VOLUME 6 TECHNOLOGY EDITION
LIVE. LOOK. MAKE. ESCAPE. INSPIRE THE PARTY
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CRECCAL
S AV E T I M E A N D S H O P A L L L U X U R Y B R A N D S O N O N E S I T E
L A R G E S T I N V E N TO RY O F P R E M I U M N E W A N D P R E - O W N E D C A R S
S H O P O N L I N E AT G R O U P E P A R K A V E N U E . C O M O R C O N TA C T O U R P E R S O N A L S H O P P I N G T E A M AT C O N C I E R G E @ G R O U P E P A R K A V E N U E . C O M
Founder/publisher/editor-in-chief Creative and advertising director/loudest stiletto stomper JENN CAMPBELL Executive art director/graphic design/soul bro/sanity saver SIMON LÉVEILLÉ Copy editor extraordinaire/best go-to for political chats URSULA LEONOWICZ Contributing writers/special features/word heroes OLIVIA COLLETTE, RAD HOURANI, ASHLEY KARP, ERIK LEIJON, COLLEEN MCNAMARA, MARTINE ST-VICTOR Features photographers/cool peeps AUDE ADRIEN, MARTIN FLAMAND, ALI MAHDAVI, VALERIO MEZZANOTTI, NEIL MOTA Event photographers/therapists/champagne pals KAREL CHLADEK, VINCENZO D’ALTO, ALLEN MCINNIS, CHRIS GIANNINI, MONIQUE WESTON, DAN PROKOPOWICZ Video/fabulousness KASTALLI PRODUCTIONS
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK (& LAUGHTER WELL, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT IT?!)
Primary distribution Montreal Gazette - The Gazette 514-987-2222 montrealgazette.com Also circulated with select retail partners and at select benefit and corporate events. Published by Diary of a Social Gal (D.S.G) Management Inc. Printed by NORECOB No part of Diary of a Social Gal Magazine may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from Diary of a Social Gal (D.S.G.) Management Inc. All views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those belonging to the editor-in-chief. Diary of a Social Gal Magazine takes no responsibility for any unsolicited manuscripts or photography. Copyright © 2016 Diary of a Social Gal (D.S.G.) Management Inc. All rights reserved. For general information or inquiries: info@diaryofasocialgal.com. For print and/or online advertising: ads@diaryofasocialgal.com. Special thanks to: Maria Antonopoulos and the Antonopoulos family, Édouard Ayotte, Cheryl Blas, Claudine Blondin Bronfman, Sandrine Bohbot, Christine Boivin, Umberto Bonfa, Gail Campbell, Darren Carmosino, Lesley Chesterman, Karel Chladek, Jessy Colucci, Lucinda Chodan, Normand Ciarlo, Annie Cohen, Olivia Collette, Samantha Cutler, Sharon Dawe, Vincenzo, D’Alto, Dax Dasilva, Nannette de Gaspé Beaubien, Tuti Titan Do, Carmen D’onofrio, François Dumontier, Cinthia Ferraresi, Mike De Luca and famiglia, Sandra and Carlos Ferreira, Martin Flamand, Charlotte Marie Flannery, Joanna Fox, Alex and Anna Galchenyuk, Veronique Gonneville, Bradley Grill, Eva Hartling, George HKR, Andrew Hops, Rad Hourani, Robb Jamieson, Ashley Karp, Wess Kastalli, Steeve Lapierre, Lysa Lash and Sandrine Clermont-Lord, Karim S. Leduc, Erik Leijon, Charlie Le Mindu, Joel Leonoff, Simon Léveillé, Hervé L. Leroux, Domenic “Dom” Macri, Philippe Malouin, Debra Margles, Maude Marquis-Breton, Pierre McCann, Colleen McNamara, Marco Miserendino, Mabel Palomino, Mark Patrick, Katia Piccolino, Sonia Price, Dan Prokopowicz, Patrick Rahmé, Stephanie Rassam, Karim Rashid, Roberto Reino, Karim Rekik, Jennifer Roman, Ashley Rosenberger, Antoine Roset, Christina Ruggieri, Milad Sahafzadeh, Lara Scaff, Karl Schwarz, Miles Schwartz, Joel Segal, Alison Silcoff, Johanne Sternthal, Martine St-Victor, Alexandre Taillefer, Sylvie Tendler, Andrew Torriani, Monique Weston, Lisa Wolofsky, Irene Weinstein and the St-Laurent Coiffure crew in Westmount Square, Elisabeth and Michael Wright, Timmy Angel Zyto, the Greene Avenue Starbucks squad, the Bio Source band of salad and juicing gurus and the many other angels in my midst who come from both probable and unexpected perches to help drive the Diary dream forward and reinstate faith in humanity. Cheers to you all for your magic and fabulous. You make it all worthwhile. #DREAMBUILDERSDOITBETTER.
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LIVE THE PARTY PARTIES 34 38 39 42 48 49 52 60 62 66
MAC MAGIC A SUBBANATOR SOIRÉE DAFFODIL GOES MARDI GRAS PARTY POWER IN GOOD HANDS KOOLEST KANPE NEXT LEVEL NUIT NOMADE 2016 F1 GRAND PRIX FABULOUSNESS C2 MONTREAL PARTYSCAPE LET’S DO LAUNCH PARTIES PRIVÉS
LOOK THE PARTY STYLE 70 DIARY LOVES FASHION 78 TALKING FROCKS & FAB WITH LEROUX THE LEGEND 80 EDITORIAL: THE TEK LIFE EVERYWHERE / EVERYWEAR 102 ALEX GALCHENYUK GROWS INTO HIS SUPERSTAR STATUS 106 LE GEEK, C’EST CHIC: FASHIONABLE WEARABLE TECH
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BEAUTY
INSPIRE THE PARTY
114 C HARLIE LE MINDU, THE HAUTE COIFFEUR 118 BEST HIGH TECH BEAUTY GADGETS 122 BEAUTY INDUSTRY PIONEER NANNETTE DE GASPÉ BEAUBIEN UNMASQUES THE NEXT BIG THING
FITNESS 124 WORKOUTS GO NEXT LEVEL
MAKE THE PARTY FOOD & DRINK 130 HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE WAY WE EAT, DINE & COOK
ESCAPE THE PARTY TRAVEL 140 TRAVELLING AHEAD: THE FUTURE IS NOW
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NESTING 148 FURNITURE PHENOM ANTOINE ROSET ON NESTING, TECHNOLOGY & MORE 152 THE MASTERFUL WORLD OF DESIGN MASTER PHILIPPE MALOUIN
CULTURE 158 SMART ART: CONTEMPORARY ART MEETS CURRENT TECHNOLOGY
PROFILES 162 ALEXANDRE TAILLEFER: TAKING ON TRANSPORT / TRANSFORMING THE CITYSCAPE 166 DAX DASILVA: DREAMBUILDING @ LIGHTSPEED
LIFESTYLE 170 LOVE, TECH, BABY! MOBILE APPS CHANGE THE LOVE GAME 172 A TECH-FILLED EXCHANGE WITH INFLUENCER TWINS MARCUS TROY AND NASKADEMINI 174 THE BEST POSSIBLE CLOSER: KARIM RASHID
Idole de Christofle
BOUTIQUE FLAGSHIP – 2015 rue De La Montagne, Montréal 514.987.1242 – 1.800.321.1242
EDITOR’S NOTE
CONFESSIONS OF A GADGET GAL Status: In a relationship … with the apple of my eye. ;) Photography MARTIN FLAMAND
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TUNING IN TO DIARY SINCE WE LAUNCHED, YOU’RE WELL AWARE OF THE BRAND (AND ITS FOUNDER’S) FASCINATION WITH THEMES, AND THE NEED TO HAVE ONE INSPIRE EACH EDITION OF THE MAGAZINE. THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT AN OVERARCHING THEME THAT FIRES UP THE CREATIVE PROCESS AND UNIFIES CONTENT.
That said, inspiration for this sixth volume was not very forthcoming. I just couldn’t seem to nail down the “right” one … until one day, several months back during an exchange with my good friend Bradley Grill – a respected PR pro – when he suggested technology, and just like that, faster than you can say #InstagramTwitterFacebookSnapchatLinkedInVineandMore, the Aha! moment took flight (Thanks Brad!). From that moment forward, the team and I were overcome by the purest, most powerful enthusiasm and passion for the astoundingly cool subject matter we could explore under the umbrella of technology with a view to sharing it all with you – our treasured readers – here and on our new Gen3 platform of DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM and related social media.
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Even cooler? The stuff we unearthed is way more riveting than even our wilder than wild imaginations could conjure and therefore, likely to make for an infotaining read. If travel is your bliss, Diarysta Olivia Collette has some destinations and tools that will surely have you changing up your flight plans. If you’re a die-hard foodie wondering how technology has completely overhauled the way we dine and cook, revered food critic and connoisseur Lesley Chesterman has you covered. And if
the ultimate in beauty gadgetry and wearable tech hold allure, style/product savvy Ashley Karp delivers in spades. But, of course, as is the Diary way, there’s MORE: Up close and personals with homegrown techpreneurs and industry disrupters like Alexandre Taillefer, Dax Dasilva and Nannette de Gaspé Beaubien as well as candid sit-downs with influencers like hockey honey, Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk and international creator Karim Rashid that underscore just how completely technology has impacted our lives in a great way. Now with all this tech talk, I almost forgot we were the party publication and portal. Almost but not quite. Despite the all-enveloping theme, our regular fête-based ‘see and be scene’ features are very much in play. Hope you enjoy. Hope too that this coming year blesses you and yours with heaps of the #goodstuff: health, happiness, love, dreams and yes, some fabulous parties. ;) With so much love and appreciation for every moment of this journey and the privilege of sharing it with you, XX always, Jenn
FOR FUN AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS EDITION, I’VE DECIDED TO SHARE SOME OF MY FAVE TECH STUFF. MORE DEETS INSIDE.
EDITOR’S NOTE
SIMPLY TECHTACULAR
MONTBLANC AUGMENTED PAPER
Written notes that instantaneously transmit from paper to mobile device via a button packaged in a sleek, of-the-minute organizer. A writer’s dream come true. ;) montblanc.com
BLENDSMART
A smart brush that does all the work for you and delivers flawless results. blendsmart.com
UP2
NANNETTE DE GASPÉ MASQUE
The kind of masque we’ve been waiting decades for. nannettedegaspe.com
RADEN
High tech luggage as it should be. raden.com 25
Photography SUPPLIED
The tracker and fitness advisor that looks like a hot accessory. jawbone.com
SUPERSCRIBES ‘COURSE WE ASKED OUR DREAM TEAMERS HOW TECH MAKES THEIR LIVES BETTER. SOME INTERESTING REPLIES ENSUED. ;)
LESLEY CHESTERMAN Montreal Gazette restaurant critic, Radio-Canada “chroniqueuse gastronomique,” former pastry chef, present wine drinker and pie maker. TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … how dull my cooking life would be minus my mixmaster, microwave, hand-blender, induction burner and digital thermometer.
OLIVIA COLLETTE A writer based in Montreal, Olivia’s penned pieces for New York Magazine, the Montreal Gazette, Movie Mezzanine, and many more, on top of contributing to the book The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel. TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … without it, there’d be no point in spending sick days at home.
ROBB JAMIESON A Montreal artist represented by Laroche/Joncas who recently became head curator for Art POP, POP Montreal, and has started to expand into writing about contemporary art. TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … it allows me to make real my imagination with endless possibilities.
ASHLEY KARP An LA-based writer and irredeemable choco-holic. TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … it keeps me connected to the people I love.
ERIK LEIJON A Montreal writer, hip-hop aficionado and champion of the local music scene who prefers spending time on the open road. TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … all of the knowledge possessed by mankind is a simple click away.
COLLEEN MCNAMARA A Montreal-based writer. By day, she covers tech and marketing at SweetIQ. By night, she’s an MA student at Concordia. Otherwise, you’ll find her travelling to sunny climes and eating dumplings.
Photography NASKADEMINI
TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … of my parents’ texting styles.
MARTINE ST-VICTOR Martine is a communication strategist and a boulevardière, as well as the founder of Milagro PR Atelier and the Je Love Haiti apparel brand. But most of all, she already misses Barack Obama. TECHNOLOGY MAKES MY LIFE BETTER BECAUSE … most often, it’s efficient and doesn’t question my choices.
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THE ANNUAL LES PRINTEMPS DU MAC __
COLOUR US HAPPY As far as anniversary parties go, the 2016 90s-themed NÉO bash honouring the 10th anniversary of the much-loved annual fundraiser Printemps du MAC for the MAC (the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal), was pretty ……… EPIC. Held as is now tradition at the museum itself, MAC magic was palpable from the start as piles of young partygoers – over 1200 to be exact – erupted in almost immediate and simultaneous gasps of pleasure as they made their way to the party scene through a monumentally impressive exhibit of works by featured artists RAGNAR KJARTANSSON and RYAN GANDER before moving on to the just as stirring main event. Committee powerhouses and event maestros TassONE Events and DentsuBos did good. Really good. ;)
JENN CAMPBELL, ERIC BOYKO, AUDREY VALLIÈRES
NIKITA HOEHN, JIAD GHOUSSOUB
PARTIES
SARAH OLIVIER
PHOTIS LOIZIDES, DAVID MOK, RAUL SANCHEZ
GABRIELLE COUTU, MARIE HÉLÈNE COUTU
KSENIA BOEVA
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ISABELLE RANDEZ, PHILIP KOWRYHA
ELISE BOULANGER, ANTOINE ERTASKIRAN, SOPHIE BOULANGER, SACHA HAQUE, MARK BENOIT, EVA HARTLING, CHRISTINE BOIVIN, MARY DAILEY DESMARAIS Photography MONIQUE WESTON
THE ANNUAL MAC BALL __
ANDREW LUTFY, MURIELLE ZAGURY
FÉLIX MARZELL, MÉLANIE JOLY
MAC MAKES ITS MARK
DEBBIE ZAKAIB
MANON BROUILLETTE, JEAN-FRANÇOIS BOUCHARD
MITCH GARBER, ANNE-MARIE BOUCHER
ANNA GOODSON, MARTIN LEROUX, YASMINE KHALIL
PARTIES
RUBY BROWN
Much like its sister event on the companion page, the thing about the 2016 Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) Ball was well … everything: from the perfect event production that 45 DEGREES, the event-planning arm of Cirque du Soleil revealed at this year’s Silver Factorythemed spectacular, to the towers of foodie bliss masterfully prepped by the team at the Fairmont Queen E., to the crazy dance party alive with beats courtesy of Hi Fi Showband, to the ridiculously fabulous and sartorially savvy A-list crowd, to the popping $600,000 for the foundation, the MAC team MADE. IT. HAPPEN. Mac Ball 2017, you have serious silver shoes to fill. ;)
JULIE DU PAGE, ANDREW LAPIERRE
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DAN VELAN, JADE RAYMOND, BYRON PEART, STEFAN WEISGERBER
ISABELLE VERGE, JESSIKA DUFOUR
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
THE BALL FOR THE CHILDREN’S __
A SUBBANATOR
SOIRÉE P.K. SUBBAN, STEFANO RUVO
PARTIES
The Ball for the Children’s benefiting The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation is always a big ticket on the spring summer social circuit. But when you throw in one of the hottest hockey celebs on the planet like then Canadiens star defenseman P.K. SUBBAN, who not only attended the ball in his offish capacity as MCH Foundation spokesperson, but even hopped on stage to partake in auction festivities and indulge in a beyond adorable exchange with courageous young survivor and award recipient, STEFANO RUVO, you know you’re in for an event experience. And we were. Propelled by the Subbanator, the supersized ball raised a soul-refuelling $1.2 million. ‘Course it did.
FRANCO DEPALO, STEFANIE DEPALO
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BITA CATTELAN, PAOLO CATTELAN
JOSÉE ST-LAURENT, PIERRE DANDOY
DR. TAMARA GAFOOR, OLUMIDE ADELEYE
ADAM TURNER, CATHERINE MELLING TURNER
ISABELLE RACICOT
JESSICA NAGY PATHY, MARK PATHY
KATHERINE MORAD
DAVID MILLER, NATHALIE ANDRADE MILLER Photography KAREL CHLADEK
THE ANNUAL DAFFODIL BALL __
KATIA PICCOLINO, ROSARIO CAMPANELLA, VÂNIA AGUIAR, ISABELLE RANDEZ, PHILIP KOWRYHA
ROCHELLE CANTOR, MARTIN ROULEAU, APHRODITE SALAS
DAFFODIL GOES FIGI ELMAN, JEANNIE SAUNDERS
ALISON SILCOFF, JENN CAMPBELL
MARDI GRAS
PARTIES
RUBY BROWN, RICHARD SPEER
As is clear from the accompanying pics, the 23rd edition of the famed, awardladen Mardi-Gras-themed Daffodil Ball benefiting the Canadian Cancer Society, masterminded by Alison Silcoff Events and chaired with elegance and efficacy by Cogeco president/CEO LOUIS AUDET, PSP Investments president/CEO ANDRÉ BOURBONNAIS and then McKesson Canada president ALAIN CHAMPAGNE is a fine example of what happens when artistic genius, make-it-happen spirit and a dream team meet 20km of ribbon, 800 balloons, 15,000 daffodils, 4,000 ostrich feathers, 6,000 bead necklaces, 400 wonder wands, and 100 flashing bow ties: #PartyPerfection + $1.8 million for the Society. Bravo Daffsters.
JULIE DU PAGE, ANDREW LAPIERRE
JEAN-FRANÇOIS GERVAIS, PHILIPPE RAINVILLE
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MICHAEL DELOUYA, SANDRINE DELOUYA Photography VINCENZO D’ALTO, ALLEN MCINNIS
W here dream s c o me to l if e .
