Material Archive

Grace Coddington: A Memoir

So – what did I think?

It's an interesting read.

She's led a full life with many big fashion moments and collaborations. Some of which inspire massive eye rolls, and surprise at how much smaller the industry seemed in her early days, and others that are more quietly poignant and charming. The book is packed with name dropping and celebrities, so it's juicy enough on that front.

The idea of writing a memoir does make one pause though. It seems like an incredibly hard task to pull off without glossing over truly seminal events or over-indulging in others. The result can seem like a bit of a vain mess and not terribly dignified in the end. I sympathize, as I love the idea of a good biography, but they are rarely done well.

All that aside, if you're looking for a fun and light "fashion" book, this super quick read, will do ya. Took me one day to finish it.

 

Today I bought: Stella McCartney Carroll Monogram Skirt

 

 

 

Score! 

See the full Fall 2012 Collection here.

Today I bought: Barbara Briones Lip Flats

Obviously, my all-time favourite app is Instagram, for too many reasons to list here, but one thing I will wax on about is how great it has been for my exposure to new brands. Had I not been trolling through Paris Capsule Show hashtags, I would never seen the above photo from attendee @lyndsaymcgregor and pounced like a cat! 

Grab 'em here. 

 

Shopping in Old Montreal

Bought some lovely things in Old Montreal. Particular stores to note:

Cahier d' Exercices for a great selection of Dries Van Noten, Celine and Rick Owens

Reborn for Natalia Brilli, Acne

Quai 417 for Antoni Alison, L.G.B. (& really lovely sales staff)

Ssense for Marni, Thakoon, IRO, Lanvin - plus many more

A Table for amazing porcelain dishes

 


 

Lastly, even though they broke my heart by being closed for summer holidays the exact weekend I was there, I would still recommend paying these Parisienne transplants a visit.

Rosenstein is right next door to Holt Renfrew and has a really great selection of hard to find Louboutin styles, Jimmy Choo and Repetto.

Lyndie Dourthe's Handmade Paper Flowers

See more here.

Finally got my dream bag: Hermes Constance

People, I have reached handbag nirvana. May I present to you, Miss Constance. Iconic perfection!

Tom Ford: The Documentary

 

Karl interviews himself

Sh*t Fashion Girls Say

 

Backstage by Michael Carson

Clare Vivier Weekender Bag

This lovely bag was my secret weapon during my vaca. I rolled it up like a cigar enroute to Paris and then stuffed it later with all my purchases for the remainder of the trip. It was a perfect carry-on size and because of the glazed finish, every additional scratch and mark just added to it's buttery worn-in patina.

 

Rings (the sparkly kind for your fingers) by Thames & Hudson

 

If you love antique jewelry as much as do, I highly recommend picking up this great Thames & Hudson book by Diana Scarisbrick.

The styles they span are comprehensive and the photography is nice and detailed. It kills any desire to buy a generic, assembly line Tiffany ring again!

Today I bought: Lytton Clutch from DVF

 

 

 

Pretty cute eh? Comes in a bunch of great colours.

My Christmas Wish List

Truth be told, we don't do gift exchange in our family anymore – unless you happen to be under the age of 18. Instead, we travel or buy one another fun food items – like great chocolate or wine. So this list above is not a not-so-subtle hint for my beloved – I wouldn't dream of asking for these things (beyond vulgar!). Rather, it's a wish list for the things I hope go on sale Boxing Day...so I can buy them myself, if I have any fun money left after 3 weeks in Europe! ;-)

 Starting from the top, left to right:

1. Dries Van Noten Snake Boot from MyTheresa

2. Gold heart drop earrings from St Kilda

3. Sparkle needle point pillow from Jonathan Adler

4. Hipster heads from Jonathan Adler

5. Red plexi clutch by Charlotte Olympia

6. Gold snake Sang A Pop bag from Kirna Zabete

7. Multi-wrap watch from Burberry

8. Camel coat with fur collar from Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti

9. Creme de Rose lipbalm from Christian Dior

10. Soap on a roap from Diptyque at Barneys

11. Pave diamond earrings by Janis Provisor at Kirna Zabete

12. Gold devil pencil sharpener from Jonathan Adler

13. Blue satin ribboned heels by Liam Fahy

14. Constance H bag from Hermes

15. Green star earrings from Bochic

16. Glitter ankle boot from Barneys Co-Op

17. Nail lacquer in Scarlet Chinois by Tom Ford

18. Pink enamle bracelet from St Kilda

19. Yellow drop earring by Tom Binns

20. H Ring, little square dishes and collier de chien, Hermes

21. Bag by Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton

22. Needle point sunglasses sleeve by Jonathan Adler

x

The beginning of a great tradition

This issue holds a special place in my heart. It was the first I ever bought myself with my allowance at the tender age of 12!

