Fashion Series - Urban

image magazine

VOLUME three

urban

fashionSERIES Fashion Series is an electronic publication entirely dedicated to discovering, showcasing and promoting Toronto’s emerging and established fashion industry professionals.

Our mission is to provide a distinct platform for fashion photographers, models, designers, stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists, bloggers, and illustrators through visual series and exclusive interviews.

Fashion Series will highlight these rising stars by encouraging and unveiling their talents in the form of a cohesive photographic collection. In addition, via exclusive interviews, we aim to yield some background information about the showcased artist, the artist’s intention, technical specification, an indication of their work’s historical and theoretical context - and, at the same time, provide our readers with an invaluable insight into the world of fashion visualization.

CONTACT GENERAL INQUIRIES: info@fashionseries.ca SUBMISSIONS submissions@fashionseries.ca ADVERTISEMENTS advertisements@fashionseries.ca WEBSITE www.fashionseries.ca TWITTER: www.twitter.com/fashion_series FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/thefashionseries

FASHION SERIES ISSN 1929-4786

is the voice of Toronto’s aspiring fashion industry professionals. Available 24 hours online via www.fashionseries.ca. Entire contents are ©

by Fashion Series Archive unless otherwise stated.

THE TEAM CEO/EDITOR IN CHIEF Mehreen Hussain SENIOR EDITOR Meagan Enciso WRITERS Aaren FitzGerald Brian Henderson Jaskirat Gebi Kathlyn Rose Pema Tsering Sarah St. Jules PHOTOGRAPHERS Erin Molly Fitzpatrick Mugunthan Ganesan Paul Steward Raissa Biscotti Ryan Francoz Shamas Chaudhry MAKEUP ARTISTS Asima K. Sayed Lisa Alcantara Christina Rufino Lee-Anne WIlson WARDROBE STYLIST Ashley Hartman Moda Dasha ILLUSTRATOR Trisha Da Silva ASSISTANT TO EDITOR IN CHIEF Aiysha Khan Fatima Idris

Beauty 8

volumetwo|

face 28

creator 38

lee-anne wilson

Bianca

parispolice clothing

o|contents visionary 56

Ryan Francoz

stylist 66

desire kaniki

comedy 74

Superwoman

volumetwo| accessories 82

Entertainer 94

personality 100

DEL REY & CO.

Clotaire

thesupermaniak

o|contents EVENt 110

frugal fashion week

Technology 164

cinemagraphy

experience 174

THIRTY ONE DAYS OF august in Toronto

makeup artist

Lee-Anne Wilson “There [is] absolutely nothing creative about organizing pipeline infrastructures and figuring out what size of gas meter is suitable for a building.”

Lee-Anne had always wanted to be an artist. But the fear of not making it, and of not being financially stable, as an artist, kept her from following her dreams. Even with a successful career working in Scotland’s gas industry, she was not content with her job.

“I was terribly unhappy and dissatisfied with my work. There was absolutely nothing creative about organizing pipeline infrastructures and figuring out what size of gas meter is suitable for a building.” It wasn’t till she turned twenty-five that Lee-Anne realized that it’s time to indulge in her creative desires. “I looked around at my colleagues and I could see that they were also unhappy, and I decided then and there that I would follow my dreams.”

Photographer: Daniela Majic Hair & Makeup: Lee-Anne Wilson Styling: Lee-Anne Wilson Model: Bill Angelopoulos

“In this industry, you have to offer an assortment of services if you want to survive.”

She enrolled in Clydebank College in Glasgow for three years to receive a Higher National Diploma. It was there that she learned every aspect of makeup artistry: theatrical, historical, fashion, bridal, film & television, face & body painting, special effects, prosthetics, and corrective/camouflage makeup. Along with comprehensive makeup artistry, the institution also taught Lee-Anne how to cut and colour hair, style for updos, create historical hairstyles and how to maintain wigs and hairpieces.

Lee-Anne found college training very integral to her career as a makeup artist as the institute, “work[ed] to educate you on how to interpret a script and break it down, calculating a budget, and set etiquette.” Furthermore, she learnt the importance of learning basics of photography providing her with an appreciation for what photographers do and how it relates to her work as a makeup artist.

While Lee-Anne strongly believes that her college education taught and provided her with the skills she needed, as a makeup artist, the real training comes through experience - experience she gained working in every aspect of makeup artistry over the past eight years. She has done makeup for over forty short films alone. She has also worked as a makeup artist for television, music videos, fashion shows, editorial shoots and in a salon. The versatility in her experience allows Lee-Anne to offer a variety of makeup services, which also includes corporate, bridal and any special occasions in addition to the ones mentioned above. “In this industry, you have to offer an assortment of services if you want to survive.”

Working as a Makeup Artist, Lee-Anne has experienced some challenging and exciting opportunities. The one that stands out the most to her was her position as the Head Hair and Makeup for a feature film, A Very Grimm Fairy Tale. As the Head of her department, Lee-Anne’s work started well before she actually got to the set. She was responsible for knowing the characters inside and out. Luckily for her, she had helped write the script and creating the characters herself gave her an upper hand. She also had to create each individual look, have her design plans laid out for every scene, budget for all of the products and hire the right people to help her execute her vision.

“It’s a lot of work, but when you hear the words, ‘That’s a wrap!’ the pride and sense of accomplishment you feel makes all of those sleepless nights worth it.”

Photographer: Daniela Majic Hair & Makeup: Lee-Anne Wilson Styling: Lee-Anne Wilson Model: Kayla Harvard

“There has been a morning or two where Annette Hamm has had to call me to wake me up!”

Lee-Anne currently works on CHCH’s Morning Live Show, every Thursday and Friday.

“I absolutely love [the job] and the people I work with.” She does, however, find the 4:45am start a little difficult to say the least. “There has been a morning or two where Annette Hamm has had to call me to wake me up!” Fortunately for her, it has happened to almost everyone on the show at one time or other.

Lee-Anne loves working in television. “It keeps you at the top of your game - you have to work quickly.” A skill she learned while working as a trainee on a variety of shows at BBC in Glasgow. Under the mentorship of Irene Blair and Elaine Coburn, two amazing women Lee-Anne will never forget, she learned to do makeup for a number of people in little to no time. “Irene threw me in at the deep end on my first day giving me the most challenging of complexions to deal with.” Despite the nerves, Lee-Anne believes that it was the best possible training that she could get. “When you can do corrective makeup in 5 minutes or less, you can pretty much face anything.”

With eight years of experience on her hand, Lee-Anne sheds some like on the advantages and benefits of working as a makeup artist. “I love that every job I have is different from the last, the continuous learning and growing as an artist, working with other creative people, seeing places you wouldn’t normally see, the moment you get the completed image or film, meeting celebrities, the swag.” Like every profession, Lee-Anne admits that makeup artistry as its drawbacks: “long hours, occasionally not receiving thanks or credit and also being expected to work for free.” She notes that, “Our industry is one of the few where you have to give much of your time and skills away in order to network and gain exposure.”

The job of a makeup artist, just like many in the fashion industry, is not without some major misconceptions. For anyone thinking that this job is all glamour, you are mistaken. Lee-Anne notes that behind all the misrepresented glamour, there are 4 am starts, working in various conditions and outdoors as well as battling the elements.

What most people don’t realize is that, “As a makeup artist you are always ‘first on and last off’ of the set.”

Photographer: Daniela Majic Hair & Makeup: Lee-Anne Wilson Styling: Lee-Anne Wilson Model: Chealse Howell

“My eyes are never off of the model(s). I usually don’t have time to notice what time it is.”

Despite all the drawbacks and misconceptions, Lee-Anne never ceases lose focus. LeeAnne admits that photo shoots can be long and tiring. However, she is able to keep herself focused on every detail. “My eyes are never off of the model(s). I usually don’t have time to notice what time it is.”

What keeps her motivated and inspired you ask? Well besides makeup artistry being her dream job, for her, the inspiration comes from anything and everything - books, magazines, music, the colour of the sky, fashion - the list is endless. However, the majority of her inspiration comes directly from the face that she is working on at that particular moment. “A model’s face is my canvas.” Maybe this is why Lee-Anne does not believe in the concept of an ideal beauty. “I believe every woman is beautiful and unique with special attributes that no other woman possesses.”

Not only does she look up to and love the fashion makeup artist, Kevyn Aucoin but Lee-Anne has also adapted his philosophy that, “Every woman is beautiful within and that makeup was simply a tool for helping her discover herself.” She is also a big fan of fashion makeup artists, Gregory Arlt, Dick Page, and Lee Pycroft as well as film makeup artist, Tom Savini, Stan Winston and Dick Smith – all of whom she considers to be legendary in special effects makeup.