Photo: Grey Sparrow Studio
(514) 393-3588 | info@lewindsor.com | 1170 rue Peel, Montreal
THE STE-JUSTINE BALL __
While the Sainte-Justine Ball may have a new name (until this year, the benefit bash popular with millennials was commonly known as the Mount Royal Ball benefiting the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation), it certainly didn’t change its recipe for success. Key highlights in 2016 included a VVVIP cocktail in the Windsor Ballrooms’ famed Peacock Alley; hard-to-resist tunes by DJs RR Kelley and A1; and presentation of a $210,000 cheque to the foundation. Clearly, the Young Leaders Circle behind the ball is on top of business (ahem party). #MillenialsMakeItHappen
Photography VINCENZO D’ALTO
STE-JUSTINE SIZZLES
JEAN-PHILIPPE PHANEUF, STEPHANIE LANGLAIS FLORENCE BIENVENU, COLIN BROWN, ALEXANDRA SCHWARZ
SANDRA DOLNICEKOVA
CYNDA HEWARD, MABEL PALOMINO, JENN CAMPBELL
SALOVA BEN, HADY SAHEB GOSSIP GIRL WONDER SQUAD
CAITLIN ROSE, LAUREN GREGORY DR. NIKI JECEN SCHWARZ, DR. KARL SCHWARZ
THE ANNUAL MCCORD SUGAR BALL __
CANDYLAND PARTYLAND Photography KAREL CHLADEK
Candy is not just a little kid thing. In fact, it’s a huge big kid thing too. Just ask the 1,500 young professionals who patronized the 2016 Annual McCord Sugar Ball at Windsor Station organized by Brahm Mauer Bar Services and chaired with passion and precision by Groupe Ferreira’s SANDRA FERREIRA and Robinson Sheppard Shapiro’s GERALD KOUNADIS. While real treats were everywhere (bless their generous hearts), other sweets were delivered in the form of: non-stop dancing, open bars, and perfect food stations courtesy of the blockbuster likes of Estiatorio Milos, Ferreira Café, Soubois and more. Yup, CANDYLAND does = PARTYLAND.
RIMA EID, ANTHONY RJEILY
SOPHIE MARCEAU, CHARLOTTE CADIEUX-MATHIEU
WONDERFILLED WONDER BALL
ZOMBIE BOY & GANG
LUDIVINE HARBEC, PATRICK MUYAL
PATRICE GROLEAU, DEBBY DOKTORCZYK ISABELLE RANDEZ, PHILIP KOWRYHA
THE ANNUAL WONDER BALL FOR THE ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL __
For the third year in a row, the St. Mary’s Young Professionals Group (YPG) drove the party home at Cirque Éloize, astounding the over 600 plus fresh movers and groovers in attendance with a networking / dance / wonder-party none will be forgetting anytime soon. You can see why. ;) Cheers to Manina Productions for outstanding creative direction and the many partners and donors who helped take 2016 straight over the top. Over $100,000 was raised.
GERALD KOUNADIS, SANDRA FERREIRA
MARIE-CLAUDE MARCIL
CAMILLE DG, MARC NOËL
Photography DAN PROKOPOWICZ
ANDREA RICCIARDI, SAMANTHA COVERINI ANGELIA GAROFALO, STEPHEN DRYSDALE
LEE MURPHY, LIV MURPHY JEAN-FRANÇOIS GERVAIS, BIANCA MARTEL
THE BAND
www.paulchacra.com
t: 514.747.7254
1320 Boulevard Graham, bureau #123 Mont-Royal, QuĂŠbec, H2P 3C8
REDEFINING THE ART OF EVENT DESIGN!
THE KANPE KANAVAL BENEFIT DINNER __
ADAM COHEN, SIMON NORMAND
PARTIES
CHUCK HUGHES, DANNY SMILES
ANNE-MARIE WITHENSHAW, RÉGINE CHASSAGNE, GARDY FURY, DAVID BYRNE, MARJORIE VILLEFRANCHE
THE KOOLEST KANPE
ISABELLE RACICOT, MITSOU GÉLINAS, DOMINIQUE ANGLADE, MIA PARANG, MARTINE ST-VICTOR
There are some events so magical they live in your heart long after the last guest leaves. The by invitation only dinner at the Society for Arts and Technology preceding – and benefiting – this year’s adored KANPE Kanaval for the KANPE non-profit organization, was one of them. While it glittered on all fronts, attracting the swishest crowd, dazzling palates with an almighty Haitian-themed souper and featuring performances by global talents like Arcade Fire’s WIN BUTLER, RICHARD REED PARRY and RÉGINE CHASSAGNE, the eve was best remembered for all the love in the air, which may have had a thing – or six – to do with the passion and commitment of the KANPE founders and organizers. Just saying.
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GENEVIÈVE BORNE
WIN BUTLER RAINN WILSON
DAX DASILVA. BRADLEY GRILL, JENN CAMPBELL Photography CHRIS GIANNINI, DEKADE PRODUCTIONS
THE BALLETS JAZZ DE MONTRÉAL (BJM) NUIT NOMADE __
LOLITTA DANDOY, JONATHAN BURNHAM
MATTHEW CARTER, EMMANUELLE ROULEAU
NICO ARCHAMBAULT, WYNN HOLMES
Brainchild of the young adult arm of our cultural jewel Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM), a bastion of talented dancers performing worldwide under the direction of artistic director LOUIS ROBITAILLE, the bohemian-themed NUIT NOMADE 2016 at on-fire party venue/event partner Le Salon Richmond’s Le Salon 1861 was the culmination of months of hard work on the part of the dynamic Young Leaders committee – expertly chaired by board member STEPHANIE RASSAM – with a view to ensuring a fairy-tale grade rating, and, most importantly, amassing invaluable funds for the Eva Von Gencsy grant supporting new dance talent. Fairy mission accomplished. On every front. ;)
PARTIES
JENN CAMPBELL, GORDON MILLIGAN, STEPHANIE RASSAM
NEXT-LEVEL NUIT NOMADE
JONATHAN LAURIN, ANGÈLE DI GIOVANNI, ALEXIS LABRECQUE, SONIA PRICE, GEORGE HKR, KARINA VICTORINO
LAUREN PUGH, ANNIE ROBERTS
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
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ALESSANDRA SALITURI, SANAZ SOTOUDEH
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MASERATI MONTREAL / MASERATI LAVAL www.MaseratiQuebec.com / www.MaseratiLaval.com *Maserati Levante MY2017 base MSRP $88,900; Maserati Levante S MY2017 base MSRP $98,600. Not including dealer prep and transportation. Actual selling price may vary. Taxes, title, license and registration fees not included. Š2016 Maserati Canada, Inc. All rights reserved. Maserati and the Trident logo are registered trademarks of Maserati SpA. Maserati urges you to obey all posted speed limits.
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LE GRAND SOIR F1 GP BENEFIT __
REV YOUR ENGINES SOCIAL GALS AND SOCIAL GENTS, ‘CAUSE THE PARTIES SURROUNDING THIS YEAR’ S F1 GRAND PRIX (F1 GP) WERE SOME OF THE BEST EVER … AND WE HAVE THE PICS TO PROVE IT.
THE ULTIMATE KICK-OFF Brainchild of F1 Canadian Grand Prix CEO / head of Octane Racing Group, FRANÇOIS DUMONTIER, the seventh edition of Le Grand Soir at Arsenal exceeded expectations, officially kicking off the 2016 F1 GP festivities in great style. Among the many flashes of fab were a scintillating champagne cocktail; main dinner catered by the foodie kings at the Fairmont Queen E.; an impressive roster of entertainers and live auction; mega VIP guest list; and most importantly, sizable funds for beneficiaries, Fondation de l’Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal and the Club des petits déjeuners/Breakfast Club Canada. Yet another action-packed, star-studded kick-off raised the bar. Power to the Octane team.
NORMAN JOHN HÉBERT, JACLYN HÉBERT
FRANÇOIS DE GASPÉ BEAUBIEN, NOÉMIE VÉZINA CARLOS FERREIRA, PIERRE DERAGON, SANDRA FERREIRA, ALEXANDRE VIAU
MÉLANIE CHARBONNEAU, YVES LALUMIÈRE FRANÇOIS DUMONTIER, CHARLÈNE DUMONTIER, JACQUES VILLENEUVE, JOANN VILLENEUVE
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
ROGER T. DUGUAY, GENEVIEVE TANGUAY
STÉPHANE ROCHEFORT, LÉA-MARIE JEAN CHRISTIAN HORNER
SANDY LEBLANC, HUGUES HARVEY
CHARLÈNE DUMONTIER, FRANÇOIS DUMONTIER DUFOUR-LAPOINTE SISTERS
KAROLYNE AUGER, LÉA-MARIE JEAN
STEEVE LAPIERRE, MARC-ANDRE GAGNÉ, NORMAND CIARLO
ONE. HAWT. PARTY. BRODY JENNER
KATIA PICCOLINO, JENN CAMPBELL
Once again, marathon merrymaking was all the rage at the much-anticipated Ritz-Carlton Montreal Pfaff McLaren Grand Prix Party for which movers and groovers from far and wide donned their most fash-forward, futuristicinspired formal wear in honour of the futuristic theme. As for perks, the sold-out silverlaced spectacular did not disappoint. Think amusements like buffet stations brimming with chef Johnny Porte’s best; Jenson Button’s VIP Cocktail cameo; a memorable Moët & Chandon bar; never-ending and so danceable tunes courtesy of DJ Yo-C; and of course, the exclusive display of the McLaren 675LT, 650S and 570S and Pirelli pit stop. No wonder we were a partner. ;)
ANDREW TORRIANI, ARLENE TORRIANI
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
PHILIP SHEPPARD, MARTIN ENAULT, CHLOÉ LANGEVIN, LEISHA MCDONALD
VALERIE NAUD, SIMON ARSENAULT ANICK BEAULIEU, FRÉDÉRICK ROCHON
HOTEL LE ST-JAMES FERRARI NORTH AMERICA F1 GRAND PRIX COCKTAIL __
FERRARIS, SUPERMODELS, DRIVERS & MORE For those who value a swank Saturday night F1 GP fête experience with all the hallmarks of an upscale albeit intimate affair, then the Hotel Le St-James Ferrari North America F1 Grand Prix Cocktail was your baby. This year’s edition took things to the next level with a gorgeous display of gleaming Ferraris at the entrance, heated outdoor patio (yes, Mother Nature was a tad uncooperative) and stunning array of appetizers and food stations on the inside. Guests were thrilled as well to make the acquaintance of the team’s hottest drivers and influencers. ‘Course they were there.
DEVON WINDSOR, ANOUK VAN KLEEF
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
DAVID AISENSTAT, MARIE HODHOD, HANS STEFANSON
SONIA ZARBATANY, CARMEN D’ONOFRIO
TARA BEAULIEU, THERESA GODDARD, MARIA-JOSÉ LORA
ANDREA REGGIANI, JEAN-ÉRIC VERGNE, UMBERTO BONFA, EDWIN FENECH, ARRICK MAURICE
LE RICHMOND F1GP SATURDAY NIGHT RED CARPET PARTY __
RED CARPET WORTHY In years past resto / party fave Le Richmond has wowed during F1 GP with some pretty stellar events. Of note: their collabs with the travel genii at Luxury Retreats. Still, the party pros continued to dazzle in 2016 with an ever impressive lineup that included the much-anticipated Saturday Night Red Carpet Party, attended by a cross-section of the city’s elite (including our enthusiastic team) who toasted, noshed, bantered and fêted the eve away in signature Le Richmond style. Bravo superstars. Cheers to 2017.
STÉPHANE LEDUC, PIERRE-OLIVIER BEAUDOIN IBTI SAADI, LUC LAROCHE
JENN CAMPBELL, PETER MOSES
OLIVIER GAGNON
Photography VINCENZO D’ALTO
MARC BERGEVIN, LINDA LAPOINTE
FERRARI F1 GRAND PRIX COCKTAIL EVENT __
IRENE WEINSTEIN, RICHARD GAGLEWICZ
ALAIN TASCAN, ANDREA TASCAN, INGRID SCHMIDTOVA-MCMILLAN, BRUCE MCMILLAN
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
FIRST RATE FERRARICIZING
PATRICE BRISEBOIS, MARCUS FOLIGNO
If you like flawless auto machines, A-list party peeps, the finest wines and fare, and the whole buzz-so-beautiful of F1 GP, then the Ferrari Friday F1 GP Cocktail Dinatoire at the Ferrari Maserati Quebec dealership, generously hosted by Ferrari Maserati Quebec president UMBERTO BONFA and marketing queen CARMEN D’ONOFRIO, is your premier party destination for F1 GP 2017. Let the countdown begin. DIANE SCALIA , SAM SCALIA
RONNIE VOGEL,UMBERTO BONFA
F1 GP MOËT & CHANDON BEACH LAUNCH __
LOUIS SIX, LOLITTA DANDOY
CHERYL BESNER, ISABELLE TREMBLAY
ANNE-MARIE SOFIO, JENNIFER NGUYEN, JENN CAMPBELL, ANDREW TORRIANI, VIBI PATEL, ANINA BELLE GIANNINI
VINCENT MAZROU, AMY MAILLOUX, MARIE-CLAUDE DI LILLO
DAX GIUNTA, TUTI DO
BUBBLES, BEACH & EVERYTHING GOOD
So mama nature was definitely not behaving on this particular eve, delivering up some very unseasonably cold weather and sprinkles. But try as she might to put a damper on the spirit and sass of the recent F1 GP Moët & Chandon Beach Kick-off at the Ritz-Carlton Montréal, no luck there. Heck this was one of their best, if not the best to date, attracting a particularly glittery crowd that was abubble in great convo, yum treats and yes, a perfectly admirable and steady stream of Moët bubbles served in striking white goblets befitting royals. They even had all the right reading material: copies of Diary Vol. 5. ;) Yup, bubbles, beach and everything good is definitely the way to roll. ;) Photography KAREL CHLADEK
THE ANNUAL C2 MONTRÉAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE __
PARTIES
MARIE-CHRISTINE VALOIS. CLAUDE GUAY
No matter how cool, outta-the-box and in keeping with the direction of this technology-themed edition C2 Montréal is, the mandate for the ingenious homegrown annual offering hatched five years ago by SID LEE and partner Cirque du Soleil is still “business conference,” a mandate it continues to satisfy year after year in its own inimitable fashion with heroic attention to detail and fabulous, inspiring an ever expanding global audience of thousands. That said, the Montreal festive zeitgeist also continues to play a recurring role in the C2 experience (duh) and this year’s sold-out closing bash “The Illumination Night,” was arguably their best to date, boasting highlights that included an outdoor event extravaganza; tented VIP cocktail by SID LEE; and of course crrraazzeeee dance party in the Forum, featuring performances by the likes of Valaire and friends, legendary Oliver Jones and DJ Champion. Yes, we had exclusive access. Enjoy.
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ELKE GOVERTSEN, MITSOU GÉLINAS
Photography KAREL CHLADEK
JOSÉE NOISEUX, BERTRAND CESVET
RICHARD-JEAN BAPTISTE, JENN CAMPBELL
YANIK DESCHÊNES, MARIE-LISE LACHAPELLE
PARTIES
ALESSANDRO BERGA, PASCALE BOURBEAU
IMA, FRANÇOIS-CHARLES SIROIS
JEAN-FRANÇOIS BOUCHARD, MANON BROUILLETTE
LÉONIE EMMANUELLE DUPERRÉ, DANIEL LAMARRE, MICHEL LAPRISE
For more on C2 Montréal 2017 and / or to register, head to c2montréal.com.
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FRÉDÉRICK ROCHON, ANICK BEAULIEU
THE KOOL KIDS
O WOW MAGGIE O. KARIM SY-MORISSETTE
ANNA ANTONOPOULOS, TONY ANTONOPOULOS, MARIA ANTONOPOULOS
YAN CHARLES
When the Antonopoulos clan does anything, the über successful homegrown hotelier family goes big, like really big. So of course the official opening of Maggie Oakes at their hawwwttt new boutique hotel William Gray was a spectacular affair, brimming with all the cool kids, VIPs and yes, some amazing offerings from celebrity chef DEREK BOCKING. Triple thumbs up for the A-team. #YouWannaGo
YA GOTTA LOVE THE LAUNCHES. AND WE DO. ;)
LET’ S DO LAUNCH
PARTIES
DEREK BOCKING
DECARIE MOTORS’ ANNIVERSARY WOW
NATALIE COUREY, DIANA ANTINOZZI Photography KAREL CHLADEK
MARLENE COUTU, MOE TAWIL
LAUREN ASLATEI, MITCH ADLER
FRANÇOIS LAMBERT, MAUDE MARQUIS-BRETON, MARK PATRICK
CHRISTIAN MARTI, JOEL SEGAL, CHERYL BLAS, MAREK REICHMAN
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SCARLETT JAMES
OLIVIA MARIANI, MICHELLE MARIANI MAREK REICHMAN
Photography DAN PROKOPOWICZ
When the Decarie Motors team throws a party, they THROW. A. PARTY. Exhibit A: Their 2016 event spectacular commemorating 70 years in business with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art facility for Bentley Montreal, Aston Martin Montreal, and their exclusive pre-owned division. Against a backdrop of gourmet food stations and first-rate entertainment coordinated by Manina Productions, VIP guests got their first glimpse of the gorgeous 46,000 square foot showroom and enjoyed special presentations by Bentley Motors Inc. and Aston Martin’s top brass of their latest innovations in auto mastery; the Bentley Bentayga SUV and Aston Martin DB11, respectively. WOW was the operative word.
M0851 GOES WESTMOUNT
Lucky for all us obsessed shopaholics, Westmount recently welcomed another stylish addition to the Sherbrooke shopscape; homegrown outerwear & accessories line m0851. Yes, a slew of kool kids and influencers flocked to the gorgeous new ‘tique to fête the occasion, toast the fabulous and lest we lose our reputations, do a little seasonal shopping. Shopaholics, people. ;)
MARIA ANTONOPOULOS, ANNA ANTONOPOULOS
JON CARLO TAPIA, PAUL DESBAILLETS, MARTINE ST-VICTOR, NASKADEMINI
FREDERIC MAMARBACHI, FAYE MAMARBACHI
MARSHA LOISEAU, NYLA MARIE-ANNICK BOISVERT, ANDREW MCNALLY
PARTIES
Photography DAN PROKOPOWICZ
SELFIE NATION
DR. SANDRA MCGILL, MURRAY GREEN, BONNIE COLTON
SWISH SEND-OFF
MARK PATHY, JESSICA PATHY
Over 150 plus swish guests made their way to the official 2016 launch of the state-of-the-art aesthetic and surgical centre, Espace MD. And if the service, quality of care and cutting edge treatments provided by rock star plastic surgeons and owners, doctors KARL SCHWARZ and SANDRA MCGILL are anything like the awesome party they pulled off – awash in bubbly, Java U foodie-fab and gifts galore – we’re in good hands. Literally.
VIOLETTE COHEN, DR. KARL SCHWARZ, ISABELLE POIRIER
ALLY ZWONOK, EMMA LUNNY
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Photography DAN PROKOPOWICZ
JESSICA SCALERA, MONIQUE WESTON
DIARY DOES FABULOUS SO COME PLAY ON OUR NEW GEN 3 OF DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM & SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. FUN YOU WILL HAVE.
