Gail McInnes

Originally published in TFI News: June 2009

The tweeting was deafening after Toronto Life’s new Toronto’s Best Dressed segment came out on Thursday, May 27. Real estate developer Deena Pantalone was featured in a red dress she wore to the Butterfly Ball, which she claimed was a vintage piece that she “re-worked” with help from a cousin who is a stylist in New York.

What was all the fuss about? Well, the dress was actually designed and made by TFI New Labels 2003 finalist Caroline Lim of Champagne &Cupcakes . Lim found out about the mis-credit through a customer inquiring about whether the dress she saw in Toronto Life was vintage, or if it was in fact a Champagne & Cupcakes original design. Confused, Lim had the customer send over the link.

Initially Lim was hurt that Pantalone would make up the story. Lim remembers when Pantalone came to the store. “She was super outgoing and a pleasure to work with. She had mentioned she was looking for a fabulous dress to wear to the [Butterfly Ball].” Overwhelmed by the amount of support from loyal clientele and strangers, Lim posted a thank you announcing a discount to anyone who posted their own comment on the post.
“Not only were people blogging endlessly, even the phone at the boutique was ringing off the hook with people calling to let me know, personally, their support and reassurance,” says Lim. “Being a small, local designer it’s easy to be missed in the giant ocean of fashion and it was super flattering and heartwarming to hear warm words from complete strangers.”

Toronto Life closed commentary on the post after it reached over 150 comments. Orders for the infamous dress are pouring in and Lim reported a “packed” store the weekend following. Pantalone herself apologized to Lim in person just as her photo was released in Toronto Star’s Fashion section where she re-credited the dress as Dior. In response to the second mis-credit, Lim said, “All I could say was ‘Wow. Dior? Thank you Ms. Deena…That’s kinda flattering.”

Lim hopes this situation has brought light to the issue of “artistic plagiarism” and opened consumers’ eyes to the talent of local designers. “I really feel like independent Toronto designers need to stay connected to support each other since, at times, the market is not the easiest for us little fish. I just wanted to stand up for myself and my fellow designers.”

And that customer who made the initial call? She’s first on the waiting list.

Originally published in TFI News: May 2009

Local jewellery line MiMi+You partnered with Shelternet, a non-profit national online resource for abused women to launch Celebrate Courage, a platform that allowed survivors of abuse to express themselves through an artistic outlet with an event at The Spoke Club on April 2, 2009. Celebrate Courage encouraged individuals to get active in an unconventional and creative way by holding workshops at women’s shelters in an effort to move women away from their worries to create one-of-a-kind necklaces.

Community Creative Workshops were open to the public to create awareness with necklaces being photographed and posted on the MiMi+You website for sale with all proceeds going to Shelternet. Attendees participated in a cocktail reception and silent auction. The event drew celebrities Kristin Booth (The Listener, Young People F*cking), whose one-of-a-kind necklace was included in the auction, Divine Brown (Juno Award winner for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year), Charlotte Sullivan (Smallville), Peter Stebbings (director of Defendor with Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings and Sandra Oh). The event was filmed by TVO for an upcoming episode for the second season of the Get Involved documentary featuring Mimi+You’s development of the project. For more information on Shelternet, visit www.shelternet.ca.

To view or purchase the necklaces, visit www.mimiandu.com. Pictured above, Divine Brown (left) with MiMi+You owner Mitra Mortazavi and Kristin Booth (right).

