New year...

I hope you had a great 2010, I know I did! Of course, there were some losses too but I try to look at the positive and all the things I have gained this year. This is the time for reflecting but I am also looking forward to a new year with new possibilities, opportunities, and experiences. My resolutions include; going to Paris (not new, but a month there would be AMAZING), going to NY fashion week (I don't care which), using my credit card less (TOUGH), styling some menswear (not a ton, but more than I have!), and using my treadmill (even if it's just for the dogs), and learning enough French to have a meaningful conversation about more than food!

Wishing you all the best you can get out of 2011! Bonne Année!

Paris Vogue

Rick Owens and a Band-aid

I went to get my copy of Paris vogue this week and turns out they are still on November at the mag store, but I didn't even mind. That is how great an editor Carine Roitfeld is. I won't even look at American Vogue, too many socialites (even though I love Grace Coddington's styling). I hope now that she is resigning that the magazine keeps it's amazing editorial standards and I also hope I learn enough french to actually read it. Bon Voyage Carine! 

Minimalism

Part of why I have been so busy is I have been shooting with my friends Wilcosz & Way. We shot the amazing Samantha Ypma from Mode Models International and I cannot wait to see the finished product. 

Here is a sneak peek from Wilkosz & Way...

And some behind the scenes shots!

This is as close as I got to a photo of me on the shoot.

Marta hamming it up.

Alicja's hand pallete

This does no justice to the colors, they were INTENSE.

Such an amazing girl! As you can see I was keeping it light.

I cannot wait to see the outcome. Stay tuned!

Stella McCartney Spring 2011

Although it may seem as though I have abandoned yet another blog, it isn't true! I have just been so super busy that I have had no time for even thinking about nice things, let alone blogging them for you. One of my new projects is pulling the fashion for the mannequins to wear at Holt Renfrew in Calgary. It is really nice to be a part of the new and beautiful store and play dress up with designer fashion and giant Barbies! Like my job could get any better! 

My favorite new collection in the store is Stella McCartney "Spring" she calls it but really it's resort (for those of you who may not know there are 4 seasons for fashion. Although only Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter are usually shown on a runway, resort and pre-fall are still very important.) I heard someone last week call it cruise-wear which seems so old fashioned so maybe Stella is on to something. Resort might be old fashioned but I think calling it spring is confusing. The idea of a resort collection is to have something in the stores for those people who leave in the winter and go to a "resort" and need swimwear, light clothes and gowns with which to dress for dinner. It is strange to me how those clothes are in the stores when you need them however all the winter clothes are sold out by January in most places. 

But I digress. I need to research this a bit more for my own satisfaction, but I leave you with the video of Stella speaking about her beautiful "Spring" collection. The floral prints are so crisp on the silk and I love how they are presented. In stores now!

Carnations

For some reason Carnations have had a bad rap. They get lumped in with baby's breath and geraniums for being ugly and old fashioned. While I still don't like baby's breath, the color of these carnations cannot be beat; bright orang-y red and hot pink! And they are still going strong into their second week in the bowl even after all the water evaporated once. 

I think they look amazing and lush especially when you treat them like a topiary and pack them very densely in a footed bowl or a wide mouthed vase.

Lola and a bowl of bright flowers. These are the things getting me through this deep freeze! 

Go on! Ask me!

Hey, guess what? I joined this new site called VYou where you can ask all your fashion and style questions and I will answer via video. The site is still in development but it seems like a good way  for me to waste some time to answer your questions. You don't have to join in order to ask me things so query away!                                              

Handbags

Here are a few handbags I shot with photographer Chris Sattlegger. It's as if they were left behind although who could forget such beautiful bags! It almost seems more like they are just hanging out, waiting for something, especially the one in the grass. 

Winter Color

Even in winter, especially with these crazy short days, I love this kind of color. Put the black away!!

  

La Risurrezione

Lauren Bagliore Spring 2011- La Risurrezione (The Resurrection)

Styling by Leah Van Loon

So the reviews are in and the Lauren Bagliore show has gotten huge press! She made the Toronto Sun's editor's top picks for the week and I am so pleased that her line got such great attention. I know how much work goes into the designing and promotion of a fashion line, never mind the show end of things, and I was proud to be a part of the culmination of all her hard work. If you want to see the line for yourself she will be showing at Artwear tomorrow, Nov. 5, or come to the trunkshow at DaDe Art & Design Lab on Nov. 18


Please feel free to enjoy this little video of the show and check out the press blog for more great coverage! 