LIVE. THE. PARTY. TO PLACE AN AD OR ROCK A FAB COLLAB: INFO@DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? ;)
WHITE WEDDING AT THE GRAY __
PARTIES PRIVÉS
“ PARTIES
ASTRID RIVERA, STEPHANIE RASSAM, EMILY DEANE, EMMANUELLE ROULEAU CARTER
WHITE ON” AT WILLIAM GRAY When Manulife investment wizard GEORGES ACHKAR and marketing pro / lifetime Diarysta SONIA PRICE announced they’d be moving up their wedding date to this October from a projected 2017 date, those closest to the duo were sure something (or rather a baby someone) was up. Nope. (Not yet anyway!) Truth be told, the happy pair was just ready to make things official with a big bash for friends and family. Mission accomplished. Their wedding at hip new Hotel William Gray, wisely requesting white on the part of the ladies, was gorgeous, celebratory and a night to remember. A toast to the white-hot couple.
GEORGES ACHKAR, SONIA PRICE
CARLOS ASSAF, GEORGES ACHKAR, JAD CHEHLAWI
KATE ESTEPHAN, EYE OF THE TIGER’S CAMILLE ESTEPHAN
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SONIA’S PARENTS TERRY PRICE AND SONIA FERRER, KARINA VICTORINO, STELLA GARCIA
Table decor: La Petite touché, floral design: Les Petites Excuses, dress: White Montreal. Photography MONIQUE WESTON
KSENIA BOEVA, SONIA PRICE
VINGT THE GRAND FERREIRA PARTY __
TWENTY TIMES THE FABULOUS EDWARD ZAKI, MILA AGUIAR
SANDRA FERREIRA, CARLOS FERREIRA
PARTIES
MICHAEL FORTIER, MICHELLE SETLAKWE
BITA CATTELAN, PAOLO CATTELAN
ISABELLE GAUTHIER-BRANCOLI, ÉMILIE CROTEAU, GERRY KOUNADIS
CHARLÈNE DUMONTIER, FRANÇOIS DUMONTIER
JESSICA SCALERA, MARC-ANTOINE BROSSEAU
Kelly Ripa is an ardent fan, as are other international celebs. There’s just something magical about Ferreira Café; so magical that in a techno-world careening at the speed of light, where today’s go-to trend is yesterday’s fad and restaurants pop up faster than we can pronounce their stylized monikers, this family-run gem featuring the finest Portuguese cuisine – kudos to founder and head honcho CARLOS FERREIRA and his dream team including daughter, director of operations SANDRA FERREIRA and master chef JOÃO DIAS – has managed to stay relevant and fabulous for 20 years! And speaking of fabulous, there is no better superlative to describe the 20th anniversary soirée that also, as is tradition, raised sizable funds for Sainte-Justine Hospital’s Foundation, taking their cumulative tally to over a million. Now that’s a private party. ;) Photography KAREL CHLADEK
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TONY LOFFREDA, ANGIE LOFFREDA
+
Off The Hook
Lightspeed
A perfect fit.
Powering Montréal’s main streets. Restaurant POS. Retail POS. eCommerce.
Off the Hook, MontrĂŠal
www.lightspeedhq.com 1.844.257.4827
#
DIARY LOVES FASHION
FRANCOIS-CHARLES SIROIS PAUL SMITH. JENN CAMPBELL RAD HOURANI, CHANEL, HERMES, GUCCI.
NOÉMIE VÉZINA | HERVÉ LEGER.
SAMANTHA CUTLER MAISON ELAMA.
VÂNIA AGUIAR | VINTAGE.
JENN RUVO | DI CARLO COUTURE.
CAMILLE DG | THE ROW.
INGRID SCHMIDTOVA-MCMILLAN | PICCIOLI, DIOR.
VANESSA PILON | RAD HOURANI.
PIERRE-LOUP LACOUR FIELD OF PONIES, JEFFREY CAMPBELL. ALEXANDRE HILL OAK AND FORT, ISSEY MIYAKE, UNIF.
ALIOCHA SCHNEIDER | DENIS GAGNON, ÉLIANE-CATRIE BLOUIN ACHIN. CHRISTINE BEAULIEU | DENIS GAGNON, DONNA D’AQUINO.
AZAMIT | DENIS GAGNON.
VALERIE NAUD | BCBGMAXAZRIA.
EVANA BOUTROS | STELLA MCCARTNEY.
MAI ANH DANG | WAY. MATT GOEZEN | ISSEY MIYAKE.
FRANCISCO RANDEZ | SARTORIALTO.
FRANÇOIS DE GASPÉ BEAUBIEN | KITON.
AZUL BARI | DVF.
VANESSA PILON | COS, ACNE.
SHENAZ MOHAMMED | BALMAIN.
CAMILLE DG | ELISA C-ROSSOW, JEANE & JAX.
VANESSA LAJEUNESSE | LA PETITE ROBE NOIR.
Montréal BOSS Boutique Femme OGILV Y HUGO BOSS CANADA INC. Phone +1 905 739 2677 hugoboss.com
© 2016 Gloria Bass DesiGn inc
514.933.7062
1361-1 Greene Ave, Westmount
GloriAbAssdesiGn.com
Photography ALI MAHDAVI
TALKING BANDAGE FROCKS & OTHER FAB WITH LEROUX THE LEGEND
BY JENN CAMPBELL
Here’s the scene: It’s almost 5 p.m. on a Thursday after work and a stylish girl boss is en route to a swish 5 à 7. What’s her best go-to ensemble for an unforgettable entrance? To make a memorable impression at a 5 à 7, a woman needs to have the best skirt; a tight black skirt that goes to just the end of the knee. She also needs a fabulous pair of shoes, the right shoes. In fact, it’s better to save money on the whole outfit and splurge on the perfect pair of shoes and bag. Throughout your career, you’ve used myriad media to express your creativity and design prowess and are well acquainted with the pow-
That’s very difficult for me. I know accessories very well, having worked at Chanel and Lagerfeld. But, as noted earlier, it would have to be the shoes; for the shoes and bag are the most important components of any look or outfit. Also, it’s very important to simplify and remove things that are unnecessary. Fashion today is very overdone. It’s always important to take off, rather than to add on, with respect to all items of clothing, including accessories.
STYLE
Monica Bellucci stands out because the first bandage dress I ever made was photographed on her. In fact, she wore my clothes in the first ever shoot for an American ad. Dita also stands out because when she comes in, we have the best time. It’s really more of a collaboration. That said, I’ve had the chance to dress many celebrities and women throughout my career as Hervé Léger and Hervé L. Leroux, so I cannot complain. It’s much easier for me to say who I didn’t dress! But when it comes down to it, I don’t have or want a muse. I don’t want to be obsessed with one woman I dress because I find it very unfair for all the other women I have dressed, and for the women who want to wear my clothes. It’s too straight and limited.
er and pop of accessories. What are your best recommendations on that front for party attire?
So then Mies van der Roh was right, I presume? Less is indeed more! ;) Hervé, for each edition of the magazine, we embrace a unifying theme. This edition boasts a technology theme. How has the rapid-fire world of innovation and science affected your métier? The bandage dress is still my creation. The effect of the bandage dress on the body is still my story. I’ve been doing the same thing for years, but it is always different. It’s an obsession. Very recently Vera Wang came into my shop. She bought three of my dresses. When she tried them on she said, “there’s something happening here that I have never experienced before.” I’m not a typical designer; I’m not a rack designer. The technology manifests in the way I create.
For more magic and inspiration from the legendary frock master, go to hervelleroux.com. For more from our sit-down, and a slew of others, frock to DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
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BUCKET LIST CHECK I DID UPON PUTTING THE FOLLOWING FOUR AT 4 P.M. TO ICONIC FASHION DESIGNER HERVÉ L. LEROUX WHEN HE POPPED INTO OUR FAIR CITY THIS SUMMER FOR A SOLD OUT APPEARANCE AT THE PRESTIGIOUS FESTIVAL MODE & DESIGN. #SHARINGTHEGOODSTUFF
As one of the globe’s most respected and gifted designers, you’ve dressed legions of stars and acclaimed figures like Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, Selma Hayek, Dita Von Teese and Monica Bellucci. Who stands out to you and why? Any other dream clients or muses?
TECHNOLOGY INFORMS IT ALL …
WORK
JAVIER P.: Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones BEATS BY DRE. Sunglasses PRADA (La Maison Ogilvy). Suit PAUL SMITH (Holt Renfrew). Shirt THE KOOPLES (La Maison Ogilvy). Access Bradshaw Silver-tone Smartwatch MICHAEL KORS (MichaelKors.ca). Lace-up Shoes LUCA DEL FORTE (Browns Shoes). Nightflight Trolley On-board 4Wheels Hardshell MONTBLANC (Montblanc Boutiques). CAM G.: Sunglasses CÉLINE (La Maison Ogilvy). Suit THE KOOPLES (La Maison Ogilvy). Bag GIANNI CHIARINI (Browns Shoes). Velvet Pumps STUART WEITZMAN (Browns Shoes). SALOMÉ: Earmuffs LYSA LASH NEXT GENERATION FUR. Sunglasses CÉLINE (La Maison Ogilvy). Suit BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). Shoes ZCD (Diary’s own). VICTOR: Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones BEATS BY DRE. Sunglasses PRADA (La Maison Ogilvy). Suit PAUL SMITH, shirt GIVENCHY (Holt Renfrew). Velvet Sneakers LUCA DEL FORTE (Browns Shoes). Backdrop: Grounds, Westmount Square.
EVERYWHERE / EVERYWEAR
THE TEK LIFE
Photography NEIL MOTA (Rodeo Production) Styling JESSY COLUCCI (Diary of a Social Gal) Creative direction JENN CAMPBELL
PRIMP
AMELIA R.: Sterling Silver Woven Drop Earrings and Limited Edition Blue Holiday Sweetie Bracelet LINKS OF LONDON (La Maison Ogilvy). Dress KQK (Cabinet Éphémère, La Maison Ogilvy). iPad Pro (APPLE). VALERIE G.: Jacket BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). Sterling Silver Idole de Christofle Ring and Duo Complice de Christofle Beige and Red Bracelets and Bangle CHRISTOFLE (Boutique Christofle). Bag GIANNI CHIARINI (Browns Shoes). CAM G.: Essentials Sterling Silk 5 Row Necklace LINKS OF LONDON (La Maison Ogilvy). Jumpsuit BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). Access Bradshaw Silver-Tone Smartwatch MICHAEL KORS (MichaelKors.ca). SALOMÉ: Sterling Silver Duo Complice de Christofle Necklace and Idole de Christofle Bracelets CHRISTOFLE (Boutique Christofle). Vest, Trousers BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). Backdrop: St-Laurent Coiffure, Westmount Square.
STYLE 84
GAMES
MILES: Bomber Jacket BLOOD BROTHERS, Pants NEIL BARRETT (all Holt Renfrew). iPad Air 2 (APPLE). Mobile Console Gaming GAMEVICE. Slip-on Sneakers B2 (Browns Shoes). ALEXANDRE D.: Sweatshirt FENDI, Sweatpants NEIL BARRETT (all Holt Renfrew). iPhone 7 (APPLE). Mobile Console Gaming GAMEVICE. Lace-up shoes LUCA DEL FORTE (Browns Shoes). Urban Spirit Backpack MONTBLANC (Montblanc Boutiques). Backdrop: Lobby, Westmount Square.
BRANDO: Turtleneck, Skinny Jeans ZARA. iPhone 7 (APPLE). Low-rise Black Leather Sneakers CONVERSE.
SQUAD
ALEXANDRE D.: Hat, Pocket Sweater PEDRAM KARIMI. Pants MODEL’S OWN. Sneakers INTENSI (Browns Shoes). JAVIER P.: Hoodie, Vest PEDRAM KARIMI. Pants MODEL’S OWN. High Top Sneakers ARTSELAB (Browns Shoes). VALERIE G.: Sunglasses DIOR (La Maison Ogilvy). Latex Dress PEDRAM KARIMI. High Top Sneakers THE WISHBONE COLLECTION (Browns Shoes). VICTOR: Cape, Sweater PEDRAM KARIMI. Necklace LOUVE (Cabinet Éphémère, La Maison Ogilvy). Pants, Shoes MODEL’S OWN. SALOMÉ: Latex Top, Latex Dress PEDRAM KARIMI. Boots RICK OWENS. CAM G.: Sunglasses DIOR (La Maison Ogilvy). Pocket Sweater PEDRAM KARIMI. Shoes BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). Backdrop: Grounds, Westmount Square.
PLAY
VALERIE G.: Sunglasses CÉLINE (La Maison Ogilvy). Dress SID NEIGUM (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). Idole de Christofle Cuff CHRISTOFLE (Boutique Christofle). MacBook (APPLE). Boots RICK OWENS. Bag SAINT LAURENT PARIS (Holt Renfrew). AMELIA R.: Dress MAISON MARGIELA (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). ALEXANDRE D.: Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones BEATS BY DRE. Sunglasses DIOR (La Maison Ogilvy). Athleisure J.W. ANDERSON (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). SALOMÉ: Athleisure VÊTEMENTS (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). iPhone 7 (with cover) (APPLE). VICTOR: Shirt JACQUEMUS (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). Pants PAUL SMITH (Holt Renfrew). Sneakers INTENSI (Browns Shoes). Champagne RUINART. CAM G.: Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones BEATS BY DRE. Dress ALTUZARRA (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). iPhone 7 (APPLE). JAVIER P.: Coat MONCLER (The Room, Hudson’s Bay). iPad Pro (APPLE). Pants NEIL BARRETT (Holt Renfrew). High Top sneakers ARTSELAB (Browns Shoes). Champagne RUINART. Sterling Silver Vertigo Champagne Cooler CHRISTOFLE (Boutique Christofle). Speaker SONOS PLAY:5. Backdrop: Back lobby, Westmount Square.
DANCE
Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM) dancers PIER-LOUP LACOUR, KIERA HILL, ALEXANDER HILLE in PHILIPPE DUBUC for Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM). TECH: 3D Video Movie Game Virtual Reality Headset Glasses TERA VR BOX 3D. iPod Touch (APPLE). All Footwear, DANCERS’ OWN. Backdrop: Grounds, Westmount Square.
ALEXANDER HILLE in PHILIPPE DUBUC for Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM).
SNAPCHAT
VALERIE G.: iPhone 7 (APPLE). ). 18K Yellow Gold Bamboo Large Bracelet and Necklace GUCCI (Bijouterie Italienne). Cape KENDALL + KYLIE (Holt Renfrew). Bodysuit AURUM (TNT Montreal). Bag CHLOÉ (Holt Renfrew). Loafers BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). AMELIA R.: 18K White Gold and Diamond Earrings CHIMENTO (Bijouterie Italienne). Dress, Shoes BOSS (Holt Renfrew, La Maison Ogilvy). Stacked 18k White Gold Studs and Post-it Rings GLORIA BASS. The Beautiful Bangle WITH LOVE DARLING (WithLoveDarling.com). CAM G.: Sterling Silver Glamazon Wavy Oval Earrings, Sterling Silver Rock Candy 5-stone Bangle with Onyx, Sterling Silver Glamazon Squiggle Bangle IPPOLITA (Bijouterie Italienne). Dress KENDALL + KYLIE (Holt Renfrew). Camera MICHAEL KORS X FUJIFILM INSTAX® CAMERA (MichaelKors.ca). Classics Horological Smartwatch FREDERIQUE CONSTANT (Bijouterie Italienne). Velvet Pumps STUART WEITZMAN (Browns Shoes). Bluetooth Connected PRODIGIO&MILK Machine, View Recipe Glasses and Arpeggio, Volluto and Decaffeinato Intenso Capsules, all NESPRESSO. Backdrop: Front lobby, Westmount Square.
TINDER LOVE
JAVIER P.: Sweater THE KOOPLES (La Maison Ogilvy). iPhone 7 (APPLE). Watch ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST (Bijouterie Italienne). VALERIE G.: Sterling Silver and Onyx Rock Candy Mini Teardrop Earrings IPPOLITA. Black Spinel Necklace with 18K White Gold and 18K White Gold Clasp Pavé with Black and White Diamonds GLORIA BASS. Bralette and skirt KENDALL + KYLIE (Holt Renfrew). iPhone 7 (APPLE). 18K White Gold and Black Diamond Pavé Rings GLORIA BASS. Backdrop: Tavern on the Square Restaurant, Westmount Square.
Makeup CHARLOTTE FLANNERY, ELIZABETH D’AMICO, EKATERINA ULYANOFF. Hair CHRISTINA SFETSIOS, KATHY VALLEE, NORA OHANESSIAN, using Tresse Collection Premium Extensions and Accessories. Retouching MELISSA PIRRERA. All models except for adorable cousin MILES (a free agent): DULCEDO MANAGEMENT. Video KASTALLI PRODUCTIONS. Photography assistant MIKAËL CARDIN. IT TAKES A VILLAGE (in random order): Special thanks to St-Laurent Coiffure goddess IRENE WEINSTEIN and her superstar squad, amazing RICA CRECCO and the Creccal crew, the Westmount Square Residential team, the beauties of Bio Source, Nespresso’s divine BENJAMIN COMBE and MATHILDE IALIBEAUCAGE, Christofle’s rocking ROBERTO REINO, Tressetacular CINTHIA FERRARESI and MIKE DE LUCA; mama bear extraordinaire GAIL CAMPBELL, stylish soul-sister JOHANNE STERNTHAL, Dulcedo dolls NOÉMIE MONIC and MILAD SAHAFZADEH, the delish ANDREW HOPS, and presh Diarystos JESSY COLUCCI and ÉDOUARD AYOTTE. FOR BEHIND THE SCENES ACTION AND THE MOMENT-CATCHING VIDEO, TEK TO DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
ALEX GALCHENYUK GROWS INTO HIS SUPERSTAR STATUS
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STYLE
AND NOW THE FASHION / TECH STORY OF A HOCKEY STAR …
Photography NEIL MOTA (Rodeo Production) Styling JESSY COLUCCI Shirt and pants BOSS. Shoes NIKE RED OCTOBER. Bling VERSACE V1969 ITALIA JEWELLERY MEN’S COLLECTION (Delmar Jewelers). Horological Smartwatch FREDERIQUE CONSTANT (BIRKS). Special thanks to Maria Antonopoulos and the Antonopoulos Group for kind hospitality at the new William Gray hotel, Anna Galchenyuk for being the superstar she is and Na’eem Adam and the Parvin team for great support.
GALCHENYUK IS EXACTLY WHAT PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY NEEDS: A SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY STAR WHO DOESN’T MIND SHOWING WHAT LIFE IS LIKE AWAY FROM THE RINK.
