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FALL 2014 • VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 3 Publisher/Editor-In-Chief MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA michelle@dolce.ca Director of Editorial SIMONA PANETTA simona@dolce.ca Director of Operations ANGELA PALMIERI-ZERILLO angela@dolce.ca
ART DEPARTMENT Co-Founder/Creative Director FERNANDO ZERILLO fernando@dolce.ca Web Project Manager STEVE BRUNO Senior Graphic Designers CHRISTINA BAN, LUAY SAIG Web Designer YENA YOO
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Copy Editor SIMONA PANETTA Fashion & Home Décor Editor MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA Beauty & Travel Editor ANGELA PALMIERI-ZERILLO Proofreaders THE EDITING COMPANY, TORONTO; SIMONA PANETTA Writers MICHAEL HILL, AMANDA STOREY Contributing Writers STEVE BRUNO, JENNIFER CHENG, CHRISSY ILEY, PAMELA KARAN Contributing Photographers ANDREW FEARMAN, CLAUDIUS HOLZMANN, TOM JASNY, JESSE MILNS, JOHN PACKMAN, SAL PASQUA, SHANNON ROSS, CHRISTOPH STRUBE
VIDEO DEPARTMENT Videographers DANIEL A. COOPER, THOMAS NAGY
ADVERTISING Director of New Business Development SUSAN BHATIA (Maternity Leave) susan@dolce.ca Director of Marketing ANGELA PALMIERI-ZERILLO angela@dolce.ca Account Managers MARIO BALACEANU, LINA MUASHER
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES T: 905-264-6789 Toll-Free: 1-888-68-DOLCE info@dolce.ca • www.dolcemag.com Office Administrator JENNIFER CHENG Front Cover HILLARY CLINTON Photo: ©State Department
Dolce Vita Magazine is published quarterly by Dolce Media Group 111 Zenway Blvd., Suite 30, Vaughan, Ont. L4H 3H9 T: 905-264-6789, Toll-Free: 1-888-68-DOLCE, F: 905-264-3787, info@dolce.ca, www.dolcemedia.ca Publication Mail Agreement No. 40026675. All rights reserved. Any reproduction is strictly prohibited without written consent from the publisher. Dolce Vita Magazine reaches over 900,000 affluent readers annually through household distribution and newsstand sales across Canada and selected Barnes & Noble stores in the United States. Inquiries about where Dolce Vita Magazine is available for sale should be directed to Disticor Magazine Distribution Services: 905-619-6565. The yearly subscription fee is $16.80. Send cheque or money order to Dolce Media Group, 111 Zenway Blvd., Suite 30, Vaughan, Ont., Canada L4H 3H9 The opinions expressed in Dolce Vita Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or advertisers. Dolce Media Group does not assume liability for content. The material in this magazine is intended for information purposes only and is no way intended to supersede professional advice. We are proud to be a Canadian company that has successfully published magazines for the past 18 years without any government funding or financial assistance of programs to cover editorial costs. It has all been possible thanks to the wonderful support of our readers and advertisers. ISSN 1206-17780 Next Issue: Winter 2014 ©2014 Dolce Media Group, Printed in Canada Printed in Canada
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PUBLISHER’S Note
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude — Charles R. Swindoll
T
he fall issue of Dolce is my favourite. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the season: the beautiful colours of nature; the return of texture and softness, cashmere and wool in our wardrobes; the glow of a crackling fire; kids back at school, and most importantly, how life reverts to normalcy. Where summer takes us away from our cities and our routines, autumn allows us to catch our breaths, like the well-orchestrated opera performance of an Albinoni adagio that sends us on our life’s journey. And so it begins: our routine of balancing acts between careers, family, fundraising initiatives, ensuring kids are enrolled in the best schools, finding the best alternative for sick parents. These are all choices we are faced with at some point in our lives. Hard choices is how Hillary Rodham Clinton, our cover
woman, calls them as she shares her experiences of how she handled herself and situations that called on her to make difficult decisions in her life. Choices that would affect not just those around her, but would have an impact on the entire country. In her words: “Life is about making such choices. Our choices and how we handle them shape the people we become.” Our interview is a glimpse into how Hillary Clinton, as U.S. secretary of state, handled herself when faced with hard choices. Her book, of the same name, published by Simon & Schuster, makes sense of how our times and the world are quickly changing. Those interested in understanding how world leaders’ decisions affect all our lives, and “how a collapsing economy in Athens, Greece, affects businesses in Athens, Georgia,” will certainly enjoy this interview of her.
See story on page 46. Whether faced with a decision where the outcome will affect our family, or our entire country, the key is knowing that in the end, regardless of the outcome of that decision, the important thing is to have the courage to make that hard choice. Until next time, we thank you for choosing to read this fall issue of Dolce. May you always have the courage to make the right decision — no matter the circumstances.
Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Publisher/Editor-In-Chief
@dolcetweets | michelle@dolce.ca
Dolce Magazine The Honey of Life Sin
12 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
ce 1996
FALL 2014
THIS YEAR, PUT SOME PERSONALITY INTO YOUR CORPORATE GIFTS The season of gift giving is fast approaching, which means you’re probably wondering how you can spoil your loyal clients this year. If you’ve exhausted the been-there, done-that corporate gift and want to treat someone to something different, we’ve done the gift-hunting for you! The fine treasures and luxury gift baskets found at Desirée will show your clients how much you and your team value them all year long. Plus, our nationwide delivery service makes the process that much easier. To browse for ideas in our extensive collection of fine corporate gifts, stop by our shop or visit our website at www.desiree.ca.
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CONTENTS ISSUE 3 / VOLUME 18 DOLCE FALL 2014
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HILLARY CLINTON
THE ART OF RELAXATION
The former first lady and secretary of state discussess her latest memoir, Hard Choices ces
Unwinding on the pristine shores of Anguilla
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JEWEL HARVEST
The eye-catching accessories essories that willll ignite your autumn attire
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JOY RIDE
Gentlemen, embrace your inner Steve McQueen with these roadworthy styles
DOLCE NOTEBOOK Stunning items and spaces that will make you take notice
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OBJECTS OF DESIRE From Paris to Toronto, these sought-after finds will have you yearning for more
BREAKFAST AT LISA’S
Sashaying through the closet of Toronto style maker Lisa Corbo ON THE COVER Hillary Clinton ©State Department photo 28 BIRKS AND THE BEES The man behind one of Canada’s most prestigious jewelry brands 42 RAYMOND MORIYAMA The renowned architect launches a new architectural prize that rocks Toronto 64 DIAGNOSING EDS Susan Hawkins and Erin Somers shed light on a crippling disease More stories inside ... 14 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
FALL 2014
Executive Chef | Luigi Maresca
10519 Islington Avenue, Village of Kleinburg 905.893.7400 www.avenuecibievini.com
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DOLCE WAS THERE
GILDING THE LILY PREVIEWS ALESSIA MAGNOTTA JEWELRY
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1. Annie Jagger and Alessia Magnotta 2. Katrina Gabriele, Julie Belmore, Rachel Bellotti, Athena D’Amato | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com
PHOTOS BY TAYLOR MCKAY
This past June, celebrity stylist Annie Jagger, who splits her time between Toronto and Los Angeles, opened up her rustic jewelry boutique Gilding the Lily in Toronto’s historic Distillery District. The already much-talkedabout location provides Torontonians and tourists with a luxurious space to find unique designer treasures for the home, ornamental odds and ends and, of course, breathtaking accessories. On August 6, Jagger — whose star-studded list of clientele boasts the likes of Hollywood stars Bradley Cooper, Nicole Richie, Matt Damon, Vanessa Hudgens, Eva Longoria and others — welcomed local jewelry designer Alessia Magnotta’s collection to her boutique with an intimate preview party. Guests mingled over chutes of rosé and champagne, macaroons and other sweets as they explored Magnotta’s delicate designs. www.gildingthelily.la
As fall arrives, Dolce looks back at the event that kicked off its summer. Hosted by the Canadian HadassahWIZO (CHW), Canada’s leading Jewish women’s philanthropic organization, the 11th annual At Our Table welcomed over 240 guests to a stunning garden party in support of the new CHW Stroke and Invasive Neuroradiology Institute at Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center in Israel, as well as the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Guests enjoyed a buffet and a silent auction packed with luxury pieces from retailers across Toronto, while Canada AM ’s health and medical expert Dr. Marla Shapiro inspired the crowd with accounts of her connection with breast cancer. The event raised nearly $150,000. www.chw.ca The CHW committee, which focuses on children, health care and women | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com 16 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
FALL 2014
PHOTO BY ROSYLIN GOLDLIST
AT OUR TABLE 2014
DOLCE WAS THERE
PHOTOS BY LUBIN TASEVSKI
COCKTAIL CRAWL The Spoke Club on Toronto’s King Street West was crawling with young elites dressed in their best as the second annual Cocktail Crawl took over the prestigious facility. The event is designed to create an environment for entrepreneurs, socialites and fashionistas to network and do it stylishly with a complementary cocktail in their hands. A fashion show brought even more excitement to the event, featuring pieces from Canadian designer Madame Moje and celebrity fashion boutique Mijaneaux, while guests also had the opportunity to have their hair and makeup professionally touched-up, compliments of the artists and stylists from event sponsor Donato Salon and Spa. www.cocktailcrawl.ca
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1. Natasha Semone, Cocktail Crawl event organizer, and Delorean Klien, event volunteer 2. Erica Grenci, Toronto beauty and style blogger (right) and guest 3. Makeup artists and hair stylists from the creative team at Donato Salon and Spa 4. A model struts down the runway | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com
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DOLCE WAS THERE
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The first-ever Toronto Men’s Fashion Week hit the Fairmont Royal York Hotel from August 12 until August 14, celebrating legendary and emerging designers from across Canada and around the world. The event, which is the eighth of its kind joining the ranks of London, Milan, Florence, Paris, Los Angeles, Singapore and Vancouver, gives the often-underappreciated menswear sector an exciting boost in the industry. The event also launched Men’sFashion4Hope, a special charity runway show to benefit the Kol Hope Foundation for Children, a Canadian charity and the first of its kind in North America to provide support for children born with trisomy-related disabilities. The fundraiser took place on August 13, during which local celebrities walked the runway for the cause. www.tomfw.com 1. Jeff Rustia, executive director and founder of Toronto Men’s Fashion Week 2. Canadian supermodel Stacey McKenzie 3. Backstage, a male model gets ready for the runway 4. Guests pose in front of the step-and-repeat in the bustling foyer of the event 5. Toronto Men’s Fashion Week bustled with fashionable men and women all gathering together to celebrate the artistry of menswear | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com
PHOTOS BY CHI CHEN, PAOLO MUSA, CHRIS VIEIRA, CONSTANTINE DIGOVETS AND KATRINA SUNG
TORONTO MEN’S FASHION WEEK
SPYDER’S GT COLLECTION FASHION SHOW
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1. James Hinchliffe, IndyCar driver and the face of Spyder’s GT collection 2. The GT collection brings Spyder’s renowned quality and functionality from the Olympic slopes to the street with its everyday fashions 3. The Templar Hotel in Toronto plays the backdrop to the fashion show | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com
FALL 2014
PHOTOS BY D.A. COOPER
IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe took his foot off the gas to test it in the world of fashion on July 17, jumping in the driver’s seat as the face of the new GT collection from skiwear manufacturer Spyder. The GT collection is a reinvention for Spyder, taking the brand’s technical material and engineered design and applying it to streetwear. It positions Spyder not only as a front-runner for skiwear but also as a “Go To” for everyday clothing. While the drinks flowed at the Templar Hotel, guests were treated to a fashion show highlighting the GT collection’s fall apparel plus an exclusive sneak peek at its forthcoming 2015 spring/summer line. “Honestly, the clothing is so nice,” says Hinchcliffe. “It’s the quality, the attention to detail. They make these things look good.” www.spyder.com
DOLCE WAS THERE
PHOTOS BY T. H. JACKSON HUANG, IKONICA
ILC FOUNDATION GARDEN PARTY In her early 20s, Toronto resident Erin Somers was diagnosed with EhlersDanlos Syndrome (EDS), a brutal condition that is under-recognized across Canada and the United States. A year after undergoing a surgery that changed her condition and her life, Somers and her mother, Susan Hawkins, hosted a garden party at their Bridle Path estate to raise funds for a scientific workshop where leading EDS doctors from the U.S. will come together with Canadian doctors to bridge gaps of knowledge about this disease. The zebrathemed event welcomed 170 guests to a day of fine food and drink, as well as a silent auction filled with lust-worthy prizes ranging from luxurious jewelry to one-of-a-kind dining experiences. The garden party raised over $160,000 for the cause. www.theilcfoundation.org
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1. Erin Somers, co-chair of the ILC Foundation Garden Party, EDS patient and advocate for EDS awareness 2. Susan Hawkins, co-chair of the event and Somers’ mother 3. Robert Herjavec, event emcee, Canadian businessman and media personality 4. Guests enthusiastically follow the zebra-print dress code | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com
FALL 2014
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POETRY
Dolce takes a closer look at the brightly coloured folds and patterns of French artist Mademoiselle Maurice’s widely loved creations — and of her life INTERVIEW BY MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA
DV: Define “art.” MM: Art is the expression of feelings or of a point of view using some particular media and working with colours, shapes, sound or light, all while using some technical knowledge. Art is everywhere and everything. DV: Why do you choose paper as your medium? MM: Because paper is simple, modest and a very natural element. It can be recycled, reused and transformed, and it requires manual work — no machines, just two hands, a sheet, some folding noises, sliding fingers, pressure and delicacy to create poetry. DV: What project are you most proud of? 20 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
MM: That’s difficult to say, but probably one of my more recent projects, which is still a secret. I had to install it in a city during the night using a thousand origami that I folded in a really short time, all while suffering from a brutal sickness. That was this summer — a hard but good time.
