SPRING
FASHION CANADIAN SUPERMODEL
HEATHER MARKS
GOES GRAPHIC
STYLE & FASHION
SPRING/SUMMER 2013
TOPAZ
RISING PRECIOUS STONES TURN WILD
LA BELLE
PROVENCE CHIC RETREAT IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
BASQUING IN
BALENCIAGA
100 YEARS OF MYSTERY AND WONDER
CHANTAL
KREVIAZUK TAKES US TO CABO
BLONDE
AMBITION
CHARLOTTE SULLIVAN
A STAR ON THE RISE
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EDITORIAL Editorial & Creative Director Michael La Fave Editor-in-chief Rita Silvan Executive Editor Sarah Moore Art Director Evan Kaminsky Associate Art Director Aurora Lynch Graphic Designer Dan Raftis Junior Graphic Designer Natalie papanikolov Contributing Fashion Director ALICE Unger Market Editor Sahar Nooraei Imaging Consultant Neal bridgens Copy Editor Brenda Thompson Contributing Writers Matt Bubbers, Jennifer Carter, Kate Daley, Chantal Kreviazuk, Christopher Loudon, Colette Malouf, Julia McEwen, Chris Metler, Amber Nasrulla, Jorn Weisbrodt, Clara Young Contributing Photographers Kevin Calero, Joesph Chen, Joanne K., Darrin Klimek, MArio Miotti, George Pimentel, Leda & St.Jaques, Tommy ton, natasha V., Robert watson,
Publishing John McGouran President Geoffrey Dawe Publisher 416-571-3703 geoff.dawe@contempomedia.ca Maria Musikka Production Manager Anthea de Souza Accounting Supervisor Lorna Luguya Office Assistant
ADVERTISING kyle bodnarchuk Senior Account Manager 416-930-1113 kyle.bodnarchuk@contempomedia.ca Donna Murphy Senior Account Manager 647-519-8919 donna.murphy@contempomedia.ca ryan moleiro Account Manager 416-854-3619 ryan.moleiro@contempomedia.ca vincent noël Québec Regional Manager 514-566-6874 vincent@contempomedia.ca Elena Okulova Sales & Marketing Coordinator 416-591-0093 ext.213 elena.okulova@contempomedia.ca S/Style & Fashion is published four times per year by Contempo Media Inc. No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or staff. S/Style & Fashion does not take any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photography. To subscribe, visit www.sstylemagazine.com Customer Service: 1-866-815-1441 Email: sales@sstylemagazine.com
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volume 2, issue 1, Spring/Summer 2013
HUDSON’S BAY
Sensuality unveiled
go boldly
SPRING/SUMMER VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1
P. 80
Heather Marks in a Gucci coral flared sleeve gown and necklace. Price available upon request.
TREND
64 68 70 74 76
Star
Charlotte Sullivan’s star is on the rise By Amber Nasrulla
FEATURES
80
Shape Shift
90
Animal Instincts
couture
98
Life in Colour
Former model Farida Khelfa fronts the iconic house of Schiaparelli By Clara Young
Social
From film to fashion, multi-generational stories are in vogue By Clara Young
Excerpt
The enduring mystery of Cristóbal Balenciaga By Mary Blume
22 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
106
64 76
Supermodel Heather Marks showcases the season’s graphic pieces
Sartorial
Tilda Swinton is fashion royalty By Rita Silvan
on the COVER
Beat the drum for exotic prints and accessories this summer
Big, bold gems for grown-up glamour By Rita Silvan
Spring Time
Luxury watches: outsized pieces with understated elegance By Sarah Moore
80 98 116 124
blonde Ambition Basquing in Balenciaga Spring Fashion Topaz Rising Chantal Kreviazuk La Belle Provence SPRING
FASHION CANADIAN SUPERMODEL
HEATHER MARKS
GOES GRAPHIC
STYLE & FASHION
SPRING/SUMMER 2013
TOPAZ
RISING PRECIOUS STONES TURN WILD
LA BELLE
PROVENCE CHIC RETREAT IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
BASQUING IN
BALENCIAGA
100 YEARS OF MYSTERY AND WONDER
cover-3.indd 1
CHANTAL
KREVIAZUK TAKES US TO CABO
BLONDE
AMBITION
CHARLOTTE SULLIVAN
A STAR ON THE RISE
2013-03-26 4:56 PM
Gown ($3,800) by Marc Jacobs, at SSENSE; wristbands ($825) by Hermès; sandals ($1,350) by Chanel.
magnificent mexico
SPRING/SUMMER VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1
P. 116
The cat’s meow
P.90
STYLIST
35 44 48
Scene
Hermès Swinging Silk in Toronto; David Bowie in London; Asia Society in NYC and more...
Du Monde
Tokyo, Paris, Montauk
Signal
The Beat Generation redux, the world’s runway, Victoria Beckham and more...
FASHION & BEAUTY
54 56 58
Shady Lady Summer’s eye candy
Rock the Casbah Muumuu no more. The caftan floats to the fashion forefront By Clara Young
Think Wink
We’re keeping an eye out for longer, fuller lashes By Julia McEwen
24 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
60 62
Blue sapphire and diamond necklaces ($120,000 each) and tiger rings ($56,000 each) by Ellagem NY.
prêt-À-pink
The first blush of spring
Fruit Punch
Fresh fragrances have arrived By Kate Daley
Living
118
Escape
Capital Ventures: Why Washington is worthy By Christopher Loudon
112 Spa
122 Food
116
124
Viva Las Cabo: Chantal Kreviazuk’s girlfriend getaway
Automobiles
The Cars of Summer: What better time to take the top off? By Matt Bubbers
Good Egg: At Petrossian, caviar is an everyday luxury By AmberNasrulla
Design
En Provence: A simple French farmhouse is transformed into a chic retreat By Chris Metler
EVERY ISSUE from 28 letter 128 the editor 32 Contributors 130
Shopping Guide Somebody: a profile in style
Fashion designers empowered by Mercedes-Benz. The 2013 Mercedes-Benz Start Up program is underway. Giving rising fashion stars both international exposure and the opportunity to showcase their latest collection during the World MasterCard速 Fashion Week in Toronto. To learn more or to register, visit Mercedes-BenzStartUp.com
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www.chanel.ca 息CHANEL, Inc. CHANEL 速 COCO MADEMOISELLE 速
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letter from the editor
Fashion Geometry “
Our fashion choices can bend the way we see the world— and the way we want the world to see us.
– Rita Silvan 28 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
”
Photo: Darrin Klimek. Hair: Jini Jung - Jini Jung Hair Artisans. Makeup: Natalie Blouin. Top: MARLOWE
R
eaders of Steve Jobs’ biography discovered many interesting factoids about the legendary co-founder of Apple. Among them was that Jobs was a fan of Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake. Another tidbit was Jobs could project a “reality distortion field” that made people believe achieving the impossible was actually quite possible. This relates perfectly to fashion. Among the other delights it offers, fashion is a means by which we can create our own reality distortion field. Our fashion choices can bend the way we see the world—and the way we want the world to see us. Every day gives us a new opportunity to tweak our reality with a change of silhouette, fabric, colour palette and accessories. But it’s the big inflection points on the fashion calendar (spring/summer and fall/winter) and the new style ideas they present that really inspire us to redefine ourselves. Counterintuitively, it’s often minimalism that delivers the biggest “wow.” This spring, designers have rediscovered the innate power of a restricted palette of black and white, and the panache of bold, geometric shapes. Strong offerings from Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Michael Kors and Stella McCartney are sure to tempt you to make just a little more room in your closets. And who better than Canadian supermodel Heather Marks to embody this grown-up cool? Of course, woman cannot live on black and white referee stripes alone. Spring demands a splash of colour. The grandes dames of gems—emerald, ruby and blue sapphire—are enjoying a renaissance among serious collectors. Yet, so are their richly hued stepsisters: Paraiba tourmalines, imperial topaz, peridot, morganite and spinels. All are employed to great effect in statement-making jewellery. In “Spring Time,” we showcase the most tempting timepieces—from ceramics to luxury offerings in white, yellow and rose gold. In this issue of S/Style & Fashion, inspiration abounds—from fashion and beauty to travel and design. This spring, there’s no better time to create your own stylish reality.
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contributers
Leda & St-Jacques
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Stylist Montreal
“My dining experience at Petrossian was glorious (“Good Egg,” page 122). I was surprised at how innovative Chef Giselle is and how versatile an ingredient caviar is, when in the right hands! I loved her preparation of caviar and the salmon roe. My favourite dish, hands down, was the Egg Royale. If I could eat it for breakfast every day, I would. It’s luxurious comfort food — and so pretty!”
“Working with Heather Marks is always such a pleasure. I refer to her as one of those beauties who is alien-like; she’s almost like a creature from another planet. All of the looks in the piece (“Shape Shift,” page 80) were meant to be iconic and timeless. But I’d have to say I really loved the Chanel looks. The piece has all this season’s trends: stripes, graphic prints and bold coloured clothing.”
32 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
Leda & St.Jacque’s photo by Kevin Calero, Cary Tauben’s photo by Tommy Ton
“The graphic structure of the pieces gave the photos a dynamic quality (“Shape Shift,” page 80). We worked with shapes, pattern and dramatic lighting. The model, Heather Marks, understood the concept very well and was incredibly easy to work with. Our team did an amazing job transforming Heather’s look entirely.”
Exclusive at
Scene Stylist 1
HOLT RENFREW at fashion week
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3
Toronto
H
olt Renfrew celebrated the opening night of World MasterCard® Fashion Week with an evening cocktail reception at the Bloor Street flagship location, toasting Holt Renfrew’s 30-plus Canadian designers. More than 350 guests braved the cold to celebrate with Canadian-inspired bites (grilled cheese sandwiches with maple smoked cheddar and spiced ketchup). Many of the designers were in attendance, including: Greta Constantine’s Kirk Pickersgill, Jeremy Laing, Smythe’s Christie Smythe and Andrea Lenczner, TROUT Rainwear’s Ashley MacDonald and Sarah Hopgood, handbag designers Ela Kowalewska and Martin Aldorsson, Pavoni’s Mike Derderian, and jewellery designer Dean Davidson.
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Photos by George Pimentel
9 1. Rita Zekas, Robert Cage 2. Mike Derderian 3. Holt Renfrew’s Marie-Sara Savoie and Ashlee Nickel 4. Holt Renfrew’s Kimberly Grabel and Lisa Tant 5. Andrea Lenczner, Christie Smythe 6. Kristin Kreuk, Sima Kumar 7. Jeremy Laing 8. Ela Kowalewska, Martin Aldorsson, Holt Renfrew’s Moira Wright 9. DJ Tara Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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stylist Scene
celebrating
1 2
David Bowie is
London
D
avid Bowie is...everywhere. The Victoria and Albert Museum recently hosted a dinner party in celebration of the “David Bowie is” exhibition. Guests included David Bowie’s latest video star Tilda Swinton, longtime friend Bianca Jagger, magazine editor Jefferson Hack and designer Vivenne Westwood. The exhibition traces Bowie’s shifting style across five decades and explores his creative processes. This is the first international retrospective of the cultural and musical icon. The show runs until August 11.
3
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1. Tilda Swinton 2. Yasmin and Simon Le Bon 3. Andreas Kronthaler, Vivienne Westwood 4. Jefferson Hack, Haider Ackermann 5. Serena Rees, Paul Simonon 6. Victoria Broackes, Geoffrey Marsh 7. Bianca Jagger
36 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
Photos by © V&A Images
5
Š 2013 LensCrafters, Inc. All rights reserved.
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stylist Scene
Asia Society Gala New York
1
A
2
highlight of Asia Week in New York, this signature event featured Honorary Chair Jason Wu and leading figures from the arts, fashion and cultural worlds. The evening began with a cocktail reception and Asian-inspired tastings accompanied by the sounds of a jazz trio. Cocktails were followed by dinner in the historic Grand Ballroom of The Pierre with a live auction, a unique menu created for the occasion by guest chefs Pichet Ong and Simpson Wong, and dancing to Peter Duchin and his Orchestra.