Lee-Anne came from working in the fashion hubs of Europe, so she has always felt that Toronto, and North America in general, are always playing catch up to the rest of the world in terms of trends and styles. However, she does believe that Toronto beholds a lot of creativity, talent and opportunities and it is only going to continue to grow. “This city has some of the most talented people in the world working in the fashion industry.”

And it is amidst this talent, creativity and opportunities that Lee-Anne has been working. Currently represented by Judith Rathbone of the premier management company, Behind The Image, Lee-Anne continues to live her dreams of doing what she, as a twenty-five year old, dreamt of: being creative and ultimately, being happy.

Photographer: Daniela Majic Hair & Makeup: Lee-Anne Wilson Styling: Lee-Anne Wilson Model: Alisha Majic

FRAGMENTS featuring photography by Daniela Majic styling, hair & makeup by Lee-Anne Wilson modeling by Alisha Majic, Bill Angelopoulos, Chealse Howell, James Wilson & Kayla Harvard,

Models: Bill Angelopoulos & Kayla Harvard

Model: Kayla Harvard

Model: Alisha Majic

Models: Chealse Howell & Alisha Majic

Models: Chealse Howell & Alisha Majic

Model: Chealse Howell

model

bianca

featuring photography by Paul Steward styling by Ashley Hartman makeup by Christina Rufino authorship by Meagan Enciso & Pema Tsering

Not only does this blue-eyed fashion model have striking and hypnotic feline features, but she also possesses a beautiful and inquisitive mind to match. And we all know, nothing is sexier than a beautiful woman with some serious smarts!

The future lawyer, currently signed to the top international agency, Next Models in Toronto, has been fitting commercial jobs around her undergraduate university courses. With focus, drive, and the distinct degree of mystery she possesses, we cannot wait to see where her hard work takes her!

Read more as the blue-eyed beauty talks about how she was discovered, working in the industry, her inspirations and her future dreams & goals.

As every young Cindy Crawford in the making knows, luck is one of the best tool any model has. And Bianca Johnson has plenty of it. Born with both beauty and brains in Canada’s model mecca known as Toronto, luck was definitely on her side. Focused on becoming a laywer, modeling was definitely not part of her future plans. However, after being scouted by Elmer Olsen mulling around on the streets of Toronto, she was whisked away from her normal life and thrust into the high stakes world of fashion modelling.

During her first photoshoot, she remembers being “super nervous.” Normally shy and reserved, something that many models aren’t described as, she quickly learned that a friendly attitude was best. Despite her nerves getting the best of her, her first photoshoot went extremely well. Now regularly booked doing commercial work, her life is very busy at the moment.

As a model, Johnson says that she is most inspired by curvy, natural women. She believes that the definition of beauty is being natural, friendly, happy and confident.

Johnson was brought up eating healthy foods and she has carried this habit into her adulthood by making sure that she maintains an organic diet.

While she loves being a model, Bianca says that it does come with its own consequences. “People use you for your looks or all your jobs [are] based around your looks.� She sheds light on the realities of being a model by revealing that life as a model is not as glamorous or as easy as she thought it would be.

As an aspiring lawyer, she loves it when someone recognizes her academic abilities over her physical looks. She admires women whose success is based on their intelligence. With a nutritional degree already under her belt, she’s reaching even further in her academic pursuits. She plans to take the LSATs in the next few years after hopefully travelling to places such as Australia and Hong Kong.

In the end, she says that the life of a model has its ups and downs. It’s a great way to make money and meet new people. However, the most important thing to remember is to be happy and successful no matter what your career is. “If modeling isn’t for you, it just means you have other strengths in different areas. You just haven’t found them yet!”

an Angie Haddad is a twenty three year old woman who certainly knows her direction.

The genius of the Ottawa-based CEO, and designer, of Parispolice Clothing Inc., is that she has a vision and a secret plan to turn an already-established designer brand into a lifestyle. And by the looks of it, she is motivated as ever to satisy that inner taste for success in the fashion industry. While we’ll have to wait till Parispolice 2013 Collection arrives to find out what she has in store for this movement, we met with Angie to hear more about this young entrepreneur’s story, inspirations, what keeps her on top of her game and her future plans for this new lifestyle she calls Parispolice.

creator

ngie haddad

by Brian Henderson

Angie Haddad is a fine example of what real working life is like for the young and ambitious fashion professional. However this red-hot young fashion designer’s beginning is heavily rooted in the music industry.

“I was mostly booking shows and concerts, dipped into the artist side of things but not for too long.” The transition into the fashion industry came, when, in 2008, Alan Zadeh introduced her to his dynamic menswear line, Parispolice Clothing Inc., as a project he was working on at the time. “I loved it from the get-go,” Angie says and it is easy to see why. “Everybody knows that fashion originated in Paris. That being said, Parispolice = Fashion Police.”

The Canadian clothing line with a certain European edge, began taking the international fashion world by storm in 2010 when Angie came on as Parispolice’s new partner. The sudden emergence of the line let Haddad to buy out Zadeh and take the line in a new direction. “I had this image in my head of where I wanted Parispolice to be and how I planned on getting it there.” With the vision of elevating Parispolice from a designer label to a lifestyle, Angie now plans on creating quality article of clothing that are much deeper than just fabric and design. “If one single article of clothing can relate to millions of people, then that’s quality.”

It is Angie’s strong and independent state of mind that exuberates as she conquers the men’s line. While she initially found it very hard to do all the work by herself, she eventually realized that she was capable of doing it without any help. “After so much time with no help, I realized I could do it on my

own and wouldn’t have any setbacks.” Doing things on her own definitely has its ups and downs but Angie refuses to label them as challenges. For her, it’s a process of trial and error that has been an eye opener for her. “You realize how much back bone stuff there is to do for [this] industry… I don’t mind it though, I love the experience.” She sees the whole process as something to learn from, “Every day you learn something new and the learning never ceases.” She truly believes that “doing everything myself hands-on has really broadened my knowledge of what it takes to be a key player in the fashion world.”

This learning process, along with her persevering personality has allowed her to learn from the ups and downs the company has been through in the past four years. Angie has embraced the struggles, and now is determined to show the world that, “with the right persistence and vision, [Parispolice] will become a well-known brand in no time.”

While Angie envisions that, “the 2013 collection is what’s going to put Parispolice on the map to stay,” she foresees the brand to be an “international” lifestyle in three to five years.

What will this 2013 line consist of, you may ask? Well, it’s a secret. Angie is all ‘hush hush’ about the concept, fabrics, and designs behind the upcoming collection. However, she doesn’t fail to reveal her state of mind, her inspirations and what she is currently doing as a designer – which might give us some insight into what the collection may be like!

With extensive experience working in the music industry, and designers, such as Chanel, Roberto Cavalli and Valentino, as a source of inspiration, Angie realizes that fashion and music go hand in hand. In the few shorts years that she’s been involved in fashion, she’s learnt a lot through in-depth fashion courses and by constantly keeping up to date with the European trends & markets via websites and magazines. In every day life, Angie in constantly inspired by her surroundings. “From a walk by the water to driving on the highway. Inspiration is everywhere; I just keep my eyes and options open.”

Now completely immersed in the fashion industry, Angie formulates her sentiments towards fashion have evolved, “Fashion to me is a form of expression, it’s an art.” She sees it as something one can turn to when trying to forget something - something that can be used to define how one is feeling at that very moment. “Stemmed from this emotion, Angie feels that, “[Parispolice] is a brand that only the open minded can comprehend.” According to her, “those who aren’t capable of seeing beyond what they believe won’t understand the story behind some of the pieces.”

When asked about Toronto’s fashion scene and how it has inspired the Ottawa-originated brand, she says, “Toronto’s fashion scene definitely surpasses anything there is in Ottawa, so I guess in some sense it has had an influence. It’s easier to cater to a city with so many different styles and fashion statements”.

Since it’s inception in 2010, Parispolice has attracted a lot of attention by celebrities, providing the right kind of publicity for the line to reach transnational borders. While spinning a booked set in Ottawa, DJ Pauly D fell in love with the line. “He wore our brand for his next couple shows and even got spotted wearing it in LA Weekly magazine.” The roster of celebrities continues with names such as Mia Martina, Danny Fernandes, Jay Vado, Amber Rose, Blake Mcgrath, and ARIYAN– all taking a liking to Parispolice and supporting the signature shirts and hoodies in public. And Angie aims to maintain this relationship with celebrities and fashion lovers with her upcoming collection.