Saint-Cloud. And these are all just for the beginning of fall! DV: Define la dolce vita. MM: The sweet life for me, as we say in French, is d’amour et d’eau fraiche — “of love and fresh water.” I will add sun, friends, colours and good food. www.mademoisellemaurice.com
DV: What’s on your schedule this season? MM: My schedule is packed right now. I’m working on a group show for the Piscine Molitor swimming pool in Paris and another one to help fight breast cancer. I’m also going to do an installation in London and another for an art festival in China, and am preparing something for La Celle
1. Mademoiselle Maurice’s installation outside the Saint Maurice Cathedral of Angers in Angers, France, part of the artist’s contribution to the 2013 Artaq Festival 2. The “Take One Give One” urban installation commissioned by Bettery Magazine completed in October of 2012 3. Mademoiselle Maurice 4. The artist standing in front of one of her origami portraits 5. Mademoiselle Maurice’s Montreal installation, completed in May of 2014 FALL 2014
PHOTOS 1,2 & 5 COURTESY OF MADEMOISELLE MAURICE / PHOTOS 3 & 4 BY FABIEN BOUCHARD (UFUNK.NET)
PAPER
JEANNE BEKER Fashion Icon. Distinguished Canadian. Style Maker. Portrait by BRYAN ADAMS
Celebrate. Style. Ever-fashionable, always
inspiring, unforgettable. Yorkdale marks its 50th anniversary with a celebration of Toronto’s Style Makers. Each with their own unique brand of style – and every one captured by photographer Bryan Adams – visit Yorkdale.com and see them all.
In recognition of Jeanne Beker’s involvement a donation has been made to SickKids Foundation. FALL 2014
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| LONDON
CLASSIC CHARISMA
FOR THE MODERN ERA London Morgan, the official dealership of the Morgan Motor Company in England’s capital, celebrates one year of handcrafted heritage and carrying on a legacy WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL
It’s
only been a year since the opening of London Morgan, and despite a market saturated with cookie-cutter vehicles, hunger for the heritage and prestige of Morgan has proven alive and well. “Since launching one year ago,” says Anthony Barrell, dealer principal of London Morgan, “we have had a phenomenal response from customers across London, the U.K. and internationally. This is a testament to an intense appetite for all things Morgan.” London Morgan is the English capital’s official dealership for the Morgan Motor Company, Britain’s last independent family-owned automotive 22 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
manufacturer. Located in the historic, cobbled heart of South Kensington, London Morgan launched in May 2013 and has sold these bespoke beauties to aficionados both across Britain and abroad. Morgan is renowned for the iconic roadsters it’s hand-built for over 100 years. While the modern automotive industry is all about mass production, Morgan has held firm to its coachbuilder roots: it’s still located in Malvern Link in the same modest red-brick factory where it was founded in 1910. The company only builds about 1,000 vehicles every year, each to customer specifications. That low production count has made Morgan a name synonymous
with exclusivity and discernment the world over. There certainly is no mistaking a Morgan. From the 4/4, the longestrunning production vehicle on the planet, to the 4 Seater, each Morgan exudes a delightful charisma and oldworld beauty that looks like it belongs in a museum. Under that distinct design, however, is the power and performance of modern mechanics. As Barrell notes, “In an age where luxury British heritage brands are sought by all discerning international markets, the anarchic exclusivity that a Morgan represents couples sophisticated taste and demand.” www.londonmorgan.co.uk FALL 2014
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LONDON MORGAN
Top: The 4.8-Litre Aero Supersport Middle left: The quirky 3 Wheeler Middle right: The classic two-seat 4/4, the world’s longest-running production vehicle and one of the most recognized shapes in the automotive industry Bottom: The bigger 4 Seater adds a second row to allow for two additional passengers in the backseat
A BLOG FROM MSF
BLOGS: MSF PAKISTAN http://blogs.msf.org/en/staff/blogs/ msf-in-pakistan/smiles AUTHOR: Pong Cheuk Chiu NATIONALITY: Hong Kong Chinese COUNTRY: Pakistan JOB TYPE: Nurse
Why do we have a blog site? “We are not sure that words can always save lives, but we know that silence can certainly kill” — Dr. James Orbinski then MSF International President collecting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999
It was a hot morning, emergency room was busy as usual. While all colleagues were fully occupied by patients, one more patient had arrived by stretcher. She was a 6 year-old girl, father looked very nervous. Colleague comforted him and asked him about girl’s condition in local language, and I did the medical examination to the girl. She looked very tired, sunken eye, dried lips, very poor result in skin pinch test. She also had severe diarrhea and vomiting since yesterday. We concluded that it was severe dehydration, and intravenous fluid was immediately needed to be given for replacement. During infusion, father was still nervous and holding her hands tightly all the time. Over the first half-hour, the rapid infusion period has ended and the situation of girl improved a lot, fortunately. When a girl can slightly hold his father by her little hands and fingers, I saw the girl smiled, and her father smiled as well. Additionally with help of oral rehydration salts, the girl was soon out of the situation of severe dehydration. After a few more hours of observation, she was discharged
home. Before leaving, the girl smiled once again and waved to us. Father did not say anything, but gave us a subtle smile. I think this is a recognition of our work and why MSF is here. It is not necessary to have applause for appreciation, smiles from patients and their families are definitely sufficient. I looked back what we used to treat the girl, intravenous catheters, infusion tubing and fluid, oral rehydration salts and gloves. These seemingly simple materials, can really save a life, and make a family smile as well. Colleagues always say, sometimes we not only help the patient, more likely a family. I am sure it would not happen if there is no help from donor especially in these remote settings near the border. You may not be able to participate the relief work on the front line with me, I sincerely hope you can also work on your own way to support MSF. Please support MSF by donating a day’s income to help save more lives and make more families smile because of your contributions. Thank you Errors have not been edited to maintain authenticity of doctor’s voice
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Master barber Peter Tertsakian of John Allan’s Toronto
THE
STRAIGHT RAZOR REVIVAL Going old school with the single-blade shave WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL
T
he straight razor glides across my skin, severing the stubble under the blanket of shaving foam. Some strokes are long and calculated; others, short and quick, working around the contours of the mouth, nose and jaw. I’m reclined in a barber’s chair at John Allan’s downtown location as the steady hands of its master barber reveal the skin beneath the scruff. It’s an experience once enjoyed regularly by gentlemen of yore, and one that the modern man is bringing back to life. I’ve never had a straight razor shave before. The practice was cast aside by our speed-obsessed culture for in-andout unisex salons and the faster and more convenient disposable razors of Big Men’s Grooming long before peach fuzz sprouted above my upper lip. But speed is exhausting, and many are looking backwards, embracing those relaxed, dignified methods of a bygone era. Like the reinvigorated interest in vinyl records, straight razor shaving is finding new legs. I had to give it a whirl. It’s late afternoon in downtown Toronto when I stroll into John Allan’s at Hudson’s Bay. This gentleman’s club offers haircuts, manicures and other men’s grooming services to its upscale clientele, as well as shoe shines and beverages from its fully licensed bar.
24 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
GROOMING ESSENTIALS BLU Light and pliable water-based pomade made with orange flower, lemongrass, lime, grapefruit and lanolin extracts
SLICK WATER Ideal for pre-shaves, it lifts follicles for a closer shave and creates a smooth surface that reduces cuts and irritation
SHORTY RAZOR BOX Packed with a high-performance razor with three one-ounce shaving products (Slick Water, Shave Cream and Cool Face), this kit is ideal for the well-travelled man
What more could a man of industry ask for? Peter Tertsakian is John Allan’s resident master barber. He’s cut hair for well over a decade and added the straight razor to his repertoire five years ago. While a popular ritual before weddings, Tertsakian explains that many men hear or see the art on TV or in film (as in the recent James Bond flick, Skyfall) and want to experience it for themselves. Disposables, he explains, may be faster but the straight razor is better for the skin and minimizes ingrown hair. “You’re not pulling and yanking as much, and that’s why there are fewer in-growns. The skin is just a lot softer at the end.” Tertsakian starts by applying John Allan’s Slick Water, which softens follicles for a closer and smoother shave. Next, a hot towel is wrapped around my face to help open the follicles. “It also makes your skin feel really soft,” he says. Two rounds of shaving follow. The first: with the grain to avoid tugging. The second: against it to clean up the remains. A hot towel is applied in between shaves to soothe the skin. He ends with John Allan’s Cool Face aftershave to alleviate irritation. The process takes about 30 minutes, but could be upwards of 45 depending on the jungle growing from your jowls. The skin does feel incredibly soft and smooth, and this macho pampering is highly relaxing, a great way to unwind. “I like to call it a ‘manly facial,’” Tertsakian says, adding he also shaves heads and shapes beards. Heck, go for John Allan’s Full Service, it includes a drink. Something gentlemen of yore would also appreciate. www.johnallans.com FALL 2014
PHOTOS BY SAL PASQUA
Tertsakian practising his straight-blade craft
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| CALIFORNIA
MOST. EXPENSIVE. CAR. EVER. Rare Ferrari sets world auction record
“WE NEED TO TALK!” We have seen your marketing We can help with your brand identity
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Marketing | Web Design | Video Production | Print Design
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The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta that was sold for $38.1 million at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction
T
his past August, a rare 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta sold for US$38,115,000 at the two-day Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction in Carmel, California, to become the most valuable car in history sold at auction. The winning offer, made by an undisclosed bidder, broke the previous record of $30 million held by a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R F1 Racer that sold last year at Bonhams’ auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Berlinetta, one of only 36 built between 1961 and 1964, was part of the 10-car Maranello Rosso Collection that was sold at this year’s auction. Chairman of Bonhams Robert Brooks explains, “We’ve always maintained that we would exceed the current world record and that the car would bring $30-40 million and today the GTO did just that.” www.bonhams.com
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A DV E R TO R I A L
A BRIGHT
IDEA Purchasing a natural fancy color diamond is the latest trend in both fashion and investing. Guildhall Diamonds’ founder and president shares his insight on this sparkling opportunity to protect and grow your wealth
PHOTO BY JESSE MILNS / JEWELRY PHOTO PROVIDED BY GUILDHALL DIAMONDS INC.
N
atural fancy color diamonds have an undeniable allure. They are truly a unique status symbol that has been turning heads, not only for their beauty but also for their steady increase in value. Prices for color diamonds at auction, particularly in the last decade, have been shattering records and this has enticed savvy investors to the market. “Mother Nature has provided a very limited amount of these beautiful color diamonds. And as with anything incredibly rare, investors are going to be attracted to this market because of the value increases available,” says Paul Wiseman, founder and president of Guildhall Diamonds Inc. in Toronto. Color diamonds have not only caught the eye of the investor. Glints of vivid flawless yellows and stunning pinks are being spotted at many red carpet events. “All diamonds make a woman feel glamorous, but color diamonds, because they are so rare, so beautiful, make a woman feel even more special. I think this makes them quite appealing to those wishing to express their individuality,” says Wiseman. Wiseman, a longtime collector and enthusiast, notes his blossoming clientele is comprised of two types of customers: the wearer, who wants to enjoy his/her diamond in an exclusively handcrafted, one-of-a-kind piece of FALL 2014
jewelry, and the investor, who is putting his/her color diamond(s) away to quietly accrue value over time. And then, of course, there are the clients who are doing both. “People are always looking for a safe place to store wealth,” says Wiseman. “Investment-grade color diamonds are part status symbol and part private bank.” With newfound wealth from emerging economies, clearly demand for color diamonds is on the rise, making them more difficult to procure with ever-increasing prices. The natural fancy color diamond industry is an international community, but a small one. Guildhall has a reputation for unyielding high standards with Wiseman at the helm. “I only buy a diamond that I would want in my own collection and I believe if you buy the best, it’s always going to be a good investment. This is why we are always in the pursuit of beauty, rarity, and quality.” Guildhall’s boutique collection encompasses only the finest investment-grade natural fancy color diamonds. Whether it’s for pure luxury or multi-generational wealth, owning a quality color diamond is a bright idea. Visit the collection at www.guildhalldiamonds.com 100 Allstate Pkwy, Suite 301, Markham, Ont. 1-866-274-9570
Paul Wiseman, founder and president of Guildhall Diamonds Inc.
DID YOU KNOW? .001% of all diamonds mined per year will be of color. Even less will be considered investment grade A 1-carat Fancy Yellow IF can be purchased for as little as $9,500 Color diamonds can be a great way to save for retirement and kids education Color diamonds have never dropped in value
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PHOTO BY CHRISTOPH STRUBE
Jean-Christophe Bédos, president and CEO of Birks, is all smiles at Toronto’s Shangri-La Hotel
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BIRKS BEES AND THE
HOW JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BÉDOS IS POWERING CANADA’S PRESTIGIOUS AND HISTORIC JEWELRY BRAND WRITTEN BY SIMONA PANETTA
T
he image of a company head trudging to work through banks of snow and sub-zero temperatures is something I never imagined until sitting next to Jean-Christophe Bédos in a suite at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto. A few minutes ago, the predictably unpredictable Canadian climate had me braving my own weather-related obstacles: ankle-deep puddles and sheets of rain sweeping across University Avenue on what had begun as a harmless, albeit grey, summer-ish day in July. Rushing off the soaked street and taking cover in the soaring hotel lobby, Mother Nature had considerably dampened my efforts in punctuality and appearance. But my bad hair day soon turned the corner: Bédos strode into view, having just wrapped up his photo shoot with Dolce. On the sort of afternoon when all should be forgiven for coming up a little less than refined, Bédos decidedly impresses in a dark Gucci suit and bee-patterned Eton tie. In the living area of his stay on the 16th floor — his publicist, Eva, quietly hovering in the background — talk quickly turns to the deluge outside. As a proponent of pedal power and a regular of the Heel-Toe Express, the CEO and president of Maison Birks is all too familiar with the scenario. “To
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“THE FIRST QUESTION FOR ME WAS: HOW DO I INTRODUCE A SENSE OF PRIDE AND A FOCUS ON POTENTIAL? IT SEEMED THERE WAS A KIND OF INSECURITY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION: WE’RE NOT ITALIAN FROM MILANO, WE’RE NOT FRENCH FROM PARIS, AND WE’RE NOT AMERICAN FROM NEW YORK. SO WHO ARE WE?”