Two Weeks in New York City: Quickie Intro

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I recently spent 2 glorious weeks in New York shooting an upcoming campaign for a client. During my "free time" there, I took the opportunity to indulge in two of my favourite past times – shopping and eating – and what better city for it!

This post is just a little preview of some fun stops. In later posts, I'll get into more detail about the specifc restaurants I visited.

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I have literally seen Ghostbusters enough times to actually recite the majority of the film from memory. Heck, my Mr. Stay Puft action figure is watching over me right now as I compose this post! So, you can imagine the unique childlike thrill MB and I had when we randomly walked by the original fire station from the film, while strolling through Tribeca. :)

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The new Uniqlo flagship store on 5th Avenue is ridiculously big. So large, that I actually was overwhelmed and felt lost on more than one occasion. Despite that, I still managed to find several great items to bring home. One of particular note was a great wool and cashmere trench coat.

Their prices are so reasonable, I really had to calm myself to not buy a whole other suitcase's worth of clothing.

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Wow – the Christian Louboutin store on Madison Ave is intense! When I arrived at 5pm on a Friday after work, I was greeted by a line-up of other patrons and a massive body guard! According to Mr.Big, a wait time to get into the store is a normal daily occurence. I noted that no other luxury retailer on the street had the same traffic.

When I got inside shortly after, I was met with an unusal scene. Picture: upper crust ladies who lunch, sitting next to hardcore rapper type dudes (all trying on majorly tricked out sneakers I have never seen the likes of before) and then working girls like me. A very odd mix indeed!

Regardless, all were very happy – especially this girl! Why? I had called ahead and secured the last brown Simple Bootie in size 40 anywhere in the whole bloody world after weeks of looking, calling and visiting every retailer that carries CL  – major shopping victory!

The staff were really great too and recommended that I get my soles reclad in red rubber – see below. That's one of them holding his colleague's boot to show the non-slip red rubber add ons. It's a brilliant idea, as the signature red does wear off pretty quickly in my experience.

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I had a pretty productive visit at Prada as well. A new winter coat, bag and wallet were amongst my newly adopted cohorts. :)

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Some random snaps I took during breaks while working at the photography studio...

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A quick visit the to the MET on the weekend recharged my creative inspiration batteries!

...

Coming up over the next several posts: reviews and photos of Jean Georges, Corton, Del Posto, BLT, Gramercy Tavern, Nobu, Lucali – amongst others!

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On my Fall shopping list: Jeremy Laing dress

 

See more here.

Mercy's GASPARD Opens

The store's fitting rooms are lined in Liberty prints

_

While walking home from work yesterday, I came across a lovely new boutique called Gaspard. The moment I entered, I realized it belonged to my former Portrait clients, Richard and Jennifer from Mercy. Their signature use of Liberty prints tipped me off instantly and then I recalled bumping into Richard and chatting about their upcoming venture a few months ago.

After over 15 years as Mercy, the duo have finally expanded to offer their amazing line in their own store – complete with several other clothing, shoe and jewelry lines to compliment theirs. The result is a very tightly curated vision. So happy for them.

Louis Vuitton Velvet Studded Heal

These are from last Fall but I'm still obsessed with them.

Miu Miu Glitter Booties: Indulge me

Ok ok, I know – it's a bit OTT to post so many photos of my shoes – but I seriously love them. They are currently sitting on my shelf as art – can't bare to put them away in their box... Every time I see them, they make me smile.

J.Crew opens in Toronto: leaves all the interesting merch in the US

The recent pricing controversy didn't keep my curiosity at bay and so I went shopping with list in hand (after doing a pre-shop online) and ventured out to the burbs to see the new outpost of American retailer J.Crew at Yorkdale mall.

Someone must have sent Jenna a memo outlining Canadians' supposed predilection for boring basics because I wasn't able to find one thing on my list in stock. The most interesting shoes, blazers and dresses were left south of the border for their more "fashion forward" customers. Deep sigh.

Canadians love J.Crew because of it's sunny and distinctly American outlook. Having Canadian buyers curate the collection (the sales staff confirmed this) removes what makes the brand interesting to us to begin with. So thanks for your efforts Mr. Drexler but I'll stick to my online / catalog shopping for now.

Photo from the Grid

Today I bought: Miu Miu Glitter Booties from Net-A-Porter

 

Snagged the last size 39! Major shopping victory.

Dying for this Givenchy:

Buy it here.

Alexander McQueen : Savage Beauty

With an absolutely eerie and haunting cover of McQueen morphing from portrait to skull, Savage Beauty is a must own for any lover of fashion – a beautiful book.