Parispolice currently has a three month AD running in the British version of GQ Magazine to introduce the line before showcasing the line at UK’s largest and most talked about fashion & beauty event, Clothes Show Live that takes place in Birmingham in December. And now, with Angie’s passion for working in the fashion industry, and with her fresh and new take on the clothing line, we can only wait and see how Parispolice establishes a lifestyle that celebrities, along with the rest of the world, embrace.

feat photography by styling by R makeup & hair by modeling by Zac ChĂŠ, Sag & Carlos D

turing

by Raissa Biscotti Rita Fiorucci y Lee-Anne Wilson ge Hansen, Harrie Bhullar D. Vasquez

Model: Zac ChĂŠ

Model: Sage Hansen

Models: Harrie Bhullar & Carlos D. Vasquez

ryan francoz visionary

by Pema Tsering

“I’ve always liked photography. I think the attraction for me is part voyeurism and part telling a story with images for other voyeurs.”

Born and raised in Orillia, Ontario, Ryan Francoz’s love for photography blossomed after his family moved to Toronto when he was 15 years old. While he holds degree in Chemistry from McGill University, Montreal, Francoz could not stay away from exploring the creative side of photography. That’s what led him to take a few formal photography classes at Ryerson University. However, it was during his time freelance assisting other photographers, that taught him the most.

With fifteen years of solid practice under his belt, he’s learned a variety of techniques to help him with his career. From different lighting techniques to working with models to how ‘not to’ deal with assistants, “I worked, watched, and learned.”

and opportunity to create mood.” And ofcourse, a great team, makes it all worth while. “When you have a great team to work with everyone adds something different and you hopefully end up with something more than the sum of the parts.”

Francoz says he never had once particular mentor, but he draws inspiration from photographers such as Mert & Marcus, Solve Sundsbo, Helmut Newtom, and Patrick Demarchelier. “There’s so many great and interesting photographers and it’s so easy to see all of them nowadays.” He finds inspiration for his own photos from everything that he sees, hears and feels. “...Designers, artists, architecture, movies, music, books, nature. Everything I take in affects what I put out.”

Francoz also does interior, portrait, and food photography. “I like the variety and welcome the influence of each type of photography on the other.” However, Francoz is drawn to the creativity and collaboration of fashion photography.

“There’s a lot more freedom for interpretation

When it comes to his own working style, Francoz likes to make his models feel as comfortable and confident as possible during the shoots. “Without humour things aren’t nearly as much fun.” That’s why he takes the time to listen to his models and jokes around with them.

For photo shoots, Francoz thrives on preparation. It starts off with searching for photos as a reference and bouncing ideas off of a specially crafted team of people. When it comes to a creative team, he always looks for professionalism and chemistry. “Everyone needs to do their job well and at the same time have fun while we work.

We are not saving lives; we are trying to brighten them.”

While he believes that, “technique is very important... [and] essential to achiev[ing] your vision, Francoz also says that there are many different techniques and each one has the ability to create a different feeling. In some cases a blurry picture is exactly what makes the picture look better, whereas in another situation, “a blurry picture is because you sneezed just as you pushed the shutter and want no one to ever see that image.”

What matters most is the vision and understanding and believing in it. Appropriate lighting techniques and location details come next. “Then we shoot and hopefully get what we were aiming for as well as something we weren’t quite expecting.”

Francoz likes to create an interesting visual that viewers can take away from. “What I try to do with my photography is tell part of a story and leave the rest of the story up to the viewer. I want them to find interest in my story and then make it personal to them.” He may not find success every time with everyone who views his work, but if he does, he’s happy. Francoz would like viewers to react with interest when viewing his photos.

“People are exposed to so much imagery these days and can flip through pictures very fast. It’s great when someone stops to look at my photos.”

Francoz says that along with styling, makeup and the models, lighting is one of the main links in the chain of photography. He also uses Profoto lights

as well as different light modifiers. He shoots with a lovely Canon 5d Mark II and various lenses.

Apart from Photoshop, Francoz makes use of programs such as Capture One and Lightroom.

Although, he wishes he could spend less time editing and retouching and more time behind the camera.

For Francoz, working as a photographer has its exciting and satisfying jobs alongside those that aren’t. “Some days I think, ‘I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this’ and somedays I think, “I’m not getting paid nearly enough to have to do this.’” So he finds it both good and bad that most jobs are relatively short. Francoz believes that the biggest challenge for fashion photographers in Toronto is getting the well-paid jobs and making a living. He says that there are a lot of fashion photographers in Toronto and these golden jobs only go to a small handful of them. Despite the challenges, Francoz focuses on the bright side of living in this metropolitan city, “Toronto is a great city with many different people and access to everything. It has the ability to feed creativity.”

With so much experience in the industry, Francoz is definitely someone we can look up to for advice and guidance. He wants aspiring photographers to know that photography is two separate jobs: photographer and entrepreneur. “You need to work hard at both so always be shooting and always be promoting your work. It’s not easy.”

Francoz’s photographic magic blesses the cover and many pages of this issue of Fashion Series but if you want to see more, please vist his website: www.ryanfrancoz.com. Or, “you can hire [him] and [he’ll] be happy to shoot something new for you!”

ryan francoz presents

sweet city girl featuring modeling by Lauren C. of Next Models styling by Ashley Hartman makeup & hair by Liz Robertson using TRESemmĂŠ for Ford Artists

stylist

desire kaniki Authored by Meagan Enciso & Kathlyn Rose Photography by Erin Molly Fitzpatrick

“Whenever you’re a stylist you have to think more than just the clothes… it’s one thing to dress someone and then [another] to give them personality.”

It’s midday in a café on Adelaide and the muffled sounds of Toronto seep through the chipped white door trimmings. Desire Kaniki rests at a table with a mismatched dining set in a bold floral shirt with bags slumped by his feet. The stylist bashfully admits he is always seen with bags in his hands. “My friends call me the bag lady.”

Desire was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo along with four older sisters.

From a young age he knew he had an eye for style. “My sisters would pick something out of their closet and ask my opinion on it.” His natural knack for style was seen by his friend who later asked him to style for a shoot. “Whenever you’re a stylist you have to think more than just the clothes… it’s one thing to dress someone and then [another] to give them personality.”

Although he works in fashion, he’s never really liked the word. Feeling that it’s been overused and misrepresented ‘a tiny little

bit’, he believes that it has to come from somewhere. “You have to feel something in order to bring fashion.” He loves to convey emotions with his work and really reiterate the message behind a shoot before beautiful clothes come into a viewer’s mind.

Desire loves that fashion allows you to be anyone you want. Clothing almost has a mask-like quality about them. You are telling the world how you want to be viewed. However, your outfit can easily be changed and then, you transform into a different person.

“It [gives] the ability to change and be different people.”

It’s that love of instant metamorphosis that reflects in his work. “I like to mix a lot of things together.” Desire enjoys using unorthodox combinations to bring a shoot together with his own personal taste and style history.

Using his life to style there are aspects of punk, from his days in high school, and tribal print from his childhood.

“Toronto style is really great because there are

many different ethnicities, vibes and cultures. You get desensitized to the unknown.”

Growing up in Toronto meant exposure to different ethnicities and culture. Although our boroughs are a little segregated in terms of style, such as the poshness of Yorkville and the hodge-podge hipster on Queen, it only takes a ride on the TTC to see something new. Unlike other places in the world where you see different people with the same outfit, Toronto’s eclectic style means that wearing a sari or African tribal print wouldn’t garner a few odd looks. “Toronto style is really great because there are many different ethnicities, vibes and cultures. You get desensitized to the unknown.”

When asked about Canadian fashion, he’s excited about where it’s heading. “[Canada] is definitely getting more braver and starting to grow some claws about it.” With the rise of web sites like Tumblr and Twitter, sharing is easy and instantaneous. It’s this ease that makes younger designers more adventurous, more courageous. With the rise of online magazines, more and more people have the power to really control the public’s outlook.

However, that also means more competition for anyone looking to break into the industry.

The fashion industry is notoriously hard to break into, but anything worth doing is always hard. Sometimes the best way to com-

bat all the no’s, is to continue to put yourself out there for that one person who will say yes. Or you can create your own opportunities, words that Desire lives by. When he first started out, it was hard to get people to understand his aesthetic.

“I’m not really phased by the word no.” He’s learned that rejection isn’t necessarily based on your work, but the other person not completely understanding your vision. And for him, that’s fine because the opportunity to showcase his work will come up again. In a world as finicky as fashion, it’s guaranteed that someone will dislike your idea, but someone else will love it.