ensure that the day is a good day, I cycle to work in the spring and summer, and walk to work in the winter,” he explains. “It’s the best way to start the day; it helps me reflect on matters and also to somewhat — especially in the winter — feel that I’m conquering the day, even when it’s minus 20 degrees outside. “Canada Goose helps,” he adds with a laugh. While it’s only a short trek from home to his corner office at the flagship Birks store in downtown Montreal, Bédos has become known over the years for his large yet measured steps — the most recent being crossing the Atlantic to punch the corporate clock in a country whose natural resources and abundant landscape the Europeanbred leader regards in admiration. The move brought him to the helm of Birks, a leading purveyor and retailer of highend jewelry and watches in Canada, in 2012. His ability to remain naturally curious and wear like a second skin the insight to adulate a young country’s best offerings have amplified his presence as a respected leader in the luxury jewelry industry for more than 25 years. “Whether you call representing others and caring for the group ‘leadership,’ something that always mattered to me was speaking up for others,” says Bédos, recalling childhood days of being asked to captain the school rugby team and voted in as class representative every year. Beginning his career in 1988 at Cartier, Bédos’ introduction to the jewelry industry was by chance. Graduating with a business degree from 30 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
Nottingham Trent University, where he had simultaneously worked on a distance-learning law degree, he left England to complete one last year of study at the Université Paris I Sorbonne. To pay for his small living space, he looked for a part-time job, landing an assistant position in global marketing at Cartier in the City of Lights. “I would do that every morning for a year, and in the afternoon work on my law degree. I was self-conscious; my parents weren’t into jewelry, or luxury, for that matter,” he explains. “If we wanted something we had to work for it, which is good because it shapes the character. I’ve worked hard to get where I am, but I think there’s also an element of luck.” At the end of the year he was offered a job as the junior product manager for the revered jewelry and watch retailer’s international division, which brought him back to England to set up a marketing department by 1992. He went on to earn his MBA and become the managing director for Cartier France, his experience and education opening many doors. From 2004 to 2011, he was CEO of Boucheron, where he played a critical role in repositioning the French jeweler into the luxury market. Somewhere between his bright smile and refined demeanour I wonder what else could lie beneath the tall and dark James Bond of jewelry, a man who reads Winston Churchill and unwinds to classical music. “I can only say what I’ve heard: focused, resilient, long-term driven and fun.” Fun? “As in a good sense of humour. I
take things with a twist. You don’t believe me?” Bédos smiles as he recounts how he proposed to his wife, a woman he praises for her steadfast support. Expecting an elaborate engagement tale of caviar and carats, I get the ironic unfolding of a man in the jewelry business without a ring instead. “It was in a pizzeria that I went on my knees. I wanted to propose with a 1-carat beautiful diamond, but the stone and mount I had secured weren’t ready for that day. Rather than make it totally grandiose, I decided to downplay it to the maximum. So I presented her with a coke can ring instead,” he recalls, shaking his head. “The weekend after that the ring came, and she was really impressed. She was in tears — maybe tears of despair — but she said ‘yes!’ She’s a good sport,” he laughs. Bédos, who speaks English, French, and some German and Spanish, was born in Morocco and raised in the south of France. When he arrived in Montreal from Paris on a cold January day back in 2012, he immediately embraced the country’s promise of opportunity. He and his wife and four children headed straight from the airport to an apartment, a temporary living arrangement until the furniture for a home they had secured in Westmount arrived. “I should have come to Canada sooner. When once in Paris, I took a taxi — and most of the time you have a very bad experience with a Parisian taxi driver — but here was a young guy who was very interesting, very eloquent, and I had a nice conversation with him. I thought, ‘Wow, this is one in a million, a FALL 2014
PHOTO BY GUY L’HEUREUX
As part of its bee conservation program, Birks commissioned artist Laurent Lamarche to create a sculpture at its Montreal flagship store on Phillips Square. The illuminated piece houses a working beehive FALL 2014
great moment.’ I asked him what he did in life and how he became a taxi driver, and he said, ‘I have to provide for myself because I can’t find a job.’ He had a PhD. I went home and I said, look. There is something wrong if we live in a society that doesn’t provide for future young generations — what about our own kids who are coming next? We realized that we probably needed to move, so we made a shortlist and at the top was Canada.” Apart from finding the discipline to balance his occupational responsibilities between family time, Bédos went to work on making friends and laying down his roots, all the while overcoming the challenges of rebuilding a brand and directing business in what was new territory for him. He set out to create a culture of collaboration and initiative within the company, encouraging his team to produce, deliver and stand by their ideas. He injected a true sense of togetherness right from the top and through his organization, inviting colleagues to sit alongside him during meetings at his desk, a long, rectangular dining table meant to encourage discussion and the conviviality one enjoys while having a meal. “I wanted to avoid the usual traps of applying the same recipes, instead making an effort to have a humble approach to learn and discover and make myself accepted, rather than impose myself on the company.” Bédos knew that genuine brand history was nearly impossible to replicate, putting Birks alongside global jewelry giants vying for the lead in the crowded market. But he also knew that the company had other distinct advantages. Compelled to flip an inferiority complex toward other luxury retailers on its head, Bédos encouraged the organization to embrace the Birks identity, rather than dress it up or escape it. “Canada is associated with vast spaces, the feeling of conquering, the feeling that there are no borders. The first question for me was: how do I introduce a sense of pride and a focus on potential? It seemed there was a kind of insecurity within the organization: we’re not Italian from Milano, we’re not French from Paris, and we’re not American from New York. So who are we?” One of his first orders of business was to distinguish the semantics between “luxury” and “prestige,” the former not quite the right fit to represent www.dolcemag.com
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32 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
“WE CELEBRATE
OUR FUTURE BY CELEBRATING
NATURE.
AND THIS IS HOW WE IDENTIFIED THAT BEES ARE THE FUTURE OF NATURE, OF THE WORLD. WE KNEW WE HAD A STORY TO TELL, AND WITH THAT A SOCIAL CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY”
The Birks Bee Chic collection was recently introduced in support of the preservation and protection of honeybees. Top: Large double chain pendant in 18-karat yellow gold. Above: A honeycombinspired 18-karat yellow gold ring
have the roots, they are deep, they are enriched with history and heritage, but we must project ourselves toward the future rather than turn back and look at our past. We celebrate our future by celebrating nature. And this is how we identified that bees are the future of nature, of the world. We knew we had a story to tell, and with that a social corporate responsibility,” says Bédos, his wrist encircled with a limited edition Birks Heritage Pilot watch. In an additional effort to counter the disappearance of bees, Birks’s headquarters in Montreal fitted its roof with an urban beekeeping installation and suspended green roof earlier this year. Architecting Birks as a valuable and unique export in the high-end jewelry market with Canadian sources of inspiration, Bédos is guiding the historic brand with the nudge of a parent propelling his child up in the air at the local park swing set. His latest objectives include measuring the strength of Birks’s collections in the United States and a forthcoming plan to expand to China. In speaking of his proudest moment, Bédos flushes while sharing the contents of an emotional letter his father sent to him on his 50th birthday. “The moments my father considered successes for me were fun moments. He remembered when I was in sports and selected for the team, he remembered how dedicated I was at school, and how proud he felt when I moved to England to study. [While reading the letter] I was thinking, good Lord, I did not expect this kind of life or career. It’s not that I’m so successful, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done. “There is no regret, the fact that I’ve never looked for quick return on investment, I’ve never tried to have a fast kick or boost, I’ve always accepted that with sweat and pain you can achieve.” In the case of Jean-Christophe Bédos, slow and steady might just win the race. www.birksandmayors.com FALL 2014
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIRKS
Birks’s bloodline. “Luxury has its origins in Europe,” he explains, “so we decided to use the word ‘prestige’ rather than ‘luxury.’ One of the reasons specifically was because we didn’t want to associate Birks with the idea of being superior or important. When you meet Canadian people, you have people who are kind, unassuming, who don’t take themselves too seriously, not ‘snob.’ In the world of luxury, you have a lot of long faces and snob attitudes; you don’t have that here.” What we do have, he proclaims, is our very own source of the most acclaimed of gemstones: three diamond mines in the Northwest Territories and one in northern Ontario, and the inspiration of Canadian nature in all its forms. Ushering in a revived sense of national pride with the goal to refresh and renew, Birks unveiled two new storefronts in Montreal and Burlington in 2013, and an updated design décor of snow, ice and maple trees. Birks operates 51 stores, 30 in Canada and the rest in Florida and Georgia under the Mayors brand. This year marks the 135th anniversary of the Montreal-based icon, founded by Englishman Henry Birks and most distinguished by its sacred blue box. To observe the milestone, the company announced its support for the conservation of honeybees by partnering up with the University of Guelph’s Honey Bee Research Centre. Often viewed as a nuisance, the threatened insect plays a critical role in pollinating our crops, especially fruits and vegetables. Standing by its duty to raise awareness on the dramatic decline in honeybees in our cities, Birks introduced three bee-themed collections — Bee Chic, Bee Sweet and Busy Bee — with 10 per cent of sales from a honeycomb-shaped silver pendant benefitting the Research Centre, a pioneer in global bee health. “Earlier on we decided we would not commemorate the past with a selfcelebrating exercise,” says Bédos. “That kind of narcissistic approach is very often not interesting. So we said, we
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PUSATERI’S
SPREADS ITS WINGS
The renowned upscale grocery retailer shares its plans for a fourth location in Oakville WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE MILNS
S
hoppers flow in and out of the entrance of Pusateri’s Fine Foods on Avenue Road, shopping as they would on any other typical Thursday morning. But in the office above, Frank Luchetta is outlining a groundbreaking move that is anything but normal for the venerable high-end grocer. The president of Pusateri’s has pulled back the covers for the first time on plans for a fourth store to be opened in Oakville, a move that will take the company beyond the borders of Toronto for the first time in its nearly 30-year history. “We’re really excited about this new opportunity,” Luchetta says. “It really is a big step for us as a company and a brand.” The new store’s home is in Oakville
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Place, Oakville’s largest shopping centre. Luchetta explains that the company has contemplated moving outside of Toronto for years and has been building up its infrastructure to facilitate growth. A 10,000-square-foot commissary was also recently completed to provide the company with the means to supply its Toronto stores, which include Bayview Village Mall and Yorkville, as well as additional locations in the Greater Toronto Area. The Oakville community has always been at the top of Pusateri’s list for expansion. The problem, however, has been location — it could never quite pin down a spot that worked. It was over dinner in Miami’s Bal Harbour with Fred Waks, president and COO of RioCan, the real estate investment
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Frank Luchetta, president of Pusateri’s Fine Foods. Luchetta recently announced plans to expand his family-owned company to Oakville
PUSATERI’S LOCATIONS 1986
2003
2010
2015
Avenue Road
Yorkville
Bayview Village
Oakville Place
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Luchetta leans against a display in the produce department of the Avenue Road location of Pusateri’s, which opened in 1986
and management firm that owns and operates Oakville Place, that Luchetta would find the ideal site. “They’re committed to redeveloping Oakville Place into a higher retailfashion type of centre, and they believe Pusateri’s can bring in those types of businesses,” says Luchetta. “Quite frankly, there’s only one Pusateri’s,” says Waks. “Nobody is carrying the merchandise and degree of specialty items, as well as staple items, that Pusateri’s brings.” Waks explains that he and his team believe that the whopping $500-million sale of Bayview Village Mall last year was due mainly to having Pusateri’s as the mall’s anchor. From a merchandising and long-term-investment standpoint, he sees Pusateri’s as the ideal company to lead the elevation of Oakville Place and to attract more high-end retailers. “We felt if we were going to make a dramatic change to Oakville Place and take it in the direction it deserved, Pusateri’s is the only brand we could do it with,” Waks adds. Luchetta explains that he and Waks discussed building a Bal Harbour of Toronto, and that this new partnership “really has all the makings of it to do that, because we can provide that feel.” The new Oakville store — the first Pusateri’s has opened in nearly five years — will have all the amenities customers in Toronto have come to expect from the esteemed retailer, a name synonymous with the pinnacle of quality and service. From the finest meats and produce to the imported 36 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
“WE FELT IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE A DRAMATIC CHANGE TO OAKVILLE PLACE AND TAKE IT IN THE DIRECTION IT DESERVED, PUSATERI’S IS THE ONLY BRAND WE COULD DO IT WITH” — Fred Waks, president and COO of RioCan
specialty items and popular Home Meal Replacement program, which offers ready-to-eat, restaurant-quality meals customers can take home and enjoy, to the in-house amenities, such as onsite and offsite catering, event planning and high-end florals, the Oakville location will have it all. GH+A Design, the Montreal-based firm that has handled Pusateri’s store designs for the past decade, will head the design of the new location. Frank Di Niro, who was the design lead on the Avenue Road renovation several years back as well as on the Yorkville
and Bayview Village Mall locations, explains that the Oakville store will have an element of fashion, giving it an innovative and contemporary feel, but it will also use “noble materials,” such as white carrara marble, limestone and wood, to maintain the comfort, warmth and longevity that a quality grocer should have. It’s a twist between design, architecture and food, says Di Niro, adding, “In one way, it’s a quiet architecture so that the food really stands out.” “I think the consumers in that area are very in tune with food and they appreciate the quality that we’ve delivered for many years to the Toronto residents,” says John Mastroianni, general manager of the Pusateri’s Avenue Road location. “So being part of that community, I think, is something that we’re excited about, to be able to service them.” “Our customers are very well travelled and they really have seen what the world has to offer, and that was pretty much the vision of Pusateri’s when it started,” adds Luchetta. “The original vision was to have a food emporium that would just house everything under one roof. If it’s not available, we can consolidate shipments from Europe or anywhere in the world and bring the product over ourselves.” The 18,000-sq.-ft. store will be similar to the original Avenue Road location, and customers can expect that same hands-on, family-run feel that Pusateri’s has always offered in the past, but there will also be unique features, such as valet parking and a restaurant concept out front. “It’s a full-line store with some twists,” Luchetta says. He’s remaining tight-lipped on what those twists are, but notes that there will be components that will give it “a whole new experience.” A specific date for the opening hasn’t been determined, but Luchetta says they’re aiming for the fourth quarter of 2015. The development is the first step toward greater expansion, and the Oakville store is a potential launching pad into other communities in Ontario, and possibly beyond. While still focused on perfecting local expansion before revealing any further plans, Luchetta is excited about moving forward. “We’re now in a position where we can grow the brand into different areas and communities around the city,” he says. “This is the beginning of bigger and better things to come.” www.pusateris.com FALL 2014
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AT HOME WITH
Dolce caught up with design sweetheart Moe Razi in her lavish Toronto penthouse to discuss her new role in motherhood and how her family is the most beautiful accent in the interior designer’s abode WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNON ROSS
Interior designer Moe Razi relaxes in her stunning penthouse suite in north Toronto 38 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
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Razi’s two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Audrey, is already following in her mom’s stylish footsteps
O
ne can never really predict what experience awaits on the other side of an interior designer’s front door. Such is the case for me as I take the slow ride up to a lower penthouse suite in north Toronto, the abode of Moe Razi, Toronto- and Los Angelesbased design darling. Having previously flipped through the archive of her past works, which range from a Tuscaninspired seaside summerhouse to an ultra-modern, Asian-themed mansion previously rented by Jennifer Aniston, I’m not sure what to expect when the elevator comes to a stop. Ding. The doors draw back to reveal a space that fuses Victorian-era chic with modern, youthful luxury, a sight that would have any design fanatic swooning. But it’s not the flawlessly thought-out décor that has my attention: it’s the designer’s apparent thing for pictures. They’re everywhere. Stepping into a luminous entryway, there’s a mantel to my right covered with framed pictures of the smiling faces of her sun-kissed loved ones, particularly her two-yearold daughter, Audrey, and her husband, Truestar Health founder Tim Mulcahy, with whom Razi splits her time between Toronto, Beverly Hills and La Jolla. To my left are two large sketches hung sideby-side on the wall, one of a woman and one of a man, both professionally dressed, with their bodies twisted in wild dance — movement that’s reminiscent of letting go. When I find Razi in Audrey’s room fluffing pillows and shifting furniture in preparation for our photo shoot, she greets me with a friendly “Hello!” over her shoulder as she works away at the pink and white décor, which she says her daughter helped select before she FALL 2014
even spoke her first words. “I hope you don’t mind me doing stuff as we talk,” says Razi, motioning for me to follow her down the hall toward a sunlit den and dining room, the pièce de résistance of the penthouse. We pass another wall of framed photographs on the way, and I note a particular blackand-white shot of a very pregnant Razi caught in mid-laughter, striking a hilarious pose.