Hoodie and pants FRANK + OAK STATE CONCEPTS. Bling VERSACE V1969 ITALIA JEWELLERY MEN’S COLLECTION (Delmar Jewelers). Watch ROLEX YACHT- MASTER.
He’s also grown into a superstar off the ice, thanks in large part to technology like social media. His Instagram feed has become legendary for its footage of his unbelievable offseason workouts in the forests of Belarus, and his emerging fashion sense earned him accolades at last year’s glitzy McLaren Formula One party at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. Galchenyuk is currently the face of Montrealbased Frank & Oak’s casual State Concepts line, and it’s a partnership that suits him well. “I signed on with them over the summer, and it’s great for me because I like their clothes,” Galchenyuk says. “I’m always on the lookout for what’s cool and new, and they’re cool so I like wearing them.” Although it’s only been recently that the 22-year-old has started to turn heads for his sense of style, he says it’s always been something that’s important to him. “I spent my whole first paycheque on Louis Vuitton and Gucci,” he says with a laugh. “When you make it, you get into the mindset where you should do something to recognize that you’ve made it. There were things that I used to see in stores and I would think to myself ‘one day you’ll be able to get them.’ And when you get to a certain point where you can, you have to do it. It’s satisfying.”
As for trying to describe his budding style, he points out that comfort is a priority. He also doesn’t sweat the details, admitting that he only takes about five minutes to get ready every morning. “I wouldn’t say I’m trying to follow trends, but I have my own style and so far it’s been working for me,” he says. “I think it’s my mood. Whatever I feel like, I’ll dress accordingly. Sometimes I’ll wear all black, or sometimes I’ll wear more colours. The thing is I have a lot of clothes so no matter what I do, chances are I’ll find something that works.” His sister Anna, a Montreal celeb in her own right, helps out as well. “She went to New York recently and picked up some cool stuff for me that’s hard to find. When I entered the league I was always trying to buy the high-end brands – now I’m more into limited edition clothes, ones that are harder to find,” he says. Growing up the son of a hockey player also helped broaden his horizons. His dad, Alexander Galchenyuk, moved around the United States and Europe during his playing career. He eventually settled in Russia, where Alex grew up, but the Milwaukee, Wisconsin native returned to North America as a teen to pursue his hockey career. “In Russia, people are fashionable,” Galchenyuk says. “And then, when you’ve been fortunate enough to live in places like Italy and Switzerland, you learn about different brands. I was also exposed to so many cultures growing up; in my life I’ve been able to take aspects of each.” He’s a huge fan of Old Montreal, saying that it captures the history and culture of the European cities he spent time in as a child.
“I think it’s a creative city,” he adds. “It isn’t like any other city in Canada.” If fans want to know what he’s wearing, or what sort of mind-blowing workout he’s been doing, his Instagram feed is the place to go. Galchenyuk is exactly what professional hockey needs: a social media savvy star who doesn’t mind showing what life is like away from the rink. Last summer, he went viral after posting a video of himself shirtless, running through the forest while pulling a tire that was tied to his waist.
STYLE
When star Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk first arrived in the city as a talented but raw 18-year-old, his future was considered bright. Fast forward five years and the American-Belarussian has lived up to the hype: he’s now the team’s first-line centre, one of the league’s top scorers and his physique has transformed from thin teenager into chiseled adonis.
“I’ll give credit to my dad for the idea,” he says. “We were tired of the same old workout and we wanted to try something else, just to keep my mind fresh.” The minute he started pulling the tire up the slope, he knew it had to be Instagrammed, he recalled. Although he likes to drown out the noise during the season, in the summer he likes to get creative with his social media. “I think the key is to not just post hockey stuff,” he says. “Everyone who follows you knows you’re a hockey player. What’s important to give is these little life moments. You want to show that you’re a normal person, but with hard work anything is possible.” Given his comfort level connecting with hockey fans online, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s glued to his iPhone when he’s not at work. It’s the one piece of technology he couldn’t live without. “There’s always something to read or watch on it,” he says. “I can’t even get into my car without putting on some music on my phone first or checking the news.” 103
BY ERIK LEIJON
danish design, local style.
Ca r r efou r L ava l | Ga ler ies d ’A njou | P r omen ades St-Br u no | Pl ac e Ste -Foy b e s t s e l ler s tor e s .c om
FASHIONABLE WEARABLE TECH ACCESSORIES
STYLE
LE GEEK, C’ EST CHIC
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RE: ACCESSORIES, TECHNOLOGY HAS US COVERED, HEATED, WELL TIMED AND MORE. DIARYSTA ASHLEY KARP TELLS ALL.
ALTRUIS BY VINAYA
If you’re considering a 12-step program for your cell phone addiction, look no further. Londonbased research and design house Vinaya wants to help us all go on a digital detox, addressing the problem of hyperconnectivity once and for all. Their solution is Altruis, a fashion-forward device that allows users to unplug and live in the moment without losing touch or going off the grid entirely. Altruis is a faceted ceramic stone that connects to your smartphone to subtly notify you of the incoming texts, calls and emails of your choosing. Users can customize notifications in the iOS app, filtering which contacts and communications produce alerts. You can personalize vibration patterns so you’ll know if it’s a call or a text, your mom or your BFF, without so much as glancing at your phone. The app also monitors your phone habits like how many emails you send per day, who occupies the most of your time and how much time you waste on social media. The idea is to make you more mindful of your digital behaviours and ultimately wean you off your tech dependence. The gem is modular and can be worn as a ring, bracelet or pendant set in sterling silver and plated in either gold, rose gold or platinum. The jewellery is so gorgeous, you would never suspect it’s wearable tech. Starting at $175. vinaya.com
EMEL+ARIS SMART COAT
STYLE
Every now and then comes a product so ingenious, you can’t help but wonder: why didn’t I think of that? Anyone who has braved a Montreal winter will smack their heads over luxury British label Emel + Aris, developers of a line of smart coats that do double duty as electric blankets. The brainchild of former Montrealer and McGill alum Rana Nakhal Solset, the collection of impeccably tailored outerwear features an infrared heating system hidden in the lining and a rechargeable battery pack concealed in the pocket, which can also be used to charge your phone. There are three levels of heating – low, medium and high – allowing the wearer to keep warm for up to nine hours without ever compromising on style. To that end, the coats are made in Italy using the finest Loro Piana cashmere, wool and cotton. They are also windproof and water repellent, providing extra protection against the elements. The range features four elegant styles with sophisticated silhouettes, including a trench and wrap-coat for women and an overcoat and raincoat for men. Starting at $1300. emelandaris.com
MICHAEL KORS ACCESS SMARTWATCH
The line promises to be a stylish alternative to the Apple watch for the fashion crowd, with a unique, eye-catching design in keeping with the brand’s signature aesthetic. The watch comes in two versions, a sporty black model for men dubbed the Dylan and the all-metal Bradshaw geared toward women. The watches are chock-full of valuable features, including voice-activated commands, fitness tracking and smartphone notifications, and are a breeze to operate, even for the most amateur tech user. Still, the coolest element by far is that wearers can change the touch screen display at the swipe of a finger, either by alternating between digital versions of analog Kors watches or by personalizing their watch faces from scratch. Add to that interchangeable linked, leather and silicone straps and the possibilities are endless. Starting at $350. michaelkors.com
All photography SUPPLIED
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Michael Kors first teased his foray into smartwatches at Baselworld in early 2016 before unveiling the hotly anticipated Access Collection at his Soho flagship store during New York Fashion Week. To create the stunning timepieces, Kors linked up with Google, using their Android Wear smartwatch platform to bring the best of both high fashion and high technology to your wrist.
RADEN SMART LUGGAGE
Admittedly more portable than wearable, but for a brand that seamlessly fuses style and technology, we were more than willing to make an exception. The suitcases are sleek, modern and impossibly lightweight yet still incredibly durable, thanks to a hard polycarbonate shell. They come in a variety of colours and are completely monochrome, from the ergonomic handle right down to the 360-degree spinning wheels. They’re also decidedly high-tech, boasting a built-in scale, removable battery, and two USB ports so you can charge your phone on the fly – literally. The cases pair with Raden’s intuitive companion app, which provides useful travel information like updated security wait times, traffic alerts, real-time flight details and weather reports. Best of all, each piece is equipped with proximity sensors that use Bluetooth technology to track your bags within 100 feet. While this won’t make lost luggage a thing of the past, it eliminates the inevitable guessing game of waiting for your bags at the carousel. Raden currently offers two models: a TSA-approved carry-on ($295) and a 28-inch model for checking ($395), which can be purchased as a set for $595. raden.com
THE UNSEEN REACTIVE ACCESSORIES
Conceptualized by Lauren Bowker, a self-proclaimed material alchemist, each piece is embedded with a unique formula of reactive ink to provide a different user experience depending on the item being worn. For example, a stunning alligator-skin bag shifts colour according to the season. It turns blue in the summer, green in the fall, black in the winter and red during springtime. Other items, including a necklace, cuff, wallet, coin purse, iPhone case and backpack, respond to air pressure, wind, heat, light or touch. The centrepiece of the collection is a devoré silk scarf hand-painted with five different inks, causing the material to react differently to different body parts and produce patterns in response to motion. The accessories line ranges from $60 for a notebook to $3000 for a shoulder bag. This is one trip down memory lane that’s worth taking. theunseenemporium.co.uk
STYLE
Anyone nostalgic for the ‘80s and ‘90s will love THE UNSEEN’s grown-up take on the mood ring: a line of high-end colourchanging accessories merging the worlds of technology and fashion. The brand teamed up with lavish London department store Selfridges to produce the limited edition collection of exquisite leather accessories that react to the wearer’s skin and surrounding environment.
WISEWEAR SMART BRACELET
WiseWear recently debuted a fashionable smart bracelet that women will actually want to wear, even without its tech credentials. This should come as no surprise considering the collection of chic bangles was designed by legendary fashion icon Iris Apfel, who also stars as the face of the brand. In terms of function, the bracelet is part health monitor, part Life Alert pendant for the style set. As an activity tracker, its features are fairly standard, recording steps, distance, calories burned and hydration levels before relaying the data wirelessly to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The bracelet also offers mobile alerts by way of subtle vibrations that notify you when your phone receives a call, text or email. Where WiseWear differs from the average wearable on the market is in its billing as a personal safety device. Tapping the bottom of the bracelet in an emergency or threatening situation sends a discreet distress signal with the wearer’s location to a pre-programmed list of emergency contacts. Whether you’ve fallen and can’t get up or are being followed by an unsavoury character in a dark parking lot late at night, WiseWear will come to your rescue. The brand uses a patented antenna technology, eliminating the need for a screen and making the jewellery undetectable to potential aggressors. It also means that the bracelets can be worn with practically anything, from jeans and a T-shirt to an evening gown.
For more techcessories and other fashion cool, style to DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
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The three sleek styles of WiseWear bracelets are all made of brass and come plated in either palladium or 18-carat gold. From $295. wisewear.com
Naturally longer and thicker hair.
Available in Montreal. To book an appointment, please contact: 514-337-8088 - www.tresse.ca
CHARLIE LE MINDU
THE HAUTE COIFFEUR
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BEAUTY
HE’S THE DARLING OF THE FASHION WORLD YES, BUT THIS GROUNDBREAKING YOUNG TALENT IS TAKING HAIR AS WE KNOW IT TO NEW LENGTHS ... AND HEIGHTS. ENJOY THIS EXCLUSIVE SIT-DOWN.
Photography VALÉRIO MEZZANOTTI
BY JENN CAMPBELL
So that’s the definition of Haute Coiffure. However, it has admittedly evolved for me since I’ve begun working and gotten more into sculpture. Because I can now, for argument’s sake, give a table a hairstyle, I’ve come to see Haute Coiffure in a broader sense, as applying to objects in addition to people. As long as the quality of the hair is amazing, of course. Clearly, wigs float the Le Mindu boat, so much so that you’ve actually masterminded a line of your own. What is it about them that so enchants? Moreover, how do us regular, less gifted people pull off a Mindu and/or any wig? I actually have a ready-to-wear line of wigs coming out that will be available online and be very easy to wear. I think wigs are the future
What are your favourite transcendent, transformative magic potions and products? There is one brand that I absolutely loooove. It’s called Leonor Greyl. It’s all natural, and superexpensive, but well worth it. It contains natural bamboo oil that really does the trick. I highly recommend the bamboo shampoo and jasmine flower conditioner. Also, the powder is great for adding volume on bad hair days. Technology in all its glory is the theme for this edition. How has it influenced and inspired your worlds of creation? Technology is very important. I just did an exhibition in Tokyo where I had to mix hair with fiber optics, which was so cool and really made an impact. I always try to push myself farther, and technology allows me to do that. You’ve had the pleasure of teaming up with some pretty dreamy A-list creators, i.e., Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Kate Moss, and many more. Which fab collabs standout and why? I love working with celebrities. It’s very inspiring. When I worked with Lady Gaga, it was awesome because I was able to go crazy with my creations. She also has a huge and amazing team of professionals – so many stylists, makeup artists, etc. – that really augmented the experience. Charlie, we’re a book and brand about parties and party people. Per your bio, it sounds like
you’ve attended and hosted your fair share of spectacular soirées. In your expert opinion, what makes for a hot party? I throw the best parties for my birthday! When I do them, there are always 2000+ people invited. I’ve thrown some in Paris, and last year I hosted one in Vienna. It’s very important to have a dress code. For my last one, everyone had to wear a wig, and if you didn’t, you weren’t let in! I had people like Rick Owens who showed up without a wig and I didn’t let them in. I really don’t care. I think that a dress code/theme brings everyone together and makes the party more fun. Also, the guests had to leave their phones and cameras at the entrance, which really enhanced the “living in and enjoying the moment” dimension. We had the best time.
BEAUTY
Haute Coiffure is like haute couture but for hairstylists. In other words, considerable time and money is expended by a stylist in creating a collection, or even one particular style. It’s no longer a ready-to-wear kind of thing, but rather a creative and detailed process that takes much time, effort, imagination and skill to bring to life, using the best possible products and tools to do so. For example, when creating my own Haute Coiffure collections and custom creations involving additional hair, I work only with the highest quality Russian and Siberian hair because there are not many chemicals on them, which makes for excellent quality and results.
of hairstyling. Women just want great quality hair so they don’t have to damage their own. You just slip it on and go. We might even do a collaboration with Colette.
Sounds brilliant. Hoping I can score an invite to the next one. ;) And finally, my friend, before we bid adieu, one for the road: What should impression-making, entrance-loving party people do with their hair this holiday season? I don’t believe in trends. I believe in personalities. People should cultivate the hair that suits their respective personalities. That’s the best way to go. Ahhh, common sense. Love it!! Thanks for the sit-down superstar and keep up the fabulous.
For more on Charlie’s wow world, go to charlielemindu.com. For more from this exclusive sit-down and others, head to DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
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Charlie, you’re the creator/king of the “Haute Coiffure” movement which sounds so fabulous, chic and hairtastic! However, what does it mean for those who have never had the privilege of experiencing it before? Can you break it down for them?
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE SOME GOOD AT-HOME BEAUTY PREP. THANKS TO TECHNOLOGY, IT’S EASIER AND MORE FUN THAN EVER. POWER UP THE GOODS, SOCIAL GALS AND GENTS. FROM WHIRLING MAKEUP BRUSHES TO MICROCHIPPED HAIR DRYERS, GETTING GLAM HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER. WELCOME TO BEAUTY 2.0.
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BY ASHLEY KARP
Photography QVC.COM, GIZMODO.COM, GLOSCIENCE.COM, SKINCARERX.COM, SEPHORA.COM, EC21.COM
BEAUTY
THE BEST HIGH-TECH BEAUTY GADGETS
TRIA HAIR REMOVAL LASER 4X
Laser Hair Removal: The Home Game doesn’t exactly sound like a recipe for success, but when your other options are blistering hot wax, buying enough razor blades to plug a landfill, jabbing needles into each follicle or dropping your paycheck on years of professional treatments, it begins to sound more palatable. Tria 4X is the first and only FDA-approved hair removal laser that offers permanent results from the comfort and privacy of your own home. Using the same diode technology favoured by dermatologists, the laser targets the hair follicle without affecting the surrounding skin. Tria promises a 70% hair reduction after just two treatments and is ideal for those with light skin and dark hair. $515. triabeauty.ca.
DYSON SUPERSONIC
The tech geniuses at Dyson have done it again, this time turning their innovative eyes to the lowly hairdryer. Already being hailed as a hair “game-changer,” the Allure Best of Beauty award winner boasts a state-of-the-art design that is much smaller, lighter and quieter than your average dryer. The Supersonic uses the same patented technology as the Dyson Air Multiplier – aka the bladeless fan – with a motor stashed in the device’s ergonomic handle, making it feel less top-heavy and easier to wield. This also frees up space in the dryer’s head for a mini microprocessor, the brain of an intelligent heat control system that measures the air temperature 20 times a second to prevent heat damage and preserve your hair’s natural shine. While it won’t singe your hair, it may burn a hole in your pocket, ringing in at a cool $500, a small price to pay for the lushest locks on the block. dysoncanada.ca.
PMD PERSONAL MICRODERM GLO BRILLIANT PERSONAL TEETH WHITENING DEVICE
Many celebs cheat their way to a megawatt smile with costly porcelain veneers. Fortunately, there’s a better (and cheaper) way to score those coveted pearly whites. The GLO Brilliant Personal Teeth Whitening Device is a sleek little gadget that looks like it could be the latest creation from Apple. It’s clinically proven to whiten teeth by up to eight shades, banishing coffee and red wine stains in as little as five days with no teeth sensitivity. The high-tech device is also user-friendly and super portable, giving you professional quality results on the go for a whiter, brighter smile. $260. gloscience.com.
61-year old supermodel Christie Brinkley looks like she hasn’t aged a day in thirty years. What’s the secret to her fountain of youth? Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Enter the PMD Personal Microderm, a tool that expertly sloughs off dead skin cells to reveal a radiant, younger-looking complexion. Using professional-grade aluminum oxide crystals on spinning discs, the gadget delivers the same results as an in-office microdermabrasion treatment at a fraction of the cost. The PMD smoothes and evens skin tone, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, blemishes, large pores and even hyperpigmentation. Removing the barrier of dull dead cells on the skin’s surface also allows for a deeper and more effective penetration of your favourite products and serums. $200. getpmd.com.