Desire says that it’s always important to incorporate his own aesthetic into anything he does because it’s almost impossible for someone else to mimic it. “When you create a whole bubble of ‘you’ and know your worth, then other people will want to gravitate towards you because they want some of you in there.” With the belief that every stylist has a specific look, a unique style, like his own, separates him from the pack. Although, he also notes the importance to be versatile.

And that versatility sometimes comes in the form of trends.

“There are a lot of people in the fashion industry with their nose in the air but the whole idea is to stay humble and [know] that everybody brings different things to the table.”

“In order to put something together that’s current, you have to know what’s going on.”

As a stylist, Desire has to know what’s going on within the industry. A huge magazine reader, he easily discerns what’s in and what’s out. While he is aware of trends, he does believe that one doesn’t have to follow them to be successful. “[It’s] it is good to be aware of trends.”

Being trendy isn’t the key to having great style. Although he believes it to be tacky, Desire defines great style as wearing what you want and knowing it works. Comfort also plays a big role in style especially for him when he’s running around on a set.

Desire loves working with fun and professional people, but at the end of the day, it hardly matters to him. To him, it’s all about the concept which he creates via not moodboards, but vibe mood boards. In his eyes, a dream team isn’t necessarily filled with peo-

ple of great talents. It’s definitely a lot better and easier if they are, but for him, it’s all about the concept. “If you get what’s up here [points to brain] then we are good!”

Right now, Desire’s focused on building his brand. Working on a relaunch of his website and online web series, it’s really just about stepping out from behind his art. It’s important to let the world know who the man is behind the urban stylist. He wants to get away from the styling world and focus more on being an artist. Clothing and maybe accessories are in the future as he continues to create the Desire Kaniki name.

His advice to any aspiring stylist is to just do you and be yourself. “There are a lot of people in the fashion industry with their nose in the air but the whole idea is to stay humble and [know] that everybody brings different things to the table.”

superwoman featuring photography by Shamas Chaudhry styling by Moda Dasha hair & makeup by Asima K. Sayed

Amidst all the cat videos and cover songs on Youtube, Lilly Singh has made her mark on the popular website as the comedian Superwoman.

Hailing from Toronto, this funny lady has legions of followers tuning in every week to hear what she has to say about current trends and topics.

As the self-proclaimed “Superwoman”, her moniker came from the Lil’ Mo & Fabulous song with the famous name as its title. However, she’s had that name since she was just a child, a Supergirl if you will. Whenever she used to have problems, the title would motivate her and give her the strength needed for her to succeed. “As a kid, you find ways to stay motivated and encourage yourself. Superwoman was my way of doing that.” And now, she does not leave her house without that attitude and the “S” engraved ring that resonates with her Superwoman identity.

When Lilly was just a Supergirl, her Punjabi-Sikh parents thought she’d be some sort of a psychologist and she, herself, had dreams of being a rapper. For us, Lilly has accomplished both. She’s a badass rapper - you can see for yourself in her dope video, Similes and Metaphors, alongside Parsi Prince – and has managed to delve deep into “real-world” problems and issues to understand the psyche behind them.

Isn’t that what psychologists do? Little did she know that, she will be on the video-blogging and Youtube wave and accomplish the dreams her parents and she had for her future. Yes, her parents think of Lilly’s unorthodox full-time ‘job’ as a joke, don’t consider it to be work and don’t realize it could go anywhere, but she is still thankful to them for being supportive and never saying, “Don’t do it!.” Plus, she’s happy that “They haven’t kicked me out, so that helps!”

Self-reliant and an openly avowed ‘weirdo’, with a penchant for public dancing, her happy personality, confidence and open mind keep fans coming back for more. “I just love expressing myself through whatever means.” And of course, when she’s not expressing herself verbally, her clothes do it for her.

There’s no denial that we all imagine Superwoman flying high wearing a blue, red and yellow leotard. But for this spunky superhero, it’s the colourful self-expressive graphic Ts that add attitude her every day wardrobe! With over sixty or seventy graphic Ts consuming her closet, she always has access to that little pinch of attitude that reveals her state of mind without even saying a word. “I love being that girl that says things everyone else is thinking!”

And that she does by confidently merging two different styles, tomboy and sexy together with a dash of extra swag. “That’s my look, where I mix girly and boyish together.” Living in the multicultural mecca we call Toronto has definitely added to, and allowed her to experiment with, her daily sense of style. She sometimes likes to fuse some Indian elements into what she’s wearing. “I have no problems throwing on a Punjabi ‘juti’ [shoe] with jeans.”

And then there are the narrow-minded who think Lilly should get married, bear some children and be a stay-at-home mom. Typical stereotypes an Indian woman faces. Lilly realizes being an Indian female comedian, she does not let the stereotypical and misconceived thoughts bother her.

She is here to let everyone know that she does not represent every Indian or Punjabi woman. “I represent Lilly Singh!”

All this negativity doesn’t stop Superwoman! For her, success is loving what she does. Living by the words, “In life you will meet two kinds of people. Ones who build you up, and ones who tear you down. But in the end, you will thank them both,” Lilly is, thankful to both her supporters and the haters. She’s content within and that’s all that matters. What is perfect happiness to this super fly Superwoman? “When what you say, what you do, what you think are in harmony with each other.”

But what do you call it when everyone else is also in harmony with what you say, do and think? We don’t have a word for it either but that’s exactly what Lilly continues to achieve with her motivating, inspiring, and laugh-your-ass-off funny, Youtube videos. Despite the magnitude of her success on Youtube, Lilly manages to stay down to earth. She carefully chooses Nicki Minaj’s lyrics to describe her state of mind: “Yes, I’m a beast and I feast when I conquer.” To explain her choice she admits she’s cool and calm but be warned that, “When I do get success, I will run with it and step up and be a ‘ba-oss’!”

Images courtesy of THESUPERMANIAK

accessories

del rey & co.

Jaskirat Gebi

If you’re any part of the electronic dance music (EDM) scene in Toronto, then it’s for sure you’ve seen the-ever-popular sunglasses Rikky by the-ever-becoming Del Rey & Co. The brand isn’t only popularized for it’s retro yet modern frames but also the innovative and customizable 3D glasses.

With the 3D televisions wave strong right now Del Rey & Co. have developed a stylish look for the 3D glasses with an added comfort.

Jake MacDougall, the creative mind behind the innovative and modern brand, shows us that when you’ve got passion for style and design, formal training can sometimes be unnecessary.

The brand’s roots start from designing 3D eyewear for the movies.

As the designer says “I got so fed up with the theatre given glasses that I decided to create my own. The glasses make your movie going experience 100% better, and once you see a 3D film with them, you’ll never want to watch another without them.”

This endeavor only lead the brand further into eyewear, “When I had the first 3D glasses made, I just decided to have them made with sunglass lenses as well. I’ve been concentrating on sunglasses ever since.”

When asked about the name for the brand Jake replied by saying, “Unfortunately the story behind the name of the brand isn’t too exciting. I was looking for a name for the business, and my sister told me to look at a map for inspiration. We were looking at a map together in an atlas book, and we landed on Del Rey California.”

Although it was a simple point to the map that produced the name, it will be a lasting name for people.

Based in Toronto, Jake says the diversity of the city has a great impact on the brand’s design and stylistic decisions; “We’re lucky to be exposed to a large depth of art, design, style, and culture.”

Jake tells us that the face in mind whilst designing for Del Rey’s eyewear is his beloved girlfriend; “I take inspiration from a large variety of sources, but my girlfriend Maria is definitely the largest source of inspiration for me. Whether it’s from her wardrobe, or something that she exposes me to, you can definitely find her in all of my designs.”

Del Rey & Co.’s designs can only be described as urban retro; perfect for the urban girl or guy. His inspiration also comes from many other places as he says, “I also have a love for the EDM scene, architecture, abstract art, and designer toy culture. I take cues from all of these sources, when I produce my designs.”

The Rikky is a perfect example of their innovative design. “I wanted to make a square frame, because I personally think they’re really cool looking and fit a lot of face shapes.” Jake had a very specific vision in regards to the shape of the frames he wanted for The Rikky. “I didn’t want them to be completely square like a lot of other frames I see though. I decided to add some geometry to the shape, to differentiate the frames from other square frames.”

The idea for the chains came to him while watching a music video, “I forget which one [it was] where a girl was wearing glasses littered with chains. I liked the idea, but made my design a little more practical and functional than the pair I saw in that video.”