“I LOVE TO CREATE BEAUTY IN EVERYTHING I DO, BUT I’M OKAY TO LIVE WITHOUT IT, TOO, AS LONG AS I HAVE MY FAMILY” — Moe Razi
The main room of the suite boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a sweeping south-facing view of the city. The ’scape has served as a backdrop to Razi’s summertime months for the past two years since she and Mulcahy purchased the penthouse just after their intimate La Jolla wedding. I soon learn that in a matter of weeks, the family will say a bittersweet goodbye to the suite and move a short distance to a new home, a place with a backyard and more
growing room for Audrey. “I promise I’ll sit down in a minute,” Razi says, shuffling some of the loose photographs that are scattered across the table in what I guess is a scrapbookmaking session cut short before moving into the connecting den, where I spot a chic high chair with soft, baby-pink cushions, a candy-coloured assortment of kids’ playthings and a designer backpack that surely holds all the essentials of a style-savvy mother with a schedule to keep. Razi is unafraid of faster paces not only because of her trade and international clientele, but also because she’s spent most of her life following her sense of wanderlust — a trait she inherited from her diplomat father, who took her on his globe-trotting excursions when she was growing up. Now a parent herself, Razi plans on passing on the gene to Audrey, who has already joined her and Mulcahy on jet-sets to Italy and more of the couple’s favourite European destinations. In fact, becoming a mother has given birth to something of a juxtaposition in Razi’s life: as much as her daughter has altered her day-to-day — “It’s become all about her,” Razi says — being a parent hasn’t changed who she is. “Even though my life has changed, my lifestyle hasn’t really changed that much,” says the designer, who’s involved in an array of children’s charities across the United States and cancer-focused organizations in Canada. “I find that a lot of people, when they get married and settle down, they give up on life — they give up on themselves. But this should be a time in your life when you work on bettering yourself as an individual.” While Razi did temporarily hit “pause” on her career after becoming www.dolcemag.com
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SMALL TALK WITH MOE RAZI Q: What’s one thing about you that even Google couldn’t tell us?
A: “I speak Farsi and Polish, and I used to speak French.” Q: What do you recommend clients splurge on when decorating their home?
A: “When it comes to home décor, splurge on the things you use every day, like the couch and the bed. You don’t want those falling apart.” Q: What’s your favourite local source for home décor treasures?
A: “I love Elte. It’s my one-stop shop, especially now that they have a kids’ section.”
After going through the major life change of getting married and having a daughter, Razi’s challenge was to create a home space that’s baby-proof yet chic
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a mother, she’s managed to not only maintain her independence over the past two and a half years, but to feed it. Seeing the restrictions of motherhood as less of a burden and more of a good challenge, her ability to have fun has been honed, and during her brief hiatus from the design realm — to which she’s finally returning this season — Razi also whipped up the concept of a hushhush new business she’s excited to be launching in Toronto this winter. It’s becoming clear to me that Razi won’t allow herself the chance to take a seat for very long. Her daughter arrives, all ready for the photo shoot in a pint-sized nautical dress and sparkling shoes, luring her mother away from our interview to pose and giggle together at the flashing camera. But that’s just Razi’s style: up and active, yet never rushed, this travelling designer intends on savouring the small, sweet snapshots in her dolce vita. And with bright plans in her foreseeable future, I’m sure the next wall of framed family memories will fill up in no time. “Hey, I love beauty. I love to create beauty in everything I do,” Razi says. “But I’m okay to live without it, too, as long as I have my family.” www.razidesign.com
Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
A: “I’d love to be able to control more of what kids see in the media. Some of the things that are made known to them are making them grow up too fast and mature too slowly.” Q: What do you love about your three hometowns, Beverly Hills, La Jolla and Toronto?
A: “Beverly Hills is sunny not only in the sense that it’s hot, but there are some really lovely people there. It can get a bit superficial, but overall, it’s a nice place to live. They call La Jolla “the jewel of San Diego” because it’s by the water and the weather’s always beautiful. It’s also a great place to raise a family — everyone is very family-oriented. And as for Toronto, it always feels good to come home to my friends and immediate family who live here, plus I think the city is really blossoming into an influential destination — every time I come here it’s evolved so much!”
FALL 2014
BEAUTY BLISS Transport yourself to a state of skin-care euphoria this season WRITTEN BY JENNIFER CHENG
PHOTOS 1 AND 2 COURTESY OF HOLT RENFREW; PHOTO 3, SWISS LINE; PHOTO 4, LANCÔME
MAGIC ELIXIR Achieve a radiant glow with a dab of Dior’s latest skin care product around the eyes and lips, guaranteed to reduce dark circles and wrinkles while redefining your complexion. www.dior.com
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RAYMOND One of Canada’s most esteemed and decorated architects launches a new prize — one that’s been a lifetime in the making WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL
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aymond Moriyama asks: “Do you want me to go back to the real beginning?” The real beginning? It’s about a week since Moriyama, one of Canada’s most esteemed and decorated architects, announced he was launching a new prize for architecture in conjunction with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), and we’ve met at the downtown office of Moriyama & Teshima Architects, the firm he founded back in 1958, to discuss the finer details. Moriyama, head to toe in black and sporting his Order of Canada pin, speaks softly, is very gracious and smiles often. He has the soft eyes of a man who’s seen difficult times, with an unassuming demeanour that’s unafraid of a little selfdeprecating humour. (He’s 84 and has been retired for close to a decade, but his son Jason is now a partner of the firm, so they still let him hang around, he quips.) He was explaining how applicants for the biannual Moriyama RAIC International Prize are accepted from all over the world, about the Wei Yew-designed statue and the $100,000 the winner takes home. The monetary award happens to be the same amount that accompanies the prestigious Pritzker Architecture
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Prize, and Moriyama feels his has the potential to raise the stature of both the RAIC and Canadian architectural talent on the international stage. I had only asked about how he got involved with the RAIC on this new venture, but if we need to dip into the past to find its inception — the real beginning, as he says — then, sure, tell me how it all started. “OK,” Moriyama chuckles. “Well, I have to go back.” Moriyama’s youth was one of pain and pessimism. At four he was badly burned after knocking over a pot of hot stew. The injuries left him bedridden in the back of the family’s Vancouver hardware store for eight months. The pain was intense and constant, but the experience proved existential. As he lay, as stiff as a board, he would gaze out a small window, watching as an addition was made to the building across the street. Every so often a man with a pipe carrying a big roll of papers would arrive at the construction site. He would spread the papers out on a large rock and the workers would gather around and listen as he spoke. Moriyama was intrigued. He asked his father who the man was and his father went to investigate. When he returned he explained that the man was an “architect,” the person responsible for designing the extension of the building. “I said, ‘Well dad, I’m going to be an architect too,’” Moriyama says. But before that could happen there was still more hardship to endure. It would come in December 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Fear and paranoia permeated Canada’s vulnerable West Coast. Many looked at Japanese-Canadians with contempt, believing they were spies for
the enemy. The government ordered that all citizens of Japanese descent be rounded up and sent to internment camps. Moriyama’s father, however, saw the flaw in this decision. He refused to go willingly, explaining to his son that while Canada fought overseas to defend freedom and democracy, at home it was committing a contradiction. A few days later his father was arrested and sent to Ontario as a prisoner of war. Soon after, 12-year-old Moriyama and his pregnant mother were taken from their home and, along with 22,000 other JapaneseCanadians, sent to the camps. “The wartime experience, when your own country turns its back on you and gives you a title [of ] ‘enemy aliens,’ that was a really hurtful, damaging situation,” Moriyama says. “I would say that it was Canada’s dark moment.” Moriyama was sent to Slocan, B.C., in the West Kootenays. There were no private bathrooms at the only two communal bathhouses, and there he was often ridiculed because of the scars on his body left by the scalding stew. He began wandering off and exploring the area to avoid the harassment, ending up at the Slocan River on the other side of a little mountain. He would bathe in the icy water, which although freezing was still better than “hot tears.” He decided to build a tree house there to act as a place of refuge. He secretly collected materials, knowing if anyone found out he would be arrested, and carefully worked on the project. He was elated when it was complete, explaining, “I’m sure that it was a cramped little thing, but at the time, I thought it was a masterpiece.” It was in the shelter and solitude of the tree house, his “university,” that FALL 2014
PHOTO BY JOHN PACKMAN
Raymond Moriyama, one of Canada’s most renowned and celebrated architects and the man behind the new Moriyama RAIC International Prize FALL 2014
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PHOTO BY TOM ARBAN
Inside the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Moriyama didn’t want the museum to be beautiful in the conventional sense. Instead, he wanted it to “bother people,” to make them confront the harsh reality of war but also leave them with a feeling of hope
“RAYMOND REALLY PERSONIFIES THIS WHOLE IDEA OF MAKING SURE THAT ARCHITECTURE CHANGES LIVES, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE BETTER, AND THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT BEAUTY CONTESTS” — Barry Johns, chancellor of the RAIC College of Fellows
PHOTO COURTESY OF MORIYAMA & TESHIMA ARCHITECTS
Moriyama pondered his future. He thought about his life as an architect and grew concerned with ideas of social justice, equality, inclusiveness and true democracy. He felt that if his dream came true his goal would be more than just making pretty buildings. He wanted his work to be part of a “cultural flowering” that gave opportunity to everyone, no matter their ethnicity, gender or physical ability. “I just had to follow another kind of drummer,” he says. Years later, after opening his architectural firm, Moriyama would take the pain of his past and use it to shape the world around him. Over his 50-year career, he weaved those themes he pondered as a child into the buildings he designed, such as the Ontario Science Centre, the Toronto Reference Library and the Canadian War Museum. The Toronto Reference Library, for example, was placed on Yonge Street one block north of Bloor to be at the intersection of two subway lines for easy accessibility. Special desks were also included so people in wheelchairs could have a place to read and work. When Moriyama was approached to design the Canadian War Museum, arguably his most powerful work, he told the client that it wouldn’t be beautiful in the conventional sense. The building, opened in 2005, is meant to “bother people,” to make them reflect on the harsh reality of war, but also to instil hope for the future. In 1976, when he went on a trip through India, walking, he guesses, 1,000 kilometres as he followed “the footsteps of Buddha,” Moriyama began to tinker with the idea of an architecture award. He would think about it on and off for years, developing it further and refining what he hoped it would achieve. Awards such as the Pritzker celebrate lifetime achievement. While monumentally prestigious, it’s also criticized for favouring the industry’s elite. Moriyama wants his prize to be more inclusive, obtainable by any architect in the world no matter his or her age or experience. Winning structures will not only exemplify great design, Moriyama explains, but will also have social and cultural impact. “I’m also hoping that it would be given to somebody who really opens an eye to a sense of equality and true democracy for everybody,” he adds. “He’s a real humanist,” says Barry Johns, chancellor of the RAIC College of Fellows. “Raymond really personifies this whole idea of making sure that architecture changes lives, obviously for
The National Museum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The museum opened in 1999 as part of the centenary celebration of Saudi unification. Its central feature is a westerly curved wall made of local limestone that glows red during sunset, gradually cooling as evening sets in
the better, and that these projects are not beauty contests. They’re projects that really do enhance the communities in which they’re found.” Johns explains that Moriyama isn’t alone in this pursuit — it’s actually a very Canadian thing. That said, considering Moriyama’s legacy and international reputation, having his name attached to this new prize gives it great credibility. As Johns explains, “He has successfully practised around the world. He has proven that that approach is extraordinary because of the quality of work that has come out of his firm.” The inaugural prize will be awarded on October 11 at the new Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. Submissions have been accepted all spring and summer, and a jury that features numerous architectural forces, including Edward Cullinan, Maxime-Alexis Frappier and Patricia Patkau, will select three
finalists. A winner will be selected at the gala and take home the $100,000, while the two runners-up will have $5,000 scholarships given in their names to Canadian university students studying architecture. Despite a prestigious career, which has garnered the RAIC Gold Medal and being named a Companion of the Order of Canada, when it comes to pinpointing the proudest moment of his career Moriyama remains modest. “I think I’ve tried to do my best for whatever project we’ve taken on,” he says. I explain that I meant maybe there was one project, perhaps one that really exemplified that humanism and inclusivity he spoke about, when he felt particularly satisfied. After all, he builds as a way of helping others. He pauses only for a moment, smiles, and responds: “Well, what else is there?” FALL 2014
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LEONE This fashion euphoria, with over 50 designers housed in excess of 50,000 square feet, indulges the love of fashion, shoes and accessories on a luxury level. www.leone.ca
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THE FORGE With an appreciation of local ingredients and a farm-to-table menu of “progressive American cuisine,” the multi-awardwinning Forge is a passionate fusion of food, wine, art and interior design. www.theforge.com
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GALERIE MICHAEL Specializing in European art and master works from Rembrandt to Picasso, Galerie Michael hosts lectures and tours, has an in-house curatorial department, a staff of fine art scholars, a million-dollar art library and is one of the most highly regarded galleries in the United States. www.galeriemichael.com FALL 2014
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ŠSTATE DEPARTMENT PHOTO
Hillary Clinton, former U.S. secretary of state and author of Hard Choices 46 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
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CANADIAN EXCLUSIVE
HillaryClinton ON THE HEELS OF HER
SECOND MEMOIR, THE FORMER
FIRST LADY AND U.S. SECRETARY OF
STATE DELVES INTO HER CAREER, FAMILY LIFE, AND THE HARD CHOICES THAT PUSHED HER TO THE TOP
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WRITTEN BY CHRISSY ILEY
t has been said many times that Hillary Clinton’s lack of warmth and empathy cost her the 2008 Democratic candidacy. A friend of mine who is a respected editor in Australia told me she finds her smug and cold. Before I was to meet her I watched her appearance on The One Show, which has been described as “Einstein doing Play School.” I’d go one step further: it was Einstein loving every second of being on Play School — laughing at the frivolity and making everyone else laugh too. Everything she was asked she responded to with firecracker wit and political diplomacy that was charming and at the same time revelatory. When asked if she prefers the dress sense of Dolly Parton or Angela Merkel, she replied, “Dolly for nighttime, Angela for day.” And when asked who was her favourite president, Bill Clinton or Barak Obama, she said that she was glad to serve Obama, who had taken the worst global recession since the Depression and turned it around and created health care for everyone in the U.S., and glad to be married to Bill, who rebooted the economy and created 23 million jobs. When Rylan Clark greeted her on This Morning referring to her as “babe” she beamed with delight. She can take anything in her stride. But strength doesn’t mean froideur in her case. I wait for her in her empty suite at Claridges. There’s none of the rude, pushy, sullen security that has been described in the press and on Twitter. She arrives with her aide, smiling. She is wearing black trousers and a jacket that is white, patterned with tiny black and yellow flowers, and pointed flats. She is so much smaller than you expect. Her presence is so big you expect her to be. She is curious: Why have I flown in from L.A.? It’s as if she’s trying to feel her way around me, make a connection, which is easy. She admired my necklace, a gold chain with charms, and while you could think that this was a politician’s ploy to create