4
5
6 1. Cesar Oborero 2. Chiu-ti Jansen and Geoffrey Bradfield 3.Stephanie PotterFoster,John Foster 4. (From left) Elizabeth Gilpin, Hilary Rhoda, Michelle Harper and Jenny Shimizu 5. Jason Wu 6. Diana Burke and Shayne Doty
38 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
Photos by Š Bennet Cobliner, Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
3
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stylist Scene 1
hermès Swinging Silk party Toronto
A
t a bash that had everyone on the dance floor, Hermès Canada welcomed more than 400 guests to the Berkeley Church in Toronto for its Swinging Silk Party. Guests outfitted in swing skits and zoot suits were greeted by ’50s inspired rockabilly girls and taxi boys on a vintage Citroën and scooter outside the venue, which was awash in silk flags and garland lights. Under a silk sky, the crowd was carried away by the music, as DJ Filthy Gorgeous played retro tunes and the Michael Rault Band performed vintage ’50s rock ’n’ roll hits. Dancers were centre stage as they led the crowd in be-bop lessons throughout the night. Guests had the opportunity to have custom tattoos, transform themselves at a hair and beauty bar and have their photo taken wearing their favourite Hermès silk while enjoying Swinging Silk cocktails. Everyone danced the night away and celebrated an evening of Swinging Silk!
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1. Christopher Sherman, Kate Chartrand 2. Suzanne Rogers 3. Jennifer Carter, CEO Hermes Canada 4. Gillian Roberts, Allan Roberts 5. Daniel Buckman 6. Natalie Groulx 7. Chloe, Samantha and Caillianne Beckerman
40 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
Photos by George Pimentel
7
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PURE BLISS
Gôra Kadan, a Relais & Châteaux hotel, is a traditional Japanese ryokan. In one night, you can have an authentic cultural experience. I arrived at 3 p.m. and spent a few hours bathing, scrubbing and soaking in the hot springs. Then I was treated to a tasting menu and had another hot bath on my outdoor porch. The rooms are laid out like a home; each one has a designated attendant who serves every meal and does the turndown with futons on the tatami floors. gorakadan . com
RETAIL THERAPY
Colette Malouf’s
Tokyo
A luxury accessories and jewellery designer, Malouf is based in New York. Her creations are worn by Anne Hathaway and Gwyneth Paltrow
Isetan is the best department store in Japan for high-end fashion. I have a store on the main floor and I love watching all the elegant women who shop there. I always visit Isetan’s extensive home section. Recently, I bought a hand-forged copper teapot made by local artisans. isetan . co . jp It would be unfair to call the ShinMarunouchi Building a shopping mall. This beautifully constructed tower is filled with high-end brands, from beauty to clothing to restaurants. My flagship store is on the first level. I recommend shopping for a few hours at the end of the day and then spending the evening at Henry Good Seven for a fun dinner. marunouchi . com A multi-level store, Tokyu Hands in Shibuya is filled with great art supplies and gadgets. I buy pens, pencils, cases, stickers, erasers and even odd things like toothbrush covers there. Perfect for gift buying. tokyu - hands . co . jp
44 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
LUXURY LODGING
Conveniently located in Shibuya, Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel is where all the cute little stores are. The nearby, newly built department store, Hikarie, features a high-end selection of organic and sustainable products, and is where I splurge in the elaborate food hall. I book a room on the executive floor where I can have a quiet breakfast with an endless view. There’s also a small gym and a large swimming pool with natural light. ceruleantower-hotel.com/en
SUPREME CUISINE
Every detail at the Brown Rice Cafe— from the food to the décor—has been well thought out. This charming concept restaurant is among the shops and small streets I spend all day in. brown.co.jp For a continental breakfast, the weekend lunch buffet at the Grand Hyatt’s French Kitchen is chic and buzzing with people. restaurants.tokyo.grand.hyatt.com
Jennifer Carter’s
Paris
President and CEO of Hermès Canada, Carter visits Paris six times annually, making it a second home
FIT FOR A KING (OR QUEEN)
The Ritz was my home away from home for 25 years, but the legendary grande dame of Parisian hotels, with its fabled Hemingway Bar, closed last year for a total makeover and won’t reopen until next year. So, I now stay at the equally elegant Le Meurice, opposite the Louvre. Justly nicknamed “the hotel of kings,” Le Meurice is one of nine worldwide properties that make up the elite Dorchester Collection, including The Beverly Hills Hotel and Milan’s Hotel Principe di Savoia. lemeurice . com
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
Being a history buff, I love stopping by the Musée de l’Armée. Originally built as a hospital for wounded soldiers by Louis XIV, it’s now a military museum and the site of the tomb of Napoleon. And any time I have the chance to see a Cézanne exhibit, whether at the Louvre louvre.fr or Musée d’Orsay musee-orsay.fr, I am a happy camper.
BON APPÉTIT
A colleague from Hermès International introduced me to a fantastic restaurant called 1728. Tucked away just off Faubourg Saint-Honoré, it has delicious French food and stunning design. The delightful owners of Les Jalles and Bistro Volnay have created two Paris gems. Les Jalles is perfect for a night out, while Bistro Volnay is slightly more casual. The food at both restaurants is local and the service is excellent.
BOUTIQUE ROUNDUP
PARISIAN PLEASURES
Place de Vosges, the oldest planned square in the city, located right on the dividing line between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, is one of my most favourite spots in Paris. I love to take weekend trips to Avignon to enjoy the great boutiques and markets. When in Avignon, I stay at La Mirande, a beautiful old mansion at the foot of the Palais des Papes. la - mirande . fr
For work and for pleasure, the flagship Hermès store is a must-visit. The architecture and design are among the most breathtaking in Paris. The tea room and bookshop make it easy to spend a cozy afternoon there. When shopping in Paris, Marni is always my first stop. No one does a dress like Marni, and the Paris boutique is the perfect place to find one. Dries Van Noten is another of my favourite designers, and I always stop by the fabulous Dries boutique on the Left Bank to see the new collection. Not only are the clothes beautiful, but the store is decorated in eclectic antiques and offers great accessories. Roses Costes Dani Roses sells the absolute best vases and Marché Biron has fabulous antiques. One of my prized purchases there was a giant pair of antique asparagus tongs I use at every dinner party.
Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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stylist Du Monde
DELECTABLE DÉCOR
Whenever we need a special present for someone, Gansett Lane is our first stop. It has absolutely beautiful items for the house and garden. I bought a great set of Bulgarian dishes there; I’ve never seen them anywhere else. gansettlane.com
DOWN THE GARDEN PATH
Jorn Weisbrodt’s
Montauk When Weisbrodt, artistic director of Toronto’s Luminato Festival, and his husband, musician Rufus Wainwright, were married last summer, they chose charming Montauk, N.Y., as the setting
46 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
I love shopping for plants. It is so thrilling to buy something you know will grow with love and care. Montauk has a very different climate from the rest of the Hamptons, so when I buy something at Fort Pond Native Plants I am sure it will grow in our garden. The staff at the nursery know me, and it’s wonderful to walk through the rows of plants every week, see how the assortment has changed and dream of ways to enrich our garden. nativeplants.net
WEDDING MANOR
Shagwong is probably my favourite restaurant in Montauk. Located on Main Street, it’s been there forever and is open year-round, which is rare for Montauk. The Rolling Stones, Andy Warhol and Peter Beard all have visited there. On Friday nights, the front room turns into a party with local fishermen dancing in their gear. The décor, with old pictures, rusty anchors and Peter
Beard photos (which he used to settle his bills), is just great. shagwong.com
A VIEW TO THRILL
The restaurant at the Crow’s Nest Inn is another favourite. The food is spectacular, as is the view over Lake Montauk. You can’t officially make a reservation, but we always manage to get a table. crowsnestmtk.com
ON A ROLL
The best place for super-fresh seafood, Clam Bar is a scene in the summer with everyone dropping by to have a lobster roll or clam fritters. It was the one and only place where we wanted to have our wedding dinner. We set up a huge tent, and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. clambaronline.com
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Stylist Signal
The Beats Go On
By christopher Loudon
Jean-Marc Barr in BIg Sur
Big Sur
In 1962, Kerouac published Big Sur, a thinly fictionalized account of three harrowing weeks he’d spent battling various demons, including alcoholism and the pressures of uninvited fame, at poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s oceanfront retreat in 1960. The long-awaited film adaptation from director and screenwriter Michael Polish earned raves at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, with particular praise for French-American actor Jean-Marc Barr (veteran of multiple Lars von Trier films) as Kerouac’s alter ego, Jack Duluoz. Expect Big Sur to secure a prime slot at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Kill Your Darlings
M
ore than a half-century has passed since a group of Columbia University students, including Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr, banded together to develop what they branded a “new vision” to counteract the conservatism of their professors and the times. In 1958, poet and novelist Kerouac famously dubbed the expanding cadre of anti-establishment intellectuals the “Beat Generation.” They migrated from Times Square to San Francisco, where poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Bookstore became their mecca. Armed with Kerouac’s On the Road and Ginsberg’s Howl, they popularized ideals that would reach full flower a decade later with the hippie movement. Much of their literature remains revered and widely studied, but by the time of Kerouac’s premature death at age 47 in 1969, the Beats’ cool aesthetic had grown passé. Lately, though, fresh examination of their style and influence is extending from page to screen to fashion.
48 / S/STYLE & FASHION / Spring/Summer 2013
Another Sundance darling, Kill Your Darlings, from first-time feature director John Krokidas, unearths a little-known Beat Generation footnote involving a mid-1940s murder that touched the lives of, and united, Kerouac, Ginsberg and fellow counterculture icon William Burroughs. A tousle-haired and bespectacled Daniel Radcliffe, distancing himself ever further from a certain boy wizard, is riveting as the openly gay Ginsberg. Fellow Brit Jack Huston is Kerouac, with Ben Foster as Burroughs. Darlings is also a prime contender for Toronto International Film Festival consideration before it advances to the art-house circuit.
The Voice Is All: The Lonely Victory of Jack Kerouac
Author Joyce Johnson, Kerouac’s one-time lover who earlier chronicled their relationship in the celebrated memoir Minor Characters, lends her intimate appreciation of Kerouac and his circle to this vibrant biography. She pays particular attention to the influence of his French-Canadian roots in shaping both his prose and his liberalist, anti-American leanings. (Viking Adult)
On the Road
Despite a first-rate cast that includes the Twilight series’ red-hot Kristen Stewart, this ambitious big-screen treatment of the Kerouac classic managed only lukewarm reviews and tepid box office returns when it was released in January. Now available on DVD, it deserves a second look for fine performances from Amy Adams, Elisabeth Moss and Garrett Hedlund. Furthermore, director Walter Salles’ and screenwriter Jose Rivera’s elegant expansion of the jazz-fuelled travelogue holds up by offering a deeper understanding of the largely autobiograph- ical characters. (Make it a double bill with Howl, the engaging 2010 biopic of Ginsberg starring James Franco.)
...on the runways
Along with black turtlenecks and filter-less Gitanes, dark berets were de rigueur among the Beats and their acolytes. The French topper has been spotted anew on fashion runways, including the Ralph Lauren and Nina Ricci women’s collections for fall, and was pivotal to the men’s collection from über-cool Korean label Covernat.