Originally published in TFI News: May 2009

The fourth annual [FAT] Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week took place over a four-day stretch from April 21 to April 24 at the Fermenting Cellar in Toronto’s Historic Distillery District. More than 40 designers from across Canada and one from Bosnia showcased their collections, which ranged from classic womenswear to over-the-top costume pieces. Starkers! Corserty’s time-travelling collection featured corsets for both men and women—a few lucky audience members received a USB key with an offer of a free custom corset. The infamous design collective The Deadly Nightshades Bike Crew debuted a sustainable line of womenswear featuring bike motifs with an aqua and orange palette. Breeyn McCarney brought the circus to town with cute party dresses. Jessica Mary Clayton’s Walking Tall collection had one model walking the entire runway on stilts. David Dixon assistant Wesley Badanjak showed a well-constructed collection of careerwear for women. Magpie Designs produced a well-choreographed show featuring cabaret styled moves for their all-black, sexy line of dresses and coats. Military-inspired ÜND debuted its vinyl collection of strong, sexy silhouettes. Tassoni Brasil called upon the sexiest of Elmer Olsen Models for its runway debut of sensuous swimwear. Fashion veteran Annie Thompson showed her artistic flair with a collection of royal purple and chartreuse layered outfits inspired by her recent travels to India. Kirsty McKenzie called upon local celebrity models Zoie Palmer from Global’s The Guard and Sarah Manninen of TMN’s The Line for her Deee-Lite and Grace Jones–inspired collection of velvet body suits and vinyl dresses. For more information, visit www.getfat.ca. Images below from [FAT].

Originally published in TFI News: May 2009

This year Susan Langdon (right) is celebrating her 15-year anniversary as the executive director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI). Formerly the designer of successful fashion label Zakura, Langdon also taught the likes of TFI Resident alum Joeffer Caoc, David Dixon, Jennifer Halchuk of Mercy and UK-based ex-pat Todd Lynn at her alma mater Ryerson University, and ran her own design and pattern-making company before accepting the position of executive director in 1994. It was the combination of her incredible leadership abilities, her varied experiences, her extensive knowledge of the fashion industry and her gracious interpersonal skills that landed her the role.

Over her 32-year career, Langdon has received many prestigious industry awards and accolades, including the Concours Design Award and the Woolmark Award of Distinction, City of Toronto’s Industry Achievement Award, Ryerson University’s Alumni Award of Distinction, the JoAnna Townsend Award and was one of the first 12 inductees into Ryerson’s Hall of Fame.

Her continuous commitment to the TFI and her outstanding dedication to nurture and promote upcoming design talent has assisted in launching the careers of many well-known Canadian designers. The Toronto Fashion Incubator team would like to congratulate Langdon on her long, successful career. The TFI would not be what it is today without her undying devotion and dedication.

Originally Published in TFI News:May 2009

Supporters of Canadian fashion came together at The Carlu in Toronto on Saturday, April 25, for the 2009 Annual TFI New Labels® Competition and gala fundraiser for the Toronto Fashion Incubator, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and nurturing young business entrepreneurs. More than 600 people attended the glamorous evening, which included a private viewing of the second annual ELLE Show, charming cocktail reception, a delicious VIP dinner, silent auction filled with fantastic prizes and, of course, the fashion show where the four finalists—Cheryl Gushue, Jody McMillan, Sonja den Elzen, and Faren Tami—showcased their fall 09 collections vying for the ELLE Canada New Labels® Fashion Award 2009.

The emcee of the evening, Anne-Marie Mediwake, co-anchor of the News Hour at 6, Global News who looked stunning in her David Dixon gown, introduced each designer on stage with a mini-interview session asking about the inspiration of their lines and who their favourite designers were—most answered Rick Owens.

After six months of judging and a quick post-show deliberation, competition judges (pictured below, left to right) Peter Papapetrou (fashion director, Lush Magazine), Nathalie Atkinson (style and culture columnist, the National Post), Rita Silvan (editor-in-chief, ELLE Canada), Teresa Isabella (design director, Bluenotes) and David Dixon (designer, David Dixon Inc.), announced Faren Tami of Faren as the recipient of the award package valued at $25,000.

Tami’s winning collection (featured below), inspired by futuristic eco-architecture, received intermittent applause during her show—a reception most often reserved for more seasoned designers, and a testament to the strong support of family and friends. She used a range of fabrics, from leather to chiffon, to create separates with dramatic silhouettes, details and draping. Each of the models were outfitted with a sharp black bobbed wigs, which fused perfectly with the edginess of her structured collection, while bright yellow tights contrasted with the blue tones seen in many of her pieces. Tami is one of the founding members of the Freedom Clothing Collective located at 939 Bloor St. W. in Toronto. For more information, visit www.freedomclothingcollective.com.

