The Buzz
 Grab your shearling coat and booties (of the Ikea monkey variety of course) because the weather outside may be frightful, but the fashion inside is delightful. I am of course talking about the upcoming fashion weeks and the new details released for both Ottawa and Montreal.
As you will recall, I wrote about Montreal Fashion Week here, but now we have more updates on what will be taking place, namely a new concept that marries fashion with cinema: the Fashion Premiere. The week will showcase 21 fashion films, selected by MFW in collaboration with FAT Arts & Fashion Week Toronto and Triptyque, and presented throughout the event along with a tribute to Rad Hourani directed by Parisian Jean Du Sartel. The McCord Museum will also offer two free activities dedicated to the history of fashion on February 2 and 6.
Among other firsts, MFW F/W 13 will feature a new space at the Arsenal called the Designer Studio by Target, allowing "greater flexibility to designers that want to have more creative freedom and stage a non-traditional fashion show or installation with maximum impact." Designers participating in MFW will also be able to benefit from an international partnership with Russia Fashion Week, which will provide visibility in a growing market with MFW content being broadcast to influencers from the Russian fashion industry.
But on to Ottawa, whose fashion week kicks off immediately after Montreal on February 8 (ending on February 10). More than 20 national and international designers will showcase their latest creations at the forthcoming Canadian fashion revelry that is Ottawa Fashion Week.
The ninth edition of Ottawa Fashion Week will be organized in partnership with Winterlude, the annual festival of Ottawa that celebrates winters, and the National Capital Commission, the corporation which administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region.
Local designers like Frank Sukhoo from the label Sukhoo Sukhoo, Jana & Emilia, Eliz Bourk and Y!D.N.A are going to present their latest ensembles at the event; while Nigerian fashion designer Anjorin Babatunde Adeniran will make his debut at OFW by presenting his Anjoreen Couture line. Bordering towards the Afro-chic side, the collection will feature traditional African styles with a modern twist.
Tess Johnson, the 23-year-old designer from New York’s prestigious Parsons design school, will showcase her 40-piece range at the event. Inspired by the beauty of oceans, the heavy-on-prints line is made of silk, leather, fur and mohair.
So that's the skinny on this season's fashion week news. Toronto, as per usual, is the last horse out of the gate and has released no info for their event, but stay tuned for future announcements.
Image via MFW
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The first clip for Lovelace is out and it looks so, so good. [INeedMyFix]
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The Prez adds his input to the Mobama hair conversation: "I love her bangs!" [BellaSugar]
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Today was a big day for the Obamas, yes — but it was also a big day for Beyonce. If you haven't seen her performance of the National Anthem, get on that. [DailyStab]
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And if you want to know what she's wearing: it's Pre-Fall Pucci. [SheFinds]
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Aaaaand other people also attended the Inauguration today, also wearing fancy clothing. [FabSugar]
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A rare moment of personal disclosure from J. Crew head Jenna Lyons. [Fashionologie]
Image via INeedMyFix
Image via Getty
Today at the inauguration ceremony for President Obama's second term, the First Lady paired a Thom Browne outfit with a pair of J. Crew shoes and her new bangs. (She wore a Reed Krakoff blue dress to the official swearing-in yesterday, which took place in the White House's Blue Room.)
Browne submitted his design to Mobama months ago, but didn't find out his outfit had been selected until nearly half an hour after the First Lady appeared on TV early this morning, according to The New York Times. (The designer was in Paris, en route to a sales meeting. The sales forecast: probably positive.)
Malia was also dressed in J. Crew, while her sister Sasha wore Kate Spade. Barack Obama wore no one cares.
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So, it’s a fresh year, which means fresh advertising campaigns, and at the moment it’s the British models and style icons, Poppy Delevigne and Georgia May Jagger, who are being thrust into the limelight with high profile campaigns. The question is, however, which of the two ladies does it best? Here’s a bit more information on the ads to help you choose your face of the SS 13 high street!
Poppy Delevigne
Being sister to the supermodel of last year, Cara Delevigne, means that this lady has a lot to live up to in the style stakes, but nonetheless, she never appears to be short of modeling work and has recently been announced as the new face of the high street giants, Vero Moda. As if having to compete with her über successful sister wasn’t enough, becoming the face of Vero Moda also meant that she’s taken the role away from Brit style icon, Alexa Chung — the girl who’s been officially labeled as THE style icon of the year by the British Fashion Council for several years now.
For Vero Moda’s SS 13 campaign, Poppy (below) is seen modeling an array of monochrome, denim and floral pieces, and proving that she’s the kind of girl that can transform the simplest of pieces into a much sought-after outfit.