BLENDSMART AUTOMATED MAKEUP BRUSH SYSTEM Bid your beautyblender adieu! The blendSMART Automated Makeup Brush System is the ultimate beauty hack for your inner lazy gal, performing all the heavy lifting of makeup application for you. The blendSMART is an automated makeup brush, whose soft, anti-bacterial, shedfree bristles rotate 190 times per minute to deliver even coverage with an airbrush-like finish. The brushes can be used with liquid, cream or powder makeup and come with interchangeable heads for foundation, blush or pressed powder. The blendSMART not only cuts down on getting-ready time but also uses roughly half the amount of product you would normally need. That’s what we call a win-win. $90 for the starter set. blendsmart.com.
DÉESSE PREMIUM LED MASK It may look like something straight out of a horror movie, but the Déesse LED Facial Mask will only send chills down your spine with results so good, they’re scary. Developed in South Korea, a country with serious skincare cred, the futuristic contraption sends UV-free wavelengths of light deep into the skin’s layers for smooth, flawless-looking skin. Each colour of LED light confers its own benefits: red stimulates collagen for anti-aging effects and firmer skin, blue light kills acne-causing bacteria and reduces inflammation, while the combination of both produces a magenta hue that promotes circulation and accelerates skin recovery. The Déesse mask should be used three to four times a week for twenty minutes to reverse ageing, banish wrinkles, dark spots, acne and redness and bring about world peace. Okay, maybe not that last part. $1800. shanidarden.com.
WWW.DAVINCIDENTISTERIE.COM
DIARY’S CHOICE FOR COSMETIC DENTISTRY
THE DISRUPTOR NANNETTE DE GASPÉ BEAUBIEN CHANGES THE FACE OF SKINCARE BY COLLEEN MCNAMARA
SHE’S GORGEOUS, GLAMOROUS, BRILLIANT AND ALWAYS FULL OF SURPRISES. WHO KNEW THAT HER MOST RECENT WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY? CONTRIBUTOR COLLEEN MCNAMARA BRINGS US UP TO DATE ON NANNETTE DE GASPÉ BEAUBIEN’S LATEST, GREATEST ADVENTURE …
Helping us unmasque our best faces: Beauty industry pioneer Nannette de Gaspé Beaubien, in a RAD HOURANI UNISEX COUTURE SEQUIN NAVY JACKET/ DRESS (radhourani.com, 231 St. Paul St. W, Montreal). Makeup ALEXANDRE DESLAURIERS (Folio Artists). Hair JASON WILLIAMS (Folio Artists). Assistants CATHERINE GAGNON, SARAH KOOF.
ingly endless array of hats, private equity professional Nannette de Gaspé Beaubien knows what it’s like to juggle a million things and seek to pack it all in to a 24 hour cycle. She’s also acutely familiar with the quest to look good while doing it all (including putting forth our best face, literally). Which is why she was more than a little intrigued by an offer she received over a year ago to invest in biotech company, Biomod Concepts. Having experienced firsthand the frustration of finding expedient result-based solutions for anti-aging skincare that didn’t require significant recovery time or excessive price tags, the busy professional was fascinated by the revolutionary advancements brought before her: A masque technology that was powerful, fast, non-intrusive, accessible, and easy to use. How could she not get involved? The savvy businesswoman with an eye for quality quickly signed on with the company, becoming its executive chair. The rest, as they say, is history (or rather, in this case, “herstory”). Nannette’s eponymous brand was born. After testing the lightweight masques in French laboratories, the face, hand and neck varieties were officially launched at luxury London department store Selfridges last May, and like the true entrepreneur she is, Nannette was there, on the front lines, to provide demos for initial customers. One can only imagine what it must have been like to experience their positive energy and enthusiasm for the first time and watch the products fly off the shelves. Not surprisingly, beauty powerhouses and aficionados at Elle, Glamour, Vogue and other media soon caught the buzz. “The response has been overwhelming,” she recalled with a smile, reflecting upon the whirlwind, “but it’s such an incredible product that I can’t be surprised, our technology has completely disrupted the anti-aging beauty market.”
product – including nourishing plant extracts, peptides, shea butter, avocado oil and vitamin E – deep into the epidermis via Biometric Micro Vectors (BMVs).” Boasting a soft, buttery texture, BMVs allow for prolonged release of the masques’ contents, ensuring that skin is fed the nutrients it requires, even well after the beautifying session is over. The ingredients are activated by the humidity and temperature the body naturally releases from the moment of application. While traditional water-based products temporarily fill gaps between cells, this progressive technology uses lipids to effectively repair cells three layers below the epidermis, offering unparalleled results.
APPLICATION As for application, think easy breezy. The light-
weight masques are placed effortlessly over the designated areas and take only 15 minutes for the magic to kick in, a perfect complement to an a.m. smoothie or chat with a friend. Even more amazing: Once the 15 minutes are up, there’s no need to rinse. Breakthrough technology does it again, the gift that keeps on giving.
BEAUTY
HERSTORY As a modern working woman wearing a seem-
FUTURE FAB The range currently features face, eye, mouth,
neck and hand masques, but the unstoppable beauty entrepreneur intent on delivering pioneering anti-aging skincare is not stopping there: 2017 will bring the much-anticipated introduction of plump and lift products for the bust and derrière (yes – lifting creams that actually work!) and, if you can believe it, a needle-free (!) injectable. Clearly, the future is bright for modern people seeking modern skincare solutions, ahem revolutions, thanks to a very modern and capable woman in our midst.
SCIENCE “This isn’t a typical face masque,” explained
Nannette, “it’s wearable skincare technology, thanks to a special lipidic molecule that delivers all of the goodness embedded within the
For more about the product and its namesake, go to nannettedegaspe.com. For more inspired and inspiring humans shaking up the humanscape, see our PROFILES section at DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
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Evidently, Nannette de Gaspé was exactly the type of product (and person) the beauty industry needed.
FITNESS
FITNESS GOES NEXT LEVEL BY OLIVIA COLLETTE
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EVER WISH SOMEONE COULD JUST WORK OUT FOR YOU WHILE YOU REAP ALL THE BENEFITS? WE’RE MOVING IN THAT DREAMY DIRECTION, MY LIKE-MINDED FRIENDS, AS THIS FASCINATING PIECE BY DIARYSTA OLIVIA COLLETTE WILL SHOW.
Here’s the thing: I want working out to evolve to the point where it does all the working out for me. We’re not there yet, of course, but these latest finds strongly suggest that this is what fit tech is aspiring to as well. Built-in trainers, electric motivators, smart garments, and an app for just about all of it: this is 21st-century living, folks.
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Can technology replace a personal trainer? It’s highly unlikely, but if it could, Athos would be first in line to try. Athos’s wearable technology is connected to a smartphone app, and together, they monitor your muscle effort and activation, balance, and heart rate using electromyography (EMG), which measures the muscles’ electrical activity. A device called the Core is loaded into your Athos shirt or shorts, which then reads data from the biosignal sensors that are integrated into the garments. The biometric data is conveyed to your smartphone in realtime, and helps you improve your workout as you’re doing it. Athos’s intelligent clothing can be purchased online, and costs vary between $348 (women’s workout capris) and $696 (men’s shirt and shorts with two Cores). liveathos.com
FITNESS
ATHOS
LUMO
FITNESS
Lumo develops wireless clip-on body sensors, like Lumo Run, which measures and provides biomechanic data while you run, and Lumo Lift, which corrects your posture. As part of its Run series, it’s also created shorts and capris with conductive threading that communicates information to the sensor. The Run garments and sensor provide live feedback on your running form, while monitoring your cadence, braking, bounce, pelvic rotation, and pelvic drop. Though it’s linked to a smartphone app, you can still run phone-free and receive feedback through headphones. The app also provides pre- and post-run exercises based on your running performance. A great gift idea for race chasers. lumobodytech.com
UP2 FITNESS TRACKER Sick of hearing about Fitbit? Me too. But it’s nearly impossible to write a fitness technology list without coming across it a few (hundred) times. Then, in my search, the UP2 emerged. It does more, it knows more, and it looks better. To the untrained eye, it’s a stylish bracelet. To the fit, it’s a tracker that knows when you sleep, eat, and engage in physical activity, all while making recommendations on what you should do next (like, say, take a brisk walk). Its battery life spans a whopping 10 days on a single-charge, and it can sync up to your smartphone wirelessly through Bluetooth, so your data is always available. It’s compatible with most Android and iOS devices, and it comes in various colours. jawbone.com/fitness-tracker/up2
SWORKIT
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But what if you aren’t a runner or a weight trainer? What if you just want to follow instructions and stick to a routine? The Sworkit smartphone and smartwatch app is on it, and it knows how to make it all about you. The best cut of all: no equipment required. You can customize your workouts to last anywhere between five to 60 minutes, and they include strength, cardio, yoga, Pilates, and stretching exercises. You can also personalize the sessions to make them better suited to what you like, or things you need to work on. The exercises also vary in impact as you become more agile and fit, and the premium version gives you access to on-call trainers who can answer your questions personally. Got kids? Sworkit has an app just for them too. sworkit.com
SMARTMAT I suppose it was only a matter of time before yoga mats started to talk back. The SmartMat is probably the only thing on the planet that works so hard while it just lays there. It senses you the moment you strike your first pose, and while it measures your alignment, it gives you feedback on your posture in real-time via a linked smartphone app. A stand is integrated into the mat to prop up your mobile device during your stretch, but before it gets there, it likes to get to know you with an initial calibration session. Kind of like a first date, but with your yoga mat, and without the crushing disappointment of Tinder. Oh, and SmartMat is totally cool with hot yoga. smartmat.com
PRAMA
FITNESS
Training to a video game’s been done before, but only PAVIGYM had the ambition to actually place you inside one as you work out. Based in sunny Alicante, Spain, the software company developed a totally unique interactive fitness platform that’s been implemented in gyms worldwide, including LifeFitness and TRX facilities. Laid out on the floor and walls, the PRAMA platform has several markings – squares, circles, etc. – that light up with an integrated LED system to prompt specific movements in your high-intensity workout. The program can be operated from smartphones, and PRAMA also has cloud capacity that allows gym members and trainers to connect from anywhere in the world. Despite looking like it’s straight out of Tron, it delivers on the tech. pavigym.com
EQUINOX TIER X
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Not satisfied to have one of the most expensive gym memberships out there at $26,000 per year, Equinox decided to turn its personal training up a notch (or 26,000). In August 2016, it rolled out its Tier X program, a “high performance lifestyle management” program. And just what does that mean? It starts with setting the electronics aside and focusing on the science of an incredibly complex computer called the human body. It entails harsh, seemingly impossible exercises like soaring out of three feet of water onto a platform in one leap, following that up with depth jumps, and doing one-armed push-ups while lifting a free weight with your “free” arm to cool down. If you’re willing to stretch yourself to the very limit of tolerability, Equinox personal training just might be worth the investment, if for no other reason than those swanky locker rooms. equinox.com
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FOOD & DRINK
BY LESLEY CHESTERMAN
YOU DIDN’T THINK TECHNOLOGY WOULDN’T COMPLETELY OVERHAUL OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD DID YOU? REVERED MONTREAL GAZETTE FOOD CRITIC AND RADIO-CANADA “CHRONIQUEUSE GASTONOMIQUE” LESLEY CHESTERMAN HAS THE TECH-FOOD 411.
I’m sitting in a swanky Montreal bistro with an ambitious chef and a crowd of diners eager to be impressed. Looking down at my salad, a classic frisée aux lardons, I spot an unexpected ingredient. Traditionally, this salad is topped with a poached egg (some might make it a fried egg, although poached is de rigueur), but the egg on top of this salad seems a little odd. I slice through and notice that instead of the usual firm white and oozy yolk, this egg is equally gooshy from end to end. No normal oeuf poché, what I’m faced with here is the oh so trendy 63-degree egg, an egg that’s not cooked for the standard four minutes, but often up to two hours. And not in simple boiling water either, but with the aid of an immersion circulator, a temperature-controlled water bath beloved by chefs. The technique involves placing the egg in a 63-degree water bath, in its shell, where it slowly cooks until it reaches the temperature of the continuously circulating warm water, the idea being, to promote slow, even cooking. Meat is cooked this way, fish too, even crème brûlée, yet because they have no shell, they’re vacuum-packed. Though some consider the 63-degree egg the epitome of egg cookery, the resulting gelatinous texture leaves the rest of us a little cold. But you can’t help but admire
FOOD & DRINK
WAITER, THERE’ SA 63-DEGREE EGG ” ON MY SALAD. HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE WAY WE EAT, DINE AND COOK the thought process behind it, transforming this humble ingredient into something completely unexpected. That happenin’ little egg is but a small example of the ways in which technology has transformed – and is continuously transforming – the way we eat. From the invention of the first kitchen appliances in the 20th century (electric ovens date back to the late 19th century, and the refrigerator, 1913) to the latest cuttingedge technique of making ice cream with dry ice, technology in the kitchen not only makes eating exciting, but also, easier. And while you sip that perfectly balanced espresso made with the aid of your chic Nespresso machine driven by “pod technology” imagine this: in New Zealand they’re already testing out pizza delivery not by car but drone technology. A pizza delivered to your door by drone? You betcha. Technology in the kitchen has been a hot topic over the past decade thanks in good part to the popularity of molecular gastronomy. Spanish chef Ferran Adrià and British chef Heston Blumenthal are widely regarded as the fathers of this movement, which required an arsenal of kitchen equipment as well as gels, emulsifiers, taste enhancers and acidifiers to transform food into something utterly unexpected. In
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the world of molecular gastronomy, technology became the third player in the kitchen alongside beautiful ingredients and the intensely-creative chef manipulating them. As Adrià himself said, his cuisine was designed to, “provide unexpected contrasts of flavour, temperature and texture. Nothing is what it seems. The idea is to provoke, surprise and delight the diner.” Yet despite its thrilling modernity, this trend was short-lived. Turns out few chefs had the talent, time and skill to make modernist cuisine come off as anything more than gimmicky. But the technological advances achieved carry on. You’d be hard-pressed to find a high-end restaurant kitchen today that doesn’t stock a vacuum-packing machine, siphons (for making all those fabulous foams), induction stovetops, convection/microwaveoven hybrids, silicone-coated baking sheets, immersion hand blenders, and the sort of precise digital scales favoured by chemists, pharmacists and drug dealers. That soft-serve ice cream we’re all lapping up in restaurants of late requires the use of an elaborate machine, and let’s not forget, the gadget located in most chef’s pockets to tell them when the custard
is set, the sugar is caramelized, the meat is medium-rare and whether the oven or fridge are at the right temperature: the humble thermometer – though chances are today it’ll be digital and attached to a monitor that sounds an alarm if the fridge or freezer temperatures veer off by even a few degrees. Such elaborate machinery is slowly making its way from commercial kitchens to home kitchens, yet sales of induction stovetops, combi ovens and vacuum-packing machines have a ways to go to replace gas burners, convection ovens and good ol’ plastic wrap. But take a closer look at your own kitchen, and you’re bound to find plenty of equipment that relies greatly on technology to simplify the cooking task. Microwaves are pretty standard and, no matter what the Facebook naysayers may say, absolutely brilliant! But how about crock pots, bread machines, rice machines, espresso machines and food processors? Think of how often we rely on hand blenders, stand blenders, and juicers? And let’s not forget the pressure cooker, a pot your grandmother probably used more than you do to make risottos, polentas, pulses, vegetables, soups and stocks in half the time of traditional boiling. Now there’s a piece of vintage
In this computer age of cooking, technology has also had a massive influence on the world outside the kitchen. Just think about how and where you’re acquiring recipes. Scanning cookbooks? Consulting food mags? Reaching out to your food-obsessed neighbour who makes the best burgers? Probably not. Cookbooks may be still selling well, but the majority of cooks are turning to search engines to find their curries, cakes and casseroles, as recipe searches are now outperforming books, magazines and even word-of-mouth recommendations. And the sheer choice boggles the mind. Even with over a thousand cookbooks in my personal collection, chances are, if I’m looking for a mac ’n cheese recipe, the first place I’ll head is Google. And how about those apps? In search of tonight’s dinner recipe, why not click on a favourite food personality’s app, be it Jamie Oliver’s, Mark Bittman’s or that of the eternally inspiring domestic goddess herself, Nigella Lawson. Cooking with Nigella by your side ... how lovely. When on her app, click on her recipe for – say – roasted chicken salad, and you’ll find the method, as well as an option to create a shopping list and a delightful video.
Ahh videos … I can recall not so long ago when food world mega stars like Julia Child and Wolfgang Puck were releasing CD-ROMs featuring cooking demonstrations. I myself purchased an entire series of VHS tapes starring Jacques Pépin explaining classic cooking techniques back in the mid-nineties. Today those tapes of mine – once the envy of countless foodie friends – are covered in dust as the destination for such displays is not so much the Food Network or PBS on weekends but YouTube, where you will find those very technique videos as well as probably any series Pépin has hosted as well as any interview he has given. Yearning to make a Salzburger Nockerl, chocolate mousse made with chickpea water or simply learn how the heck to cook kale? It’s all there, yours for the taking. And if not YouTube, how about all those videos tied to newspapers, magazines, and edgy food-centred sites like Grub Street, Eater, Serious Eats and Munchies. Some days I’m convinced I could go all Marie Kondo and chuck my entire cooking library in favour of wonderful web sites like Food 52, Epicurious, the still-sharp Martha Stewart or, closer to home, Canada’s most widely consulted recipe website, the always fabulous, ricardocuisine.com. As for dining out, the most recent advances in technology have allowed us to manage and surmount all sorts of previous obstacles as well, beginning with the most basic: actually locating a restaurant. Who among us – especially
when on foreign soil – has not circled time and again looking for our chosen eating destination only to end up facing a field, an empty locale or some place that’s not our chosen resto branché? Google Maps has pointed me to more than one obscurely-located restaurant, out-ofthe way boulangerie and little-known organic farm. And though I’m endlessly weary of the sometimes dodgy information provided by sites like Trip Advisor and Yelp, I cannot deny that when travelling I have relied heavily on crowd-sourced reviews to find a last-minute spot for a meal. Die-hard foodies have always prided themselves on their ability to nab a spot in the most exclusive of restaurants. Happily, booking a table has never been less of a hassle. Instead of leaving a message on a restaurant answering machine and biting your nails waiting for a call back, you can now reserve online thanks to sites like Open Table, which even allows you to make requests for say, a spot at the bar or birthday cake for a loved one. Yet even the veteran restaurant hound may have trouble acquiring a table at the world’s most sought-after restos, as in World’s 50 Best or triple-Michelin-starred. For last minute reservations in Canada’s best restos you can try a great new app called DINR, or in the States, there’s the app RESY. But with RESY there’s a catch: that reservation will cost you between $10 and $50. Ouch for some who think reservations should come free of charge, but hooray for others willing to shell out for that hard-to-get banquette.