Images courtesy of THESUPERMANIAK

Images courtesy of THESUPERMANIAK

The sunglasses have had a great responses according to the designer. “When they were released, people were excited to see chains attached to glasses stylistically, and the added functionality of having a neck chain was a definite plus for a lot of people as well.”

Jake Macdougall’s versatile design is also unisex which makes choosing your favorite easier. “Because Del Rey can only produce so many frames, I want to design frames that appeal to both male and females. Over the longer term, we’ll start differentiating frames for the separate sexes.”

So when you’re out partying you can surely notice many musicians and artists like THESUPERMANIAK, 12th Planet, the Killabits, Warrior Music and many more, donning the stylish sunglasses. Having a great love for the EDM scene, Jake says he loves seeing people wear his sunglasses that have the same love and appreciation for it. “I love everyone who rocks Del Rey & Co. shades, but I have huge love for the EDM scene. Seeing people within that scene, whether it be the DJs themselves or fans in the crowd, it’s a really amazing feeling.”

Del Rey & Co. is fairly new in the fashion business. Jake says that with any new business there are challenges; “With any new business it’s always difficult breaking out and gaining exposure. I understand that is a slow process though, so I just keep on pushing forward, gaining more exposure as it comes.”

With the challenges come lessons. Jake MacDougall says, “Everyday I learn something new, and because of the nature of Del Rey, I make a ton of mistakes. I learn best by jumping into whatever I’m doing, and making mistakes until I figure things out. With Del Rey, it hasn’t been an exception at all. It’s a constant learning process, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

As we asked what’s next for Del Rey & Co., Jake tells us that there are new frames coming out soon for the Del Rey & Co. line which are really innovative. “I’ve made the frames to be completely customizable, so people can design the frames they’ve always wanted.” He calls them Crafty DIY eyewear.

This line of frames is soon to come out and definitely something to look forward to from such a skilled and talented designer as Jake MacDougall. “Del Rey & Co. is young and fun. We want to make designs that are unique and innovative that you can’t find anywhere else.”

The up coming frames are sure to wow us like the innovative 3D glasses, so fashionably crafted and the Rikky’s with its nostalgic chains. The eyewear is available online on their website www.delreyandco.com and many locations around USA, Canada and UK.

Images courtesy of THESUPERMANIAK

Clotaire

Artiste & Empress of Chic Aaren FitzGerald

Photography: James Godman Hair, Makeup & Styling: Clotaire

“Only you know what makes you smile, so that’s the only voice you should listen to...”

The entertainment industry is a crowded and a fiercely competitive market, where many find Warhol’s ’15 minutes of fame’ easily but rarely sustain their influence. It takes a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to be noticed among the kaleidoscope of talent. So what is 24 year old design and film school graduate Clotaire to do? “I am myself for a living.” These are the dreams and reality of Clotaire a lover of film, music, stories, style, and travel.

Fatouma Clotaire Faye, known mononymously as Clotaire, is a French-African demoiselle born to a Senegalese mother and an Ivorian father. As the epitome of a chic girl, she believes that ,“fashion is what you’re told you should look like and style is what you feel you should look like.” Describing her personal style as a daily expression of happy feelings, Clotaire explains that, “Some days I want to be all dressed up from head to toe and other days I just want to be naked so [when in mood for] the latter, I stay at home, read monologues or write short stories and practice my music.”

A ferociously ambitious girl, Clotaire simultaneously manages her many talents attending castings, vocal lessons and dance classes; she not only sets smart goals but takes action to achieve her dreams. A lover of style and made-to-order things, she often organizes fashion soirées, and “sometime a sample sale at my loft to support emerging designers I have acquainted. Or a resale and consignment event where guests could swap, purchase, and browse through a mix of gentlyworn luxury clothing, shoes or accessories over glasses of champagne. I just like to have a chic time”.

The old maxim of ‘be patient on the bench’ is being overshadowed by contemporary realities causing many young people

to overdraft their futures in order to ‘make it’ in life. Clotaire admits to sometimes doubting her ability to achieve success in such a difficult industry, but after reflection, offers her own wisdom, “Only you know what makes you smile, so that’s the only voice you should listen to… I do believe in turning walls into doors because when I am passionate about something, there is no telling me no.”

Artists today often carry some version of a muse which breathes life from afar into their creative endeavors. For Clotaire, unconditional love and people who maintain a strong work ethic, keenly grounding her artistic expressions in the realities of successful people, inspire her. When asked about a favourite fashion memory Clotaire responds, “After dinner one night when I was nine, I tried to help put away the leftovers and a pot of hot soup spilled over me. I was badly burned on my right thigh so my dad (a designer turned Diplomat) designed special pants for me to wear to school instead of my uniform skirt. Everyone loved the design so much and kept asking me to borrow it, it became this thing and suddenly I felt so cool. I vowed to reinvent those one day.”

Clotaire seems to have captured the person she is most comfortable with and shares herself and her talents with the world on her blog Les Filles sont Chic (Girls are Chic) - A Diary of Chic Encounters. There, Clotaire shares her glamorous day-to-day and celebrates the bold and sophisticated girl who takes risks rather than conforming to society’s version of fashionable. Clotaire is an extremely eloquent and interesting young artiste who knows what she wants and doesn’t let fear stop the pursuit of her dreams - simply put, she is very, very chic stuff!

Photography: James Godman Hair, Makeup & Styling: Clotaire

Photographer: Ryan Francoz Makeup: Lisa Alcantara Styling: THESUPERMANIAK Location: Play de Record

personality

Brian Henderson

Meet DJ THESUPERMANiAK, a fashion forward, insanely bad ass DJ based in Toronto. She is as renowned for her unconventional sense of style, fashion & photography as she is for her dope skills on the 1’s and 2’s. Her effervescent personality and unending energy is contagious. We caught up with her to get a glimpse into her colourful world and her take on music, mixes and fashion.

Keep reading to hear her story that started in Venezuela and became a reality in Toronto.

Born and raised in Venezuela, Maria Jose Govea has taken the Toronto scene by storm as THE SUPERMANIAK. Hailing from a musical family, her love of music stems from her father and grandfather, who were both radio station owners. As a child, the energetic atmosphere of concerts Maria attended made her fall love with the music world. “Since then, I knew I wanted to be in the entertainment industry.”

It was this dream that led Maria to enroll in a five-year Mass Media Communications program at a post-graduate institute in Venezuela. She was passionate about film studies, but upon graduation, she wasn’t satisfied with the program’s focus on film theory and itched for some practical experience with a camera. Knowing Toronto had an established film industry and an emerging music scene, she packed up her bags and moved to Canada.

A year before she relocated to Toronto, an old boyfriend introduced Maria to the art of deejaying. While she didn’t take him seriously at first, she decided to learn and got first gig, “a birthday party at a small club [in Venezuela],” only two months after she put her hands on a record needle for the first time. “It was pretty nerve racking!” she admits, “I think I also had my first drink (rum and coke) that night to relax a bit.

Those were two big first ones!” To Maria’s surprise, it all went surprisingly well and she just loved playing for a crowd. “It felt awesome to play for people instead of just in somebody’s room!” Eventually, she began getting booked for more and more shows in Caracas, Venezuela.

In Toronto, her career as DJ MANIAK started to take shape once the manager of a local record store, impressed by her work, booked her to play for a few parties. This set off a domino effect for Maria, who began playing shows, threw

her own parties and started getting booked for larger gigs. But that doesn’t mean it was all easy breezy. With many outsider’s viewing the world of professional deejaying as a “boy’s club”, Maria found that the way to being a successful female in this genre was to be a smart decision maker.

“It’s […] a very tricky ride to navigate. Being a girl sometimes works in your favour, but a lot of times it just means that you have to bring it harder and be extremely careful about the decisions you make and the way you [portray] yourself as an artist.”

It wasn’t long before DJ MANIAK’s shift in interests from deejaying to photography would lead her to be crowned as THESUPERMANIAK. Taking photos for her own press releases during her own shows was the beginning of Maria’s photographic journey. Noticing the magnitude of creative talent she possessed as a photographer, a friend suggested that she pursue the art academically. And so she did. However, she soon realized that she could learn more from hands-on practice than school and dropped out to purchase the photography equipment she’d need to get her business started.

It was five years ago that Maria started photographing friends’ DJ sets and posted band photography ads over MySpace. Since then, she has expanded her photography portfolio to include photographs of performing musicians, celebrities on the red carpet, and even the explosive energies of various crowds. She absolutely loves it. She specializes in capturing music, fashion portraits and EDM parties. “I also just made my first music video which is something I had been wanting to do for a while and that I plan to do more of in the near future”. Loving what she does never stops Maria from counting her blessings and admits that, “I’m very lucky I get to do it for a living.”