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empathy, she is wearing a daintier version of the same necklace experienced. It was extraordinary.” herself. She has huge eyes: blue, round, enquiring, searching, What stayed with Hillary was the notion of respecting missing nothing. someone’s getting up after he or she has been knocked down. She is here of course on a book tour to promote her memoir No matter how rejected, betrayed or mistreated you feel, you Hard Choices, in which she chronicles the exhilarating and don’t become a whiner because Dorothy never did. You don’t gruelling life of being secretary of state, the world’s No. 1 become a victim if you want to survive and enjoy your life. If diplomat covering over a million miles, visiting 112 countries. you are a victim you never move on. uch has been made of the fact that Monica Lewinsky’s A life of tough decisions, very little sleep and being endlessly on visit to London briefly coincided with Hillary’s. In a the road. recent Vanity Fair article Lewinsky described herself She tackled it with gusto and seems to have derived great as “arguably the most humiliated woman in the world.” satisfaction, no longer just Mrs. Clinton, a woman in her That is taking the victim role by storm. One could argue in husband’s shadow, but a woman who learned from the best that particular three-way it was Hillary who was the most and used it in her own hard graft. n person she is much more fun and funnier than the book humiliated. The man she stood by and loved cheated on her and than you’d ever expect her to be. David Miliband, and it all played out in public. when he was foreign secretary, said, and I paraphrase, that How did she take that humiliation and turn it around so Hillary was great, that you could have a laugh with her and dramatically? Her huge eyes widen. How did she come from tease her. She laughs a big booming laugh. being that humiliated person to the respected secretary of How important is that to her? To bring fun into an agenda state? How did she turn that around? which is incredibly serious? “Oh Chrissy, it’s so important, I “I moved on,” she says simply and profoundly. “And that mean really. So many of the doesn’t make me cold. It issues you deal with when doesn’t mean it was easy.” you are in government these Lewinsky couldn’t move days, and particularly when on. Does she feel a little sorry you do foreign policy — for her? “I think she is someone national security is serious who has to express her own and dangerous. If you don’t feelings. I can’t characterize have time to be a human her, that wouldn’t be right. being and let your hair down, I’m just grateful that I made have a joke, tell stories, you the choices I made, to move can lose perspective on what forward, and from that you are really doing. And so I’ve had an extraordinary I have had fun with David, set of opportunities and others.” and experiences that I’m very She seems relaxed, grateful for.” n her book she also sparkling, fluid. I wonder talks about the necessity if she has grown into this of forgiveness. Most person or if this was just the U.S. President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton convene at a picnic table religions talk about it as person people didn’t see? outside the Oval Office on the South Lawn in April 2009 he most moving part of liberation. Did she find it easy her book is when she talks about her mother, Dorothy to forgive? “No, no,” she says loudly, emphatically and with a Rodham, who had a cruel, abusive and neglected vulnerability that moves me. upbringing. Dorothy, who died in 2011, was rejected by her “Forgiveness is a hard choice. It’s empowering and liberating own parents, sent from Chicago to California when she was to be able to reach the point in your life where you feel you eight to live with strict disciplinarian grandparents who didn’t can forgive. Everybody feels they have been trespassed upon know the meaning of love. and nearly everybody has trespassed on somebody else, maybe Dorothy went out trick-or-treating one Halloween without not intentionally … permission and as punishment was confined to her room for “I’m inspired by the example of Nelson Mandela, who led an entire year. Yet Dorothy took solace in the comfort of a country to a new future through the example of forgiveness strangers and any small acts of decency. She became a lifelong and reconciliation. That doesn’t mean you forget — its truth and reconciliation. You have to be honest, face the truth campaigner for social justice and a woman who knew how about whatever your situation personally or nationally might to love. be, but he often made the point that if you carried bitterness and How did Dorothy affect Hillary and formulate the person anger around with you for whatever reason, you would remain she became? “When I was a very little girl all I knew was in prison. You would in fact be imprisoning yourself and be that she was my mother. As I got older, probably into my unfair to yourself because you can’t get beyond what happened teen years, I could reflect. She was devoted and she was to you. fun. She loved sports. We would go swimming. She loved to “I think about my mother and what happened to her when play golf. She was an active, involved person in our church she was growing up — the abuse, neglect and meanness she and in our school. When I learned about the terrible set of was subjected to — and she had to find it within herself to rise issues and challenges she faced as a child my admiration above it, to keep going or she would have been miserable. Or for her grew. I couldn’t imagine — I had this very stable, loving, supportive family — I didn’t know how she did it; she might have got married and had kids and been miserable how she came from what she experienced to be what I to them. But she didn’t.”
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Did you find that after that (I mean Lewinsky but I don’t say the word) it made you and Bill stronger and closer? “I feel that we always had a close relationship. It doesn’t mean that we haven’t disappointed each other or fallen short in some way because of course we each have in everyday life. There are things that you do or fail to do. I feel very blessed to have a partner in life who supports me, who is enthusiastic about what I want to do, who has been a great father and who will be a fabulous grandfather. I feel very lucky.” hroughout the interview there is direct and indirect clucking about the advent of her being a proud grandmother. Chelsea is to give birth in the autumn and you sense the conflict. Of course she wants to enjoy that time of being with her daughter and the baby. She says she hasn’t made up her mind yet if she will run. I feel her sense of injustice is too huge and passionate to allow her not to. In the book you feel the adrenalin, the fear she refuses to take on, when she writes about her role in Bin Laden’s capture and demise. National security was paramount. She had to keep the operation secret from her husband. How did that make her feel? Was it hard? She is so direct and thrives on the bravery of honesty I imagine it would be. She nods. “It was hard in two ways. Hard because I had to keep it from everybody. I had to do the work, the analysis and the recommending based on my own efforts and I had to keep it from my husband because of the admonition we couldn’t tell anybody. I would have loved to have talked it over with him because I value his advice and experience, but I didn’t. And when President Obama called him and the other living presidents about what had happened, he said to Bill, ‘I assume Hillary has told you.’ He said, ‘No, she hasn’t told me anything.’ And I laughed about it with him later and he said, ‘Well good, people will know you can keep a secret.’” And she laughs now. Did Bill keep secrets from her when he was in office? “Yes, he did. I don’t think very many, but there are some things that you are expected to keep secret. Even though in our cases we could add value in thinking through these decisions together, we didn’t.” ow does she think the dynamic of their relationship has changed since she has become more powerful and a more public figure and he less? “I don’t think he will ever be anything but a public person, especially in our country. He has his work with the foundation; his special envoy work with the UN, some of the work that President Obama has asked him to do, and he has an enormously high profile. So I view it as a conversation we started many years ago in law school (they both went to Yale) where we each tried to support and really listen to each other and provide our best advice. “So although he ended his public electoral office in 2001 and I began mine, we never quit sharing views and ideas. When I was a senator for New York and he was one of my constituents, I used to tell him I represented him.” She laughs, almost conspiratorially. “When I was secretary of state there were many things we could talk over, and we did. We view ourselves as being very much partners in our marriage.” Bill Clinton is hugely charismatic. I interviewed him once briefly. His voice was mesmerizing and he was electric. What’s he like around the house? Is he electric all the time? Now she
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guffaws. “I know that when I see it. No. He is very much an around-the-house husband; let’s clean up the kitchen, let’s take the dogs for a walk, what are we going to do with our garden? Very matter-of-fact everyday issues.” I have to say I thought Bill Clinton was very nice. “Yes,” she considers. “He is very nice. Yes.” We laugh again. In one of the most amusing photographs in her book, she is playing the piano with Bono and they are singing. It takes guts to sing with Bono. It takes guts to send in helicopters with Navy Seals to Bin Laden’s lair. It takes guts to stay human when you are in power. Because of that and her ability to triumph over tragedy, she
FORGIVENESS IS A HARD CHOICE. IT’S EMPOWERING AND LIBERATING TO BE ABLE TO REACH THE POINT IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU FEEL YOU CAN FORGIVE
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has become a gay icon. “Really?” she purrs. “That is so touching to hear that. I have a chapter called ‘Unfinished Business’ about women’s rights and gay rights. To me you cannot be fully human, fully civilized, unless you recognize humanity in everyone. Our country has made a lot of progress in issues of racism and sexism and homophobia, but many places around the world are dangerous for women and dangerous for gays and we have to keep working.” As a feminist she is unswerving. On Twitter she describes herself as “wife, mom, lawyer, women and kids advocate, U.S. senator, Sec. State, author, dog owner, hair icon, pantsuit aficionado, glass ceiling cracker, TBD.” She says she was thinking of naming her book The Scrunchie Chronicles because of the amount of attention that gets paid to her hair, especially when she pulls it back in a scrunchie. oes she feel being a woman in power she has to modify the way she dresses — for instance, be more masculine, more conservative, play down a girlie side of herself? “When I was younger and women first started to get in public positions, in my case the law, we went through a period where we wore those little ribbon ties, little bows. We tried to figure out what was our appropriate dress. Now it is sorted out. “Women can express who they are more. You are running up against conventional expectation and your personal identity. It doesn’t mean to say you can wear a bathing suit to court. You can be aware of conventions but not be a slave to them. I wear pants of various kinds because it solves a lot of problems. Different jackets, heels of different heights, but I also like to wear something that is more fun, more happy, not be so predictable.” Her coat today is a happy coat. If it were a cocktail it would be a margarita. “Yes, thank you. I happen to love margaritas and it was my mother’s favourite drink. It’s a happy drink.” Her clothes in the past have been criticized. She has been criticized for her hair and basically every move she’s ever made. She says she has developed the skin of a rhinoceros. She takes criticism seriously, but not personally. Especially when it’s about the double standards applied to a woman in the public eye. Is there any criticism that still hurts her? “I feel like I’ve run the gauntlet of criticism. When somebody is saying something about another person that is unfair, it’s not that it’s about me
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so much as the meanness that can be displayed toward people. She looks good for her 66 years. Her face is lined but not I don’t like that. excessively. Her face is kind and un-Botoxed. Overall you sense “It used to bother me and I would get frustrated and then strength and huge warmth, which is an impressive combo. I didn’t have the energy for it anymore. And I also thought if She caused brouhaha by announcing how when they left I’m spending energy worrying about what somebody is saying the White House at the end of the Clinton presidency they about me, then how am I ever going to make the point I want were completely broke and hugely in debt. Yet she makes to make. So now I wear my hair how I want it. I’ll wear my vast amounts from public speaking and book deals. Can she glasses if I want to. Women should not be entrapped by those remember what it was like to really have no money? expectations. This book is to encourage young women in “Absolutely, yes. Bill and I started off scraping our way particular to find their style, their identity and their voice.” through law school. We each had to work several jobs to I wonder if she is referring to what has been dubbed “the get through and each had student loans to pay off.” Beyoncé voters,” the single ladies who have been categorized When they got married there was no money for a proper as a new demographic of potential voters Clinton will need if wedding reception. They had it at home and she wore an she were to run. off-the-rack dress she bought the day before “Yes, I read the article to which you are the ceremony. What does she like spending referring. I think what you have to do is make her money on these days? the case that Congress has an enormous impact “Experiences. Going to the theatre. Going on matters that are important to you. If you on vacations to new places.” are worried about your student loan, saving What keeps her awake at night apart from for a house, worried about the conditions in jet lag? “I sleep very well. But I do worry the workplace, it’s not just the president you about violence from extremists, rogue states elect, it’s who you elect to Congress. Single that have nuclear weapons. We all worry women have not been a target for that kind about that.” I wonder if she has a recurring of message and I think they should be because nightmare about how to stop this. She might they deserve to hear that.” just have to be president to try to have a full Of course if she did run, much has been night’s sleep after all. made of the fact that she would be an old Does she feel that men and women wield president (she would be 69). She’s been power differently? “Yes. I have observed dubbed a Golden Girl. But she retorted that differences. You can’t generalize but in that was a very popular TV show. These days general women have a more collaborative Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton explores the challenges she faced she loves House of Cards but hasn’t seen Scandal collegiate style and may be attuned to what during her four-year term as or Game of Thrones. I call kitchen table issues, what’s happening U.S. secretary of state he had a health scare — a concussion, in families, the stresses they’re under, how and had to take blood thinners. Today difficult it is to make ends meet.” oward the end of the book when she talks about her she is glowing, energetic, relaxed. Does she have a fitness mother’s death she is reminded of the quote: “I have regime other than the yoga I’ve read about? “Clearing closets loved and been loved. All the rest is background music.” clears my head. It makes my head fitter and I love a project This seems to ring true. And that’s how she would like to be that has a beginning, middle and end. I love organizing, going remembered. to the container store. When I got out of the State Department In a relationship does she like to be the person who loves I promised myself I would do it and I have.” She beams. She most or is loved most? “It goes back and forth. That’s why I feels liberated from the throwing away of old clothes. “I love loved that quote. I have loved and I have been loved. I think it the letting go,” she laughs. describes any long-term relationship because clearly sometimes What will she do if she’s not going to run? “Work in the you are in greater need than your partner and sometimes foundation that Bill and I started and that my daughter is also a it is reversed.” member of, the three of us together. I’m going to keep fighting You don’t think that women love doing the loving? “That’s for women’s full participation, their equality and opportunity not been my experience. I think there are different phases in in every society. I have more than enough to do, it’s just a men’s and women’s lives. I know a lot of men who are now question of making these hard choices of where I want to put retired who are much more loving now than when they were my energy and emphasis.” working 16-hour days.” Does Bill want her to run? “He wants me to do whatever I I don’t think she’s referencing Bill, but part of me would decide to do.” like to think so because even women who are strong Having seen the job first-hand, what is the best and worst need nurturing. thing about being president? “The best thing is you can help We have already gone over our allotted time and now I want people solve their problems and manage difficult situations. her aide to take a picture. We stand together. She is not afraid The worst thing is it’s a never-ending, daunting set of of arm-to-arm contact. We smile. We look united, side-by-side. responsibilities that 24-7 is not enough time to deal with.” I examine the picture afterwards. Both wearing black trousers, She described her campaign for Democratic candidacy as patterned tops, many bracelets, and a gold charm necklace. physically and emotionally exhausting, which is surely nothing Both the same height. Both unnatural blondes. We could be compared to the stress of being the actual president. Hasn’t sisters and that makes me feel strangely pleased. she noticed how quickly and dramatically they age? “Yes! Just look at them, they go in young and vigorous and … go Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Simon & Schuster, grey.” Does that worry her? “No, because I can colour my hair. is out now. They don’t.”