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kitchen equipment worth pulling out of cold storage! Yet, alas, in this age of processed and ready-made foods, when the top cooking catchword is “easy,” cooking for many simply means reheating. While facilitating the tasks, technology has also made it easier to be lazy.
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"AS FOR DINING OUT, THE MOST RECENT ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY HAVE ALLOWED US TO MANAGE AND SURMOUNT ALL SORTS OF PREVIOUS OBSTACLES AS WELL, BEGINNING WITH THE MOST BASIC: ACTUALLY LOCATING A RESTAURANT. "
FOOD & DRINK
Once you’re seated and facing an especially comely scallop carpaccio or foie gras au torchon, who can resist sharing such delicacies with your sure-to-be-envious friends? One could argue that the photo sharing site, Instagram, was invented solely for the purpose of showing off everything from your beautiful children to your abs of steel. But when scanning the site, some of the most gawker-worthy images are actually of food. Find the top Parisian pastry chefs and you’ll see éclairs topped with edible renditions of the Mona Lisa. Click on to chef Mario Batali’s page and follow him as he wines and dines around Italy. Want to see what Gwyneth Paltrow made for supper or which celebrity chef she visited last summer? With Instagram, you can. Or how about just checking out the Instagram feed of the restaurant you’ll be visiting that night. The menu might list both guinea hen and sea bass, but you’ll enter already knowing which dish looks more appealing. When the foodies aren’t showing off their lobster ravioli appetizer or pizza sampled directly from the top wood-burning oven in Naples, the oenophiles are posting envy-inducing pictures of pricey Bordeaux, rare Burgundies and cult bottles of vin nature only the most devout aficionados can get their wine-stained fingers on. And the next morning, after the party’s over, and the only memory you have of that great Barolo you downed is a picture on your phone, you can turn to the latest technology to help you discover just what you drank. A new app called WineAdvisor (nicknamed the Shazam of wine after the app that identifies the music playing around you) can help you identify, read up on, rate and purchase a wine based solely on a picture of the label. Now how cool is that? And when you do locate that Barolo, put in an order, and wait for your Château fabulous to arrive, here’s hoping it will make an appearance just as that drone-delivered pizza lands somewhere near your front door. We may chuckle imagining such a fantasy scenario, but estimates place the pizza drone delivery system at between two-and-a-half to three years from today. Whoa.
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Come to think of it, at the rate we’re going on the food scene, technology might be making things a little too easy for the eager eater. Now if only it could find a way for us to avoid piling on the pounds. Here’s an idea: how about a treadmill to power all the eating apparatus? Score!
If fine food & drink float your boat, there’s plenty more where this came from at DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM. Let’s dine. ;)
TEN WAYS TO TAKE A BETTER INSTAGRAM FOOD PICTURE IS IT PHOTO WORTHY?
DON’ T FUDGE THE FILTERS!
I WANNA TASTE IT!
CHECK OUT THE COMPETITION
You love your hamburger and are convinced it’s da’ bomb! But really, is it all that? Instagram is packed with food images. Be sure that if you make the move to post something, it’s not just good, it’s fabulous. Sheer deliciousness is what you want from a food photo so that plate of food better be colourful, beautifully arranged and look so good that people will be tempted to lick the screen.
LEAN IN
Too many food shots are taken from a distance. If you want to get a feel for the taste, smell and mouthfeel of that croissant or slice of apple pie, get in close to show the texture of the dough, the creaminess of the filling, and the caramelization of the crust!
BRIGHTEN UP!
Restaurants are usually dimly lit, which means your food photos may come out dull, out-of-focus, or dark. Die-hard Instagrammers will request a table close to a light source, best of all being a window for unbeatable natural light. If you’re really dedicated, take your plate over to more brightly lit part of the dining room, or head to the kitchen to catch your plate as it’s coming off the line.
CREATE SOME ATMOSPHERE
There are billions of food images on the web so to make yours stand out, set the scene around it. Have a glamourous friend bite into that sandwich, set it down somewhere unpredictable (a haystack, a cactus, or somewhere risqué!), or simply place that simple taco plate in the foreground and make sure your background is super cool.
DITCH THE FLASH
I have rarely seen an amateur food picture taken with a flash that didn’t overexpose the shot. Instead seek out that natural light (see suggestion #4) actually heading outside if you can. And keep in mind, using a flash when taking pictures at the table is also incredibly annoying to your fellow diners.
Instagram filters are fun, but some give food an unappealing orangey or blue tint that’s not exactly appetizing. For extra effect slap on a filer if you please, but keep in mind, the best food photos are filter-free. Follow fellow food lovers on Instagram to get a sense of what you think looks great, such as shots taken from above, desserts, finicky plate presentations or scrumptious-looking fries. It’s all there for your inspiration.
GO BEYOND THE PLATE!
Some of the best food photography is not about food at all but about what’s around it. Working chefs, farmers markets, vineyards, farm stands, bakeries and even cooking supply shops can provide great material for beautiful pictures.
DON’ T BECOME THAT PICTURE PERSON
Having a meal with someone who is snapping pictures constantly is a big drag. Take a picture or two, make sure you have something special to share and then put the camera away. As fun as it is to show off tonight’s caviar, foie gras or molten chocolate cake, keep in mind you are there to share a meal with your friends, not your Instagram followers.
smittenkitchen.com Food blogger Deb Perelman has built a loyal following and burgeoning empire thanks to her wonderful food blog/website that features, in her words, “fearless cooking from a tiny New York kitchen.” This is a great place to find all sorts of delicious recipes that Perelman writes about with great flair. Her photography is another draw and the reviews and step-by-step instructions provide plenty of hand holding for beginner cooks. davidlebovitz.com Planning a trip to Paris or Greece? Interested in making the world’s best almond cake? Need some tips on how to buy cheese, or make jam or garlic soup or even salted butter caramel ice cream? This is the place to turn. American-born and Paris-based food blogger David Lebovitz will take you along on all sorts of adventures from Brooklyn (where he now spends part of his year) to Provence, and seemingly everywhere in between. His recipes are excellent and his writing is good fun and so far removed from much more uppity French-centred food prose. A joy! eater.com I’ve long been a fan of this New York-based website that features write-ups on America’s best restaurants as well as the latest foodie news and long reads about some of the most fascinating topics and challenges facing the food and restaurant scene today. I also turn to their Montreal page (http:// montreal.eater.com) for up-to-the-minute news. Their 38 Essential Restaurants list for our city is pretty solid as well.
LESLEY’ S FAVOURITE FOOD SITES FOR RECIPES FOOD & DRINK
epicurious.com An old-school favourite recipe website that started back in 1995 and today features over 33,000 recipes as well as videos, kitchen tips and other resources for the home chef. Most of the recipes here are from the Gourmet Magazine/Bon Appétit archives, including terrific vintage recipes as well as basics ranging from green goddess dressing to vichyssoise.
canadianliving.com This Canadian favourite may not be the sexiest of food sites, but you could argue that it is the best. Canadian Living’s strength is its test kitchen, which means the recipes they provide are guaranteed to work. And the sheer choice here – from everyday meals to elaborate feasts – is astounding.
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food52.com My absolute favourite site for out-of-the-ordinary recipes submitted by regular people who, it turns out, are often doing a better job cooking than a lot of pros. With their slogan, “Helping people become smarter, happier and better cooks,” Food 52 has created a huge online community where recipe sharing is the name of the game. There are also videos, pod casts, an online shop, and wonderful essays that usually lead up to extra-special recipes. It’s always a treat to spend time on Food 52.
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Photography COURTESY OF HENN-NA HOTEL
Celadon Villa, Koh Samui.
TRAVEL
TRAVEL
TRAVELLING AHEAD
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IN A WORLD WHERE TECHNOLOGY MOVES FASTER THAN EVER, TRAVEL HAS ALSO BECOME MORE EXCITING AND INNOVATIVE. THE FOLLOWING DESTINATIONS CURATED BY CONTRIBUTOR / TRAVEL BUFF OLIVIA COLLETTE COULD HAVE YOU RETHINKING THIS SEASON’S TRAVEL AGENDA AND LOGISTICS. ;)
Photography COURTESY OF HENN-NA HOTEL
HENN-NA HOTEL, JAPAN BY OLIVIA COLLETTE
TRAVEL
Travel and technology no longer exist in separate silos; they’re symbiotic. Too often, though, that merely translates into a cool new app or some gadgetry that’s an improvement on whatever its previous version was. But innovation can be the journey or the destination itself. This got me thinking about what it would mean to let newness take the wheel of the next vacation plan. Where would I end up? How would I get there? My research rounded up a few forward-looking finds that give fascinating answers to those questions.
When I stayed at the YOTEL in Manhattan, a robotic arm stored my luggage in a large cabinet wall. Once in my modular room, a simple click of a button could pivot, swivel, and shape the space and its furnishings to my needs whether I wanted to lounge, work, or sleep. Though I’m admittedly easy to impress, I was so sure I’d seen it all. But I should have known that Japan can out-automate anything. There, the Henn-na Hotel is run entirely by artificial intelligence. The moment you walk in, one of three multilingual androids greets you. There’s also a robotic arm storing guests’ suitcases, or a bell-bot to take them to your room, where motion sensors trigger the lighting system. Meantime, face-recognition software unlocks your room door, doing away with those easy-to-misplace keys. The only thing they haven’t managed to borgify is the cleaning service, but for eco-friendly purposes, it’s limited to towel replacement during your stay. You have to use your puny human body to make your bed and keep the room clean. h-n-h.jp/en
COMMERCIAL SPACELINE Photography COURTESY OF © 2016 VIRGIN GALACTIC
Never one to shy away from unchartered terrain, rogue CEO Richard Branson has put a lot of effort into Virgin Galactic, perhaps the most ambitious division of his company. It aims to be no less than the world’s first commercial space flight provider, developing crafts that will take earthling tourists to space … just to see. Having recruited everyone from astrophysicists to former NASA employees, Branson and his team are working towards the common goal of sending more non-astronauts into space. A number of setbacks got in the way of its originally intended 2007 launch, but Virgin Galactic has nevertheless forged on, planning its maiden voyage in the next few years. The quest is at least partly motivated by whimsy, but mostly driven by science. After all, once Branson conquers the atmospheric limits of our planet, can Mars be far behind?
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Note to travel buffs: Tuesday is TRAVEL TUESDAY in Diary world. Tune in for a weekly fix: DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
For just $250,000, Virgin Galactic will fly passengers into suborbital space, where they can experience zero gravity, and see Earth from the most exclusive vantage point. Some known names who have reportedly already made a reservation include Ashton Kutcher, Tom Hanks, and Katy Perry. The space ride only lasts six minutes, but it promises life changes and a total paradigm shift, which, I’m assuming, is where all the money went. virgingalactic.com
MODOBAG
Delayed flights also mean crowded airports. That’s usually my cue to turn my carry-on into a makeshift seat, for lack of the real thing in the jetty. Modobag turned that common pain point and put wheels on it. This drivable, motorized bag is a very simple concept. Despite its engine, it’s still carry-on sized, and its light aluminum chassis won’t tamper with your weight limit. What’s most remarkable is how well it’s equipped for the modern age; everything from a built-in GPS to a dashboard and dual USB ports are part of the package. It’s battery-operated and chargeable, and can be programmed to ride as fast as 8 km/h indoors, or 12.8 km/h outdoors. So now, when there’s a delay, I can motor on to the “fun” terminal while I wait for my flight to decide whether it’s staying or going. Luggage: I don’t lug you anymore. modobag.com
Photography COURTESY OF MODOBAG
GARDENS BY THE BAY, SINGAPORE Singapore’s Marina Bay is known for its multiple views. You could face the water from the perch of the famed rooftop infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands skyscraper hotel. Or you could book a night-time cruise and see the city’s luminous skyline from the water. On the shore, you could take a stroll through the Gardens by the Bay, a botanical environment that’s something of an experiment in bionic horticulture. The sprawling site is dubbed a “garden city,” inspired by Singapore’s urban landscape, but in plant form. Each environment is unique and breathtaking, from the enormous Flower Dome to the Cloud Forest, which showcases flora that lives in tropical highlands some 2,000 metres above sea level.
Okay, hear me out: I totally get that a vacation in the reallife Land of Always Winter doesn’t sound immediately appealing. For centuries, Antarctica’s merciless climate only drew in extreme adventurers, ballsy scientists, and the occasional lost colonist. But what if someone came along and made it bearable, even comfortable? Wouldn’t you be a little curious? Enter White Desert, the (only) company that offers luxury retreats in the Great White South. Its excursions were designed by avid Antarctica explorers to be like safaris on snow, complete with state-of-the-art dome-shaped sleeping pods and award-winning cuisine. On the trip, you can arrange to observe emperor penguins, visit ice tunnels, or mountain climb along the western edge. The fibreglass sleeping pods themselves were custom-made for White Desert, and are ideally shaped to withstand the strong Antarctic winds. Because they’re semi-permanent and have no foundation, they can be removed without leaving a trace, which is also part and parcel of White Desert’s zero-impact policy.
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GLAMPING IN ANTARCTICA
It could easily be described as a feat in environmental engineering; not a single system in the Gardens was conceived without considering its impact on the area, and how it could be synergetic with it. For one, the waste generated by Gardens and around Singapore is burned in an on-site biomass generator, which produces energy that keeps the conservatories cool, and helps the botanical gardens save 30% on energy. The most impressive spot is no doubt Supertree Grove, where 25- to 50-metre canopied metal structures were built to support tall vertical gardens. At night, they come alive with a colourful lightshow made possible by photovoltaic cells built into the canopies, which harness solar energy that’s then used to illuminate the trees when the sun goes down. Of course, if you’re perched on the pedestrian path that wraps around and connects the Supertrees, the panoramic vista from 22 metres above the ground might prove to be too distracting to think about any of that. gardensbythebay.com.sg/en.html
Photography WHITE DESERT
Photography COURTESY OF GARDENS BY THE BAY
If all this eco-opulence doesn’t earn this vacay a spot on the bucket list, perhaps its price tag will. For a cool $45,000, you can stay here for one frigid week. They also offer short-andsweet 12-hour tours. white-desert.com
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In accordance with the Antarctic Treaty’s environmental tourism guidelines, the camp produces no waste on-site. It’s also powered by photovoltaic solar panels for electric supply, and solar water heaters for the showers. They’re a carbon neutral company, which means they offset all their emissions.
DAWN A striking, seductive encounter
The new Dawn has arrived – a Rolls-Royce like no other. A striking true four-seater, it captures the exhilaration of open-top driving with an interior crafted in anticipation of unforgettable moments between friends. Anything is possible. To start your journey, contact: Frank Peronace 514-738-3030 frankperonace@rolls-roycemotorcars-quebec.com
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FURNITURE PHENOM INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCER
NESTING
ANTOINEROSET ON NESTING, ESCAPING, TECHNOLOGY AND MORE BY JENN CAMPBELL
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ANTOINE ROSET IS THE NAMESAKE GREATGREAT GRANDSON OF THE FOUNDER OF LEGENDARY FRENCH FURNITURE DESIGN HOUSE LIGNE ROSET, AND EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF ROSET USA. WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF A COOL AND CANDID EXCHANGE THIS PAST SUMMER WHEN HE STOPPED IN FOR AN APPEARANCE AT FESTIVAL MODE & DESIGN. COURSE WE WERE SEATED ON AN ICONIC ROSET COUCH AT THEIR SLEEK SHOP-WITHIN-A-SHOP AT MUST. WHERE ELSE WOULD WE BE?
Antoine, although we’re a party publication and portal, we do value the importance of good escapes, be they in the form of travel, day spas, smelling the roses or simply nesting in the peaceful tranquility of our own homes. Given your professional perch at one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative furniture houses, what are your recommendations for creating the optimal home oasis to relax and recharge? That’s a very tough question because creating that space is quite subjective. Personally, I like to think that your interior has to be exactly what and who you are as a person. It’s nice to have fashion and trendy magazines that talk about interior design but in the end, it all depends on you. I’ve noticed too that as I grow, my opinion on what my preferred interior should look like has changed as well. For example, now that I have a family of my own, it’s different. We keep our home the way we want; it’s not entirely kidproof, but it’s manageable! Finally, in creating that space, lighting for me is always key. If you don’t have the proper light,
Photography AUDE ADRIEN
whether it be natural or not, it will change the way everything looks and feels in your home. Even when inhabiting the most serene of residences, life does sometimes call for an actual escape. When you feel that call, where do you go and what do you do? In New York it’s quite difficult to escape the city so the only way I can really do that is through sports. I go to the gym once a week. Boxing is fast and an excellent workout. In the winter I love skiing and in the summer or when away, golf is another great go-to. It allows me to take my time and relax without my cell phone, with my family and friends. In terms of travel, Corsica is my favourite destination. My family started going there 45 years ago and we’ve been going to the same place ever since. We love spending time there with the whole family. I also love travelling to the Caribbean with my wife and kids during the wintertime. Since we always travel around Europe, we’ve been travelling to the US a lot, to mix it up a bit!
NESTING
"ALTHOUGH ALL OF THIS TECHNOLOGY IS GREAT, THERE IS ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN DRAWINGS AND DESIGN WHERE IT IS EASIER TO EXPRESS YOUR VISION THROUGH REAL DRAWINGS."
Photography SUPPLIED
Although we can never underestimate the importance of human drawings and design (it’s easier to express your vision through real drawings), technology has been a great thing for the furniture industry for many reasons. First, we can produce better and faster. Technology allows us to push the boundaries of design. We can use 3D machines to cut wood and such into the shapes we need. Manually, this takes much more time. The new technology is also very beneficial for the environment. We have less waste than ever before because with the new programs, we can secure the exact measurements of fabric required. And of course, we now have integrated outlets in all of our newer furniture and cabinetry so that you don’t have to go behind the cabinets to plug in.
As a party-centric brand, we’d be remiss if we didn’t ask about the best parties you’ve been to and what made them so fabulous? Lately I haven’t partied much. Our baby is only 18 months old. I guess the party these days is when we actually sleep more than four hours! Finally Antoine, given your impeccable taste and obvious sartorial elegance, what/who are your go-tos on the fashion front? I’m a big fan of Alber Elbaz at Lanvin. There’s just something in his designs that’s elegant, without being too much. You can be casual and chic with Lanvin. I also love the materials they use. For jeans, Levis is my go-to. Thanks for the sit-down Antoine and thanks for bringing the light and magic of your designs and knowledge to Montreal. For more on the fine lines of Ligne Roset, go to ligneroset.com. To view the brand live, go to any MUST location. For more from this spirited exchange and others, visit DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM. 149
Antoine, for every volume, we select a theme. This is the technology edition and we’re exploring how today’s rapidly evolving worlds of technology and science impact our lives and lifestyles. How has technology impacted your industry?
