Curatorial at the Design Museum, London, and Christian Louboutin in a wicked blazer.

The exhibition feels a lot like a fairground for shoe fetishists, with a carousel of decadent heels, a shadow theatre, and a showgirl stage featuring a trippy hologram of Dita von Teese.

Every Louboutin shoe starts with a sketch. Wouldn't you just love to own one of these?

A shoe mold is handmade - if you're a celebrity, you get your very own (which finally explains why celebs can stand in heels for so long)

Fabric and heels collide to make an exquisite shoe...

...comme celui-çi! Magnifique!

(I had a Holts gift card and I wasn't afraid to use it :) Well, maybe a little afraid...) #wortheverypenny

If you're a shoe-lover, consider Design Exchange your new happy place.

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Loubi, Loubi, Oh Baby

So...guess who I get to meet tomorrow?? I've somehow worked my way into the exclusive Press Conference and personal tour of the Christian Louboutin exhibit BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN LUI-MêME at The Design Exchange in Toronto tomorrow. Dyyyying. And I don't own a single pair of Loubis yet :( Here's the dilemma: Do I go with something totally inconspicuous (black, simple, understated), or Converse to show that I wouldn't dare wear any heels other than Loubis in the Great One's presence? Or do I jump off the train, hightail it to Holts and break the bank for a 3 hour tour (a 3 hour touuur)? Or do I give a slight nod to the Louboutin aesthetic with some rockstar studs à la sandals I featured yesterday? One thing I do know is that this is no time for a Louboutin DIY. I can picture it now - trailing red paint prints behind me as I flee the Design Exchange, Christian screaming, "Traître! POSEUR!!!" all the way. Sh•t. And you think you have problems getting dressed in the morning...Wish me luck. Pics and the whole Louboutin in Toronto lowdown to come...

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire: Pics from the Greta Constantine Fall '13 Show

My favourite look from the collection - super fun way to edge up a formal dress...

A model gets primped and polished backstage by the M·A·C Cosmetics beauty team

The crowd gets a little judgy (it's their job) as a model struts it in lime green at Toronto's Parts & Labour

The Beckerman sisters (aka, the life of every fashion party)

The gorgeous host of Top Chef Canada, Lisa Ray

As one of Canada's leading design duos, Stephen Wong and Kirk Pickersgill are renowned not only for their figure-hugging frocks but for their over-the-top runway shows. In seasons past, I've been on the Greta Constantine guestlist because the guestlist has numbered in the 100s, not 10s, with impressive shows held in places like Toronto's Distillery District or The Century Room. For their Fall '13 presentation held last week in Toronto, Stephen and Kirk kept it decidedly more exclusive. And so, while a handful of Toronto's top editors and socialites headed to Parkdale's Parts & Labour for the formal runway show, the rest of us flocked to The Hoxton for the Stoli-fueled after-party. Whether A-list or B, I must admit that I feel pretty lucky to be on GC's list at all - dudes know how to throw a party. Click on the thumbnails below to see which well-heeled VIPs made the cut to the main event and, of course, get ready to lust after the lovely Greta Constantine Fall '13 collection. I am loving that maxi dress with the belted fur stole and the hide and chic origami-like vest with the wide-leg white trousers. Oh, and dying over the fierce jewel art by Dandi Maestre. Et tu? Any faves? Be sure to also check out the video below - a super interesting glimpse at the triumphs and challenges of building the Greta Constantine brand. Enjoy!

All photos by George Pimentel

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Toronto Premium Outlets to Open August 1st

A sketch of the Toronto Premium Outlets, set to open August 1st, 2013. 

Fellow savvy shoppers, rejoice! Toronto Premium Outlets™, (yes THOSE Premium Outlets) Canada's first ever upscale outlet center, officially opens its doors on August 1st! The new outlet centre will be like the ones we so love to visit in the States, with the top brands and irresistibly sweet deals that make for a super shopping experience. The center will be anchored by Hudson’s Bay Outlet (fun!) and will include the following stores, many of which are opening their first ever outlet locations in Canada: 

Banana Republic, Bench, Bose, Brooks Brothers, Coach, Cole Haan, Columbia Sportswear, DKNY, Dynamite, Eddie Bauer, Gap Outlet, Garage, Guess, Icebreaker, J. Crew, Kate Spade New York, Lucky Brand Jeans, Michael Kors, Polo Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware, Ted Baker London, True Religion and Zumiez. Additional brands will be announced in the coming weeks. UPDATE: Burberry opening Dec 2013. #eeek

General Manager Megan Johnson says Toronto Premium Outlets™ will dramatically change the shopping landscape in Ontario. “It’s exciting because for the first time in Canada, shoppers will have an impressive collection of outlet stores close to home,” she said.

Toronto Premium Outlets™ will make a major impact on Toronto’s business and economic landscape as well, providing more than 800 full and part time jobs. To fill these positions, a Job Fair co-sponsored by Halton Employment, The Region of Peel and The Town of Halton Hills will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2013 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Milton Sports Centre located at 605 Santa Maria Blvd., Milton, Ontario. For complete details on the Job Fair and to stay in the loop for the Grand Opening Celebration and more, visit: www.premiumoutlets.com/toronto, or keep checking back on RLR. Will keep you posted the minute I hear more.

Yay. Yay. Yay. That's all I have to say. x

Holt Renfrew Launches New H Project Shops in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver

The new H Project shop at Holt Renfrew Bloor St. launches today. Photos courtesy Holt Renfrew

We can always count on Holt Renfrew to keep things fresh, forward-thinking and fashionable. Case in point: Holts' brand new in-store shop, H Project, featuring a curated assortment of apparel, accessories, home décor items and beauty products with a focus on culture, craft, and global artisans, 

Leading the charge of H Project is the store's always-on-top-of-it Director of Brand Strategy, Alexandra Weston. “We are thrilled to partner with exciting international designers – some well-known and others just making their mark,” noted Weston. “H Project offers a stage to help tell their unique and compelling stories."

The shop will offer exclusive designer collabs, often with an element of sustainability or a charitable component. H Project shops will launch with over 30 covetable brands that have been scouted from around the globe including Acca Kappa, Cornelia Guest, FEED, Jenny Bird, Lemlem, Lizzie Fortunato, Me to We, Proof, Rodin, S’Well, The White Briefs, Virginia Johnson and WeWood. 

As for the shop's design, Holt Renfrew collaborated with Janson Goldstein to design a modern gallery-like space where customers can discover elements of theatre, art and culture. The open flow shops will inspire with artisanal installations, cultural music, and videos on a listening wall where customers can learn about the stories behind the products. So, it's kind of like a mash-up of MoMA and Ten Thousand Villages, then?

H Project pilot shops are open this week at Holt Renfrew Toronto (Bloor), Calgary, and Vancouver, with the first full concept H Project shop set to open at Holt Renfrew’s Yorkdale location in fall 2013. See you there - I'll be the one getting my Lemlem on. x