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PHOTO BY MAY KHOURY, 2013
F DESIGN E D
Qadem Hooks Console by May Khoury Inspired by the wooden agricultural tools of days of old, Qadem Hooks is both a piece of art and a useable console. It’s composed of various green-painted hooks that were used together with the Qadem, an old wooden saddleback used on mules to transport wheat from village to village in Jordan. The base of the piece is a thresher board, which was used to crush wheat, while a glass panel, the only new material used, rests on top.
Hungry for inspired design? We’ve gone global on the hunt for head-turning home décor, eco-friendly public art installations and striking architecture you have to see to believe. So lick your lips and dig in to these original entrees of next-level design
WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL
PHOTO BY MATTEO CARASSALE
Barbecue Stool by Ginevra Grilz Vibrant and modern, the Barbecue Stool embraces the philosophy of dematerialization, elevating its form from simple decoration to a functional piece of furniture. The stool is part of Grilz’s “Vessel Collection” and was created using pieces of everyday products. The intent was for each element to be recognizable and traceable back to its original object. Each stool can also be disassembled and reassembled if desired.
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PHOTO BY TAM RAYMOND PHOTO BY MISOSOUPDESIGN
Rising Moon Pavilion by Daydreamers Design Shimmering off the water of Victoria Park in Hong Kong, the Rising Moon Pavilion melds art and environmentalism. Created for the Lantern Wonderland mid-autumn festival, this public art installation uses over 4,800 five-gallon water bottles to form the dome while an additional 2,300 bottles hang from the ceiling inside to create an eco-friendly chandelier over the path that winds through its centre. Different lighting effects are used to imitate the lunar phases and, at night, when the dome is fully illuminated, it creates the illusion of a beautiful glowing sphere on the water.
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Anti-Loneliness Ramen Bowl by Daisuke Nagatomo & Minnie Jan Inspired by a lonely man eating at a restaurant, the Anti-Loneliness Ramen Bowl allows noodle lovers to keep their hands on their chopsticks and spoon while still staying connected during a meal.
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PHOTO BY HAKAN GÜRSU, 2013
Steam Tea Maker by Hakan Gürsu Sleek and modern, Steam is a stovetop tea maker that uses intelligent engineering and stacked teapots to brew your tea just the way you like it. The larger lower kettle is filled with water, which when boiled evaporates and passes into the upper kettle to slowly steep the loose-leaf blend. Steeping the tea with steam creates a much richer flavour, and the dual kettles allow the user to adjust the drink’s strength by diluting the tea with the remaining water when serving. The upper kettle’s glass teapot shows the deep colour of the brewing tea while the stainless steel base gives a quality look and feel. With all these features, Steam is the ultimate in modern tea making and serving.
PHOTO BY PETER WÜRMLI
Google Campus Dublin Office Interior Design by Camenzind Evolution Camenzind Evolution had a tough problem to solve for Google: How do you create a stimulating and interactive space within Dublin’s bustling inner city? The solution had to be inventive and innovative — this is Google after all. But when the doors of Google Ireland opened in June 2013, it was clear this new campus was something special. Located in the heart of Dublin’s historic Docklands district, Google Ireland houses over 47,000 square metres of energetic, eclectic and inspired office space, as well as the headquarters of Google EU.
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Nan Fung International Convention & Exhibition Center by Andrew Bromberg of Aedas Like a teetering stack of hastily piled blocks, the Nan Fung International Convention & Exhibition Center is an unabashed monument to fearless architecture. This complex — located on Pazhou Island just outside of Guangzhou, China — features a massive retail exhibition area and a traditional multi-floor exhibition centre, as well as an office showroom and five-star hotel. Its unapologetic design pushes the envelope and is a clear example of the possibilities of the avant-garde.
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PHOTO BY ANDREW BROMBERG OF AEDAS
PHOTO BY NACASA & PARTNERS INC., 1967, 2013
1967 by Glamorous Co., Ltd. The relaxed and chic 1967 lounge is a clandestine retreat from the hustle and bustle of the crowded Tokyo streets below. Set in the nightlife haven of the Roppongi district, one of Tokyo’s busiest areas, 1967 is named after the three project leads, all of which were born in, yep, 1967. Its clean, modern décor is balanced with extravagant chandeliers and regal accents. There are four private rooms, each adorned with 1960s-themed art. But what makes 1967 so special is the lush plant life of the garden lounge. The surrounding greenery separates 1967 from surrounding buildings and the bumping party scene of Japan’s capital. But as the evening matures and approaches midnight, the shutters are opened, giving patrons a great view of the city.
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RO SE DESERT
AUTUMN’S WARDROBE BREATHES HEATED ELEGANCE WITH ABYSSAL GEM TONES, AIRY PASTELS AND GENTLE SILHOUETTES WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY
DRESS KIRRILY JOHNSTON COPPER CUFF LUSTRE J ARMBANDS RUE STIIC
Let loose in a forgiving silhouette that gives a playful take on the cut-out trend FALL 2014
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Leave the skin-tight ensembles in your summer closet and get whisked away by fall’s drape-like fabrics
DRESS BARIANO BRASS COLLAR LUSTRE J FRINGE CUFF MEZI HEELS TONY BIANCO
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ELCOME THE SEASON’S TRANSITION FROM SUNNY TO STORMY BY DONNING DEEP, MOVING DESIGNS
A powerful cut blends with flowing fabric to wrap you in a flawless synergy of hard and soft femininity
DRESS A.F. VANDEVORST HEELS TONY BIANCO
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Step into instant boldness with a fiery-hued frock that flows fearlessly DRESS BARIANO
PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Fearman PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSISTANT Adrian Price STYLIST Ivanna Fontana MAKEUP Teneille Sorgiovanni HAIR Linh Nguyen MODEL Lucy Ross — Vivien’s Models LOCATION Western Australia
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JEWEL
HARVEST As autumn brings its fiery skies and multicoloured landscapes, add your own vibrancy to the mix by falling for these stunners WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY
PHOTO BY JACKIE GALLARDO, MUA/ PALOMA ROMO, HAIR/ ALEJANDRO IÑIGUEZ, MODEL/ MARISOL MAGANA
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4 1 Contrast beautifully with all that red and orange with this gold, sapphire and turquoise dome ring, www.1stdibs.com 2 Let the legendary charm of Tiffany & Co. twinkle from your wrist with this shimmery gold bangle, www.1stdibs.com 3 Three may be a crowd, but crystal, gold and diamond make a handsome trio, www.verdura.com 4 The vivid synergy between rubellite, sapphire and ruby in this ring brings a touch of colour to your fingertips, www.verdura.com 5 Pin down summer’s sun by donning the Ray Brooch comprised of diamond, platinum and gold, www.verdura.com 6 Black is anything but depressing when it glimmers from this onyx and black diamond pendant, www.1stdibs.com 7 The smooth gold of this Tiffany & Co. bangle brings a subtle touch of warmth to your autumn ensembles, www.1stdibs.com
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BREAKFAST AT Fashion retailer and philanthropist Lisa Corbo invites Dolce to her home for a day of play in her closet. What we find goes beyond the typical conceptions of a fashion devotee
LISA’S
WRITTEN BY SIMONA PANETTA PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE MILNS
If
f Lisa Corbo invites you over, expect to stay a while. Th e fashionphilanthropist is a ball of energy as she leads the way up a dark deco staircase, her platinum bob and red lips aglow from the sunlight streaming through the windows in her master bedroom. Wearing a hunter green Vionnet sweater dress, she walks past the lion carving of her bed’s footboard and finds a seat on a contemporary-vintage chair, one of the many furnishings she and the principals of Bottecchia Artistic Group plucked for her home. The trio has been co-ordinating and contemplating over eclectic pieces since 60 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
the summer before last, renovating the unassuming abode with light and dark contrasts, art and fashion collector books and Polly Courtin paintings. Arriving on her doorstep on a sizzling summer morning, a steady stream of rich espresso and fashion ensues. The gravitating force in Corbo’s home is undoubtedly her walkin closet. The modestly sized yet boutique-worthy space is bathed in quiet couture organized neatly in two rows, reflecting the put-together style of a Toronto style maker. “I hate to say I love just one designer. Vionnet is just so luxurious, and I’m wearing a lot from the House of Emanuel Ungaro at the moment. Definitely I think [creative
director] Fausto Puglisi is probably the Italian designer that I favour at the moment. He’s sexy, he’s wearable, he’s architectural — he’s like a modern [Gianfranco] Ferré. “And this,” she gushes, “this is what I wore when I first met my husband.” Lifting a metallic gold mini in the air, she twirls it in delight as though she were still dancing in it. “I haven’t tried this on in 25 years,” she exclaims, placing the sentimental skirt back to its place among a colour-coordinated clothing rack. Tearing my eyes off black Gianvito Rossi lace-up booties, my misconceptions of a luxury retailer who scours the fashion capitals of the world quickly fade like overwashed denim. No buoyant ball FALL 2014
MAKEUP AND HAIR BY KRISTJAN HAYDEN/CIVELLO SALON
Hunter green cashmere and mohair sweater dress, sock sandals, Vionnet; necklace, Ermanno Scervino; diamond band, Lisa Corbo Design; sapphire ring from Italy; gold bracelet, family heirloom
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Blouse and pant, Giles Deacon; scarf, Cutuli Cult; accessories, Lisa Corbo Design
“JUST BECAUSE I LIKE FASHION DOESN’T MEAN I’M NOT INTELLECTUAL; IT DOESN’T MAKE ME A BLOND BUBBLEHEAD” gowns or overcompensating costume pieces among a wardrobe of neutrals and glints of gold here, just a working girl’s closet on organizational overdrive. “You should be able to walk in your closet and pull something fast,” says Corbo of her tended garments, each one carefully suspended and surrounded by ample breathing room. “And in order to do that you have to have the right items. Unfortunately that comes from learning how to control yourself and not just purchase something because you think you need that designer or must-have. Fashion should be effortless.” 62 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
While her portion-controlled closet would make any woman regret her last foolish splurge, Corbo’s flair for building wardrobes goes beyond the superficialities associated with the realm that colours her world. Devouring the world’s headlines and losing herself in historical reads, she’s well equipped to wade into political discussions. Fashion, she argues, is not only fabric deep. “Just because I like fashion doesn’t mean I’m not intellectual; it doesn’t make me a blond bubblehead. If you look at some of the top CEOs in the world, they look good. The woman behind Yahoo
[Marissa Mayer], she’s stunning. She has presence. If you take care of yourself, people will see that and they’ll know you can take care of their business. If you keep your house organized, you’re not doing it because people will walk in and say, ‘Oh my God, your house is so organized.’ You do it for yourself. I think those are things we should remember. Because look at what’s happening in the world today: there are people whose homes are being bombed. I’m sure that house was very valuable to them. You know, it’s not just about materialism.” Describing the human form as a blank canvas onto which clothing is an extension of one’s self, a personal connection to cancer jolted Corbo into action while lying in bed several years ago. Picking up a shoe and slipping it on, she instantly felt at ease, prompting the self-described working-girl philanthropist to spread the healing power of fashion to the women of Toronto. The poignant moment led to co-hosting Lunch With Margaret & George, a couture charity event that raised $225,000 last year toward the purchase of a genetic testing machine at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “Lisa and [her husband] George Corbo have brought glamour and elegance to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation’s event lineup,” says Laura Syron, vice-president of community programs at PMCF. “Their outstanding efforts, along with their committee, volunteers and many generous donors, have made this a marquee event in Toronto.” Corbo was born in Australia and raised in a modern Italian household, her fashion-conscious mother of the less-is-more ideology. It was during family travels that Corbo was drawn to Italy, eventually spending several years in Milan working in the fashion industry before returning to Australia. Graduating with a degree in textile design and winning gown of the year in a big fashion contest, Corbo landed a job as an international buyer for a luxury chain of boutiques owned by an eccentric man dressing royals at the time. While on a business trip in Milan, Corbo met her future husband, George, at Le Langhe restaurant, a favourite fashion spot for many designers, including one of her idols, Tom Ford. At the time, George was based in Toronto in the luxury fashion business. Years later, the Corbos opened their boutique, George C, in Yorkville in 2006. In her voice you can still hear the FALL 2014
Reflecting her daughter’s love for travel, fashion and art, this feminine white-and-cream bedroom is modelled on the chicness of a Parisian studio.