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HIVING
THE MASTERFUL WORLD OF
PHILIPPE MALOUIN
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WHILE WE’RE ON THE TOPIC OF MASTERMINDING THE ULTIMATE IN ESCAPE HIVES, NESTS, OR WHATEVER TERM YOU FANCY FOR TRANQUIL REGENERATIVE HOME SURROUNDINGS POST-PARTY, WE COULDN’T NOT PAY HOMAGE TO THE GARGANTUAN TALENT OF MONTREALER PHILIPPE MALOUIN, WHO, FROM HIS BASE IN LONDON, IS MAKING QUITE THE IMPACT ON GLOBAL DESIGN.
Featured pieces, photography courtesy of PHILIPPE MALOUIN
Design master Philippe Malouin in a RAD HOURANI ZIP BLACK DENIM JACKET (radhourani.com, 231 St. Paul St. W, Montreal). Grooming SASHA ANDY.
BY JENN CAMPBELL
And, as is often the case with Rad (and my mother, but we digress), he was right. Spot on. Fascinated by the concept of building things from a young age (a workshop in his childhood home served as the perfect backdrop from which to explore earlier inspirations), Philippe continued to pursue his passion for and interest in design at the prestigious Design Academy Eindhoven and École nationale supérieure de création industrielle in Paris. He also studied at the Université de Montréal. Given his colossal creativity and thirst for knowledge, Philippe’s more formal studies were, not surprisingly, soon supplemented with several years of European travel, as well as experimentation in a variety of fields. Eventually, the ambitious young Montrealer made his way to London where, thanks to the drill and table saw stashed in his suitcase, he was able to morph a warehouse space he found online into a functional living space. How, you ask? By crafting necessities – including a shower, kitchen and sleeping area – out of the scraps he found on London streets. Yeah, pretty amazing stuff and we haven’t even scratched the surface.
As for the award-winning fruits of his labour and passion, like WOW. Constantly deriving inspiration from the smallest and biggest things in his midst (even a simple concrete wall takes on special meaning for him), Philippe continues to amass a body of work so impressive and distinctive in its minimalist, pragmatic and enduring beauty that you don’t know where to look or what to order first! (I’m contemplating a big reno of my personal hive, so the latter was admittedly an issue.) Some of his most awe-inspiring pieces (in my humble opinion, and despite loving it all) are the ones he made for his recent Connection collection, for homeware brand OTHR, as well as the Mollo armchair for Established & Sons, Ace stool for Ace Hotel, Eclipse lighting for Roll & Hill, and Typecast chair and table for Matter. Striking too, but not unexpected, is his use of innovations in technology. While state-ofthe-art materials certainly assume a pivotal role (layered, pigmented medium density fiberboard, or MDF, is a favourite material), it’s evolutions in production like 3-D printing
that are arguably most significant for him. In fact, the aforementioned Connection series (plus another one he created for like-minded, forward-thinking clients) were made with 3-D printing, inspiring Philippe to build his very own 3-D printer. Told you the story keeps getting better. Who makes their own 3-D printer?! ;) And even luckier for us, Philippe’s contributions to the earthscape don’t stop at astonishing objects. Like many of the creators he greatly admires, he views creativity in a more fluid, expansive manner, seeking to create in many ways (he prefers a process-based approach over more conventional linear modes of production), and across many platforms.
HIVING
“What he’s doing on the design front is impressive,” Rad said.
Next, Philippe went on to spend some exceptionally enlightening and formative time working with English designer Tom Dixon, before setting up his own studio in 2009 and quickly emerging as a one-to-watch in the design arena, while garnering a bevy of awards and accolades along the way – from the likes of W Hotels (Designer of the Future) and Wallpaper (Best Use of Materials) – and attracting the attention of big name companies seeking creative collaborations, like Hem, Ace Hotel, Izé, Roll & Hill, 1882 Ltd., Kvadrat, Established & Sons, Matter, Umbra Shift, Caesarstone, Swarovski, Bloomberg, Aesop, and Touch Digital.
Philippe is currently the director of POSTOFFICE, an architecture and interior design practice, which gives him the opportunity to enjoy a host of design challenges, such as a chic café that he and his team designed for Artek called Fernandez & Wells in London’s Clerkenwell district. Clearly, as Rad initially noted, Philippe is really impressive, and it’s truly an honour to feature him and his work in this edition.
For more of Philippe’s mastery, head to philippemalouin.com. For more cool exclusive profiles, call on us at DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM.
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The truth is I wasn’t acquainted with Philippe’s revolutionary work in the world of design until recently, when my dear friend and creative collaborator / designer / visualist Rad Hourani (whose respective ingenuity can be felt throughout this volume and others) suggested I consider Philippe for a profile in this technology-themed edition.
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CULTURE 158
Adam Basanta’s A Truly Magical Moment incorporates technology, sound and sculpture to show real, human expressions of emotion using mediums like the smartphone. Photography ADAM BASANTA
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ART
CONTEMPORARY ART MEETS CURRENT TECHNOLOGY
CULTURE
SMART
CULTURE
What’s art, you ask? Any old, ordinary object, according to French artist Marcel Duchamp, who came up with this concept over a century ago. Conceptual art (amongst many other important events in the art world) followed hot on the heels of his revelation. It prized the idea as paramount and the material form as secondary. With these barn doors blown wide open, artists started looking anywhere and everywhere for new avenues of production, and it was only a matter of time before art and technology began to mingle. Fast forward to today, when something as low-rent as a video of a cat playing the piano on YouTube or as sophisticated as 3D printing can be used to make or be art, as artists are always lurking in the background, ready to exploit technology’s latest – or overlooked – offerings. From the endless possibilities of the internet and ease of creating digital video to popular gaming culture and the ever evolving smartphone, what’s exciting right now is how accessible and readily available all new technology is. Gone are the days when artists had to grovel to use a video camera the size of a carry-on suitcase (aka the Sony Portapak) to make an art video with the resolution of your grandmother’s needlepoint. Now we all walk around with cameras capable of shooting in high definition and have access to tiny computers powerful enough to manipulate photos and video, or create bespoke content as polished as that of most digital effects companies. All this – plus a generation of young people who’ve grown up only knowing life with computers and the internet – has created a wave of energetic new artists who are as comfortable creating content for Instagram as they are for an art gallery.
BY ROBB JAMIESON
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ONE OF THE GIFTS OF COVERING THE SOCIAL SCENE HAS BEEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE AMAZING LOCAL ART MUSEUMS, WHICH, IN TURN, HAS UNEARTHED A LOVE FOR, AND CURIOSITY ABOUT, THE ART WORLD. THROW IN THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND WELL, THERE’S EVEN MORE TO BE WOWED BY, AS THIS COMPELLING PIECE BY NEW DIARY CONTRIBUTOR ROBB JAMIESON UNDERSCORES.
“Artists are often the first to take technology that was intended purely for the marketplace and industry to deeper levels, in order to realize their ideas and visions,” explains Cheryl Sim, curator of Montreal’s DHC/ART Foundation for Contemporary Art. “These applications can be celebratory and also critical, but in most ways, artists’ use of technology – from video in the 60s to the re-emergence of virtual reality today – serves to challenge entrenched perceptions of what technologies are meant for and who they serve.”
ternet. His ongoing project, 9-Eyes, captures odd and poetic moments taken by the nine cameras that are mounted on the roofs of the cars that take images for Google Street View. Rafman explores the street views for hours, isolating images inadvertently photographed by an automated machine, looking for the art in everyday life. Montreal artist and experimental musician Adam Basanta uses technology, sound and sculpture to show us real, human expressions of emotion using mediums like the smartphone. “Creating work with new technology speaks to this immediate and current understanding of devices,” says Basanta. A Truly Magical Moment is an interactive kinetic sculpture that uses two iPhones mounted on separate selfie-sticks that are facing each other and spinning. The two devices are connected via FaceTime and as they become visible in each other’s screens they start to rotate, recreating the spinning of two lovers gazing into each other’s eyes on a dance floor. Finally, Nova Scotia-born Hannah Epstein’s tongue-in-cheek approach is very much rooted in pop and online culture as she links DIY video game making, video art, and surprisingly, rug hooking. Epstein weaves hooked rugs with contemporary imagery, from texting symbols to sushi, bringing the old-timey tradition into the Etsy, digital now (Epstein even created a hook rug GIF). “I always describe the hooking as analog pixel art as they’re filled in square by square to complete an image, just like your computer screen does,” says Epstein. “The hook rugs reach into popular culture for dialogue, and because new technology makes the architects and actors of that world so accessible, it’s that part of the digital that somehow comes back and influences the physical.” Regardless of how these artists are putting it to use, technology is just a new set of tools for them – a means of creating new ways to see and experience the world around us. And if ready-to-use paint in a tube was once considered a new technological benchmark, just imagine how far we’ve come … and where we’re going.
Take Brooklyn-based Cory Arcangel, one of the first generations of artists who grew up with the technology of computers and video games. He not only uses new forms of technology in his art, it’s also steeped in nostalgia for the digital culture of the past. Gaining international attention for his Nintendo game cartridge manipulations, where he modified circuit boards to create works of art, Super Mario Clouds (2002) is a Mario Brothers game that was modified to only play the clouds that would normally pass by almost unnoticed in the game’s background. The result is a deceptively simple digital piece; a minimalist meditation on art, video, and gaming culture. Jon Rafman, a world-renowned Montreal artist who is also considered a new tech pioneer, examines the culture of computers and the in-
For more cool art and culture stuffs, visit us online at DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM. Fun you will have.
CULTURE
Jon Rafman’s -Eyes captures odd and poetic moments taken by nine cameras mounted on roofs of cars collecting images for Google Street View. Photography: 3081 Valmont Rd., Boulder, Colorado, USA, 2012, archival pigment print, 101 x 162 cm (40 x 64”), courtesy of the artist and Galerie Antoine Ertaskiran.
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Hannah Epstein’s tongue-in-cheek approach is rooted in pop and online culture as she links DIY video game making, video art, and surprisingly, rug hooking. Photography HANNAH EPSTEIN
PROFILES
ALEXANDRE TAILLEFER
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TAKING ON TRANSPORTATION
Techpreneur and global imprinter Alexandre Taillefer in a RAD HOURANI UNISEX NAVY TRENCHCOAT AND BLUE SHIRT (radhourani.com, 231 St. Paul St. W, Montreal). Grooming ALEXANDRE DESLAURIERS (Folio Artists). Assistants CATHERINE GAGNON, SARAH KOOF.
BY OLIVIA COLLETTE
Most futurist entrepreneurs would have looked at the Montreal taxi maze and decided it was a lost cause. Alexandre Taillefer isn’t one of them. He didn’t just make taxis his business; he built his taxi business in response to the industry’s current flaws. “When certain industries fall prey to public indifference, I get interested,” he said. “Traditional taxies don’t have a lot of competition, but their potential for growth is spectacular. They’re part of the ‘transportation cocktail’ every city needs.” Launched in April 2016, Téo Taxi is what Taillefer brings to the mix. You start your Téo journey by downloading the smartphone app.
Sure, Taillefer and the start-up behind it, Taxelco, totally modernized the taxi experience. But more surprising still is that they insisted on playing by the book, and operating by the same rules as every other conventional cab in Montreal.
While it’s difficult to put a dollar value on culture, it isn’t hard to evaluate Taillefer’s contributions to it. For the past nine years, he and wife, Debbie Zakaib, have hosted the annual MAC Ball (covered in this edition), a benefit event that’s raises important monies for the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal Foundation, which helps the museum boost its collection, produce compelling exhibits, and promote arts education.
What’s more, with its groundbreaking technological approach, Téo Taxi propelled the provincial government to refuse to give in to Uber. The effort wasn’t wasted: Uber eventually had to comply with Quebec’s laws.
Taillefer humbly gives all the credit to his wife for the fruitful (and popular) happening, without forgetting to credit the committee behind it. Mostly, he’s just as amazed as attendees when he sees what they pull off.
“When we started fighting Uber,” Taillefer recalled, “nobody thought the government would be that strict. Without Téo Taxi, Uber may have gotten some leeway.”
“It’s the only fundraiser I know of that’s sold out nine months before it even takes place,” he beamed. “But those who attend give the MAC Ball team the drive to outdo themselves year after year.”
This isn’t the first time Taillefer, managing partner at XPND Capital, worked towards a more interesting – and at times sustainable – destiny for Montreal and, all told, Quebec. He founded companies like Stingray Digital, Galaxie, Nurun, and The Karaoke Channel. He’s also sat on many boards, including those of Montreal-based LED-luminaire manufacturer Lumenpulse, design firm gsmprjct°, and independent game developer Behaviour Interactive. He’s also chairman of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. But what truly caught my attention is his role as co-founder of Mishmash, which will export Quebec cultural savoir-faire hailing from La Tribu, Piknik Électronik, and Productions Opéra Concept MP.
PROFILES
Every green-and-white Téo vehicle is electric, and each comes with free wi-fi, a customizable radio, and a touchscreen in the back seat showing the journey’s progress.
“Culture feeds the soul,” he mused. “Without it, our lives have no purpose. It’s our lot in life to try to understand why we’re here and to look for answers. Sometimes, that comes from getting involved in society, whether it’s political or otherwise. Not everyone wants to get involved in culture, but I’ve been doing it for close to 20 years. For me, culture is vital to any city.”
So what’s next for Taillefer? More of everything. “Téo is bigger than taxis,” he said. “It’s deliveries, buses, trucks; multi-faceted, multi-service.” As an investor, he won’t limit himself to transportation. “There are so many spectacular tech companies in Quebec,” he said. “We’ll continue to shepherd them towards international growth.” He’ll be needing more fingers for all those pies, but one of these tech companies he plans to support will surely have an app for that. 163
SEEING THAT THIS IS THE FIRST EVER TECHNOLOGY-THEMED EDITION, WE WOULD BE TOTALLY REMISS WERE WE NOT TO SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON TWO OF THE CITY’S MOST ACCOMPLISHED TECHPRENEURS … WHO ALSO HAPPEN TO BE MAKING QUITE THE IMPRESSION ON THE CULTURAL FRONT. WE BEGIN WITH ALEXANDRE TAILLEFER, AN OUT-OF-THEBOX THINKER CURRENTLY BRINGING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO THE WORLD OF TRANSPORTATION WHILE TAPPING INTO COOL NEW WAYS TO SHARE CULTURAL SAVOIR-FAIRE.
From there, you book your trip. The charge for your ride is made to your credit card, with a 15 per cent tip automatically added to the total. And you’ll want to tip the drivers, because they’re notoriously friendly, which happens when you pay them a decent wage and don’t force them to work 14-hour shifts to make ends meet.
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PROFILES
DAX DASILVA ALWAYS TOGETHER
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WE MOVE NOW TO TECHPRENEUR DAX DASILVA WHO BRINGS THE SAME COMMITMENT TO AND LOVE OF PEOPLE AND DREAM BUILDING TO HIS CLOUD-BASED POINT-OF-SALE SOFTWARE AND ECOMMERCE COMPANY AS HE DOES HIS NON-PROFIT SPACE FOR EMERGING ARTISTS.
Techpreneur and dreambuilder DAX DASILVA in a TIGER OF SWEDEN SUIT (Tiger of Sweden de Montréal) and ETQ shoes. Photography MARTIN FLAMAND
BY OLIVIA COLLETTE
When I take a break from people-watching in this 12,000 square-foot-space that’s both supersized gallery and compact show venue, I take in the artwork. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t root me at all. The video-mapped “Moon Room” and the LED-lit “Sun Room” challenge you to sit and stare. Several artists have been invited to show their photographs, paintings, collages, and sculptures. Outside, a series of white balls float in the centre’s rectangular pool, providing the perfect canvas for a series of video projections. I hear a whopping 14 artists are featured here tonight for Never Apart’s packed Fall Vernissage launch.
“(Montreal) is a super-creative city where artists can afford to live and to produce work,” he beamed. “It has been such a huge part of my life, with all the inspiration it’s brought to my life, and all the things I’ve been able to do here. The city’s strengths are tech and culture; it’s the best place in the world to have a tech start-up.”
While you expect a mixed bag at any vernissage, this place has taken that expectation to its most radical conclusion. Anyone, anything: it’s all on display. Of course, that’s exactly how Never Apart’s founder, Dax Dasilva, intended it.
What’s most impressive about Lightspeed is that Dasilva isn’t all that interested in courting the big chains and franchises. Instead, after giving small retailers the necessary tools to run their businesses in the 21st century, Lightspeed focused in on restaurants.
Dasilva, CEO of the aforementioned Lightspeed, could easily have abandoned the old offices when his company grew from 50 to 550 employees in four years. Or, as is the most common trend in Montreal, taken a heap of cash from a developer so the contemporary building could be turned into a swanky condo development. Instead, he chose to use it as a means to enliven the city, which, arguably, is similar to Lightspeed’s raison d’être. “What we really care about is the character and uniqueness that small businesses bring to a city,” said Dasilva in an interview the day after the opening. “Lightspeed is about bringing cities to life, and putting small and medium businesses on par with big chains.” In 2005, Lightspeed began as point-of-sale (POS) software, but specifically with the small
For Dasilva, re-empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SME) was tantamount to making sure cities like his beloved Montreal kept their personality.
For him, there’s very little that separates Never Apart and Lightspeed. They’re both about enabling creativity. Lightspeed puts the little guys on par with the big bosses, while Never Apart gives little- or unknown artists the exposure they need to gain recognisability.
“We care about every block of the city,” he explained. “We understand the mentality of people who want to start things and create small or medium businesses; so we thought, why don’t we extend that to restaurants, cafés, and bars?” The big steps that followed were allowing SMEs to do business on the cloud, and offering an omnichannel solution that connects street-side businesses to a powerful ecommerce platform, creating a seamless shopping experience, whether in-store or online. Lightspeed’s clients now have more flexibility, and the ability to manage all the facets of their business – inventory, online exposure, brand development, sales, and customer service – from a single platform.