Finalist Cheryl Gushue opened her scene for her Brazilian-inspired swimwear line GushueSwim (see below) with an energetic dance performance by two carnival dancers in full regalia. Her sexy collection made us wish we were dancing on a beach in Rio ourselves. Her teal, burnt orange and black jersey pieces were accessorized with not-so-modest sheer covers and black boho headgear. For more information, visit www.gushueswim.com.

Inspired by photos she found of her grandparents from WWII, Jody McMillan’s Jody Leigh collection of ’40s chic, military-inspired separates and dresses (shown below) offered strong feminine silhouettes with high-waisted skirts, and jackets with shoulder pads. Using army green as a centre for her line, McMillan also featured items in white, black and mustard. This was the first runway show for the George Brown College fashion graduate. For more information, visit www.jodyleigh.com.

Having already established herself in the Toronto industry as an eco-designer, Sonja den Elzen of Thieves proved that being environmentally friendly with your wardrobe can be stylish. Inspired by the wilderness of the Tundra, the collection (see below) featured a soft muted palette of creams and roses with chunky knits and soft pleats. Large horned accessories by Dandi Maestre, which were recently seen on the runway of Lucian Matis’ fall ‘09 collection during LG Fashion Week, brought a welcomed rawness to her aesthetic. Thieves is available at den Elzen’s West Queen West boutique Thieves at 1156 Queen St. W. For more information, visit www.thieves.ca.

Spotted in the crowd were Toronto Mayor David Miller, City Councillors Adam Giambrone and Shelley Carroll (both TFI Board Directors), TFI Chair Ben Barry, Sara Diamond, president of the Ontario College of Art & Design, Samantha Sanella, president of the Design Exchange, ET Canada host Roz Weston, Take This Home and Sell It personality Glenn Dixon, shoe maven Ron White, actors Sarah Manninen of TMN’s The Line and Amanda Brugel from the upcoming feature film Splice. Guests took home an ELLE Canada swag bag filled with beauty products from P&G Beauty. The TFI New Label® contest has been running since 1992, launching the careers of many successful designers including David Dixon, Joeffer Caoc, NADA, and Juma. ELLE Canada, the presenting event sponsor and benefactor, donated a portion of the net gala proceeds to the TFI.

Originally published in TFI News: March/April 2009

Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday throughout the world collaborating with some of the world’s most influential fashion houses. Mattel Canada collaborated with five Canadian brands to design exclusive product lines: David Dixon created an entire line of Barbie-inspired clothing which debuted on opening night at LG Fashion Week; Cake Beauty developed a collection of creams, mists, scrubs and even a signature scent; Town Shoes designed a line of Barbie shoes for women; Glenn Dixon’s line of home furnishings and accessories are currently on display at The Bay; and Foxy Originals’ jewellery line was inspired by Barbie’s original black and white swimsuit from 1959.

Co-branding your fashion company with another brand can create challenges for designers; ensuring your brand is the right fit and shares the same core values is important when corroborating on a partnership.

TFI News had the opportunity to interview Jennifer Kluger from Foxy Originals who created a line of Barbie-inspired jewellery after being introduced to the Mattel Licensing team through the Toronto Fashion Incubator.

Why do you feel your brand is a good fit with Barbie?
For us, Barbie represents a gal who lives her dreams, uses fashion in many fun ways to demonstrate self-expression and of course, she is obsessed with pink! Foxy shares the same vision of fun, fashion and a world accented with lots of pink. Barbie is also continually evolving with women and girls of all ages and the Foxy Originals line worn by women of all ages—we think the brand collaboration is a great fit.