Signal Stylist
Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music
Burt Bacharach
READ The Man Who Seduced Hollywood
B. James Gladstone
Remember the lawyer in the camp delight Mommie Dearest, the one who helps Joan Crawford adopt her infant daughter? His character was based on Greg Bautzer, one of the most powerful men in Hollywood during the ’40s and ’50s. Skilled at sealing lucrative contracts and brokering shady deals, Bautzer’s greatest prowess was as a Tinseltown Lothario, whose long list of conquests extended from Crawford, Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth to Greer Garson and Peggy Lee. (Available May 1, Chicago Review Press)
As seminal an architect of the 1960s musical landscape as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, Burt Bacharach, together with lyricist Hal David, crafted dozens of pop classics, ranging from “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” to Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s in Love with You” and The Carpenters’ “Close to You.” But, as revealed in this heartfelt memoir, Bacharach’s massive success as an Oscar-winning songwriter, producer and performer has been offset by equally seismic personal strife, including four tumultuous marriages (most famously to actress Angie Dickinson and lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, with whom he wrote “That’s What Friends Are For,” which raised nearly $1 million for AIDS research in 1985) and the suicide in 2007 of his and Dickinson’s daughter, Nikki. (Available May 7, HarperCollins Canada)
LISTEN Memphis
Boz Scaggs
In recent years, Scaggs has reinvented himself as a jazz vocalist, delivering two albums of standards. Now, navigating another dramatic shift, the multipleplatinum-selling Scaggs proves equally masterful at interpreting country classics. The album’s 13 tracks, laid down in just three days at Memphis’s legendary Royal Studios, include Scaggs’ distinctive takes on “Corinna, Corinna,” Willy DeVille’s “Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl,” Tyrone Davis’ “Can I Change My Mind,” the lilting soul ballad “Love on a Two Way Street” and, most gorgeously, the haunting Brook Benton hit, “Rainy Night in Georgia.” (Savoy Jazz)
Change of Heart: The Songs of André Previn
Michael Feinstein & André Previn
At 83, composer, pianist, conductor and 11-time Grammy winner Previn may be the single most accomplished musician on the planet, having conquered the worlds of classical, jazz, opera, musical theatre and film scoring with unilateral élan. But his extensive work as a pop songwriter has, until now, gone largely underappreciated. Celebrated crooner and musical archivist Feinstein, accompanied by Previn and bassist David Finck, unearths a dozen Previn gems, ranging from the tender rarity “Little Lost Dream” to the upbeat “Give a Little More,” at last rescued from its rather abusive handling by Patty Duke in Valley of the Dolls. (Telarc)
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Stylist Signal The Big Wedding
WATCH The Big Wedding
In this all-star remake of the 2006 French comedy Mon frère se marie, Diane Keaton and Robert De Niro team as long-divorced Ellie and Don Griffin forced to pretend they’re still happily married when the strictly Catholic birth mother of their adopted son (Ben Barnes) decides to attend the lad’s nuptials. Rounding out the cast are Robin Williams, Katherine Heigl, Topher Grace, Amanda Seyfried and, as De Niro’s troublemaking paramour, Susan Sarandon. (Opening April 26)
SEE Glam! The Performance of Style Tate Liverpool, London Set to a glittering soundtrack (with plenty of Bowie tracks, natch), Glam! is the first major exhibition to explore the extravagant style that, emerging from British art schools, exploded onto the world scene, shaping the pop culture zeitgeist of the early to mid-1970s. More than 100 artworks trace the genealogy of glam, from androgyny to dandyism, as expressed by such period icons as David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Allen Jones, Cindy Sherman and Peter Hujar. (Continues through May 12)
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Mercedes-Benz Start up Program
Launched in 2011, the MercedesBenz Start Up program offers aspiring Canadian designers a chance to compete and win a one-year mentorship with the industry’s finest, along with their own runway show at World MasterCard Fashion Week. The nationwide competition will begin in Calgary on April 23 and move to Laval, Que., Winnipeg and Kitchener, Ont.
Karl Lagerfeld for House of Chanel Vogue, March 2011
PUNK: Chaos to Couture
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York The Met’s Costume Institute was resuscitated by fashion editor Diana Vreeland in the 1970s and ’80s and continues to impress. In perhaps its boldest exhibit to date, the Institute examines the impact of punk music and musicians on fashion, from the movement’s earliest days to present. Across seven galleries and with more than 100 original garments, the focus is on the meeting of minds (and zippers and safety pins) between punk’s “do-it-yourself” and couture’s “made-to-measure.” Themed segments include New York and London, tracing the fashion battle between punk’s two capitals, Clothes for Heroes and a four-part salute to the DIY aesthetic: Hardware, Bricolage, Graffiti and Agitprop and Destroy. (May 9-Aug. 14)
Signal Stylist
Holding Patterns By Sarah Moore
Jason Wu
P
attern: 100 Fashion Designers 10 Curators by Phaidon Press is a weighty tome with an equally substantial goal: Identify the next wave of fashion innovators. Tasked with choosing cutting-edge designers who have the “undaunted courage to make beauty in difficult times,” 10 style makers from around the globe present their top 100. The result is a giant volume (that comes in a matching tote) with almost life-size photography of today’s most boundary-pushing designs. Besides its heft, what sets Pattern apart from other industry-insider books with pretty pictures is the depth of analysis of each designer and the sheer breadth of designers showcased. It’s as though you’ve scored a front-row seat at the most diverse runway on the planet while eavesdropping on the industry’s most respected thought leaders. Some names you’ll recognize— Jason Wu, for example, renowned for designing Michelle Obama’s gowns for both the 2009 and 2013 inaugural balls. Here’s how Imran Amed, editor of The Business of Fashion website, describes Wu’s pieces: “[They] have a modern femininity, with flourishes of embellishment and a cool, contemporary polish.” Other names will be less familiar. Of the two Canadian designers mentioned, Montreal-based complexgeometrics is described by Rookiemag.com’s Tavi Gevinson as existing
Joseph Li
Mary Katrantzou
“outside of fashion in its own continuum of clean lines and geode necklaces, where a single article can be comfortable, practical, simple and arresting, all at once.” The second Canadian boldface is Toronto’s Jeremy Laing. This mix of known and unknown makes for a layered and detailed examination of who will occupy tomorrow’s runways and journals. Gorgeously presented, Pattern is the ultimate resource for fashion lovers. (Phaidon Press) Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Stylist Signal
Brand It Like Beckham Designer Victoria Beckham is named
creative design executive for heritage British brand Range Rover
By matt bubbers
B
eyond the utilitarian function of getting you from point A to point B, the car becomes a fashion object. Vehicle connoisseurs select their rides based as much on style as performance. This explains why smart automakers have aligned with top designers to make their machines more alluring: Hermès for Bugatti and Smart; Yves Saint Laurent for Citroën; Pierre Cardin and Oleg Cassini for AMC; and Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole and Diane von Furstenberg for MINI. Recently, Victoria Beckham, who
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several years ago added “fashion designer” to her list of business ventures, was appointed creative design executive for Range Rover. “The classic British heritage of Range Rover and the effortless style, quality and beauty is something I truly admire and also what I hope to achieve with my own brand,” she said in a press release. Beckham has a reputation for being actively involved in all her business projects, and her collaboration with the esteemed British carmaker is no different. Might we expect a special fashion collection with chic, yet driver-friendly accessories from her eponymous line?
Vroom Room
The St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan has an established reputation for creating jaw-dropping designer suites. Both Christian Dior and Tiffany have decorated rooms for a discerning clientele. Now, for the first time in the hotel’s 109-year history, an automaker has been invited to outfit a suite. The Bentley Suite rents for $9,500 (US) per night. The handsome décor includes hand-stitched brown leather furniture, burled wood veneer cabinetry, a silk accent wall and crystal chandeliers, as well as 24-hour access to a chauffeur-driven Bentley Mulsanne—one of the most exclusive cars ever produced.
Visible results in only 7 days. An exceptional anti-aging power never seen before from Dior: Yquem sap discovered within the vines of the legendary Château d’Yquem vineyard, able to reverse the effects of time. Skin regains its firmness. Skin texture is refined. Wrinkles seem to fill from within.*
*In vitro tests
THE POWER TO REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF TIME
Fashion & Beauty
Shady
lady Tortoiseshell and retro shapes inspire this summer’s eye candy Photographer: Natasha V.
D
esigner eyewear is the perfect fusion of fashion and function. And this season’s sunglasses lead the charge. Crafted with the latest technological advances, they’re the perfect accessory for a rousing game of tennis— or something no more strenuous than sipping an Aperol Spritz on the patio.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Miu Miu ($460); Ray Ban ($165); Dolce&Gabbana ($485); Chanel ($405); Versace ($240), all available at Lens Crafters. Creative Direction: Alice Unger Stylist: Serge Kerbel for Plutino Group
Fashion & Beauty
Rock
the Casbah The voluminous caftan floats to the fashion forefront. Again By Clara Young
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Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2013
Photo:Dries Van Noten
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e laugh about the caftan. We mock its outsized personality, its trailer-trash muumuu slovenliness. But the caftan is no ordinary housecoat. On the contrary, it is an aristocrat among vestimentary genres. Dating back to the Persian Empire in 600 BC, worn by Ottoman sultans, Wallis Simpson and Elizabeth Taylor, the exotic caftan is having a moment. Again. Dries Van Noten’s wispy cover-up blossomed down the runway, Veronique Branquinho’s collared and striped version resembled an overly long polo shirt, and Marco Zanini at Rochas did his like an XXXL white silk shirt. And Mulberry continues the trend for fall. Typically long and flowing, slash-fronted or sensuously plunging, with or without a sash, the caftan was an Oriental robe of ceremony before Christian Dior got his hands on it in the 1950s. He brought the caftan into the Western arena, importing it along with its Asian fabulousness. Yves Saint Laurent discovered Marrakech and took to lounging in Lawrence of Arabia robes, smoking hookah pipes without a couture care in the world. Diana Vreeland wore caftans to the office; The Beatles meditated in them with the Maharishi. Talitha Getty and Marisa Berenson adopted them. Gloria Swanson monumentalized them. Liz Taylor lived in them. Like an artist’s canvas, the caftan has the breadth for drama. There’s room for Thea Porter’s gold lamé and bold ikat prints, the sweep and swirl of Oscar de la Renta, the op art graphics of Marimekko. The global glamour of the caftan had the world at its feet in the ’70s. Until it didn’t. With Jazzercise in the ’80s came the desire to show off the figure one had sweated so much to attain. Generous to a fault, lavish beyond abundance, the caftan fell out of favour. We are still in lean times of a sort, which may be why we’re attracted to the muchness of caftans today. Like the sirens who wore them, caftans are beautiful and fearless. And like the best things in life—forgiving.
Photo:Etro
Etro Spring/Summer 2013
Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2013
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Fashion & Beauty
Think
Wink
Move over mascara. The quest for longer, fuller lashes knows no bounds By Julia McEwen
“C
elebrities have such pristine, long, full lashes because they’re usually fake,” says Vanessa Jarman, a makeup artist with Rimmel London. “When lash extensions first came out they made me nervous,” she admits. “But now I feel like the technology has advanced so far and technicians have honed their craft; I’m seeing beautiful work.” Real or faux, who doesn’t love standout lashes for their ability to instantly make eyes look brighter and larger—not to mention offer instant anti-aging effects? Full, fluttery lashes have been a coveted beauty look since 1916, when American film director David W. Griffith led the charge. He commissioned a wig maker to create the very first pair of falsies, painstakingly assembled with human hair and gauze to give his leading lady, Lillian Gish, a set of lashes long enough to graze her cheeks. But it was in London, during the Swinging Sixties, that turbocharged lashes hit the mainstream. Twiggy’s doll-like, painted-on lashes—known as twiglets—were the apogee of high fashion. However, former model and creative director of American Vogue, Grace Coddington, contends it was she who conceived the iconic look as a result of her facial injuries after a car accident. Recently, statement lashes have been on a tear. The spring/summer 2013 runway makeup gave a wink to the wide-eyed looks of the ’60s and ’70s. From Gucci to Moschino, lash strips were layered to create over-the-top eye glamour. At Donna Karan, models’ lids and lashes were covered in vivid magenta pigments (don’t try this at home). And at the Chanel Couture show, lids were adorned with organza cut-outs that matched the models’ headpieces. Heavenly? Yes. Wearable? Not unless Daphne Guinness is your fashion spirit guide. Closer to home, lash bars are popping up everywhere. Urla Duncan was so impressed after she visited a salon for lash extensions, she decided to open her own outpost a few months later. The owner of Winks Eyelash Boutique,
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in Toronto’s upscale Yorkville neighbourhood, says the service is fast becoming as de rigueur as regular manipedis and root touch-ups. Not surprisingly, first-time clients typically refer to lash-endowed celebrities as their inspiration. “We either have clients who come in saying, ‘I want to look like Kim Kardashian.’ Or, ‘Please don’t make me look like Kim Kardashian,’” says Duncan. One of the boons of lash extensions is they provide a dramatic change without a big investment of time. “We get a lot of professional women,” says Duncan. “They feel like their lashes are the one thing that really keeps them looking fresh.” Erica Lenczner, a TV producer in Toronto, is one such devotee who has lash refills every three weeks. “As a blond, mascara and lash tinting used to be my best friends,” she says. “The best thing about them is I can walk out the door with no makeup and feel pretty great.” As lash mania sweeps North America, there has been an explosion in fringe-enhancing options. They range from growth serums that promise longer, darker, fuller lashes to lash extensions, where a solo synthetic fibre is applied to each eyelash for a natural look. Mascara may still be a girl’s best friend, but couture lash extensions are the new secret weapon in feminine allure.
THE NEW FRAGRANCE FOR MEN
SIMON BAKER
AVAILABLE IN STORES MAY 8th
Fashion & Beauty
Prêt-àpink Photographer: Natasha V.
T
his season, designers from Tom Ford to Tommy Hilfiger are embracing the pretty shade. According to fashion industry tracker, NPD Group, pink outsells every other lip colour. And why wouldn’t it? Whether it’s sheer shell or pink pepper hot, this happy hue makes everyone look just a little bit brighter.
