Posts Tagged ‘Tommy Ton’
2009 A Year in Fashion
2009 was a year of recession and I must say, I feared for our beloved fashion universe. Some believe the fashion industry is built on frivolity but I believe that it contributes to the joy of living with beauty in our day to day lives. We humans need a little beauty to survive in these times of turmoil. Fashion thrives on change, constantly searching for new innovations. The events of 2009 and the artist inspired ideas provided plenty of fresh takes on how to have fun with fashion.
On January 20th Barack Obama was inaugurated as President of the United States and First Lady, Michelle Obama stepped out in an Isabel Toledo celadon coat and dress, and later a beautiful Jason Wu gown. It marked the start of a year of new beginnings in society and in fashion.
Experimentation seemed to be the theme in design and retail. In February Isaac Mizrahi turned fashion on its head when he sent his models out in New York wearing handbags as hats. These Schiaparelli inspired chapeaus weren’t the only place in fashion that surrealism showed its distorted face this year. Nina Ricci showed Heel-less shoes and Dolce & Gabanna sold accessories covered in eyes and lips.
The fashion world continued to swoon over fresh youthful designs by Rodarte and Alexander Wang. At the CFDA awards on June 16th the demure sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, walked away with a Womenswear Designer of the Year award, while Wang won the Swarovski award for womenswear.
On June 25th Michael Jackson died causing the whole world to go into mourning. You couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing Thriller and now 6 months later, you can’t walk into a store without seeing sequined jackets and skin tight pants inspired by the King of Pop himself.
By September it was New York fashion week again, this time held at the home of The Big Apple Circus, Damrosch Park in Lincoln Centre. The industry had a good laugh when Lindsay Lohan was appointed creative director of Emmanuel Ungaro. The collection seemed to oddly resemble the 80’s Barbie clothes I played with as a girl, complete with neon pink tube dresses, sequined heart bandeaus and white fur stoles. And the pasties? Even Barbie was too classy for that.
During these Spring 2010 shows the typical crowd of front row fashionistas was disrupted by a gaggle of young bloggers including Toronto’s own Tommy Ton, who typed and tweeted through the shows next to the likes of Anna Wintour and Hamish Bowles.
September 11th was Fashion’s Night Out a shopping night experience that brought out shoppers and celebrities alike. Meanwhile temporary shops seemed to be popping up everywhere and Holt Renfrew opened one of the first major Pop-Up retail environments in Canada at the Beginning of December.
Holt Renfrew experimented not only with their retail pop-up but also with this blog. I never could have dreamed that I would have the chance to blog for my favourite store in a time when bloggers are running at the head of the pack of fashion. As the year has come to an end, this will be my last post. Thank you for supporting me by reading my entries and giving me your feedback.
Each of us has our own personal favourite fashion moment of 2009. For me, being the Holt Renfrew Contemporary Correspondent will be one of my favourite fashion moments for years to come.
It’s Fashion Week… and I Have Nothing to Wear
What the **** am I supposed to wear to a party that calls for 5:30? Will the look be post-work or pre-party? Red lipstick, purple lipstick, no lipstick?? Too many questions and too little time.
Looking out over Toronto from Merrill’s 45th floor apartment, I threw on a basic black dress, a knockout necklace made of watches by up and comer Michelle Ross, and sparkly tights. When I realized the tights looked more Arden than Dior Spring ’10, I peeled them off and substituted the classic black variety. Merrill opted for her Rag and Bone leather patch leggings, a Rogan sweater and her Acne shoe-boots that are reserved for events 2 hours or less.
When we walked into the Holt Renfrew LG Fashion week party at 5:45, we were happy with our decisions. We wouldn’t have picked any dressier or any less if we had the chance to do it all over. As Chris Sherman of Fashion Television said to me “ There is fashion for all tastes at these events.”
Every Toronto fashion celebrity was there from Jeannie Beker to Tommy Ton. We all mingled and drank wine until Barbara Atkin and Robin Kay introduced the mini fashion show celebrating Holt Renfrew’s picks of the Canadian design “Group of Seven.” My favourite super-star model Kate Somers, the toast of my former high school, opened the show in Lida Baday. After we all snapped pics and finished our last sips, it was time to call it a night. I was sad to go, but left looking forward to all the events to follow this week in Toronto.