Congratulations Lauren!



TOFW: Lauren Bagliore SS2011 from istoica on Vimeo.

Paris vs. New York

What a great blog, the illustrations are beautiful. I even love the title font! I wonder how long he can keep it up for.

Dance Party

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Stereo Total? Plus I am going to dance like this guy all night tonight.

Hello, it's me!

Here is a profile of me written by Casey Wagar for Calgary Fashion. We had a nice chat and he made me sound so fab! Thanks To Casey and Kim and the Calgary Fashion team! xo!

Leah Van Loon – Style Legend

Words by Casey Wagar

Photography by Colin Way

When I met prominent Calgary stylist Leah Van Loon at Milk Tiger, she walked in looking every bit the part of someone who not only truly ‘gets’ fashion, but lives it. Dressed as if she just walked off the set of Mad Men, or Marc Jacob’s Fall 2010 collection for Louis Vuitton, Leah was wearing a 60s inspired dress, a well fitting bright orange cardigan (with lips to match), a small Louis Vuitton wrist clutch, leopard print flats and her signature cat eye frames. Not only did she look super chic, she looked like herself. Leah has rocked her unique style for years and wears it like a true original.

Leah is self taught and has been working in the Calgary fashion industry for over 10 years. Always having an interest in fashion and design, Leah began working in the local film and television costume industry when she first moved to Calgary. It was during this period that Leah really learned to shop. She often had to quickly go into a store and pick out tons of different items at once, in a short time period – skills that would serve her well years later personal shopping for clients.

After Leah left the film and television industry she spent five years working in fashion full time as a Women’s Wear Stylist at Holt Renfrew. Dressing mannequins seemed like it was meant to be as Leah spent many hours dressing Barbie (me too) as a young girl. Interestingly, it was always about Barbie’s closet – not her life. Who cares what Barbie had planned for the day? As long as she looked fabulous doing it.

After leaving Holt Renfrew, Leah decided to venture out on her own and today spends her time doing super cool and well received editorial work (check out her spreads in the September issue of Avenue and Outlooks) and styling for various advertisements and fashion shows – she’ll be in Toronto next week styling a show for Toronto Fashion Week. Leah also often works with her personal clients helping them rework their wardrobes (what she calls ‘closet editing’) and helping them dress for the many events that dominate Calgary’s social scene.

During our conversation, Leah points out how you can’t predict what’s going to happen in fashion or what’s going to come next. In an industry built on how quickly it changes, you have to be ready to constantly move forward. Although in fashion, looking forward usually involves looking to the past. When I asked what we can expect to become trends this year, she said that the 90s are back big time but interestingly so are the 60s, 70s and 80s. Confusing? Ya, a little. But not for an expert like Leah.

She also discusses how our constant exposure to ever changing trends and the fast paced direction fashion takes has given rise to what she calls “non seasonal dressing.” Leah explains that we should buy pieces that are going to last and that we can take from one season to the next. There are limitless ways to make older items in your closet look fresh by just paring them with one or two “it” items of the season – try something red this fall.

After spending a couple of hours learning about Leah (I could have easily stayed and talked for the rest of the night), I asked about her future and where she sees herself in the next few years. She describes some of her many other interests and what she might like to focus on in the future in regards to fashion and design: “I still have so many cool things to learn – that’s the exciting thing.”

Style words to live by.

Knit Picks!

While I was away the issue of We Like We Love dropped with our knitwear story from Barrier Lake! Shot on location in Kananaskis Country outside of Calgary, the weather started off beautifully and then turned on us so by the end we were shooting in the wind and the rain. Wilkosz and Way did a great job bringing it all together and Alicja Wilcosz's make-up skills made our model April K. from Mode look gorgeousl (like she needed any help!). Paul Hardy loaned us his sumptuous knitwear and those monkey fur boot covers (don't worry, it's not really monkey, it's goat), and the rest was mostly from Holt Renfrew including that amazing Céline cardigan with the leather patch pockets that inspired the whole shoot. Rubber boots from Gravity Pope.