BEHIND THE SEAMS
To start the day, Lisa, George and their two children gather in the master bedroom for an espresso and biscotti breakfast.
On her bathroom beauty stash: “It doesn’t matter if you wear the same bloody dress for the rest of your life — when you take time to groom yourself, you do feel better.”
The sophisticated fiftysomething embraces her sensuality in signature good taste: “I don’t mind a bit of cleavage. I’m not dead.”
This vintage tea-length cocktail dress by Balencia, circa 1968, was given to Lisa by her mother, Gina, who wore it to a Red Cross ball. Lisa describes her mother’s approach to fashion as minimalist, with a penchant for purchasing high-quality pieces from designers of the period. Balencia was a renowned Australian designer originally from Spain, creating dresses for Australian first ladies and ambassadors’ wives
cheery cadences of her mother tongue. “We just took a gamble. When people came in, they had no idea what they were looking at.” George C continues to brandish a curated compendium of hard-to-find designers from London, Paris and New York, with a strong edit in ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, and Corbo’s eponymous line of simple, versatile jewelry. Her ability to rear upand-comers she instinctively knows will turn into signature brands prevails throughout the monochrome walls of George C, much like a gallery proudly displaying rare installations of art. One such designer is Joseph Altuzarra, now a darling on the fashion scene. “She has a clear idea of what her message is in her store and who her customer base is,” said Altuzarra before showcasing his spring 2014 collection at last year’s Lunch With Margaret & George, held at the Art Gallery of Ontario. “She sort of has this incredible knowledge of her market. It’s really rare, and the relationships with the people that she works with are real.” The fourth Lunch takes place this November at the AGO and will feature a 2015 runway collection by Ungaro designed by Fausto Puglisi. Funds raised will benefit the immune therapy program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the top five cancer research centres in the world. A concierge of style, Corbo’s approach to fashion doesn’t end after the receipt’s been printed. She’ll often accompany her clients around town to help pick out complementary makeup and the proper undergarment, or work a new piece within the scope of one’s closet. Her concern for the whole being of a person lights her path, much like her charity work, and that electric moment when you step out in something so fabulous it makes your head spin. The effect is not lost on the seasoned stylist, but rather amplified with each of her wardrobe changes on this particularly sizzling summer day, the deliciously rich aroma of java and fresh pastries melting through her home. Slipping into a vintage cocktail dress, once worn by her mother to a ball in the 1960s, she glances toward a floor-length mirror, awestruck by the imperial piece that had been tucked away in her closet. After all these years, the transcendence of fashion flickers knowingly across Corbo’s face. georgec.ca
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Susan Hawkins and her daughter Erin Somers. Somers suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects connective tissues in the body
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For years Susan Hawkins has been forced to watch her daughter Erin Somers languish in pain as the debilitating effects of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome ravaged her body. Today this mother-and-daughter team is fighting back, raising awareness and working to bring better treatment for this littleknown disease
DIAGNOSING
EDS
WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PACKMAN
MAKEUP & HAIR: ROBERT WEIR USING TRESEMMÉ HAIR CARE THERMAL CREATIONS HEAT TAMER SPRAY & LAURA MERCIER COSMETICS/JUDYINC.COM
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hen Susan Hawkins says that things are “happening a little bit too slowly” for her liking, you get the sense that this is a woman who will take control and get things moving. Seated in a baroque armchair in the lavish living room of her Bridle Path home, Hawkins is discussing the state of research and treatment for Ehler-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic disorder that robbed her youngest daughter of what were supposed to be the best years of her life. EDS is one of those diseases that doesn’t get much press and isn’t well known. “Certainly we didn’t know about EDS until a year and a half ago,” Hawkins says, acknowledging one of the biggest issues surrounding the disorder:
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a lack of knowledge and dialogue about a disease that is the bane of so many. This is a problem for Hawkins, and it’s one she is determined to rectify through philanthropic efforts. Hawkins and her husband, Cecil, owner of Canerector Inc., are regulars on the local philanthropy scene. Known for their much-talked-about fundraising parties, the couple has donated to numerous causes, including helping to fund YWCA Toronto’s Elm Centre, as well as supporting the Pine River Foundation, which offers care and services to youth struggling with mental health and addictive behaviours. Despite calling Canada’s wealthiest neighbourhood home, Hawkins isn’t one to just write cheques and sit on the sidelines. She served her six-year maximum term on the board of Habitat for Humanity, helping to launch the first Women’s Build event for the Toronto district, which she still participates in to this day, and sits on the executive chair’s advisory committee. She appreciates the hands-on aspect of the organization, how it gives a hand up not a handout, and how she and other volunteers get to work alongside families to build homes. “I like to go out every year and build houses,” she says. “And just to see their lives change …” She trails off as she remembers the first family they sponsored. They helped build a wheelchair-accessible home for the family’s daughter who had physical challenges. “She still sends me a Christmas card,” Hawkins remarks. Hawkins’ latest undertaking is far more personal, however. Her daughter Erin Somers, a vibrant 28-year-old with the same golden locks and azure eyes as her mother, suffers from EDS. Somers is welcoming and upbeat, and radiates with an infectious optimism. But her state today is a far cry from 12 months ago. “If you saw her a year ago,” Hawkins says, “she was virtually bedridden. Using a wheelchair to get places. Thin. Just a mess.” EDS is a genetic disorder that affects collagen in the body’s connective tissue. Connective tissue supports virtually everything in our bodies — skin, muscles, joints, blood vessels, organs — and collagen acts as its glue. Usually collagen bonds are tight and firm, but for those with EDS it becomes fragile. This leads to a multitude of issues that vary in symptoms and severity. It can be as simple as skin that stretches easily or fingers that can be pulled back past 66 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
being straight. But it can also be far more debilitating, causing chronic pain, frequent bruising, joint dislocation, bone fractures, and the tearing of muscles and rupturing of organs. Somers has the hypermobility type of EDS, the most common and, as Hawkins notes, “probably the most misdiagnosed.” Somers explains that routine activity often causes intense pain and can lead to dislocations. “It hurts for me to hold a phone and talk on it for more than five minutes,” she says. “And then I need braces on my fingers or else
EHLERS-DANLOS SYNDROME What is EDS? EDS is a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue, specifically its collagen, causing it to become weak and fragile.
Signs and Symptoms Symptoms of EDS vary depending on the type. Here are just a few signs of EDS: Joints are hyperextensible, unstable and prone to dislocation; chronic pain Skin is soft and stretches dramatically; bruising is common; wounds heal slowly and poorly Musculoskeletal pain is frequent and debilitating Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome Scoliosis at birth Valvular heart disease Gastrointestinal issues
How common is EDS? According to the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation, EDS affects 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 5,000, but because it’s so difficult to diagnose properly those numbers could be higher
they dislocate when I’m typing or trying to text on the phone.” Two weeks ago she sprained both ankles without even knowing it. Last weekend both her hips went out. Today, it’s her knee. “Every day something is going to bother me, so it’s just getting through that,” she explains. “And pain makes you very anxious and has different effects on the body, so it’s learning more to deal with the long-term pain rather than just actually the injured site.” Somers’ symptoms surfaced when she was 12 but became more severe in her early 20s. On top of the pain, she began experiencing gastrointestinal issues and was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which caused her to faint multiple times a day. She was weak and couldn’t eat solid foods, her weight plummeted to 90 pounds and she was forced to drop out of school. The family took Somers to doctor after doctor, but none could determine the root of the problem. Some went so far as to suggest nothing was wrong or that it was psychological. It became unbearably confusing and frustrating, and Somers even began to doubt herself. “We went to so many medical appointments,” Hawkins explains. “It’s not like she was misdiagnosed, but there was a missing diagnosis.” Hawkins adds that as a parent the weight of seeing your child suffer is crushing. “You just feel like you’re failing her.” Somers began doing her own research, reading up on the different disorders that could cause her symptoms. She eventually came across something called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. If she had it, there was a possibility that she suffered from cranial instability, a tethered spinal cord and maybe even chiari malformation. It was difficult, however, to convince her doctors. “I was dropped by a GP,” she explains. “He told me it was just an academic diagnosis and it didn’t mean anything for me.” It led to even more frustration and anxiety. “I didn’t really know who I was, and I was so angry.” Once thought to be a rarity, EDS has gained some notoriety in the media as stories have recently emerged of parents who had their children taken away because it was believed they were physically abusive. Bruises or fractures would be found with no other explanation as to why — until, that is, they got their EDS diagnosis. Because EDS was thought to be so rare, coupled with symptoms that are so widespread, FALL 2014
varied and similar to other disorders, have at least a somewhat normal life doctors may never come across it in with her husband, who she married last their careers, and if they do, they often year. “It made me believe in myself a lot don’t recognize it. more when I got better,” Somers says. “I “One of the problems that we’re think that was one of the biggest things having, that we’re trying to address, is for me, just trying to get back onto my how do you actually diagnose it,” says own team.” Dr. Allan Gordon, neurologist and Hawkins knows that her family is director of the Wasser Pain Management lucky. The surgeries, for one, were Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital and performed by a specialist in Maryland the man who diagnosed Somers with in the United States and resulted after EDS. He explains that there are at a rotational CT scan and stand-up least six types of EDS and while some MRI, technology mostly unavailable types of EDS have had their genes in Canada. Getting such treatment is identified, hypermobility (which Somers expensive and more than likely out of has) hasn’t, making diagnosis difficult. reach for many. “We can afford to pay — Susan Hawkins “There’s no gold standard yet for for Erin’s surgeries, and we’re happy to diagnosis,” says Dr. Gordon, do that, but no one has been adding that it’s possible there successful in getting OHIP to may be more than one gene pay for it,” she says. Hawkins involved. “There may be, we also knows it’s not a cure-all don’t know.” and Somers may need more According to the Ehlerssurgeries down the road. Danlos National Foundation, It also won’t be successful EDS could affect between 1 for every EDS patient. “It’s in 2,500 and 1 in 5,000 people. not the be-all and end-all,” But because it’s so difficult to she adds. “She had so much identify, those numbers could instability in her spinal be even higher. column that she had great Diagnosis is made more results from the surgery.” difficult because of how Dr. Gordon explains doctors are taught to make that EDS patients don’t medical evaluations. During always do well with surgical training, medical interns interventions and such are told, “When you hear surgery can be risky and lead hoofbeats, think of horses to complications. “We’re not zebras,” as in “Don’t trying to promote a cautionary make an exotic diagnosis approach to treating these This past June, Hawkins and Somers held the first ILC Foundation when the most common patients,” he says, adding that Garden Party to generate money and boost awareness for EDS. answer is likely the right more published research and The fundraising event raised an impressive $160,000 one.” It’s sensible advice, studies are needed for doctors words that help keep medical to make better judgments. practitioners grounded and looking for “I thought it was a typical Susan Hawkins, who is also the vice-chair of the most logical cause of suffering. But Hawkins event: fantastic, well done, the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation, in those rare instances when the zebra raised a lot of money and everybody wants to get those papers published to is actually present, patients can be left had fun,” says Robert Herjavec, the help doctors understand the benefits. in the dark. event’s emcee. The Shark Tank star has She’s also determined to fund research These are key motivators behind known the Hawkinses for years; it’s been to identify the hypermobility gene, Hawkins and Somers’ endeavour. heartbreaking to watch them endure this noting, “I think that if we had a Through the Improving Lives of disease. He explains that when Hawkins simple genetic test, it would be easier Children Foundation, of which Hawkins supports something she does so 100 per for doctors to diagnose that.” She’s is a director, the mother and daughter cent. “Whether it’s this cause or Habitat also hoping that the conference this team threw their first garden party this for Humanity, she doesn’t do it just November will generate much-needed past June to generate awareness and to put on a show. She does it because discussion. “My hope is that we’ll have raise money for an upcoming conference she really believes in the event. It’s a lot more doctors out there who are this November, where doctors from the very admirable.” talking about EDS, diagnosing EDS. United States and Canada can fill gaps The big reason for Somers’ dramatic “There are answers out there. We just in knowledge of this complex disease. turnaround was two surgeries she had have to learn more and we’ve got to Held at Hawkins’ Bridle Path home, last summer to fuse her spinal cord. It educate our doctors.” the zebra-themed fundraiser brought brought stability to her spinal column With more research and dialogue, together 170 black-and-white-clad and has mitigated much of the pain. things can get moving. And maybe a guests and the elegant evening raised She’s gained some independence, has little faster than they were before. $160,000. returned to university, exercises and can www.ednf.org
“MY HOPE IS THAT WE’LL HAVE A LOT MORE DOCTORS OUT THERE WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT EDS, DIAGNOSING EDS”
FALL 2014
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JAGUAR
F-TYPE
Fast and devastatingly gorgeous, the Jaguar F-Type has arrived — and it’s putting the competition on notice WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL
The recently released Jaguar F-Type R coupe 68 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
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Photos Courtesy of www.interactivejaguar.com
It’s