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Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in L’exuberante ($40), at Holt Renfrew; Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick in Fantasy Pink ($35), at Sephora; Clinique Almost Lipstick Flirty Honey ($20), at Sephora; Estée Lauder Pure Colour Vivid Shine Lipstick in Poppy Love ($35); Lancôme Baume in Love 110 Urban Ballet ($30); Dior Rouge Dior Lipcolor in Pink Caprice ($36); Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivids in Fuchsia Flash ($10); Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense in Satin Fuchsia ($25); YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in Fuchsia Symbole ($35). Creative Direction: Alice Unger, Stylist: Serge Kerbel for Plutino Group Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Fashion & Beauty
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Fashion & Beauty
Fruit Punch
A fresh crop of sparkling, fruit-based fragrances has arrived just in time for spring By Kate Daley Photographer: Natasha V.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Eau de Lacoste Femme Eau de Toilette ($85), at Sears; Roberto Cavalli Just Cavalli Eau de Toilette, 50 ml ($70), at The Bay; Madly Kenzo Eau de Toilette, 50 ml ($80), at The Bay; Valentino Valentina Eau de Parfum Spray, 80 ml ($125), at The Bay; Dolce&Gabbana The One Desire Eau de Parfum, 50 ml ($140), at The Bay; Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine Edition, 75 ml ($80), at The Bay; Burberry Body Tender Eau de Toilette, 60 ml ($85), at The Bay; Oscar de la Renta Something Blue Eau de Parfum Spray, 50 ml ($85), at Holt Renfrew; Gucci Guilty Black Pour Femme Eau de Toilette, 50 ml ($95), at Sephora. Creative Direction: Alice Unger Stylist: Serge Kerbel for Plutino Group
N
ever has the term “juice”—industry jargon for perfume—been more appropriate. This spring, newly launched fragrances are bursting with mouth-watering notes of pineapple, mandarin, green apple, lemon and lychee. Longer days and warmer weather signal a switch to lighter scents, away from heavy and seductive compositions of tonka bean and patchouli. The emergence of fruitinspired perfumes began in the early 1990s with the launch of Un Ete En Provence Escada, Perhaps by Bob Mackie, Boucheron’s Jaïpur and Safari by Ralph Lauren. Today, fruit scents are more popular than ever in North and South America, says global fragrance expert Marian Bendeth. According to Bendeth, South American consumers prefer these tropical scents and, as many immigrate to North America, the trend is becoming mainstream. While playful scents might skew younger, sophisticates need not fear—not all fruity fragrances are sticky sweet. Tart, dry citrus scents built around notes of lemon, lime and orange (called hesperidiums), such as Calvin Klein’s lemon and bergamot-heavy CK One, provide a refreshing alternative to overtly fruity spritzes. Strawberry, raspberry, apple and peach notes, found in such compositions as Gucci Guilty, offer body and warmth. This spring, the star ingredient in many fragrances is lychee. It is found in Dolce&Gabbana’s oriental floral The One Desire, along with fresh top notes of mandarin and bergamot wrapped in an intense trio of Madonna lily, jasmine and plum nectar. Lychee is also at the heart of Oscar de la Renta’s fruity floral Something Blue, blended with
stephanotis, lily of the valley, linden blossom and mandarin. Madly Kenzo, the brand’s latest, has top notes of lychee and pear, along with a jasmine and heliotrope heart. Bitter orange oil, also called neroli, has a spicy and sweet floral note with both masculine and feminine qualities. It too is making its mark this season, says Bendeth, often as the opening conversation in a scent. Not as conventional as traditional fruit notes, bitter orange is perfect for those who don’t like the languor of gourmand fragrances. Just Cavalli, a floral created by master perfumers Nathalie Lorson and Fabrice Pellegrin, contains a neroli top note. Along with Tahitian tiare flower and a soft woody note to ground it, this scent is a fresh yet luscious combination. Many popular fragrances, such as Marc Jacobs’ Daisy, have been reformulated with fresh fruit notes to give them more sparkle. Daisy has been reinterpreted by perfumer Harry Fremont; available as Sunshine Editions are Daisy Sunshine and Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine. He combined berries, pink grapefruit and pear with cedar wood and musk. “The Sunshine Editions had to be aligned with the original fragrance, but are more vibrant, radiant and luminous,” says Fremont. “What brings [the ingredients] together is a red fruity top note, a round floral heart and a soft, easy-to-wear dry down.” Fruit fragrances can mentally whisk you to the tropics any time of year, but they’re ideal for the warmer months. “The actual temperature of the air affects the way the fragrance sits on the skin because heat causes fragrances to dissipate faster,” explains Bendeth. “And, like fashion, your fragrance should reflect the season.”
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Photo: Joanne K
trend
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Star trend
Blonde Ambition Although she plays one on TV, rising star Charlotte Sullivan is no rookie By Amber Nasrulla
I
f your first paying gig is working with Liza Minnelli, the likelihood of a charmed career is pretty strong. Charlotte Sullivan’s first role as a child actor was as an extra in Minnelli’s video “The Day After That,” a song Minnelli recorded to benefit AIDS research. “I was a blip,” concedes the Toronto-born actress on the phone from her bachelor rental on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. (Her husband, actor/director Peter Stebbings, is holding the fort with their English bulldog Penelope back in Toronto.) The 29-year-old says she’s in New York to fulfill a childhood dream. No, she’s not starring on Broadway, but is enrolled in a seven-week course run by the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York. “I want to learn something that has nothing to do with this [acting] racket,” she says, adding, “I also just want to be able to say, ‘I lived in New York once!’” She is spending her days attending lectures on the solar system, asteroids and the Cassini mission to Saturn. “Trying to grasp what’s happening 450 million light years away makes you feel really tiny.” While Sullivan is gazing up at the constellations, her own star is on the rise. Working steadily since being cast at age 11 as Marion Hawthorne, the pretty but mean girl in Harriet the Spy, today she enjoys a successful TV and film career. Although she took a break from acting in high school because of bullying by classmates at Toronto’s Runnymede Collegiate Institute, she looks back now and says, “I had such a hard time, I couldn’t deal with it. I can’t believe I cared...but you have to go through that to gain some balls.” Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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trend Star
A
fter graduation, Sullivan moved to Los Angeles, auditioning for TV pilots. She spent the next few years shuttling between L.A. and Toronto. In 2007, she met her future husband on the graveyard set of Across the River to Motor City, a six-episode TV series. While it wasn’t love at first sight, a year later they reunited on a short indie film. “Her eyes were vivid blue,” Stebbings recalls. “And she was wearing a yellow and blue striped sweater, sort of like a bumblebee. We were talking and laughing and the rest of the room disappeared.” They wed in August 2011—in a country church with a graveyard—and now call Venice Beach, Calif., and Toronto home. Sullivan’s biggest role to date is playing Gail Peck, the icily gorgeous police officer on the hit Canadian drama series Rookie Blue, which begins its fourth season on Global this spring. Her character is sharp-tongued and doesn’t make friends easily—and her romantic life runs far from smoothly. Infatuated with soldier-turned-cop Nick Collins (Peter Mooney), she struggles to show her feelings. “She is obsessed with blood and guts,” Sullivan says, “while I literally faint when I see blood.” Later this year, Sullivan will appear in The Colony, playing Kai, a dreadlocked action heroine. The film, costarring Bill Paxton and Laurence Fishburne, is a postapocalyptic thriller that follows underground survivors of the next ice age as they battle cannibals. Sullivan admits she plays more than her fair share of edgy characters, including hookers, crack addicts and superheroes. “I don’t know why, but something in me responds to things that are twisted,” she says, laughing. “If there’s a darkness, I find it artistically interesting.” In keeping with that theme, the couple’s Toronto home is decorated with a skull motif, including vodka bottles, glasses, candles and even snow globes. “I have issued a moratorium,” remarks Stebbings. “The other day, she
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brought home a giant water buffalo skull; I’m hoping that’s it for a while.” Sullivan says she can’t pinpoint the origins of her obsession. “Something in my heart just says, ‘Oh, I love that severed head, I must have it.’” But it hasn’t been all gore and goth for the actress. In 2011, she put forward her glamorous side in her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the miniseries The Kennedys. Although her screen time was limited, Sullivan made the most of it. In one scene, Sullivan as Monroe meets Robert Kennedy, played by Canadian actor Barry Pepper, at a party in Malibu. In the middle of their conversation, Monroe leans over his lap, her shapely derrière on full display, searching the sofa cushions for a missing earring. Even though Sullivan received harsh reviews for her performance, she takes the criticism in stride. “You can’t hold a candle to that woman, so I knew a lot of people weren’t going to like what I did,” she says. “Certainly the critics weren’t kind,” Sullivan adds with equanimity. Last year, the Toronto International Film Festival’s Rising Stars, a program that showcases Canadian actors at private industry meetings and public events, feted Sullivan. She ruled the red carpet like a pro in cocktail dresses by Pink Tartan. “On the red carpet, clothing is a canvas that transforms you and expresses your creativity,” she says. “If you feel like wearing a dress made of eggs or a purse that looks like a pickle, then hop to it.” Her daily wardrobe contains no eggs or pickles. She favours Céline, Roots footwear and her collection of “tough girl” jewellery, including her Vivienne Westwood plated-armour ring, biker skull rings and a snake pinky ring. What’s next for Sullivan? In May, she treks to Machu Picchu, Peru, with her Rookie Blue cast mates, including Gregory Smith and Missy Peregrym, to raise awareness and funds for UNICEF. “It doesn’t take much money,” she points out, “to get malaria pills to children or immunizations to expectant mothers.” As for acting, she’d like to play a man in her next role. Perhaps someone dark and twisted with a penchant for skulls?
“
trend
On the red carpet, clothing is a canvas that transforms you and expresses your creativity.
Photo: Joanne K
”
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Sartorial Trend
Fashion
Royalty Tilda Swinton: actress and artist By Rita Silvan
T
ilda Swinton is having a moment. The statuesque actress/artist/model/mother is everywhere—all at once. Formerly an indie darling, today she is a fixture on international red carpets and at Art Basel soirees, and enjoys a coveted front-row perch at Paris Fashion Week. Swinton has starred in print campaigns for the high-end Italian jewellery house Pomellato, walked fashion runways for Viktor & Rolf, and created a luxury perfume. Never short of admirers, the pace seems to have picked up for Swinton, now 52. This spring, she co-starred in a video (directed by Canadian Floria Sigismondi) with one of her style icons, David Bowie. She’s also caught the roving eye of Karl Lagerfeld, who has anointed her as muse for his pre-fall, ready-to-wear collection called Paris-Edimbourg, inspired by the Scottish Highlands. (Swinton’s heritage can be traced to medieval Scotland, and she calls Nairn in the Scottish Highlands home.) Every era produces at least one singular style icon, someone who captures the zeitgeist of fashion. In the past, these women have often been socialites, such as Babe Paley, Lee Radziwill or C.Z. Guest. They are women who have had—and still do, in the case of Radziwill—an original and fierce command of the language of fashion. In keeping with the times, Swinton is an energetic muse, blurring the line between artist and model. In March, she surprised visitors to New York’s Museum of Modern Art with a performance piece called “The Maybe.” Originally staged in London 18 years ago, “The Maybe” has Swinton sleeping inside a glass box with only a jug of water and a pair of glasses. The piece will appear throughout the year in different locations at MoMa.