Thanks to everyone especially to Alyssa Yuhas and WLWL for publishing it! You can view the rest of the magazine here and purchase it (the printing is very well done and worth it) here.

Back!

I made it through LG Fashion Week and I have to say I think I am not very good at fashion week! I didn't take any photos really except this one of the Runway before the show started. I have decided it is appropriate that all I have are a few blurry memories since that is how it all felt.


That is Barbara Atkin in the white (I think), Holt Renfrew's Vice-president in charge of fashion direction for the company. I took a lot of video of Jeanie Becker on her blackberry at the Holt Renfrew Preview event but I have yet to discover how to pull stills. My iPhone pictures of Denis Gagnon do it NO justice, and I don't even have any shots from the Lauren Bagliore presentation which incidentally went off without a hitch. The ladies running the event were so calm and I guess they should be after going this for so many years. It was a lot of fun and I hope I can attend next season. With a charged camera battery and a plan.

Toronto

I am off to Toronto tomorrow for a week long vacation that somehow turned into working as well (no rest for the wicked). I am styling a show at LG fashion week, more specifically the Lauren Bagliore Spring 2011 show! I am super excited to help her out as she is a fellow Calgarian as well as a very talented designer and her jersey dresses are literally a cut above. I will be attending a couple of events and shows as well and will keep you posted on my week of fun and fashion.

Now I have to figure out what outfits to bring!

*SIGH*

I know the Spring 2011 fashion weeks all just happened and I should have lots to say about it, but I am still in a fall mood. Probably because I know I have 8 more months of winter and it hasn't even begun yet. I am still dreaming of leather and fur and, now that I saw them the other day at Holt's, THESE BOOTS...

Like the greatest go-go boot. The go-to boot. If it's the only thing I buy all winter, I hope it is this. Now I need to see if they even have my size! 

The view from down here

This is my view when I look up from my computer. Maybe I should get outside!

Pantone Credit Card

I want one of these Visa cards featuring Pantone colors from the spring 2011 fashion season. Plus some extra credit would be nice too.

Mad(ish) Men

This month's Avenue Magazine features some of Calgary's finest Ad execs which I styled up in a modern Mad Men vein. Hair and Make-up by Teslin Ward and Photography by Jared Sych. Shot on Location at Rush Restaurant here in Calgary. 

Joe Hospodarec from Wax Partnership

Mike Meadus from MacLaren McCann

Zahara Al-Hazari from Foundry Creative

Phil Copithorne from Karo

FFWD Fall Fashion

It is always challenging to shoot spring in winter and fall in summer so after posting about the amazing installation, River of Light, this summer, I decided to set the ffwd fall fashion issue against it as a backdrop. I love the way Creatmosphere lights their projects and it made me think of fall and the changing colors of the trees.  Colin Way was so fast on this one as we only had 2 hours between it getting dark and when they cut the power to the installation at Prince's Island Park. Teslin Ward did the make-up at the studio, beforehand along with Phillip Elliot on hair, and we set up a makeshift wardrobe room in the park. Kelsey Sirucek from Mode Models and her boyfriend Jeremy Scnieder were good sports as the weather here in August was terrible. In fact there was a huge thunderstorm (with hail!) right before we left for the location. All in all a fun shoot and it was amazing to see the installation so late at night with no one else around.

  

You can view the full story on line (we had a page cut!) and pick up your hard copy this week.

Outlooks Magazine shoot

Check out the September cover and fashion story for Outlooks Canada right now. We wanted to portray an anrdogynous feeling and the historic Lougheed House provided a nice foil to the modern styling. Lots of clothes from Paul Hardy and some key pieces from Holt Renfrew, Primitive, Leo, and Gravity Pope, with jewelry from Rubaiyat.  i Model Management models Ryan and Stella did a great job, and Olga Olunov's make-up made them fit perfectly with the androgynous look. Thanks to Gerard Yunker for shooting it and Len Mastaler from Outlooks for asking me to do it! The issue is available for free at many magazine and coffee shops nationally, or you can purchase it online here.


Here are a few shots for you. He is wearing almost all ladies clothes!