While, Maria’s music and photography are a true reflection of her effervescent and larger-thanlife personality, nothing says THESUPERMANIAK than her unique fashion style. For her, fashion is, “Michael Jackson wearing a sequin glove,” the very definition of the saying “an image is worth a thousand words.” The charismatic young woman has a wonderful sense of humor and what she loves about fashion is that “it really makes for a much more exciting world. It’d be pretty dull if we were all walking around wearing uniforms or naked!”

Now, sneakers, caps and chains may be her fashion must-haves, but her personal style has this all-embracing, diverse element to it. “I go into a lot of different stores everywhere I go and buy what I like, so the result is for sure eclectic.” She does, however, have a favourite fashion designer - who, may we add, is as unique and creative, as Maria herself: she’s all about “Jeremy Scott all day and night!” She even goes as far to say that her one essential travel item would be “a Jeremy Scott jumpsuit!” There are many clothing brands Maria loves but when forced to pick one she finally gives in, “If I have to name just one, I have to go for Adidas Originals.” However, she’s completely open minded to all labels and designers. “I don’t care if it’s cheap or expensive, or conventional or out there. If I like it and it fits, I wear it.”

Music and fashion seem to be intertwined into THESUPERMANIAK’s personality. “Music pretty much drives everything for me and what I wear helps me communicate that. It’s a wonderful match!” For her, music is extremely visual. “It triggers memories, dreams and all sorts of imagery.

If I have my headphones on, I’m most likely seeing images in my head instead of what’s actually happening around me.” Maria’s sure that this kind of mental activity has helped shape up her style. Plus, she grew up watching MTV and MTV Latin America, when the focus of these music channels was still music videos. “I’m pretty sure

that had a major impact on me and the way I like to dress [as well].”

A mixed list of carefully selected music artists, television stars, and movie characters, make the list of Maria’s style icons. “I can pretty much trace my style back to these key people: Punky Brewster, Marty McFly [played by Michael J. Fox in the Back to the Future trilogy], the girl from Caravan of Courage, Michael Jackson and Ad Rock. Oh, and Will Smith on the Fresh Prince!”

Mixing bits and pieces of all these influences, Maria has reinvented fashion to fit to her own unique personality. That’s why she, herself, is on the list of inspirational style icons for many!

Designers, artists, and musicians - Maria continues to find inspiration from all sources in life.

“I’m inspired by people by the second. It ranges from Andy Warhol’s work, to the amazing sunglasses my boyfriend makes. It really has no end, we are a product of everything that surrounds us, and what surrounds us these days is only restricted by our bandwidth’s limit”.

Just how does living and working in the big multicultural mecca we call Toronto inspire Maria? “I live downtown so I get to walk everywhere listening to my iPhone and that is something that I really appreciate about Toronto.” The big city feel, that Toronto has, keeps her going. “There are people from everywhere walking down the street and there’s also amazing alley ways, rooftops, random shops and high rise buildings. All those urban elements are very inspiring to me and are a big part of my work and my style”.

It is this unique style, along with her vivacious personality and out-of-the-world attitude - of course, alongside her dope mixing and photography skills - that has allowed the creative genius we know as THESUPERMANIAK to make an impact amongst the new genre of music, fashion and photography lovers - here in Toronto, and around the world.

“Opting for a voyeur-esque take on traditional Editorial, Angela Li and [Dylan Dias] came up with an aesthetic that boasted unposed softness; an urban celebration of youthfulness and an homage to street style through Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods of West Queen West and Kensington Market [as part of the design team behind the Frugal Fashion Week’s event Le Pop!]. Bold prints, bright colours, and iconic hardware dominate [the] looks this season. View the campaign in its entirety below.” - Dylan Dias

LE POP! featuring photography by Angela Li designs by Emily Woudenberg, Shireen Nadir, Sheri STRanger, S. Wesley Harris, Killigrew, Dutch Blonde, Denis Gagnon & Homegrown Boutique styling by Michelle Baboolall makeup by Candace French hair by Dylan Dias modeling by Jessica S. & Kayla of Spot 6 Management

fashion frugal week event

Authored by: Brian Henderson Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

“Frugal is a reminder and invitation to the GTA to come out and support local talent, designers, and retailers with a Canadian presence.”

On July 26th, “frugalistas” and fashion enthusiasts alike welcomed back Frugal Fashion Week a “proud to support Canada” themed event. Frugal started in 2009, when Gillian Downes noticed a trend of local Toronto retailers having massive sales right before and through Christmas which was unheard of. She decided to start Frugal Fashion Week as her answer the recession by combining her love for fashion and shopping.

“Frugal is a reminder and invitation to the GTA to come out and support local talent, designers, and retailers with a Canadian presence”. We are reminded to be frugal but to not stop spending during the recession or the economy will plunge further.

When Downes is not running an event, she is a publicist who does marketing and strategy for local restaurants and boutiques. As a “Frugalista” she describes her style as easy going as she is often working on an event, but loves her skinny jeans and heels. She keeps things simple because she says “the reality is that there is a lot of work to put in on the night of an event and you will always be doing a lot of running

around”. The running around pays off as Gillian gets ready for another successful year with Frugal Fashion Week.

With a year of preparation Frugal is going into its fourth year running kicking off with ROOTS Made in Canada event on Thursday the 26th. The event located at ROOTS Yoga Studio and retail store was a friendly meet and greet to reinforce the “proud to support Canada” theme with Canada’s premium brand Roots.

The Made in Canada event is basically a celebration that Frugal is Canadian and the designers they support are Canadian. Frugal partnered up with ROOTS Canada for the event because “all of their products are made in Canada, it is true Canadian craftsmanship.

So we thought we would remind shoppers to not only shop local but to find a company that does as much work in Canada because it helps our economy and offers us jobs”. During the Made in Canada event you got the chance to mix and mingle while enjoying homemade sodas and a sandwich assortment

by Fran’s Restaurant.

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

The Roots Team

Gillian Downes

Team Gillian

Chic Shopper

Stylish Frugalistas

Amidst Friends

Every one loves a good deal!

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

Leilanni

The K

Dylan Dias

Shireen Nadir LE POP! Brunch

Killigrew Crew

Sheri STranger

Camille Prins

“[In Toronto’s] fashion industry, there is a struggle to introduce designers who can actually succeed in Canada and keep them in Canada because, you know, everyone leaves to find success.”

“Friday was at the Narwhal” Gillian explained, “but we actually postponed that and will likely go back to them in spring.

We want to utilize the parking lot they have so we need permission and it was a new idea so I thought we could do a regular pop up which everyone is doing or we could do something bigger. So we will wait to do that instead of putting something out there that is only 50%”.

The next event took FFW to Nyood Restaurant on Queen West to enjoy a laid back Saturday of brunch and shopping open to the public. Nyood Restaurant hosted LE POP! A carefully crafted popup arranged by fashion blogger Dylan Dias and FFW. At the event there was a gathering of local emerging designers, many of whom were introducing their lines for the first time or showcasing their upcoming collections.

Attendants got the chance to enjoy Nyood Restaurant’s extravagant brunch in the sunlit dining area or along the glimmering metallic bar. Across from the bar in the chic modern interior the designers had set up displays of their lines and were ready to answer questions and tell you about their collections.

Each of the local designers had their own unique take on fashion and many specialty pieces were being showcased.

If there was a commonality between the designers it would be that each of them

were aiming to create a truly quality product of Canada.

The final day of the Frugal Fashion Week took us to Rosedale-Summerhill to enjoy a day of shopping with a DIY Shop Crawl. Residents of the GTA are invited and encouraged to explore the wonderful neighbourhood full of fashionable boutiques. The chic community is a great place to offer support to local emerging designers and retails while remaining frugal. The area is full of trend setting individuals who love to shop outside of the big box franchise world and express their unique style. It is a great place to spend an afternoon shopping in trendy stores while enjoying local restaurants and cafes.

Next year is Frugal’s 5th year anniversary and Gillian Downes says to “expect even more local Canadian designers”.

It will be bigger and better than before as well as smarter and stronger because Gillian has a good sense of what works and what does not. Each year has been an improvement upon the last and she looks forward to supporting more upcoming designers in the future. Roots will be one of Frugal Fashion Week’s last big partners as they continue to remind Canadian’s to be consumer conscious, to not stop spending, and to continue supporting local and Canadian craftsmanship.