What are the challenges working with an established corporate brand?
Overall it has been great working with an established brand like Mattel. Because Barbie is such a huge icon, the brand staff must do a lot to ensure that the intellectual property and design integrity of it is upheld. This involves many steps in the approval process but, really, it comes with the territory of working with a large corporation. We were fortunate to start the project with Mattel in the summer so there was enough time to get everything through the approval process.

What are you hoping to achieve with the collaboration?
We are hoping to bring something to our current Foxy Originals customers that will bring smiles to their faces. Also, we see this as an opportunity to introduce Barbie fans to the Foxy Originals brand.

What would your advice be to others when a co-branding opportunity is presented?
Make sure there is potential for mutual benefit between the two lines in partnership. The brand you’re partnering with must offer an opportunity to grow your customer base, increase your distribution or raise your awareness. And for the brand you work with, your line must do the same. Also, make sure you have enough time dedicated to the project to see it through effectively.

What does the Barbie connection mean to you?
The Barbie by Foxy Originals project allowed us to think back to our first encounters with fashion through our own Barbie dolls—dressing them up in fantasy outfits and imagining their lives. So it was a special honour to be picked by Mattel to produce a line for Barbie. We are very proud of this collection and look forward to the launch. Our inner child got very spoiled through the process.

The Barbie by Foxy Originals line is on sale now at www.foxyoriginals.com and in independent boutiques across Canada. For more information, visit www.barbie50.ca.

Originally published March 2009 for TFI News Blogspot

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Philip Sparks
Easing us into the impending madness of LG Fashion Week were two off-site shows held the week before. The first being menswear designer Philip Sparks. In a loft space in the Burroughes Building, where he also has a studio, the vibe was relaxed and friendly. It was my first time there and I instantly fell in love with the raw, yet historical charm of the structure. Inspired by the story of Peter and the Wolf—a Russian musical symphony written for children—Sparks showed us a dressed-up outdoorsy collection of shirts, jackets, and sweaters using fur, flannel, wool and a paper cotton, strengthening his reputation for creating charming, boyish looks. —GM

Friday, March 13, 2009

Greta Constantine
Design duo Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong proved themselves two of Canada’s most visionary designers. As I walked along Adelaide towards The Courthouse I saw a long line of people I was expecting to already be inside. It was half an hour after the doors were supposed to open. The venue wasn’t ready for the cold and fashion-hungry crowd of celebrities, fashion editors, and buyers who huddled together outside. Some were shocked to hear one of the bouncers yell, “I don’t care if you’re VIP or media —you’re not getting in!” Not exactly the welcome we were expecting. Finally, about an hour after the doors were supposed to open we got inside. The crowd was expansive and pushed back towards the bar making it impossible for some people to see. Stepping away from their reputation as luxury jersey gown designers, the Greta Constantine presented a collection of separates, coats, and layered dresses. Standout pieces included the gold leopard print jumpsuit, the mesh layered jersey dresses and the seatbelt jackets (which supermodel Coco Rocha wore Thursday evening to the Project Runway Canada show). Here are some images below but you can view the entire collection of my photos here: www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=65970&id=516494126&l=5895e93ee2 —GM

Monday, March 16, 2009

Holt Renfrew Cocktail
It was my first time being invited to the Holt Renfrew Media Cocktail so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had been warned by a few regular attendees that it’s really quite boring and the speeches fill up most of the time. This year it seemed those whispers had found their way back to the higher ups at Holts and it was more of an actual cocktail party. The speeches were short and to the point, followed by brief presentations of five designers: Greta Constantine, Mikhael Kale, Jeremy Laing, Philip Sparks, and Montreal’s Denis Gagnon. Many media outlets called out the fact that it was an entire line up of male designers, which was pointed out in many articles that followed. Read The Toronto Star’s article here: www.thestar.com/article/603360. —GM