a snarling, battleready goddess of speed and style, an automotive valkyrie designed to do battle with the dominating forces of the sports car segment. It’s the Jaguar F-Type, the first straight-up sports car from the British automotive manufacturer since the iconic E-Type. It’s drawn plenty of attention since hitting the asphalt, and after having some one-on-one time with the F-Type, I see why so many have fallen so hard. Let’s just get this out of the way: this car is sexy. Like really sexy. Like don’t-bring-home-to-mom sexy. It’s sleek, modern and classy while still gushing with personality from every angle. Gentle curves glide along its sides, providing a sense of elegance and sophistication while sharp accents, such as the hard-edged LED headlights and taillights and vented front bumper, add notes of aggression that foreshadow what it can do on the road. Ian Callum has been the man behind reinvigorating the look of Jaguar since 1999 and the F-Type is arguably his most beautiful work. It’s an absolute head-turner. And it’s not all looks either. I got my hands on the base level F-Type, which comes with a 3.0-Litre supercharged V-6 that pumps a fiercely responsive 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque through the rear tires. Thanks to its lightweight aluminium body that power rips from 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds — and yes, it feels as quick as it sounds. You could step up to the F-Type S for an added 40-hp and slight nudge of torque, which will get you from 0-100 in just under five seconds, or for the speed-obsessed, there’s also the F-Type R. This beast comes with a fear-inducing 5.0-L supercharged V-8 with a staggering 550-hp and 502 lb-ft of torque — power that does 0-100 km/h in a lightningquick 4.2 seconds. The F-Type R goes for $109,900, but when you consider that a 400-hp Carrera 4S starts at just over $120,000, that’s not such a bad price. FALL 2014
When you blend that speed and power with a sturdy chassis, responsive brakes and tight steering, it amounts to an absolute treat to drive. The F-Type accelerates effortlessly and always seems eager to go. It’s easy to be tempted into giving it just a bit more gas, to push it that little bit harder. And with the soundtrack it provides, you’ll certainly want to. With your foot down, the F-Type snarls with heartpounding thunder. Decelerating, it pops like a blistering drum roll banged out by a manic percussionist. It’s a pure engineered symphony, a tune you want to hear over and over. The only transmission option is an 8-speed automatic. Purists may scoff at the lack of stick, but the “QuickShift” transmission is prompt and intelligent, and paddle shifters are still there to give an element of control. All the bells and whistles you’d expect from a luxury sports car, such as heated racing seats, touchscreen navigation, lane departure warning, and leather and polished metal, are available on the F-Type, as well. A few complaints: The trunk is fairly shallow, which could be problematic as there is no backseat, and because of the rock-hard suspension the F-Type’s ride can get a little rough while driving mildly through city streets. But when you’re cruising along an open road all those gripes disappear. The F-Type is just such a fun-to-drive, gorgeous and unique car, one that stands out in the crowd in the best way possible. Sure, it may have its faults, but this is one ride that’s as exhilarating as it is seductive. www.jaguar.ca
GENERAL SPECS Engine: 3.0-L supercharged V-6 340, 5.0-L supercharged V-8 550 Horsepower: 380 (V-6), 550 (V-8) Torque: 460 (V-6), 502 (V-8) 0-100 km/h: 5.3 sec. (V-6), 4.2 sec. (V-8) MSRP: $72,900 (V-6), $109,900 (V-8)
Leather and polished metal line the Jaguar F-Type’s interior
The F-Type’s touchscreen, navigation, dual-climate control and other tech
The base level supercharged V-6 comes with 340-hp that can do 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, while jumping up to the supercharged V-8 puts 550-hp at your feet — power that goes from dead to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds
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JOY RIDE
From the morning commute to a countryside road trip, be equipped for both the journey and the destination with the swift, striking styles that have arrived with the season’s chill
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WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY
FALL 2014
Brooding weather calls for dark and thoughtful attire. Layering leather over a fall sweater creates a fashionable front against cooler temperatures
LEATHER JACKET 7 FOR ALL MANKIND SWEATER BELSTAFF TROUSERS PAUL SMITH SHOES MATCHLESS WATCH ROLEX
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Pull your style inspiration from the skies: Shades of silver and grey exude intelligence, simplicity and masculinity JACKET FALKE SHIRT FALKE
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Hit the road on a high note with an effortless ensemble of neutral tones and lightweight layers JACKET RALPH LAUREN SUIT S.OLIVER SHIRT PAUL SMITH SCARF ARMANDO CARUSO SHOES THOMAS
Rev this season’s style by donning one of the hottest hues of the year – dazzling, deep blue JACKET HACKETT SHIRT LACOSTE TROUSERS FALKE SHOES LAGERFELD
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Pair a classic trench with a red carpet-worthy suit to steal a look even Columbo would tip his hat to COAT HACKETT SUIT ETRO SHIRT HACKETT TIE S.OLIVER SHOES LAGERFELD
Sleek is the name of the game — win it by slipping into a modern, elegant twist on the baseball tee
SWEATER HACKETT TROUSERS ARMANDO CARUSO WATCH ROLEX SHOES TOMMY HILFIGER
JACKET HACKETT SHIRT TOMMY HILFIGER TROUSERS LAGERFELD SHOES LAGERFELD
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When investing in the cooler-weather comfort of jackets and jumpers, timelessness is key
FALL 2014
EMBRACE EVOLUTION — RIDE ALONG WITH THE SEASON’S CHANGES AND LET YOUR FASHION FOLLOW SUIT
JACKET MATCHLESS TROUSERS RALPH LAUREN
Photographer: Claudius Holzmann www.claudius-holzmann.de Styling: Hannah Godde www.hannahgodde.com Hair & Makeup: Vanessa Warkalla @ Nina Klein www.ninaklein.com/vanessa-warkalla/ Models: Ben @ DNA New York www.dnamodels.com Henry @ TFM Oslo www.tfmmodels.com Creative Direction: Carsten Drochner www.dopaminmodels.com
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OBJECTSof DESIRE
5
FROM PARIS TO TORONTO WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY
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Montreal-based interior design firm Desjardins Bherer has become renowned for its “Iron Lace” creations, which twine baroque moodiness with modern elegance through intricate, artistic metalwork. www.desjardinsbherer.com
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The “Live to Inspire” bag by Toronto-based Amore Bags is made of vintage leather and hand-painted for a one-of-a-kind look. With 30 per cent of proceeds going to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders, it’s fashionable and philanthropic. www.amorebags.ca
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From fur and feathers to plunging necklines and crisp, mod stripes, Narces’ FW14 collection keeps couture lovers on their toes. www.narces.com
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Quirky home accents are in and interior decorating has never been so much fun. Get in on the fearless trend with these circa-1960 wall lights by Hans Agne Jakobsson. www.1stdibs.com
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Like a star-studded night sky wrapped around your wrist, the hand-sculpted Marquise Cuff from Clara Kasavina sparkles with a marquise centre, Swarovski Elements crystals and a leather-lined interior. www.clarakasavina.com FALL 2014
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NEW SEASON, NEW TOYS. SEGUE BEAUTIFULLY INTO AUTUMN WITH THESE POSH PICKS AND PLACES
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Bobbette & Belle is the darling of Toronto’s sweets scene. From beautiful celebratory cakes to other artisanal pastries, sweet-tooths will fall hard for this must-try bakeshop. www.bobbetteandbelle.com
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Valentino Uomo bottles the heart of masculinity with its warm, classic blend of myrtle liquor and notes of coffee, cedar wood and white leather. www.parfums.valentino.com
New York’s Libretto is the eccentric of the stationery industry, and the world loves it for it. Get your hands and handwriting on products like this three-piece set of patterned “Butterfly Parade” boxes. www.libretto-group.com
America’s West Coast meets Paris at Frame, a new restaurant settled a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower. Designed by architect Christophe Pillet and with a kitchen led by chef Andrew Wigger, this brasserie is an intriguing fusion of cultures. www.framebrasserie.fr
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A home isn’t complete without tokens of childlike imagination, and that’s what this balloon-animal-inspired piece from Jim Kempner Fine Art delivers. www.1stdibs.com www.dolcemag.com
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A twilight view of the resort’s infinity pool, gardens and suites
THE ART OF
RELAXATION A four-day indulgence at one of Anguilla’s most renowned hot spots, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa
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nguilla is an island known for its tranquil exclusivity and culinary delights. This would be my setting for four days as I experienced one of the island’s most prestigious resorts, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa. Situated along the prime beach real estate of Rendezvous Bay, this stunning location features an array of whitewashed suites, elegantly contrasted against the turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a refreshingly cool drink and shown to the suite I would be calling home for the next few days. One of my first impressions was just how spacious and luxurious the bathroom was. It included a large bath with private outdoor sunroom and 78 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
all the subtle details one would expect from the CuisinArt brand. The centrepiece of the suite was of course the solid glass wall presenting a panoramic view of the resort’s pristine beachfront. After settling into my room and enjoying the complimentary bowl of cherries (grown from the resort’s own hydroponic farm), I headed to the beachfront to take in some of the scenery and relax before dinner. CuisinArt’s Tokyo Bay restaurant was an experience I won’t soon forget. The rich dark hardwood floors, brushed metal accents and curved panoramic view of the ocean made it feel like a chic New York City eatery. It was hard to believe I was on a small island in the middle of the Caribbean, experiencing something
this extravagant. Not to be outdone by the environment surrounding it, the food did not disappoint. Each dish of sushi, sashimi and teppanyaki embodied a unique blend of Japanese cuisine mixed with a unique Caribbean flair. The next morning, before heading to the resort’s very own hydroponic farm, I enjoyed a continental breakfast from my suite’s balcony — the fresh fruit and homemade granola cereal were especially good. Having the distinction of being the Caribbean’s first hydroponic farm, I was naturally quite excited to meet the farm manager Howard M. Resh. He guided a small group through his 18,000 squarefoot greenhouse, which grows most of the resort’s fruits, vegetables and even FALL 2014
PHOTO COURTESY OF CUISINART GOLF RESORT & SPA
WRITTEN BY STEVE BRUNO
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PHOTOS 1, 2 AND 3 COURTESY OF CUISINART GOLF RESORT & SPA PHOTOS 4 AND 5 BY STEVE BRUNO
some of its spa treatment ingredients. I was intrigued by the science behind the farming and Resh’s passion for his craft. The afternoon was spent enjoying a freshly caught lobster with a side of butter garlic shrimp on Sandy Island, one of the many private islands in the area. The turquoise water surrounding this island of sand and palm trees was something to behold. Later that evening I had the pleasure of participating in a six-course meal personally prepared by executive chef Jasper Schneider. This intimate food and wine pairing experience was one of the highlights of my trip. Each course brought with it a new beverage, bread choice and dish. Another of the must-visit amenities at CuisinArt was the Venus Spa. From the moment you enter it is apparent you will be in for a treat. I opted to try the warm seashell massage, which is a Caribbean variation of a warm stone massage. By the end of my treatment I felt fully at ease and spent about half an hour in the relaxation room, where I sipped herbal tea as I overlooked the ocean. As a fitting conclusion to my stay at CuisinArt, I enjoyed a delicious meal at the elegant Italia restaurant. Its clear view of the Greg Norman signature golf course was a worthy backdrop. Whether you are looking for a luxurious romantic getaway for two, or an oasis retreat for your family, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa in Anguilla will not disappoint. www.cuisinartresort.com
1. Many of the resort’s suites are steps away from the Rendezvous Bay beach 2. The relaxation room in the Venus Spa offers plush reclining lounge chairs and a panoramic view of the ocean 3. Pamper yourself with a variety of spa packages, ranging from body and facial massages to therapeutic mineral sea salt treatments 4. The chef’s table offers a unique opportunity to have executive chef Jasper Schneider personally prepare a six-course meal for you and a small group 5. CuisinArt’s very own sommelier will educate you on the different varieties of new- and old-world wine, as you learn the sublime art of wine tasting
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The unique cut and pearly finish of this design will label you as the treasure of the party
RALPH & RUSSO Bring to life one of the hottest hues of the season in a form-fitting frock that still flows
With a dramatic mix of dark and light, this piece is a wearable version of October’s sultry skies
Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo of London-based couture label Ralph & Russo are very good at making waves, and it’s not only in the fairy taleworthy gowns they craft up. The design duo recently made history when they became the first British fashion label in 100 years to take on the runways of Couture Week in Paris, and they don’t plan on slowing down. Come and explore some takeaways from their bewitching FW14 collection, and discover the reason why a little R and R might be the best thing you could possibly do for the health of your closet
Dress-up time, meet playtime: channel your inner fairy tale heroine with this dreamy dress
For the modernday duchess, don this regal mix of rich violet, sheer fabric and a whisper of florals
WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY
It’s all in the details with this shimmering silhouette, which chisels curves and embellishes all over
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HUNT Dolce navigates you through the foliage of this season’s fashion terrain: a rugged, masculine landscape of military notes and mixing textures that proposes a venturesome journey worth every risk WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY
BLAZER ETRO SHIRT TRUE RELIGION RUCKSACK STYLIST’S OWN
FALL 2014
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Take flight yet stay grounded in one of autumn’s most buzzedabout trends: monochrome SUIT HERR VON EDEN WAISTCOAT LUIS STEINDL BY FRANKONIA SHIRT BRUNELLO CUCINELLI BOOTS FLY LONDON SCARF ASCOT BY FRANKONIA BELT SCHUCHARD & FRIESE BY FRANKONIA
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JACKET MEINDL SHIRT LUIS STEINDL BY FRANKONIA TROUSERS HERR VON EDEN BOOTS FLY LONDON
GUSH OVER INVIGORATING POPS OF COLOUR THROUGHOUT A NEUTRAL ENSEMBLE FALL 2014
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Break the “blue and green…” rule just this once — the hues play flawlessly together in the name of cool weather JACKET ILSE JACOBSEN HORNBAEK SHIRT BRUNELLO CUCINELLI TIE L. STEINER CARDIGAN STAPF SHOES ISLE JACOBSEN HORNBAEK
PHOTOGRAPHY Tom Jasny www.tomjasny.com STYLING Nina Jasny www.styleride.de MAKEUP & HAIR Dagmar Schwarz www.dagmar-schwarz.com CASTING & PRODUCTION Carsten Drochner @ DOPAMIN www.dopaminmodels.com MODELS Leroy Buiter @ Alpha Male www.alphamalemm.com Jeffrey Haitsma @ Elite Amsterdam www.elitemodel.nl ASSISTANT LIGHT & CAMERA Damian Jaeger STYLING ASSISTANT Ramona Maria Jasny RETOUCHING Arno Steinfort 84 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE | www.dolcemag.com
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A RICH HISTORY IN THE INDUSTRY with a diverse portfolio of satisfied clients has earned Justin R. Fogarty Barrister & Solicitor a renowned reputation across the country. Together with his associate Pavle Masic, Mr. Fogarty utilizes unparalleled expertise, unique thinking and creative concepts to navigate businesses through the various complex issues they face in the corporate realm. With client satisfaction and comfort in mind, the trusted services provided by Mr. Fogarty and his team continues to deliver the utmost success to clients. Counsel & Advisory • Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Commercial Litigation • Corporate Governance Corporate Finance • Regulatory Counsel
Justin R. Fogarty BA R R I STE R & S O LI C ITO R
FALL 2014
416.840.8991 • 180 Bloor Street West, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON justinrfogarty.com www.dolcemag.com |
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RALPH LAUREN STIRRUP STEEL LINK TIMEPIECE STAINLESS STEEL SMALL MODEL HIGH-PRECISION QUARTZ MOVEMENT SWISS MADE
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RALPHLAURENWATCHES.COM FALL 2014