“Consumers are in charge now,” Dasilva said. “They do a lot of research before going anywhere. When they make it to your store, they’ll get immersed in the brand and experience the products, and they might buy multiple things. Online behaviour is driving offline behaviour, and we want to help small and mediums-sized businesses on the street.” And to get there, Dasilva puts himself at street level. At Lightspeed, located on the border of Old Montreal and Downtown, Dasilva’s office isn’t in some swish corner, walled off from the rest of the staff. It’s spacious, with lots of natural light, and he shares it with the employees sitting on the other side of glass panels that enclose it. He can see them and they can see him. You get the sense that it’s set up to facilitate an exchange; like Dasilva wants to know exactly what’s going on from the source, rather than from periodic reports.
PROFILES
business owner in mind. Because it was Applebased, it was generally easy to use, even for non-geeks. Plus, it provided small retailers with tons of useful data on their inventory, buying trends, and staff info; the kind of stuff only bigger franchises had access to. Today, the company has more than 40,000 customers worldwide.
His is a personal touch. In fact, he was the one to give me the tour of Never Apart when I arrived because that’s the way he rolls; he’s just really, sincerely proud of everything the centre has to showcase, and loves to share the details about it firsthand. It’s consistent with his passion for small businesses; Dasilva’s the kind of person who would call you just to tell you about an interesting little place he just found on some street he’d never wandered onto before. And from that moment on, he’ll always care about what’s happening on that street.
For more difference makers and globe betterers, see our PROFILES section at DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM. 167
When I walk into Never Apart, an ultramodern cultural centre located in Mile-Ex, fashioned out of the former Lightspeed headquarters, I’m struck by the assortment of people. Young hipsters hobnob with middleaged urban professionals; a couple of mothers have newborns stashed in their slings; I also see a few four- and five-year-old children with their parents; then there’s a pixieish lady with bleached blond hair, dressed in a willowy white dressing gown, white tights, and black rubber flip-flops.
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LOVE, TECH, BABY! MOBILE APPS
THAT ARE CHANGING THE LOVE GAME BY COLLEEN MCNAMARA
AHHH DATING IN 2016. THIS JUST MAY BE WHERE WE ‘FEEL’ THE TECHNOLOGY MOST. CROSSING FINGERS THE FOLLOWING WILL ENLIGHTEN AND ENSURE A APPILY EVER AFTER WITH YOUR NEW MATE. ;)
The good news is that there’s much more than good ol’ Tinder available, and the even better news is there’s an app out there that caters to your unique style of loving. You just haven’t found it yet.
GET INTO THE GROOVE ON TASTEBUDS
Ever go on a truly remarkable date, only to discover midway through your romantic shared dessert that they listen to Nickelback? Tastebuds is one surefire way to ensure that you’ll have something – and that’s a very crucial something for many – in common: music. Tastebuds connects you with people who have the same taste in music as you nearby, within an age range of your choosing. Not only does Tastebuds look after your initial conversation starter (“Hey, have you listened to their new album yet?”), the first date idea is a no brainer: a concert, of course! Even if you don’t find the Sonny to your Cher, chances are you’ll come across some cool new potential pals on Tastebuds.
RAYA: THE APP FOR THE OH-SO-EXCLUSIVE ONES
Developed by Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe, Bumble’s swipe, like & chat concept is similar to its famous counterpart, but with a twist: only women can start a conversation. Like most apps, you sign up with your Facebook profile and curate your Bumble profile based on information you opt to pull from Facebook. Men sign up, peruse bumblebees in their area, and receive a notification when a mutual match has occurred. What’s the catch, you ask? Gals only have a 24-hour window to initiate conversation before their hornet disappears into the Bumble abyss. Indecisive people and procrastinators can choose to extend the day-long deadline with one match per day. Phew!
Vogue dubbed Raya the “Soho House of Dating Apps” and New York Magazine considers it the “Tinder for Illuminati.” Raya is easily the most exclusive app on the market, geared to connect the cool kids across the globe. Its selection committee accepts people in creative industries, and it’s unsurprisingly the choice application for stars – John Mayer and Cara Delevingne are both said to be Raya users. If you manage to wiggle your way into the Raya world, you’ll be connected with people all over the globe; this app operates on the assumption that you can hop in your private jet to go and meet your potential new lover in Fiji. Profiles are made by stringing together a collage of Instagram photos, and apparently the selection committee gives preference to those who have a significant Instagram following.
THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS WITH ALIGN
FOODIES UNITE! FIND YOUR DREAM DINNER DATE ON DINE
POWERED BY HER: FIND YOUR HONEY ON BUMBLE
Okay, flower children, this one’s for you. If your classic icebreaker is “what’s your sign?” this might be your new favorite app. The slogan for Align is “Injecting soul back into online dating,” and the concept is based entirely off of making astrological matches from capability reports born in the zodiac world. Not only does the interface look like an entrancing solar system waiting to be explored, the app also functions as an exercise in introspection, urging you to think about your most prominent characteristics as related to your sign, and how they might factor into the dating
For culinary aficionados, there’s no stronger bond than a mutual love for the same hole-inthe wall dumpling spot on the outskirts of the city. Dine’s slogan, “More dates, Not swipes” is meant to attract those who are more serious about getting past the chit-chat stage and cutting right to the chase, deciding when and where to meet. The app connects you with people nearby who have chosen the same favourite restaurants as you, then prompts you to go on a date with them. There is even an in-app option to help decide who’s picking up the tab or if you’d like to split the bill, so you
can avoid that unpleasant post-dessert interaction. Added bonus? That awkward moment of suggesting a steakhouse to a vegan won’t happen here.
A QUALITY (CUP OF) JO WITH YOUR BAGEL, MADAM?
Developed by a team of three sisters in San Francisco, the ethos of Coffee Meets Bagel is similar to Bumble in that the main stakeholders are the ladies who decide whether or not to make the first move. The app delivers 21 “bagels” (the gals) to gents every day at noon, and they signal who they’re interested in. From there, the bagels can start text message conversations with their most quality matches, using encrypted numbers. Coffee Meets Bagel prides itself on quality matches for those who are really looking for that special breakfast partner, and their everything bagel.
NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON’ T! CONNECT PATHS ON HAPPN
You know that cute barista you see through the café window every morning? Or that effortlessly handsome gent you cross paths with every now and then on the metro? Happn will connect you, saving you from that soulcrushingly scary moment of walking right up to them and expressing your interest. Users on the app can see how many times they’ve crossed paths with other users, and can like each others’ profiles in hopes of getting a like back, and launching a conversation. If you see someone whose attention you’d really like to grab, you send them a virtual charm (awww!).
LIFESTYLE
But the fact of the matter is embracing tech in the realm of love just makes sense. Back in the day, we etched our phone numbers on scraggly napkins and waited to get a phone call from that special someone on our landlines. Today, we send DMs to a potential suitor on Instagram. Simply put, we communicate much differently now, so if you haven’t already, it’s time to let your digital guard down and adapt to the app.
world. You receive matches based on Align’s algorithm that link you to your sign’s most compatible fellow users. For now, Align is only available in New York, L.A. and San Francisco, but if your horoscope said something about new love opportunities on the horizon, perhaps it will be coming to a mobile device near you soon.
FIND YOUR FAVORITE STORYTELLER ON LIVELY
One of the biggest critiques that mobile dating faces is that it’s impossible to get a feel for someone’s personality from merely a photo. Lively has responded to users’ needs in a big way with its innovative profiles, which function by stitching together a collage that combines photos and videos in hopes of showing a person’s diversity. You can aggregate a combination of content from Instagram, Facebook and your camera roll, and provide live updates, or stories, on a daily basis, like Snapchat. The catch? The more you update your content on the site, the more your profile will be seen by other users … so you may have just found yet another cell phone addiction.
Ya gotta love love and do we ever. See DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM for more good stuff on dating and relationships.
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As is clear throughout this edition of Diary and in life in general, Technology is pervasive and supreme. It organizes, categorizes, informs and empowers, and has a freakishly accurate ability to intuitively guess exactly what we want, when we want it. While we’ve embraced tech with open arms in almost every facet of life, when it comes to love, we’re still a little skeptical. After all, aren’t the principles of technology – scientific, practical, industrious – the antithesis of romance?
A TECH-FILLED EXCHANGE WITH INFLUENCER TWINS
MARCUS TROY AND NASKADEMINI: TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE
Naskademini ckecks his phone.
LIFESTYLE
BY MARTINE ST-VICTOR
WE TURN NOW TO A HOME-GROWN DUO OF INFLUENCERS WHO PAINT A PERFECT PICTURE OF HOW TECHNOLOGY PERMEATES OUR DAILY LIVES. DIARYSTA MARTINE STVICTOR MAKES THE CONNEXION:
Montrealers Marcus Troy and Naskademini (aka Ahmad Troy) are the perfect ambassadors of our borderless new world. If you see the twins, chances are it will be at MontréalTrudeau International airport, on their way out. These frequent flyers are media Renaissance men, working with some of the world’s most recognizable brands such as Cadillac and Veuve Clicquot. Marcus is at the helm of marcustroy.com: a lifestyle platform that merges brand experience with luxury and taste and also works with the likes of Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala. Naskademini is the platform’s sphinx eye, its photographer, the capturer of perfect moments. With their respective and combined impressive number of real and attentive online followers, technology is the springboard between their experiences and those who live vicariously through them. When I caught up with the power pair to talk tech for this special tech-themed edition of Diary, they were in Japan – which they visit every year – and had much to say on the topic.
NASKADEMINI: I’m always in need of more storage. So I’m sure one day we’ll have more than 128 gigs! What are your favourite apps, and why? MARCUS: IMDb: I’m on it daily, checking movies and other details. Then there’s Google: It knows everything I’m doing which is both a gift and a curse! And, of course, Instagram and Twitter, for content creation and to see what’s going on in the world. NASKADEMINI: My banking apps, because then I get to avoid a trip to the teller. I Love IMDb too because I’m an avid movie fan and frequent moviegoer. I love going to that app to read movie trivia, follow new releases and see trailers. I also get a kick out of reading reviews of bad movies. As for photography, I would say VSCO is my most used app simply because of the colour profiles and photo editing capabilities. SMS or WhatsApp?
What smartphone do you currently have?
MARCUS: I dislike WhatsApp – so annoying. I prefer iMessage.
MARCUS: iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s.
NASKADEMINI: iMessage.
NASKADEMINI: I’m currently on an iPhone 6.
What’s your first interaction with your smartphone in the morning?
If you could, what improvements would you bring to it? 172
MARCUS: More storage and better battery life.
MARCUS: I grab it for the time or to shut off my alarm.
What is your last interaction with it at night? MARCUS: Checking Twitter for about 30 minutes. NASKADEMINI: I also read a lot of Twitter before I call it a night. That’s where a good amount of my news comes from. Describe how you interact with your phone via apps throughout the day: MARCUS: I check a few things daily, particularly the Google app, since it stores all the important information I need like stocks, people’s birthdays, news of the day and appointments. NASKADEMINI: During the day, I often check Twitter and my Instagram feed to see what’s going on. When it comes to travel, the Air Canada app is by far my most used. I use it to check-in to flights, select seats and then leave the rest up to the app to make sure I’m good to go. I can now just show up at the airport without any worries. Marcus, you created the app and community #kicksonaplane (@kicksonaplane on Instagram), which documents travellers’ footwear on airplanes and at airports. It’s a treat for sneakerheads. What was the inspiration behind it and what have you learned from giving it life? What are the biggest surprises? MARCUS: It was ambitious and cool to create my own applications, Marcus Troy and KOAP. However, both need to be redesigned and reuploaded to the App Store. As much as people were downloading and using them, I still need to figure out how to make them part of people’s daily lives.
Well, I’m a big fan of #kicksonaplane. When I tell people about it, the reaction is almost always unanimous love for the concept. You’ve definitely tapped into something special and engaging. Ahmad: photos are your words. How has technology changed your craft? What role do platforms like Instagram assume in your professional life? NASKADEMINI: Instagram is the new portfolio. It allows you to show what you’re working on, what inspires you. It also allows you to interact with people who are inspired by your work. You travel constantly. How does technology travel with you? In what countries have you noticed the most synergy between humans and technology?
You’re both quite the sartorialists. ;) What are your thoughts on the merging of fashion and technology? In your esteemed opinions, what brands are doing it right and what are your favourite yields of such collaborations? MARCUS: Nike is a tech company in my opinion and is changing how we interact with product and tech. Wearables will become a thing of the future. NASKADEMINI: I think the merging of the two is a beautiful thing and we need more of these mergers to happen. We’re in a space where many brands do it well because the information and inspiration are out there and so readily available. (I don’t want to namedrop but it’s not hard to find the brands creating standouts!).
MARCUS: I mean Tokyo is up there with technology. People are constantly on their phones, playing games, etc. It’s pretty fascinating to see people glued to their phones daily.
I know you’re both very sensitive to the state of the world, in both micro and macro capacities. How do you see technology’s role in making our world safer, better and more equitable?
NASKADEMINI: I feel like Tokyo is a place where when riding the subway, commuters are always on their phones. They rarely look up at you. They’re constantly staring into their devices.
MARCUS: I think it will make our world more dangerous. We’ll become too vulnerable. Everything is digital, which means it can be hacked and controlled.
Conversely, where have you noticed that technology makes less of an impact on daily lives?
NASKADEMINI: I think smartphone cameras have created a climate of “proof” or evidence of daily occurrences that might have gone undocumented otherwise. Has it made us safer? Maybe in some cases, yes. We still have a long way to go but I think the fear of being recorded committing a crime has surely led to a decrease in crime, what with everyone now able to press record.
MARCUS: The West Indies! I feel so disconnected there! But then maybe it’s best to just enjoy the beach. NASKADEMINI: In countries where survival is paramount, material things such as smartphones play a less important role. What are your favourite tech gadgets right now? MARCUS: My iPhone, MacBook and chargers. NASKADEMINI: I would say any camera in my hand! I love to shoot with whatever latest camera I have access to.
For more on the twins, find them online at marcustroy.com, marcustroy.tv and @MarcusTroy and naskademini.com, naskademini.tumblr.com and @Naskademini. 173
NASKADEMINI: I try not to touch my phone before 9 a.m. anymore. It’s something I learned from a friend of mine; start the day off tuning out the noise, meditate and find peace before looking at your phone.
Photography SUPPLIED
LIFESTYLE
Marcus Troy, phone free.
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Epic creator Karim Rashid in a RAD HOURANI UNISEX LONG BLACK VEST (radhourani.com, Rad Hourani Gallery, 231 St. Paul St. W., Montreal). Grooming PATRICK RAHMÉ. Assistant CATHERINE GAGNON.
LIFE / WORK MOTTOS Globalove.
Design your self. See problems as opportunities.
BEST PARTY YOU’ VE EVER ATTENDED AND WHY BY JENN CAMPBELL
FINALLY, BEFORE WE SAY ADIEU FOR 2016, WE’RE CLOSING THIS SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY-THEMED EDITION (AKA TECHDITION) WITH AN INFUSION OF BRILLIANCE AND FUN FROM ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED AND REVERED CREATORS ON THE PLANET; KARIM RASHID. THANKS TO HIS DESIGN PROWESS, OUR WORLD IS AN INFINITELY MORE BEAUTIFUL, USERFRIENDLY SPACE.
My 55th birthday. We turned the space into a pinkscape. All 300 guests wore white and pink. We served pink Karimtinis and pink, white and lime-coloured food. I had the best DJs playing until 3 a.m., until security told us to shut it down.
GO-TO DESIGNERS / PIECES FOR COCKTAIL VS. FORMAL WEAR:
I don’t believe in formal wear. We live in the casual age! Casualization allows us to drop the facades of dress code, ritual, tradition, and formality. It frees us to be who we are and express the way we feel. My fave on-line shops are yoox.com, asos.com and farfetch. com. I must say though I love Rad Hourani since he’s one of the few making really contemporary clothing that is not so steeped and derivative in old archetypes of the past.
DINING DESTINATIONS
I mostly eat an organic diet so I frequent ABC Kitchen and The Green Table. But since I’ve moved up to Hell’s Kitchen, I love dining at Robert at the Museum of Arts & Design, STK Midtown, and a small hidden organic gem called Blue Dog Cafe.
UNWINDS
I love sketching, painting, listening to music, lying by my pool, sleeping, and dreaming and thinking about the world; about love, about people, about peace, about beauty, and about one romantic, engaging, fulgent, energetic, seductive, and inspiring place we call earth.
RECHARGERS
I go to the gym for weight training five days a week and run 7k a day. I love to swim, cook and work on my mental and spiritual health by going to lots of museums and galleries and embracing creativity on every level. Finally and just for fun, if we were lucky enough for you to creatively direct a Diary launch event, what direction would you take it in? Well, you are lucky because I would do it! I would base the launch on a contemporary theme, in black and white. Everyone would have to wear both black and white. All food and drinks would be black and white, with a menu of blackened cod, white asparagus, grass-fed filet mignon, white pepper sauce, black wild rice, black carrots, and black squid ink pasta with white scallops. All tables, plates, and every surface would also be black and white.
PROFILES
KARIM RASHID
Design is inseparable from technology and innovation. Products change with the introduction of new technologies. All important pieces over the last century became iconic because they were created with new technology. For example, the Breuer chair used a steel tube bender from a bicycle factory. The Alvar Aalto chair used plywood tube technology inspired by a local fabricator of wooden sewage tubes. The first plastic moulded Monobloc chair existed because we had the resin technology and injection machine technology to create it. The Eames used one of the first compound bent plywood machines. So industrial design is driven by designers embracing new technologies; whether they relate to material, production method, or mechanical invention. Ultimately, future innovation will depend on how we, as designers, embrace newness. Maybe people like to assume that design moves with more superficial trends, but it’s technology that drives us.
enjoyed the Blue Diamond Riviera Maya, Nizuc Resort and Spa, and Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda. I also go to an organic boot camp in Tulum.
Oh my. That last answer was an unexpected ray of fabulous. Let the planning begin! ;)
TRAVEL SPOTS I typically stay in five-star, contemporary hotels across the globe, so I am forever escaping. For personal holidays, I enjoy relaxing at resorts in the Riviera Maya. I love the proximity to New York (a three-hour flight) and the white-sand, empty beaches. This year I’ll stay at the Finest Playa Mujeres. Previously, we’ve
For more on Karim’s inspiring design-rich world, go to karimrashid.com. For more fun with Diary, DIARYOFASOCIALGAL.COM is the address. Later Social Gals and Gents. Hope you had fun with Vol. 6. Miss you already. Until we meet again.
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THE BEST POSSIBLE VOL. 6 CLOSER: EPIC CREATOR
How does the explosive era of technology inform your work/designs?
GOOD TASTE. WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? EXPERIENCE A CUP ABOVE nespresso.com
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