Clearly, Swinton is equally adept at many facets of art and fashion. Yet, unlike other contemporary actresses, who can be subsumed by the designers they work with, Swinton meets her artist collaborators head-on as an equal, if not—on occasion—their superior. Her foray into high fashion occurred after co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach. The film’s success meant red carpet appearances, something she was unaccustomed to. Through a fashion consigliere, Swinton met Alber Elbaz, Phoebe Philo, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, Raf Simons, Stefano Pilati and Haider Ackermann—all of whom have contributed to her eclectic wardrobe. Who can forget Swinton’s appearance at the 2008 Academy Awards? She stood onstage, accepting her award for best supporting actress, in a simple, one-sleeve black satin sheath by Lanvin and minimal makeup. In a sea of tawny spray-tanned skin, corseted gowns embroidered in bugle beads, crystals and paillettes, and most available appendages festooned in millions of dollars in diamonds, rubies and emeralds, Swinton shone like a beacon of ease and elegance. Part of Swinton’s appeal—her alabaster skin and fivefoot-11 frame notwithstanding—is what appears to be her lack of ambition. Her home in Scotland is where she and her family amuse themselves with gardening, games and solitude. Phone messages are left unanswered. Computers remain idle. As she told W magazine, it is a place where you can “really hear your own ears.” Though Swinton clearly loves fashion, beauty pageants are not for her. She has said her fashion North Stars are her father, a former commander of the Queen’s Household Division in London, and David Bowie. Referring to her father, she told W, “I would rather be handsome, as he is, for an hour than be pretty for a week.” Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Photo: Christophe RouĂŠ. Photo Opposite page: Peter Lindbergh
Trend
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Couture Trend
Delivering the
Muse
French model and filmmaker Farida Khelfa continues to reinvent herself, this time as spokesperson for the iconic house of Schiaparelli By Clara Young
I
n high school in the 1980s, I spent many lunch hours in the library flipping through French Elle. One of the biggest models at the time was Farida Khelfa. Like her pal Carla Bruni, Khelfa became a favourite of Tunisian-born designer Azzedine Alaïa, but back then, the French beauty was Jean Paul Gaultier’s muse. She roomed for a while with Christian Louboutin, spending nights at Le Palace (Paris’s equivalent to Studio 54) and sleeping in, once famously missing a photo session with Helmut Newton. More than 20 years later, Khelfa is still making fashion headlines, this time as spokesperson for the house of Schiaparelli. “Schiap,” as many called the surrealist couturier Elsa Schiaparelli, dominated fashion in the ’30s, but closed the house in 1954. Much of her couture art, such as the famously screwy shoe hat she made with Salvador Dali, went to museums. Diego Della Valle, who also owns Tod’s, is slowly relaunching the legendary label from its restored headquarters at Place Vendôme. Farida Khelfa is guiding the way. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Trend Couture
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Elsa Schiaparelli in 1934; designer Jean-Paul Gaultier and Farida Khelfa at the Hermès Spring/Summer 2011 ready-towear show; flashback 28 years: Gaultier and Khelfa at the Hermès Spring/Summer 1985 ready-to-wear show.
S: Balenciaga was a couture house that made its comeback in ready-to-wear only. Why is Schiaparelli going the couture route? Farida Khelfa: We want to be something very exclusive, which means very limited edition, a small collection. Couture fits with Place Vendôme and with Schiaparelli. People will have to come into the building, come up to the fourth floor—we’re not even going to have display windows on the street—and order their clothes. So, clients from the Ritz [located across the street] will have their breakfast and then come over here for fittings? Yes! It won’t be Breakfast at Tiffany’s, it’ll be Breakfast at Schiaparelli’s! What’s your job description? Right now, I represent the house and my job is to tell people about the history of Schiaparelli. Young people don’t know who Elsa Schiaparelli was. Tell us something about her. Now that I’ve looked through all our archives, I realize tons of [contemporary] designs come from Schiaparelli—and we don’t even know it. The newspaper print Galliano did in his 2000 “hobo chic” collection for Christian Dior or the big metal zipper at Gaultier—Schiaparelli is really in the DNA of fashion. How did she sell her clothes in the ’30s during the Depression? She sold a lot, especially in America. She sold a lot of knitwear. Schiaparelli got together a bunch of Armenian ladies in Paris to knit the pieces. They did all the trompe l’oeil sweaters. They were so new, so clever, with the fake tie, the great colours.
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What were you doing before you came to Schiaparelli? I was head of Gaultier Couture for two years after working at Azzedine Alaïa. Then I stopped and did a movie with [French filmmaker] Alain Robbe-Grillet in 2006. And then I started to direct documentaries. I did one on Gaultier and one on the youth in Tunisia during the Arab Spring. I just finished one on Louboutin and am editing a new one right now. How did the Tunisian documentary come about? I met a Tunisian model backstage at Chanel. It was during the revolution. [Former Tunisian president] Ben Ali had left Tunisia just 10 days earlier. So, I went to Tunisia. It was during the ceasefire, but it wasn’t frightening at all. I met all these people—I met her brother, who is an actor and a director. There were dancers, artists…people who could have been in L.A. or Paris or Miami. They were smart, educated and articulate. They were the cyber-activists who made the revolution happen and who went to jail. To change the subject — before coming here, I saw the latest Jason Wu ad. Stephanie Seymour, a friend of yours I think, is in the ad. Have you and the models you grew up with changed the relationship between age and beauty? Years ago, when a woman turned 40, it was over. It was because of the ’60s when people were focused on young girls — that was the ideal. Like those David Hamilton pictures. Girls wanted to look like their mothers, and the moms wanted to look like girls, and for me that’s very frightening. That is a scary way of getting old. I said, I am never going to go that way.
Photo: Christophe Roué
You seem like someone with a strong personality. How did the fashion industry react to you? Not very well, actually. It was difficult for me to accept being treated like—I’m exaggerating a bit here—a piece of meat. You felt you weren’t a person. I dealt with it by pretending to be totally self-sufficient, alone, but it didn’t help me any to be that way. If I’d been smart, I would have kept my mouth shut and worked and made a lot of money. The problem was I didn’t have the typical look or physique that most models had then. The mixed ethnic thing wasn’t happening yet. You had to be completely African or completely white, but to be in between wasn’t what they wanted. Still, I managed to work in the business with only people I liked. I was very snotty and aristocratic about it [laughing] and turned down jobs, even if I didn’t have a penny in my pocket. And now? Has the fashion industry grown up? Have you? I always said whatever I felt like saying, and sometimes it wasn’t necessary. So, voila. That’s the way I used to be. Now I am more careful.
Trend Social
Family
Plan
The Me Generation has morphed into the We. From film to fashion, multi-generational stories are in vogue By Clara Young
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What they’ve tapped into isn’t our craving for glamour or sex, but for what we really want: a game of charades with the cousins after dinner.
M
LEFT: The happy Hilfigers
ost fashion ads focus single-mindedly on one woman. Often she is peering moodily at a place lying just outside the fourth dimension. Sometimes there are two women, or even three, staring past one another into the great beyond. Rarely do they seem happy. Not like the women in those ads crammed with relatives—such as Dolce&Gabbana’s Sicilian-clan-on-the-fishing-beach series or Tommy Hilfiger’s family-boating-trip campaign — who look very jolly. In these crowded family shots, everyone looks suspiciously stylish — even Gran and Gramps. They exude a filial fashionableness that makes me want to click “buy.” What Hilfiger and D&G have tapped into is not our craving for glamour or sex, but for what we really want: a rousing game of charades with the cousins after dinner. This is, after all, what the good people of Downton Abbey do (even if only on Christmas Day, and only upstairs), laying aside hidden fears of infertility and bankruptcy for a moment of multitudinous cheer. With the popularity of extended family and stepfamily shows such as Downton Abbey, Modern Family and, in a more perverse way, Shameless, the Me Generation is giving way to the We. These are dangerous times, and there is safety in numbers. The concomitance of a contracting economy and expanding lifespan has brought family together again: kids who can’t afford to leave home; parents and grandparents who are living longer and can foot the bill; and everyone else who moves in to pool costs. It is not just advertising and TV shows spanning generations. Architects and builders are putting extra family living space into dwellings and designing “granny pods” as alternatives to retirement homes. The tourist industry happily reports on the boom in group family holidays, especially on cruise ships. Big clans are no longer pressure cookers of backstabbing enmity à la Dynasty or Dallas.
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They are the capacious bosom in which we long to take refuge: Today, we want to eat together, shop together, vacation together and live together. Multi-generationalism is happening not just on family holidays, but outside of the family too. Most of us grew up with people of the same age, seldom spending significant time with anyone older. But now, old and young are meeting face to face at the office. For the first time in history, a workplace can have four generations of employees: millennials, Xers, baby boomers and matures. Companies are grappling with this generational grab bag, experimenting with concepts such as reverse mentoring. (So far, this seems to consist mainly of millennials teaching their elders how to Tweet.) But teaching and influence go the other way too. Elementary schools are pairing students with grandparents and the elderly, especially after studies, such as one published in the Journal of Research on Adolescence two years ago, showed sustained relationships with older people improved children’s social behaviour. If your kid is a terror on the playground, there is an alternative to standing him in the corner — have him spend some time with the nice old lady next door. Kids are willing to bend to the civilizing influence of the aged because they sense seniors know a thing or two. Lana Del Rey thinks so, which is why the 26-year-old performer sang with the septuagenarian soul legend Bobby Womack on The Bravest Man in the Universe, his first album of original songs in 18 years. Similarly, Beck has just produced Dwight Yoakam and, several years earlier, Jack White produced Loretta Lynn’s album, when she was 70 and he was 28. “Just to meet Loretta Lynn is an honour, let alone work with her,” White told MTV. Such bowing and scraping to oldsters is a change after having deleted them from the picture since the youth-obsessed ’60s. Now that we’ve grown up a little, the mood is inclusive, the key word multi-generational. Family photos and charades are back in. And clanning is the new cocooning. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Photo: Courtesy of the Balenciaga Archive
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Excerpt Trend
The
Master
Among Paris’s many storied and celebrated couturiers, Cristóbal Balenciaga remains both the most magnificent and the most mysterious
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LEFT: The famous “Baby Doll” dress, introduced by Balenciaga in 1957.
ristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972) was considered the greatest couturier of his time: in the words of Christian Dior, “the master of us all.” But the man himself remains mysterious, though private is perhaps the word he would have preferred. “Do not waste yourself in society,” he told his friend the fabric designer Gustav Zumsteg, and followed his own advice. Two of the things about him that one can state with absolute certainty are that he had sinus trouble and that he loved to ski. Some said he was tall, others short; he was either portly or gaunt, charming or aloof. Although he sat for Cartier-Bresson and Man Ray he fled photographers, and some journalists claimed that he paid the newspaper vendor across from his apartment to wave a feather duster if any were lurking in the street below. He never took a bow at the end of a collection, and so few people had even seen him. He was, says Women’s Wear Daily’s retired publisher John B. Fairchild, a strange duck. It got to the point where some fashion writers wondered if he was a real person, while others thought that, like Shakespeare, he was several. In fifty years as a designer he never gave an interview. There must have been some explanation for the incalculable beauty of his clothes, but of course none could be found. And none would have been sought had he remained in his native Spain, esteemed but forgotten by now. Instead, he came to Paris, and Paris had, for nearly three hundred years, been the fashion capital of the world.
1936
This was the year that Balenciaga moved to Paris and found an alert and avid clientele, expert seamstresses, and superb fournisseurs (it has been estimated that he regularly used fifty-five fabric manufacturers, twelve embroiderers, and six makers of such trimmings as feathers, fringes, and lace). Fashion was an integral part of French cultural display, and Paris was the fashion theater of the world. Balenciaga moved quickly to center stage. “If a woman came in in a Balenciaga dress, no other woman in the room existed,” Diana Vreeland wrote. He didn’t follow the scene because he was the scene. He demanded that his designs, not himself, get the attention, which led to misunderstandings and a good deal of myth making from fashion editors in need of copy and from clients he refused to meet. If fashion is rooted in change and is deliberately delusional, his work was like a steady beacon even when it was—and it could be— downright bizarre. By 1962, American Vogue gave up trying to define his art and simply titled a four-page spread in its April issue “The Balenciaga Mystique”: Whatever it takes to hold vast numbers of women in the palm of your hand year after year, Balenciaga has it—to a degree that politicians and matinée idols might study with profit. Not that his clothes are easy to wear; on the contrary, they could hardly be more demanding—of elegance, wit, real clothes authority. Nor do they bristle with news; the changes he makes each season are usually just significant enough to Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Trend Excerpt
FROM LEFT: Three women in 1951 model Balenciaga evening dresses inspired by Henri de ToulouseLautrec paintings. A model wears a Balenciaga dress and coat during rehearsals for the television show Fashions From Paris. A model shows a polka dotted smock top over black skirt.