Georgia May Jagger
Poppy isn't the only Brit style icon making a splash this spring as it's just been reported that the gorgeous Georgia May Jagger is the new face of H&M’s latest campaign, entitled the Rock and Roll Collection. If you ask us, there's no better choice for the role than the daughter of a rock legend, who just so happens to be a flawless model.
Sneaky behind-the-scenes pictures from the campaign shoot that have been surfacing online show her to be channeling that Sixties vibe (complete with a beehive!) with cute little Sixties-inspired mini dresses, and then evoking a rocker edge with a pair of skinnies and a biker jacket. She’s just as stylish offset too, add a biker jacket to her dress below, and voila!, a rock chick’s night out. The collection is set to officially launch in February, so add it to your diaries now!
Images: Vero Moda, Will Alexander/WENN.com
I always saw Naomi Watts as pretty but not all that interesting, probably because she’s sort of like a slightly older and slightly less British but slightly more talented version of fellow generic beauty Sienna Miller. But Naomi has been killing it clothes-wise lately, the most recent example being this oxblood Zac Posen gown she wore to the Golden Globes last week.
From the neck down she’s a silky glass of merlot and from the neck up a perfect example of old Hollywood glamour. A cut-away back and faux bob thing she has going on partners the dress perfectly, and choosing pink lipstick over red prevents the whole thing from being too matchy-matchy. There are two more things to note about her general appearance here: Sleeves, which are more than welcome on the red carpet when they're not accompanied by skirts like this, and wrinkles. Naomi has them, and they stop her face from looking like melted plastic.
Then there’s the Vogue Australia cover she did for the magazine’s February issue. Forum member YoninahAliza writes, “What I really appreciate about this cover is that Vogue Australia was able to take a celebrity who’s career/life-story I’ve never particularly followed and suddenly make me interested in reading an interview with her and seeing an editorial with her, just from the cover alone.”
It seems relevant here to mention this unfortunate Harper’s Bazaar cover from October last year, which I can only look at if I cross my eyes and avoid looking at anything north of the ‘Get Great Hair’ headline because it is that awkward. In comparison, Naomi looks completely gorgeous and, here’s the keyword — natural — in ruffled green Gucci.
Bring on the Oscars!
Magazine cover photographed by Fashion Spot forum member AL92; Celebrity images: WENN
Sears Canada, once the stomping ground of the Brady Bunch and the 40-year-old middle-management shopper, is getting a makeover. Or at least a few of its clothing lines are.
First, its in-house shoe collection — that is, Nevada and Attitude footwear for men and women, and Jessica brand for women — will be given new life and soles thanks to Aldo, who'll be redesigning and manufacturing the new kicks. The revitalized brands will be available in Sears stores across Canada and through its Direct formats beginning with the Fall 2013 season.
David Bensadoun, President of Aldo Global Retail & Aldo Product Services adds, "We are excited to begin working with Sears on their private label brands. The combination of our footwear expertise and Sears impressive retail network will create value for the consumer. We look forward to seeing a very positive reaction this Fall season."
In other departments, Buffalo International Inc. will design and produce Sears Canada’s entire line of Nevada denim-based apparel for both women and men. The Nevada lifestyle brand as interpreted by Buffalo will encompass men's and women's apparel and be available in Sears stores beginning in Fall 2013.
"As we focus on improving our merchandise offering, we are exploring relationships with best-in-class designers to help us improve the fashionability and salability of our key brands, and Buffalo represents that elevated level of product in the denim-casual category," said Calvin McDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sears Canada Inc. "The 25-45 age range is a key segment for us to reach as we continue our transformation journey to become relevant to more Canadians coast to coast, and we expect that Buffalo's design and sourcing capability will help us attract these customers more successfully."
Reaching new demographics has been one of Sears Canada's top priorities in recent years as more "fast fashion" stores make their way North from the States (cough, Target). In 2011, the retailer teamed with silver-haired Toronto-born personality Jay Manuel of America’s Next Top Model fame. Not only did he take over as creative director of Sears Canada’s rebranded private label collection, Attitude Jay Manuel, but he also hosted featured presentations of the line at Fashion Week in Toronto.
Even so, is this overhaul too little too late for Sears and its dwindling sales? As one commentator writes on CTV News' website, "This will not save you Sears! Take a look at your prices… stop trying to make believe that you're a high end retailer… I am continually in awe at the prices you charge for items that can be found much cheaper at all of your competitors."
Meanwhile, The Bay, arguably Sears' top competition when it comes to clothing, is making strides with its partnerships with Jeanne Beker, as well as landing exclusive rights to Topshop, Topman, and Madonna's Material Girl collection. But in the way that The Bay went after Holt Renfrew, it looks as though Sears is coming hot on HBC's heels. Mirror, mirror on the wall, which store is the most fabulous of them all?
Images via Sears and Jay Manuel
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