The Fashion Twitterati

I had signed up for Twitter in March last year after receiving a few invites, but only one person I knew was on there at the time so I threw it back into the Internet void along with Friendster, Hi5, and MySpace. Then November came around and suddenly all my friends were talking about it, so I logged back in and started micro-blogging. It was a nice little place with a few friends sharing interesting links, but then media caught on and everyone starting joining. LG Fashion Week was fast approaching and suddenly en mass all the fashion journalists joined the pack. During fashion week you’d be inclined to think the likes of Derick Chetty from The Toronto Star weren’t interested in the clothing being sent down the runway because they were constantly tapping into their smart phones, instead they were sending their thoughts into the Twittersphere. To catch up on all the tweets go to www.twitter.com and search for the hashtag #LGFW to see what they were saying. You can follow me @TheStyleBox. (P.S. TFI’s Susan Langdon is on there now too!) —GM

Costa Pavlu Premiers Menswear Collection
I tend to avoid Ultra during fashion week for its unofficial fashion week after-parties, but when I heard that Judy Inc fashion stylist Costa Pavlu was premiering his menswear collection, I had to go cheer him on. (I used to represent him when he was at Plutino Group.) I was completely impressed by his collection of leather and cotton jackets, shirts and pants in grey and black. It seems like he’s targeting the casual, yet professional man—a great audience in Toronto. After the show I went to congratulate him. He was so gracious and thankful that I had attended and wanted my honest opinion, which I gave wholeheartedly. —GM

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The Art of Fashion
Spotted at many of the shows with sketchbook and pencil in hand was fashion illustrator Danielle Meder who decided to create 4×6 postcards of watercolour pencil sketches from each show she attended. “I’ve been pencil sketching from the runway for a few seasons now, and this time I wanted to do more finished pieces. I had these postcards in my drawer so I brought them to Philip Sparks and did a sketch,” she says. “As I was blogging the image, it occurred to me that it was a nice compact finished art piece on its own, and maybe someone would like to buy it. So I went to the art store and bought more cards and sketched all the shows I went to.” The original artwork is for sale for just $50. Visit www.finalfashion.com to view the postcards. —GM

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Closing Week Parties
The volunteers in the tents were handing out flyers all week to the official closing night party at Muzik nightclub down at Exhibition Place. I didn’t go—and no one I know went. I haven’t even read a thing about it. I think they were all where the true party people were at—the Burroughes Loft Party where local fashion favourite Fritz Helder & The Phantoms, who recently was the first act to be signed to Nelly Furtado’s new record label, performed. BlogTO had some great images from the night: http://blogto.com/toronto_fashion_week/2009/03/fashion_week_finale/ —GM

Click image to enlarge.

Originally Published in TFI News’ LG Fashion Week Blogspot

It’s not everyday you get asked to guest DJ at an event, but when you do you automatically start going through your music collection trying to source the best mix. That is what I did when TFI’s executive director Susan Langdon approached me to guest DJ at TFI’s opening night party at The Drake Hotel for L’Oreal Fashion Week. The night celebrated young Canadian fashion and brought together a fusion of fashion designers, industry, celebrities and Olympic medal winners. TFI members were greeted with a complimentary cocktail and were escorted to a VIP section where they joined by celebrity actors Amanda Brugel (MVP/Paradise Falls), Inga Cadranell (MVP/Rent-A-Goalie) and Salvatore Antonio (Paradise Falls).

My set was only to last 30 minutes but my initial song list went over an hour. I edited it down to include some fashionable favourites including David Bowie‘s Fame, Chick on Speed‘s Fashion Rules!, Madonna‘s Vogue followed by You Ain’t Vogue by Toronto’s Fritz Helder and the Phantoms. The highlight of the night – aside from putting on the headphones -was the opportunity to meet some gold Olympic medal winners including rower Adam Kreek, kayaker Adam Van Koeverden and wrestler Carol Huynh. Sharing many of the same struggles with funding, Olympic athletes and Canadian fashion entrepreneurs were the perfect meld and a great way to open L¹Oreal Fashion Week. Below are photos from the event: That’s me on the far left; door prize winner Janette Ewen from The Globe & Mail; TFI staffers Anne-Marie White and Nina Facciolo; and TFI Outreach members enjoying the party.

Photography by www.albertleephoto.com.