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

dylan dias The professional hair stylist and fashion blogger, Dylan Dias, showcased his elegant and unique line of printed silk scarves - created to brand himself and to offer Toronto a splash of bright colours for he believes, “Toronto’s fashion styles are too safe!” Originally wanting to innovate and improve upon styles as a designer, Diaz soon realized that his time was already divided between his career as a hair stylist and a blogger. So, he decided to specialize in scarves to maintain a healthy balance. His passion for design has inspired him to reflect his personality in the brightly printed scarves. You can follow Dylan Dias blog at www.dylaninthecity.blogspot. com or on his website DylanDias.com.

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

dutch blonde Camille Prins is a Canadian designer going into her 9th season here in Toronto with her line of specialty tights. She used to design dresses and luxury head bands until she was inspired by the idea of what jean companies such as Levis have done and strictly specialized in almost a single item and decided to create a line of tights. At the LE POP! She was showing her upcoming lines inspired by fashion forward ladies with a lot of confidence and great legs. Her Nude Collection is inspired by texture and features stretch leather and sheer fabric with unique quality designs. The Jet Setter is an edgy line of tights with lots of texture and bold print for the fashionable city woman. You can find Camille’s brand Dutch Blonde at TSOQ (The Store on Queen) and on her website www.dutchblonde. ca.

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

killigrew T-Shirt guys Mitch Darragh and Jeff Martin were at Nyood showing off their line of luxurious t-shirts. Killigrew is a brand inspired by the lack of quality found in other brands of t-shirts that shrink, tear, or stretch. The prestigious quality found in Jeff and Mitch’s business casual graphic T’s comes from the dedicated craftsmanship and attention to detail.

The cotton used for the shirts is really fine organic pima cotton which is handpicked to ensure there is no impurities. The codesigners love their brand and product so much they choose not to wear anything else as it does not meet the same luxurious quality as their own. Killigrew has been around for 4 ½ years and you can get it in their store located at 58 Prennan Ave, here in Toronto or on their website at www.Killigrewfashion.com.

shireen nadir A photographer by profession, Shireen Nadir was at the LE POP! event during FFW to introduce her collection of accessories. This travel enthusiast makes high quality jewelry inspired by her photographs of nature from around the world.

Each piece of jewelry she designs is inspired by a photo she has taken and often uses elements to create the accessory from the environment itself.

She uses material such as maple leaves and rose petals than seals them in resin to create beautiful jewel like appearances. Shireen has a passion for capturing photos of nature as she travels the world but when anyone asks what her favorite place to travel she answers “absolutely, it’s Canada”. To check out Shireen’s brand The Blue Brick: Photography and Handcrafts travel to her website www.thebluebrick. ca.

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

leilanni Designing since October, 2007, Canadian born Leilanni Todd has created a frilly and neutral toned clothing line for those easy going, fun and flirty fashion forward girls. Inspired by texture and simplicity Leilanni ‘s line has this glamourous simplicity that could be worn by anyone who likes to experiment with fashion, day or night. The line incorporates a variety of colours, patterns and textures into affordable custom-made basics that, whether you want it or not, you should have. And may we add, in every colour! To get your hands on some Leilanni, visit their website at: www.leilanni.com! P.S. Did we mention, all the pieces are manufactured in Toronto, completely sweatshop free?

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

sheri STRanger Sheri STRanger has been a painter and an artist for about twenty-five years. She uses her paintings to create fabric prints for the dresses she designs. Her accessories are also inspired by her paintings.“I’m inspired by the grittiness of different locations of the city. I try to make rough appearances more glamorous.” With years of experience as an artist, STRanger is now taking her first steps towards designing accessories and dresses. And we think she is doing really well. Her designs represent a control of substance and the glamorization of addiction! Her pieces of fine art and jewelry can be purchased from her website at www.sheristranger.com.

Photography by: Mugunthan Ganesan

Images from Cinemagraph™ Š 2011 Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg

technology

cinemagraphy Jaskirat Gebi

“Cinemagraphs capture a delicate part of life and capture the fleeting moments of time, the beat of a city or the breath of a human. It is alive and lives forever whereas a photo is frozen and a video is a linear description of time and can only be engaged through the act of pressing play. A picture says a thousand words but a Cinemagraph takes you there.�

Images from Cinemagraph™ Š 2011 Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg

When you first think of cinemagraphs the only two things that come into mind are the Coco Rocha cinemagraph with her hair being swept by the wind on a picturesque New York City balcony and the second thing are the creative minds behind it, Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg.

Jamie Beck is the photographer and Kevin Burg is the graphics designer in the team.

They both come together to form the world inspirational blog From Me To You. Their journey truly began when they covered New York Fashion Week as part of the Tumblr 24.

The duo has been able to take a simple photograph and bring it to life. Described in their words, “Cinemagraphs capture a delicate part of life and capture the fleeting moments of time, the beat of a city or the breath of a human. It is alive and lives forever whereas a photo is frozen and a video is a linear description of time and can only be engaged through the act of pressing play. A picture says a thousand words but a Cinemagraph takes you there�.

The file format used for cinemagraphs is GIF or graphics interchange format. When we asked why call GIFs cinemagraphs, the duo replied that, “We think of the .gif as a file format. Not as a descriptive term for Cinemagraph but as one of the formats in which we can deliver our images.” Further, they also added that, “In the same way you don’t consider taking a digital photograph as “making a JPEG” we don’t consider the .gif as integral to the Cinemagraph.”

Since Tumblr had a huge influence on the popularization of cinemagraphs, Jamie and Kevin said that it is the reason why GIF format is the best since it can contain most information while using least space. “Tumblr has an arbitrary file size limitation of 500K which over time lead people to find creative ways to get as much visual information as possible without going over that file size threshold. This is where the still elements come into play as those elements don’t count against the file size hence the driving idea of the still photograph with isolated moving aspects.”

Although the reasoning behind calling it cinemagraph is viable, but where exactly did such a romantic name come from you ask? The duo told us, “When we began creating this new form of digital photography we received requests for “that moving thing you do” on client shoots.... The term Cinemagraph came about to represent the cinematic quality married with traditional photography of the work. Cinemagraph was first used publicly by us on the social media platform Twitter followed by usage on Tumblr through the viral posts made by supermodel Coco Rocha on our Cinemagraph collaboration. We never anticipated the terminology to become so widely used in such a short period of time, which is a great success to the art form and how it is celebrated.”

Images from Cinemagraph™ Š 2011 Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg

Images from Cinemagraph™ Š 2011 Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg

Taking us into their creative process, Jamie and Kevin tell us that it is all about having a vision going into anything. “With reportage Cinemagraphs such as New York Fashion Week, Dogfish Head Brewery, Oscar de la Renta, we are capturing moments as they happen. We always have a vision going into a shoot even if it’s not controlled for how we want to tell the story while always watching for those real life moments to capture in our frame.”

But they say that produced shoots are well researched and thought out.

“For shoots that are produced such as the series on food for Gilt Taste, the images are very thought out and researched as to what is “alive” in the image.”

When it comes to what takes life in a cinemagraph is decided based on what they want to communicate through the image, say the duo. “By freezing certain elements and animating others you’re able to draw attention to, make a statement, convey an emotion, idea or portrait about a certain subject.” Although they do say you have to be ready for uncertainty when capturing life in movement.

Because of the nontraditional imagery, the shooting process is quite different for cinemagraphs. The post production process takes place through Adobe Photoshop or After Effects that can easily consume an entire working day. However, like most things, sharing the imagery is a lot easier than making it. Primarily used on social media platforms via GIF format, they were made popular by the sites of Tumblr and Twitter.

The potential for cinemagraphs is growing exponentially especially with rate technology is developing in our society today. With the move from traditional print to digital formats, there is a huge opportunity. Due to the cinemagraph’s nature, they can be viewed in virtually any mobile device.

When asked about it’s ultimate potential the duo commented, “Anything from digital publications to large format advertising can benefit from this unique type of art form. As artists we see it even as collected art in museums and private residences.”

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging.

We ourselves were surprised and delighted from the outcome when we first started publishing them which is wonderful considering how much work is involved in the process.” said the duo. This is encouraging knowing that just as photography took the creative world by storm, and made hand produced art almost extinct; cinemagraphs have done the same, but in their own way.

Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg are a duo to follow with their creative genius taking the online fashion world by storm. Their future projects include covering the Olympics and a series of art pieces on the New York City ballet. You can follow the team on their Tumblr based blog From Me To You or on their website www.cinemgraphs.com

Images from Cinemagraph™ © 2011 Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg

breakd

fash Sarah St.

Nothing draws a crowd and is more exciting to watch than b-boys battling it out for dance supremacy. Break dancing or b-boying, is a style of street dance that started back in 1970 with James Brown’s song ‘Get on the Good Foot’. People at home tried to copy the moves that Mr. Brown was using for his song, and thus an integral part of hip hop culture was born.