make it dazzlingly clear that a woman in a this-year Balenciaga is a woman in touch with some of the soundest—and, possibly, most prophetic—fashion thinking of her time. Balenciaga was an upright man of humble background, slight education, innate dignity, and a very thin skin. He never realized how useful a mask can be: when his close friend Hubert de Givenchy gave him a Picasso drawing and asked if he would like to meet the painter, Balenciaga recoiled: “He is always wearing disguises,” he said. “The man is a clown.” A deeply observant Catholic (he even made a shroud for a statue of Saint Roseline in Provence), he had a feeling for ritual and for the large gesture. He despised useless detail; he spoke little. From this there grew a public image of finicky austerity and frequent descriptions of his fashion house as a monastery or church. Exaggerated, and yet his clothes had what only can be called a mystical, even a moral, effect on some of his high-stepping clients. Diana Vreeland found biblical implications in the harmony of his clothes: “women are suddenly feeling perfectly at one with creation.” Mrs. Paul (“Bunny”) Mellon said his dresses gave her courage, Gloria Guinness wondered whether she was good enough to wear them, and Claudia Heard de Osborne in Texas declared that she wanted to be buried in a favorite Balenciaga so that she would be properly dressed when she met Cristóbal in heaven. Pauline de Rothschild, who was dressed by Balenciaga for twenty-three years, said, “I knew and loved other dressmakers and understood them, but the mysteries were Balenciaga’s.” His friends and employees emphasize his allure. He was also very trying: a collaborator remembers Balenciaga in a London restaurant sending back the sole three times. His demands were harsh but—such is the way of genius—he was hardest on himself, seeking an invisible, and possibly unat-
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tainable, goal. His staff often suffered and were always devoted, even when they had to submit to searches to make sure they weren’t leaving work with secret patterns or designs. His technique was inimitable. Only a few years ago in London, a seamstress working on a dress for a Balenciaga exhibition noticed that the apparently straight seam of a narrow dress was, when examined from the inside, intricately curved to suit the client’s less than slim body. So what to make of him when the words of fashion experts (I am not one) so often failed and when so little evidence of his private life remains? There is today, it is true, the acclaimed ready-to-wear house called Balenciaga in his old premises on the Avenue George V, but he knew that the glory of haute couture ended with him and he expressed, vainly, the wish that his name die, too. There are elegiac Balenciaga exhibitions and even a Balenciaga museum in his birthplace. And yet where is Balenciaga? Where, outside the secrecy of his studio, can we ever find the man? We can’t, and it would be disrespectful to try. But rather than examine his twice-yearly collections, we can try to see him in his times and among his staff and suppliers, “the people who make the buttons.” The aim is not to explain the inexplicable but to celebrate it. Those who admire him want to know him better, aware that we cannot really know him at all. A paradox, and mighty unsatisfactory, but also a homage of sorts—to the art, the discretion, and even the contradictions of the man.
Excerpted from The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World by Mary Blume, published in February 2013 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC. Copyright © 2013 by Mary Blume. All rights reserved.
HALIFA X
MONTRE AL
OTTAWA
QUEBEC
TORONTO
EDMONTON
CALGARY
VANCOUVER
BCBG.CA
Shape Shift Supermodel Heather Marks gets graphic with spring’s structured pieces Photography: Leda & St. Jacques (Rodeo Production) creative Direction: Alice Unger Model: Heather Marks (Mode Models)
Pullover ($2,975), skirt ($1,625) and bracelets ($3,925 each) by Chanel. Makeup: Chanel Fragrance: Chance Eau Tendre by Chanel. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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LEFT: Top and skirt (prices available upon request) by Lucian Matis; gold cuffs ($1,010) by Maison Martin Margiela, at SSENSE; sculpted heels ($1,695) by Giuseppe Zanotti, at Browns Shoes Makeup: Giorgio Armani Fragrance: Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Eau FraĂŽche RIGHT: Ensemble jacket and dress ($10,975), necklace ($6,675) and bracelet ($3,525) by Chanel. Makeup: Yves Saint Laurent Fragrance: Balenciaga Florabotanica Eau de Parfum Spray
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LEFT: Minidress and headband (prices available upon request) by Louis Vuitton. RIGHT: Coat ($2,995), sweater ($595), bag ($1,195) and shoes ($690) by Michael Kors; sunglasses ($395) by Céline. Makeup: Estée Lauder Fragrance: Estée Lauder Sensuous Nude Eau de Toilette Spray Makeup: Christian Dior Fragrance: Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Eau de Parfum Spray Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Coat ($5,845) by Hermès; swimsuit ($300) by Michael Kors; skirt (price available upon request) by Diesel Black Gold. Makeup: Dior Fragrance: Hermès L’Ambre des Merveilles
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LEFT: Vest ($2,575) and dress ($2,995) by Lanvin, at Holt Renfrew; visor ($655) by Lanvin, at SSENSE; earrings ($690) by Givenchy, at SSENSE. Makeup: Lancôme Fragrance: Stella McCartney Stella Eau de Parfum, at Holt Renfrew. RIGHT: Coat and dress (prices available upon request) by Alaïa, at The Room, The Bay; sunglasses ($215) by Michael Kors; heels ($675) by Givenchy, at Holt Renfrew. Makeup: Clarins Fragrance: Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Toilette Stylist: Cary Tauben (Folio Montreal and P1M Toronto) Makeup and Hair by: Genvieve Lenneville using Lancôme & TRESemmé Hair Care and Nicolas Blanchet MAC cosmetics & TRESemmé Hair Care (P1M) Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Peacock jacket ($6,300) by Craig Signer; dress by Ralph Lauren; headpiece by Monika Fine Millinery; rhinestone necklace and rhinestone bracelets by Elizabeth Cole; leathergloves by Carolina Amato; rinestone sandals by Giorgio Armani.
Animal
Instincts Beat the drum for exotic prints and accessories this summer Photographer : Joseph Chen
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LEFT: Gown by Carlos Miele; Tahitian pearl necklace ($150,000); Tahitian pearl and diamond ring ($24,000) by Ellagem NY; goldgummed bangles by Elizabeth Cole. RIGHT: Dress by Alexander McQueen; pink pearl and silver-studded necklace and silver rinestone necklace, and bracelets by Joomi Lim.
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LEFT: Dress (price available upon request) by Dolce&Gabbana; vest by Lanvin; rhinestone necklace by Joomi Lim; gemstone necklace by Jenny Packham; stone belt by Roberto Cavalli; heels by CĂŠline. RIGHT: Lace and leather trimmed gown by Roberto Cavalli; headpiece by Giorgio Armani; necklaces ($120,000 each), pearl strands ($36,000), cuff ($96,000) and earrings ($65,000) by Ellagem NY.
LEFT: Dress by Valentino; headpiece by Leah C. Couture Millinery; floral necklace and bracelet by Elizabeth Cole. RIGHT: Tunic by Gucci; earrings ($1,330) by Dolce&Gabbana.
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Life in
Colour
White diamonds take a back seat to brightly coloured gemstones By Rita Silvan Photography: Natasha V. Creative Direction: Alice Unger
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lawless D-colour diamonds, blazing like tiny comets, have never lacked admirers. But change is in the air. Coloured stones—from the grandes dames such as ruby, emerald and blue sapphire, to lesser-known rarities such as imperial topaz and Paraiba tourmalines—are fast gaining in popularity. “There’s a romance about natural-coloured stones,” says Myles Mindham, a Toronto-based jeweller whose clientele is a who’s who of Canada. Like many top jewellers, Mindham attributes the rise in demand for fine coloured stones to two factors: their extreme rarity—making them catnip for collectors of the exceptional—and improved laboratory testing and certification. “It’s not illegal,” he says, to treat a stone; it is illegal not to disclose it. “All stones are treated because they are all faceted. They certainly don’t come out of the ground in that condition.” According to Andrea Hopson, vice-president, Tiffany & Co. Canada, it is standard procedure to apply a colourless oil to emeralds and to heat sapphires and rubies. These procedures are typically performed at the mine site. “Unenhanced emeralds and sapphires are rare and must be accompanied with documentation,” she adds. Naturally, with rising demand for coloured gems, there has been an increase in prices. Costs for fine, unflawed stones have more than doubled in the past few years, with emeralds leading the pack and blue sapphires following close behind. Both Mindham and Hopson agree buying coloured stones is an emotional experience. Many lovers of fine jewellery already own collections of white diamonds, whereas coloured stones are the undiscovered frontier. “I have a ‘no colour’ tourmaline from Mozambique,” says Mindham. “Is it a pale peach, pink or grey? These kinds of stones are one-of-a-kind and clients are mesmerized by them.” Tiffany & Co. has been at the vanguard of coloured stones since its founder hired intrepid adventurer and turn-of-the-century gemologist
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George Frederick Kunz. He discovered the pink/violet-coloured stone named kunzite in California, as well as morganite, a peachy pink stone from Mozambique, named after famed gem collector and financier J.P. Morgan. Kunz had a voracious appetite for exceptional gemstones and searched every corner of the globe—from Russia’s Ural Mountains to South Africa’s bush to Montana’s cliffs—to find them. For its 175th anniversary, Tiffany & Co. created the Legacy Collection featuring Montana sapphires, tanzanite, tsavorite, as well as kunzite and morganite—and, of course, diamonds. Provenance plays a large part in the romance of coloured stones. Gems from certain historic mines are highly coveted and, if they do surface on the market, sell for high premiums. Rubies from Myanmar (formerly Burma) in pigeon blood red are extraordinarily rare and embargoes are in effect in North America. According to the Financial Times, high-end jeweller Graff Diamonds purchased a 15.97-carat ruby in 1987 from the famous Mogok mine in Myanmar for more than $3.5 million. It was sold, repurchased three more times, and recently sold again to a client at five times the original price. For those of more modest means, there are still many opportunities to add colour to one’s jewellery wardrobe. Tiffany designers Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso make liberal use of semi-precious stones such as amethyst, citrine, peridot, tourmaline, chalcedony and aquamarine in their designs, some of which are available in sterling silver as well as gold. Mindham has always embraced coloured stones, coaxing his clients to try champagne and black diamonds long before they became fashionable. Today, he places spinels on his minerals-to-watch list. “They have a very high refractive index and are much more reasonably priced than Paraiba tourmalines. They come in fantastic colours.” His best advice when buying coloured stones? “Follow your heart.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Hexagon necklace ($3,365) by David Yurman, at Holt Renfrew; rose gold strap, amethyst pendant ($5,850) by Bulgari, at Bandiera Jewellers; albion necklace ($2,365) by David Yurman, at Holt Renfrew. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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LEFT, FROM TOP: Nirvana Indicolite ring ($220), Toya ring ($420), Chic ring ($290) by Swarovski. RIGHT: Amethyst and black diamond earrings ($9,850) by Mindham Jewellers.
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LEFT FROM TOP: Multicoloured sapphire cuff ($47,170) and sapphire and diamond half eternity ring ($5,130) by Royal de Versailles. RIGHT, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Blue topaz ring ($2,200) by Links of London, at Holt Renfrew; sapphire ring (price available upon request) by Mindham Jewellers; pink sapphire ring with diamonds set in platinum ($57,000) by Tiffany & Co. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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LEFT, FROM TOP: Amethyst and diamond ring ($4,200) by Classic Creations; blue topaz horsebit cocktail ring ($3,590) by Gucci, at Bandiera Jewellers. RIGHT: Black diamond and black synthetic corundum horsebit cocktail ring ($11,950) by Gucci, at Bandiera Jewellers. Stylist: Serge Kerbel
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Spring
time
Luxury watches: outsized pieces with understated elegance By Sarah MoorE Photogrphy: Robert watson
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s fashion accessories get bigger and bolder, watches are no exception. Dainty designs are now taking a back seat to oversize timepieces with complex mechanicals, previously found only in the men’s category. Luxury watchmakers, such as Dior, Chanel, Tag Heuer and La Montre Hermès, are wooing women with the superior craftsmanship of their mechanical pieces. Crafted in rose gold, enamel and ceramic, and embellished with fine gems and even feathers, these designs are attracting a discerning international clientele. Only a few years ago, the market for women’s timepieces any larger than 26 mm was negligi-
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ble, yet today 36 mm, even up to 42 mm styles are difficult to keep in stock. For example, Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is a healthy 40 mm. Still, as every woman knows, size isn’t everything. Italian fine jeweller Bulgari marries size with pizzazz in its Serpenti watch. The brand’s iconic coiled bracelet in rose gold, black sapphire, black onyx and diamonds (also available in white gold) will quench any woman’s desire for a statement timepiece that’s also serious arm candy. Other top offerings include the Dior VIII Grand Bal Resille watch in ceramic and diamonds, as well as the Rotonde Panthère watch from Cartier, a limited edition timepiece in 18-karat gold and diamonds with an alligator strap that retails in the six figures.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Omega De Ville Prestige ($11,800); Ebel Onde ($5,950)at Classic Creations; Longines Saint-Imier ($3,900); David Yurman Classic ($7,350), at Bandiera Jewellers. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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FROM LEFT: Omega Ladymatic ($33,200); Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona ($37,850).