Breaking became a vehicle of youth expression; it was sexual, gritty and raw. Almost as memorable as the dance moves is the clothes that b-boys choose to wear. Tracksuits, baggy pants and shirts, Kangol hats were the usual attire. The culture of fashion and break dancing history is as intertwined as the breakers and their moves.

Since the 70’s, a lot has changed when it comes to the moves used in break dancing. However, fashion for this genre has stayed relatively the same. When one thinks about break dancing and fashion, the immediate picture that comes to mind is of famous breakers such as Rock Steady Crew or Run DMC. These infamous breakers wore the three stripe Adidas tracksuits, Kangol hats, and were adorned with gold chains around their necks. These looks are not only classic breaker style, but still very popular today. Nylon jumpsuits were used because they provided less traction for the dancer versus regular cotton shirts. These nylon suits were both fashionable and functional.

What also set break dancing apart from other genres of dance was that b-boys did not want to have a costume that they used only when dancing; they wanted to use clothes they could wear every day.

dancing

hion Jules

They did this because it allowed them the opportunity to throw down in a dance battle at any given moment. They did not have to worry about what they were wearing or whether their clothes would hinder their performance.

Hoodies (or hooded sweatshirts) were worn frequently, which allowed the b-boy to do windmills, or other head work, with ease and very little resistance. The common theme with break dancing and fashion is that b-boys used their clothing to perform with function first, to assist with elevating their level of dance. Looking fashionable was just an added benefit. Breakers chose function over fashion, and what they ended up with, was a fashion choice that spoke to a younger generation and created the look for the genre of break dancing.

One major change over the last few decades, regarding both dress and dance, would be the downscaling of baggy clothing. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, baggy clothes were thought to be a necessity to breakers. Having clothes that flowed around the dancers’ body gave movement, freedom, and allowed the dancers to not be constricted by fabric.

Image from NANOFASA Blog

Now, many b-boys choose to wear tighter fitting garments in order to prevent looser clothing from getting in their way. They do not want their clothes to interrupt such moves as intricate footwork, popping or locking. This change goes to show that even the most concrete of styles are subject to change, and that both the clothing and dance worlds evolve through time.

thirty 1 days of august in TO written by Sarah St. Jules photograph by Shamas Chaudhry illustrated by Trisha DaSilva

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Everyone loves an underdog! Every Wednesday night, Harbourfront plays a different movie featuring an underdog story. On August 1st you get to watch our favorite pastime’s creator as you settle in to watch ‘The Social Network’. www.harbourfrontcentre.com

Celebrate the countries of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago at The Island Soul Festival. This exciting day will feature performances by Duane Stephenson and the performing arts company, Caribbean Folk Performers.

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The King & Queen Show, which kicks off Toronto’s Caribana, showcases bands and elaborate outfits parading for the judges and the crowd - A high energy, fun www.harbourfrontcentre.com/summer/islandsoul event that has both male and female competitors ‘strutGet your tennis shoes on because ting their stuff’ at Lamport 59 of the top 60 tennis players Stadium. in the world are coming to Can- www.caribanatoronto.com/event/ kingandqueenshow ada. The Rogers Cup kicks off in Toronto on August 4th with both male and female players battling it out to be the best on the courts.

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www.rogerscup.com

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www.ontariosciencecentre.ca

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Challenge yourself to a day at the races by competing in the 10 meter dash against a cheetah or even a dinosaur!

SPORT, at the Ontario Science Center, is the newest exhibit, focusing on the world of athletics.

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Dusk Dances holds a ‘magical event’ where you can travel to Withrow Park to enjoy an evening of dancing under the stars. www.duskdances.ca

Art Gallery of Ontario shares an exhibit by Canadian Artist Iain Baxter. This is an interactive exhibit, which documents the development of Baxter’s career through the mediums of sculpture, paintings and photography. This exhibit ends August 12th, so there is limited time to experience this event. www.ago.net/theandman

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“Take a seat on the lawn and laugh your grass off!” while TIFF in the Park showcases classic screwball comedy, The Philadelphia Story, at David Pecaut Square.

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www.tiff.net

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, Visit the Open Roof Festival for a night of independent films, great s food and local bands. The film being - shown is ‘Indie Game: The Movie’. e Listen to Parlour and enjoy food n made by Come and Get It. d www.tiff.net t

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Opa! Come and celebrate Greek culture and food at the Taste of the Danforth. This event runs from August 10th-12th, so you have plenty of time to enjoy some delicious food. www.tasteofdanforth.com

Experience Shakespeare’s work and enjoy a night in Toronto’s beautiful High Park as High Park Amphitheatre holds “Shakespeare in High Park” showcasing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” until September 2nd. www.canadianstage.com/

Experience a day of art, indie music, bonfires, swimming and overnight camping during the ALL CAPS Island Festival at Artscape Gibraltar Point on Toronto’s Island.

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www.wavelengthtoronto.com/

www.tiff.net

www.harbourfrontcentre.com/planetindigenus/

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Do blondes have more fun? Come and decide for yourself at Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Blonde in Fifties Hollywood Cinema. TIFF Bell Lightbox has restored Hollywood classics to put actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and, Doris Day back onto the big screen.

Immerse in Aboriginal culture at the Harbourfront’s Planet IndigenUS Festival where Indigenous foods, art from around the world and themes of ‘identity, rights and continuity’ will be explored.

Express your inner rhythm every Thursday by Dancing on the Pier at Toronto’s Harbourfront. Joined by a house band or D.J, guests will dance the night away to styles such two-step, cha-cha, swing, afro-Caribbean and much more.

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www. harbourfront.com

Travel back to the times of Salem witch trials with Arthur Miller’s classic ‘The Crucible’’ playing at the Young Center for the Performing Arts.

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Let’s all go to the Ex! The Canadian National Exhibition opens today and runs until September 3rd. With many different bands, food from all over the world and the CNE’s famous midway and rides, this year is bound to be as much fun as ever. www.theex.com

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www.toronto.com

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The Queen West Music Festival is an exciting event that features up and coming rock bands performing frequently in the Queen West area allowing them the opportunity to get The 99 Market, which is open the exposure they deserve. every Sunday, is ‘an indepenwww.queenwestmusicfest.com dent community-based market’, Watch a vaudeville duo forced open year round with many difto come together for a reunion ferent local food trucks, fresh after a dispute in Neil Simon’s produce, artists and fashion play, The Sunshine Boys, showdesigners. www.99sudbury.ca cased at the Young Center for the Performing Arts. The play runs until September 22.

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www.toronto.com

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Can’t wait for Halloween? There’s no need to wish your summer away. Attend the Haunted Yorkville, U of T and Queens Park tour. Come and get spooked as you walk through some of Toronto’s most haunted locations. www.torontowalksbikes.com

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Get your hands dirty at Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art’s drop in clay classes! Beginners and experts are both welcome! www.gardinermuseum.on.ca

breathers, stilt walkers, & hu- twenty four twenty three Fire man statues will all be at the Scotiabank Buskerfest inside St. Lawrence Market in support of Epilepsy, starting today till 26th!

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Aloha! Support Sick Kids Hospital and Surfers HealThe Toronto Roller Derby will be play- ing amidst, sand, sun, ing their semi-final game today. This is a beach djs & celebrity surfmust see event featuring “Real Women. ers at the weekend-long Real Hits. Real Heart” Aloha Toronto Full Day www.torontorollerderby.com Beach Party at Woodbine Beach.

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www.alohatoronto.come

Grab the last chance to be see the artistic works of the man who recreated the human face. The Picasso exhibit leaves the AGO. www.ago.net

Let’s go Argos! Travel downtown to the Roger’s Center to watch our Toronto Argonauts take on the Edmonton Eskimos. www.argonauts.ca

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Hop on your bikes and join Art Spin for a tour of art around Toronto! Meet at Dufferin Grove Park at 6:30PM. Tour starts at 7PM. www.artspin.ca

www.ashkenazfestival.com

Laugh hysterically at the April Fools Comedy Fest held at the Sony Centre! Performers include: John Witherspoon, Trixx, Jay Martin and more. www.sonycentre.com

City Cinema, held in Toronto’s famous Dundas Square, will show the 1964 Bette Davis movie ‘Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte’ at 8:00PM. www.toronto.com

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The Ashkenaz Jewish and Yiddish Cultural Festival brings your a parade, Israel’s Yemen Blues, Shadowland Theatre and much more.

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www.torontobuskerfest.com