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Bulgari Serpenti ($86,000), at Bandiera Jewellers. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Porsche p 6310 Flat Six Automatic ($2,850); Chanel J12 GMT ($6,650), at Bandiera Jewellers; Dior VIII ($8,800), at Holt Renfrew.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Concord C2 Chronograph ($6,500); Movado Cerena ($1,295); Rado True Thin ($2,200); Hermès Arceau ($6,250), at Holt Renfrew. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Viva Las Cabo
Chantal Kreviazuk reunites with her Winnipeg childhood friends at Esperanza, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico BY CHANTAL KREVIAZUK
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Chantal Kreviazuk photo: Matthew Guido
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rowing up in Winnipeg, my two closest friends Chantal Oster (now Tkachuk, yes that Tkachuk), Cathy Ludwick and I lived on the same block, studied with the same piano teacher and had crushes on the same boys. Last year, Cath turned 40. This year, it was Chantal’s turn, and it won’t be long before I hit that milestone. We decided to honour these occasions with a three-day getaway. I love Cabo, and we’d heard great things about the Relais & Châteaux property Esperanza. As much as I looked forward to our reunion, like most working moms, I was conflicted. My husband Raine and I have three boys, ages three, four and seven, and we have a rule in our family: If we’re not travelling for work or charity, we vacation as a family. So, I had to let go of questions that typically run through my head: Shouldn’t I be cleaning out the Thermos from yesterday or nuking some Annie’s Mac & Cheese? Did Raine remember to pack the boys’ jiu-jitsu clothes? Was my son Rowan torturing his little brother Lucca? Did Sal fall out of his new “big boy” bed when he got up this morning? Once I got over my Mother Guilt (quite easy at Esperanza), I settled into a great retreat holiday. We arrived to a “Welcome Home” sign and a tray full of cucumber margaritas—which became our signature cocktail for the rest of the trip. The food was among the best I’ve had any-
Spa Living
FROM LEFT: Located at the tip of Punta Ballena on the Baja Peninsula, Esperanza is surrounded by two private beaches overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The Spa at Esperanza is recognized for its handcrafted treatments and rejuvenating therapies using tropical fruit, sea greens, desert minerals and other plants indigenous to the Baja Peninsula and unique to Esperanza. Guests can enjoy a private and intimate beachfront dinner for two, a romantic serenade by a mariachi band and a private bonfire burning tableside.
where—from the huevos rancheros to the guacamole, fish tacos by the pool and the incredible gourmet dinners. The layout of Esperanza is luxurious but never over the top. There is a peaceful feeling of immense light and space. Brightly coloured bougainvillea, gardenias and hibiscus spill out of terracotta pots throughout the property. My room opened out to the gardens, but I could see beyond the lawn to the sky and sea. The resort’s award-winning spa has a pasaje de agua (water passage). Guests can make their way from a warm-spring soaking pool to steam caves to a cooling waterfall, after which they can relax while sipping
indigenous fruit juices. The spa, meanwhile, uses local plants, fruits and minerals in its therapies. Ingredients include aloe vera, lime, pineapple, mango, papaya and cucumber, as well as red clay, river stones and ayate cactus cloths. When we weren’t enjoying blissful massages, my friends and I were at the beach listening to the waves crash against the rocks and watching whales and pelicans. In Spanish, esperanza means “hope.” And I hope to return here with family and friends soon.
Beauty onboard Pack These: Olay Complete Complex SPF Defense ($20 for 75 ml); RoC Soleil Protexion Sun Lip Stick SPF 20 ($10 for 3 g); Dior J’adore Voile de Parfum ($112 for 100 ml), exclusive at The Bay; Nexxus HydraLight Shampoo ($10); Nexxus HydraLight Conditioner ($15); Nexxus HydraLight Leave in Conditioning Foam ($15) Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Living Automobiles
For the Iconoclast Exotic and exclusive, the new Audi R8 is pure dream machine BY Matt Bubbers
T
he R8 Spyder showcases Audi’s panache for always being a little ahead of the design curve. Unlike the other cabriolets shown here, the R8’s engine sits just behind the driver, which explains its eyecatching supercar proportions. And its sheet metal is shaved of all unnecessary details for a minimalist appearance of Bauhaus levels of discipline. Under the slippery rear is the engine from a Lamborghini and, though the R8 is the most comfortable car of its type ever created, it is exhilarating in the extreme. This is a fast car even in the company of very fast cars. The R8’s elegant form and underlying prowess remind us of the fierce simplicity of Raf Simons…slip one on if you can.
cabriolet carry-ons Prada Candy 2.7 oz. ($120); Lambskin gloves ($785) by Hermès; Centenary orange and tan 33-inch extra deep suitcase ($2,375) by Globe Trotter; Monogram leopard sunglasses ($595) by Louis Vuitton.
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Living Automobiles
Rebel
with a Cause
Jaguar’s seductive new F-Type sports car builds on the legacy of the famed E-Type of the ’60s
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J
aguar owners have always been willing to compromise for style. Sensual lines take priority over headroom, curvaceous hips over trunk space and bulging hoods more for looks than function. But consider the result: beautiful, timeless cars that convey elegance and panache, while cosseting their occupants with fine leather and wood, not to mention state-of-the-art accessories and electronic features. But a Jaguar’s allure is far more than skin deep: Powerful, confidence boosting, comfortable and exhilarating, a Jag is meant to be driven. To drive this Jaguar, you might need to slip behind the wheel gingerly—there’s not a lot of wiggle room in the sculpted sport seats, but that’s the point. The finely stitched European hides grip you firmly to ensure you’re both comfortable and in control. With the power top stowed you’re definitely going to get noticed. And if the lines look a little familiar it’s because the F-Type’s ancestor, the E-Type, played a supporting role in the last season of Mad Men—reason enough to want one. -MB
Style
Statement
Ever the rogue, BMW’s striking M6 makes a strong impression
B
MW’s M is, perhaps, the ultimate in automotive labels for thrill-seekers and those wanting more than a little of the good life. This high-performance division of engineers and designers takes only certain BMW cars and treats them to a full array of performance and styling upgrades. The final products are vehicles that stimulate the driver’s senses and draw stares from onlookers. Driving an M6 puts you in an exclusive club, much like scoring a one-off runway piece, even among the already rarified air of BMW M cars. It’s a bit like the Alexander McQueen Haute Couture of the car world—and that’s not a bad place to be. -MB Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Living Escape
Capital
Ventures
With deluxe hotels, luxury boutiques, museums and clubs, Washington, D.C. is a top travel spot for cognoscenti By Christopher Loudon
T
oo long considered the purview of history buffs and busloads of field-tripping school kids, Washington remains America’s bestkept secret, as stylish an urban playground as New York, Chicago or San Francisco. The monuments and museums remain essential viewing, of course, and all are free to visit year-round. But once you’ve had your fill of pomp and circumstance, the US capital serves up a sophisticated array of dining, shopping and nightlife options. Visit the elegant W, located so close to the White House that nervous Secret Service agents keep close watch on patrons mingling at the swank P.O.V. Roof Terrace Lounge. Slightly farther afield, there’s the opulent Mandarin Oriental, Washington’s only five-star hotel and home to the city’s most luxurious spa. And Georgetown, hub of choice for most visitors, is home to the new, über-chic Capella, where each guest room is assigned a personal assistant. Touring Georgetown’s streets is particularly lovely when the cherry blossoms mark spring’s arrival. After strolling the leafy grounds of Georgetown University, essential stops should include the red-brick townhouse at 3307 N St. NW, where the Kennedys resided before their move to the White House, and 2720 Dumbarton Ave. NW, long-time home of Georgetown’s foremost hostess, Susan Mary Alsop, and her celebrated pundit husband, Joe.
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The Washington Monument is seen amid blooming cherry trees.
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Living Escape
Mandarian Oriental Spa
While Neiman Marcus, Jimmy Choo, Dior, Bulgari and Tiffany crowd the lofty Friendships Heights neighbourhood, local fashion guru Eden Raskin, creator and editor of gardenofglam.com, insists Georgetown is still “the best and most beautiful shopping spot in DC.” Raskin’s boutiques of choice include the exceptionally curated Hu’s Shoes, the fashion-forward Urban Chic (“there is no chance you’ll leave empty-handed,” she warns) and, for one-of-a-kind baubles and accessories, the delectable Charm. True jewellery connoisseurs are advised to travel east to Connecticut Avenue, where the gem-like Tiny Jewel Box offers a stunning selection of vintage, estate and designer pieces, including the gorgeous creations of Alex Sepkus. For Georgetown dining, Cafe Milano dishes up superb Italian fare and is the see-and-be-seen local boîte, chockablock with diplomats, lobbyists, lawmakers and Capitol Hill journalists. Meat lovers might prefer chef Michael Mina’s sizzling Bourbon Steak, inside the nearby Four Seasons, or, well worth the 20-minute drive to Arlington, the no-frills Ray’s the Steaks, where President Obama entertained Vladimir Putin and the demand for
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tables is so high reservations must be made at least a month in advance. For fish, venture north on MacArthur Boulevard to BlackSalt, where cognoscenti flock not only for the seafood but also for executive pastry chef Susan Wallace’s raisin- and walnut-studded Irish soda bread and her amazing desserts. At lunchtime, forgo the fish menu and relish the best cheeseburger in town. While Georgetown continues to attract the Town&Country set, the hipster crowd congregates on and around U Street NW, once DC’s equivalent to Harlem and the birthplace of Duke Ellington, now the epicentre of cool. Check out Ben’s Chili Bowl, where the Obamas number among the regulars and block-long lineups (most waiting to savour Ben’s trademark “half-smoke” sausage) are the norm, and Marvin, named for Marvin Gaye and inspired by the singer’s two-year residence in Ostend, where Deep South dishes meet Belgian cuisine. Over on V Street, there’s great live music at the 9:30 Club, where the genre-blurring acts range from breezy Brazilian songstress Bebel Gilberto to the Black Crowes and Josh Ritter. And, reopened after a $29-million restoration, the fabled Howard Theatre, a perennial stop for
Photo: Tim Cooper
such headliners as Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Lena Horne, continues to attract top-tier talent. But the best way to experience the Howard is at the weekly Gospel Brunch, featuring the Harlem Gospel Choir and a terrific allyou-can-eat buffet. And no Washington sojourn would be complete without a walking tour of Embassy Row along Massachusetts Avenue. Start at the British Embassy, adjacent to the three-storey Victorian mansion on Observatory Circle that serves as the official residence of the vice-president. You’ll spy William McVey’s celebrated statue of Winston Churchill in front of the British ambassador’s residence. Continue southwest for about three kilometres (past the Italian, Turkish, Indian and Japanese embassies and through Dupont Circle) to Scott Circle and the Australian Embassy. To add the Arthur Erickson-designed Canadian Embassy to your itinerary, you’ll need to hike another three kilometres southwest to 501 Pennsylvania Ave. The National Gallery of Art is conveniently located across the street. There, until May 19, you can catch the exquisite “Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Art and Design, 1848-1900,” the first major survey of PreRaphaelites ever mounted in the US, created in co-operation with the Tate Britain and showcasing more than 130 paintings, sculptures and decorative objects.
The Washington Files
Ela’s pochette is practical for the woman on the go in a city on-the-move. Finished with embossed pyramid studs, the elegant pouch is iPad-friendly. A sly homage to fashion editors who make the small purse part of their daily uniform. RETAIL: From $178 to $198. At select retailers across Canada. elahandbags . com
On the Calèche Express
The Calèche Express line by Hermès is crafted in sturdy Tech H canvas and outfitted in Barénia calfskin. Reinforced in brushed aluminum hardware in a chic nod to aeronautics, it’s that quintessential piece for a jaunt across the border. RETAIL: Cabine for $8,085; Petit Cabine for $7,425. At all Hermès Canada locations. hermes . com
A Step Up
Tommy Hilfiger is an all-American designer and these wedge espadrilles are perfect for a walking city like Washington. RETAIL: Sand Exotic Print Wedge Espadrille Sandals for $380.
D.C. Chic What you need for your stylish stay
Howard Theatre
Two Timer
Phillip Stein’s new dual time zone piece, from its Mini Signature collection, helps you keep track, whether it’s for business or pleasure. A jetsetter must. RETAIL: $1,560 for head; $95 for strap. Available at Holt Renfrew. holtrenfrew . com
Jo Malone: Earl Grey & Cucumber Cologne From London perfumer Jo Malone, a scent that reinterprets a British tradition. It blends distinctive top notes of bergamot and crisp cucumber, counterpoised by an aromatic base of beeswax, vanilla and musk. It’s the very essence of High Tea stateside; ideal for a day spent touring Washington’s art galleries and cultural exhibits or brunching in the city’s luxury hotels. RETAIL: $70 for 30 ml; $125 for 100 ml. Available in Canada at Holt Renfrew. -Chris Metler holtrenfrew . com Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Food Living
Good
Egg
At Petrossian in West Hollywood, caviar is an everyday luxury By Amber Nasrulla
Photos: Petrossian Paris
E
All of Petrossian’s caviar is sustainably farmed and free of pollutants.
xecutive chef Giselle Wellman elevates caviar beyond blini. Past rösti potatoes. And vastly above vodka straight up. Her guiding philosophy at Petrossian in West Hollywood isn’t to send caviar to the stratosphere; it’s to make it accessible, yet undeniably sumptuous. “For me, caviar has become an everyday ingredient… although you always need to remember how luxurious it is,” says the lively 28-year-old. “I’m not into ‘science food projects,’ which, by the way, I completely admire and love. But that’s not what I want to cook every day. I want you to order something on the menu and for it to actually feel comforting.” A San Diego native who has worked at Mario Batali’s Del Posto in New York and Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Beverly Hills, Wellman sources ingredients locally and updates her menu seasonally. Catering to an A-list Hollywood crowd, she offers gluten-free bread, and the words “no substitutions” appear nowhere on the menu. Admitting special requests from patrons can throw off the kitchen’s workflow, Wellman does her best to accommodate. “I think some chefs forget we’re in the hospitality business,” she says. Hence, diners who aren’t in the mood for caviar will find prime beef burger, roasted chicken and East Coast scallops risotto on the menu. Yet, without a doubt, caviar is the star attraction at Petrossian. Unlike at The Ivy located down the street, the vibe at Petrossian is intimate and calm, with not a single TMZ cameraman in sight. At lunch, Hollywood executives make deals at the elegant white tables. Evenings bring out Petrossian regulars, including Ryan Seacrest, Steven Tyler, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crystal and Tommy Lee Jones. One of Wellman’s signature dishes and a favourite with patrons is the Egg Royale. Warm scrambled eggs are topped with whipped vodka cream and garnished with gleaming orbs of Transmontanus caviar from California white
sturgeon and served on an eggshell. Quickly dispatched in two spoonfuls, it is perfection when washed down with a dry vodka garnished with a pickled onion, caviar cube and caviar-stuffed olive. Another popular dish is the Tsar Imperial Caviar Trio— 30 grams each of Tsar Imperial Osetra, Siberian and Transmontanus caviar, served with buckwheat blinis, toast points and crème fraîche. For weight-conscious celebs, the caviar salad contains butter lettuce, dressed with crème fraîche lemon vinaigrette and artfully arranged dollops of caviar. Even desserts carry the caviar theme: A divine vanilla pannacotta is adorned with espresso “caviar.” And for those patrons who crave a caviar fix to go, a small boutique is stocked with a caviar powder mill and addictive chocolate pearls. Founded in Paris in the 1920s, Petrossian is a family-run company. Today, the son/nephew of the original founders also oversees restaurants and boutiques in New York, Las Vegas and São Paulo, Brazil. Eighty years ago, the caviar was harvested from wild-caught sturgeon, while today all the caviar is sustainably farmed and free of pollutants, such as those found in Beluga caviar. It’s fitting that Petrossian finally has a Hollywood outpost. Caviar has long been associated with the wealthy and the figure-conscious. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who, it’s been said, watched her weight “with a rigour of a diamond merchant counting his carats,” would occasionally follow a caviar diet: a single baked potato, stuffed with Beluga caviar and sour cream, eaten once a day. Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Living Design
En PROVENCE Two visionary Canadians transform a simple farmhouse into a luxurious Provençal retreat BY Chris Metler
R
ABOVE: Grant Innes greets the day. RIGHT: The view from the entry hall into the sitting room. The hand-fabricated zinc countertop provides an ample work surface and is the perfect spot for guests to gather.
enovating a house is like nurturing a child: You take the innate talents and character and coax the best qualities to emerge, rather than impose things that aren’t in its nature. This is the gentle and mindful approach favoured by Grant Innes and Rony Zibara, the enterprising Canadians who have forged their eclectic yet nostalgic sensibilities into a series of international home restorations.
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Living Design
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“A
FAR LEFT: The lavender bedroom furniture was sourced from a contents auction at a local château. Napoleon and Josephine watch over the pastis bottle. In the entry hall, pieces were sourced from local antique dealers, auctions and village shops. ABOVE: The great room, the heart of Mas Leila, was formerly a dirt-floor barn.
ll of our homes have a history and a sense of time and place,” says Innes, a New York-based artist and children’s story author. “We love the buildings and we try to be faithful to what’s there. We aim to keep the soul of the house.” After successfully renovating an Edwardian-era townhouse in Toronto and a Soho loft in Manhattan, the lavender hills and olive groves of Provence, France, became the backdrop of their latest project: Mas Leila, an authentic Provençal stone farmhouse originally constructed in the 1840s. Nestled among fields of olive trees and pine forests in the small village of Maussane-les-Alpilles, the pair has recently completed a full restoration of the rustic, four-bedroom estate, which Zibara, innovation director at the New York-based Fahrenheit 212 consultancy firm, affectionately named after his mother. Today, the farmhouse’s historic charm remains amid its many modern amenities and comforts. A perfect example of this delicate balance is found in the kitchen. Formerly a dilapidated barn, it now houses all the usual kitchen gadgetry, hidden under a classic zinc countertop and stone. “By using traditional materials, you can cover up those things,” says Innes. “The stove is new, but stylistically it’s an old farm stove. Instead of having the counters built in, I went to a local consignment store and found old kitchen buffets, then stripped and repainted them myself so they fit in. They are great solid furniture, but are now refinished to blend in with the space.” Innes and Zibara tip their hats to the many local artisans and the warm neighbourhood community that assisted them. “It’s easy to go into a posh shop and talk to a British architect, but there’s a benefit to getting to know the local people, because
they open up the traditional culture, which is a beautiful thing,” comments Innes. “I don’t think it’s going to last forever and it should be cherished.” Antiquing—a Provençal ritual—in the local markets proved to be a boon for the pair. “Every weekend, different little towns will have a vide-greniers, which means ‘empty the attic.’ It’s like a big flea market or a brocante. We just love going to these. You get to soak in the culture, but then you can also see what people have in their attics and the stuff they are wanting to get rid of.” The pair discovered many treasures—iron beds forged by local metalworkers, dishes, silverware and tools—that have found a welcoming home in Mas Leila. These items posses “the texture of time.” It was this organic process that guided the two. “We didn’t go into this thinking, ‘This is how Mas Leila is going to look.’ It was more like, ‘These are the things we’ve found, how do we pull them together in a harmonious way?” says Innes. “We didn’t want just a bunch of clutter, but we did want a beautiful variety of things.” A true labour of love, reconstructing Mas Leila was unlike anything Innes and Zibara had done before. “Most of our houses have been an urban experience, and this one is a rural experience, and there’s a great joy in that,” Innes explains. “It’s a new part of the world for us. We’re Canadian; this is France. By having the luxury of being able to spend time here, we get to immerse ourselves in the village culture, talk to people, and get a feeling of things.” It’s a feeling firmly rooted in an ancient culture, in the lavender- and rosemary-scented air, the hanging garden vines, the ornate cathedrals and the considered restoration of a simple barn into beautiful Mas Leila. ayearinprovence . com Spring/Summer 2013 / S/STYLE & FASHION /
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Shopping Guide Alaïa
www.alair.fr,
Alexander McQueen
www.alexandermcqueen.com
THE BAY
www.thebay.com/theroom
Bandiera
Ellagem INC
www.ellagafter.com 212.398.0101
Estée Lauder
Miu Miu
www.miumiu.com
Monika Fine Millinery
www.esteelauder.com
www.absolutelyhats.com 973.930.8239
Giorgio Armani
Movado
www.armani.com
Gucci
www.movado.com
Omega
www.bandierajewellers.com 416-642-8806
www.gucci.com
Bulgari
Guiseppe Zanotti
www.giuseppezanottidesign.com
www.porsche-design.com
Calvin Klein Fragrances
Givenchy
Rado
www.bulgari.com
www.calvinkleinfragrances.com
Carlos Miele
www.carlosmiele.com.br
Carolina Amato
www.carolinaamato.com
Clarins
www.clarins.ca
Céline
www.celine.com
Chanel
www.chanel.com
Christian Dior Cosmetics www.dior.com
Classic Creations
www.classiccreations.com 416-222-8269
Concord
www.concord.ch
Craig Signer
www.craigsigner.com
David Yurman
www.davidyurman.com
Diesel Black Gold
www.dieselblackgold.com
Dior (Watches) www.dior.com
Dolce & Gabbana www.dolcegabbana.com
Ebel
www.ebel.com
Elizabeth Cole Jewelry www.elizabethcolejewelry.com 888.242.4552
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www.givenchy.com, www.holtrenfrew.com
Hermes
www.hermes.com
Holt Renfrew
www.holtrenfrew.com
Lancôme
www.lancome.ca
Lanvin
www.lanvin.com, www.holtrenfrew.com
Leah C. Couture Millinery www.leahc.com
Lens Crafters
www.lenscrafters.ca
Links of London
www.linksoflondon.com
www.omegawatches.com
Porsche Design www.rado.com
Ralph Lauren
www.ralphlauren.com
Ray Ban
www.rayban.com
Rolex
www.rolex.com 416.968.1100
Roberto Cavalli
www.robertocavalli.com
Royal de Versailles
www.royaldeversailles.com
Stella McCartney Fragrances
www.stellamccartney.com
SSENSE
www.ssense.com
Longines
Swarovski
Louis Vuitton
Thierry Mugler Fragrances
www.louisvuitton.com
www.mugler.com and www.thebay.com
Lucian Matis
Tiffany & Co
www.longines.com
www.lucianmatis.com
M.A.C Costmetics www.maccosmetics.com
www.swarovski.com
www.tiffany.ca 416.921.3900
Valentino
Maison Martin Margiela
www.valentino.com
Marc Jacobs
www.versace.com
www.maisonmartinmargiela.com www.marcjacobs.com
Michael Kors
www.michaelkors.com
Mindham Jewellers www.mindham.com 416-962-8880
Versace
Yves Saint Laurent Cosmetics www.yslbeautyus.com
SPRING/SUMMER 2013 edition 22 8 pag e s
$16.95
The Essential Reference For The Discerning Man
Now available on newsstands and at SHARPFORMEN.COM
Somebody A Profile in Style
Hats off to
H
er sculptural designs have generated global interest since her line’s inception in 2011. She’s received equal recognition for her individual style. Recently, Keyhani decided to take a break from designing jewellery to return to her artistic roots. When did you find your own style? I started wearing hats when I was very young without deciding or realizing it would become somewhat of a signature look—it was completely unintentional. If someone who’d never met you peeked in your closet, how would they describe your personality? Possibly theatrical—there are a lot of pieces I buy for display. They are impossible to wear, so I hang them up. Other than that, it’s a lot of white shirts and big pants.
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You wear a lot of pieces by Maison Martin Margiela—why that designer? I love clean lines and am not always a fan of colour, so it’s perfect. Do you remember the first piece you splurged on? I bought a very extravagant vintage Dior top when I was living in Florence. I was on a student budget and had to take it easy for months to pay for it. What’s been your biggest fashion disaster? I wore an old Victorian wedding dress to a New Year’s Eve party. It had about 50 buttons in the back—they hadn’t been used in so long it took my husband 45 minutes to undo them. He wasn’t happy. What led you to jewellery design? It was one of those things that happened by accident and grew into a big thing. But recently I’ve been trying to focus on more art. I’m a sculptor at heart.
It seems as though your career is at its peak. Why take a break now? I felt the bigger the brand was becoming the harder it was going to be to walk away and explore something new. I wasn’t ready to do one thing for a long time—there is still so much I want to create. Do you plan to return to jewellery design? For sure. I’ll design again, whether it’s jewellery or hats. For now, I really need to go back where I started, which is art. I miss it terribly. Some women are intimidated by the concept of accessorizing. You make it look so effortless. Any style tips? I’ve always thought of accessories as the best and often easiest way to translate one’s personality, but if overdone it’s easy to look overly “decorated.” My advice would be to edit yourself before walking out the door. What do you consider your greatest fashion achievement? I haven’t reached it yet. I might need another 20 years. - sahar nooraei
Photo: Mario Miotti, Retoucher: Tori Heart
Maryam Keyhani
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