Today I bought: Ports 1961 Perf Suede Booties

Saw these in the window at Ports 1961 on Bloor Street and decided I had to give them a good home...

Crazy cold AC is making me want this fur jacket:

 

How crazy adorable is this girl's style? The jacket is a: Must.Have.For.Fall.

From Jac&Jill

Chanel Make-Up

Was just looking through my YouTube favs and found this fun video from last January.

My Custom Wildhagen Hat

I was out shopping one day 2 weeks ago when I saw a girl wearing the most charming hat. Usually, when I approach another woman about an article of clothing she's wearing, she'll tell me she bought it in Paris two seasons ago or at an antique market – leaving me with no chance of finding one for myself. Luckily, this particular girl, named Jade, proudly told me that she had made the hat herself and directed me to Wildhagen.

Already familiar with the brand after buying several hats from the Canadian company over the years, I beelined over and ordered a custom "Miniçoise" from Cheri Wildhagen herself. I chose the hat material and grosgrain ribbon and presto, a week and a half later, I picked up a made-to-measure (for my larger than average melon) lovely chapeau! A fun experience that I would recommend to all.

Creepers Acquired

Say what you will – some love 'em some hate 'em. I am firmly in camp number 1 and am thrilled to bits I landed a pair after they had been sold out for the last 3 months.

Naoto Fukasawa: Designing Accessories with Paper

If you read this blog with any regularity, you already know that I love it when objects are designed with unexpected materials. I'm particularly fascinated with the idea of clothing or accessories made with paper. The items above were created by famed IDEO industrial design master Naoto Fukasawa – who is known for his collaborations with Muji, B&B Italia, Driade, Magis, Artemide, Danese and Boffi.

Here he has created a line of items called Siwa in collaboration with Onao, which are made with traditional Japanese washi-paper that can withstand moisture and over time becomes softer and takes on the patina of leather without the heat or weight. "Soft Naoron", as it's called, is a type of paper developed from wood and polyolefin fibres, which is derived from recycled polyester fibres, plastic bottles and repurposed textiles.

I recently bought the handbag at the top from Mjölk. Loooooooove it.

Urban Outfitters: Nail Polish in HotTub & TanLine

I don't post about nail polish that often because most are good and pretty comparable to each other. Recently though, I was in Urban Outfitters and I was compelled to buy a bottle of their house polish because the colour was so pretty.

Well, not only was it pretty on, it went on perfectly with just one coat. And then... literally every girl I know asked me about it when they saw my hands. So – then I went and bought several bottles to give away and also a few other colours. The above is my haul and so far, HotTub and Tanline are awesome. Get'em.

P.S They are not listed on URBN.com – find them in-store.

Today I bought: Coach Classics

 



I'm not even remotely a fan of new Coach – vintage Coach though, is an entirely different story. Over the last two years, I've bought several of these old beauties in various colours – tan, brown, bone, navy and recently – in red online at Net-A-Porter. They are the exclusive retailer of a reintroduced classics line by the brand. Coach has obviously recognized that there is some equity in the old designs and have relauched with these to get in on the action. For me, they are a timeless choice.

 

 

Awesome People Hanging Out Together

Eartha Kitt and James Dean





Andy Warhol & Alfred Hitchcock





Errol Flynn and wife Nora Eddington with Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles

Michael Jackson & Steven Tyler

Ella Fitzgerald & Marilyn Monroe

Karl Lagerfeld & Grace Coddington, 1974

Mick Jagger, William S. Burroughs & Andy Warhol, 1980.





Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart & Marilyn Monroe, 1953





David Bowie, Iggy Pop & Lou Reed


See more here.

Miu Miu Fall 2011: The shoes that might cause a riot

 

 

 

These will sell out in minutes once they hit the stores – trust.

Images from Style.com

One to watch: Bill Cunningham New York

A documentary about New York's original street style photographer from Zeitgeist Films.

Chloé Criss-Cross Ballerina Flats

 

Oh..so pretty. Ballerina flats are everywhere but these are special – lovely proportions.

Buy here.

New Polyvore Set: Spring Dresses

 
See the set in detail here.

Before the PS1, there was the Cambridge Satchel

 
  

 

 


Spotted one of these great bags at A2Zane recently – he's getting the fluorescent range soon at his store as well. I'm also quite partial to the special edition beige patent version created exclusively for ASOS.

Today I bought: Giles & Brother Archer Bangle

 

Picked up this beauty at Opening Ceremony today – which incidentatly, I can't say enough good things about. I keep coming back everytime I visit New York because the staff there are lovely and the product mix is very thoughtfully curated and fun.





 

Spring 2011 Shopping List

 

Click to see larger:

1. Gryphon Crochet Sequin Tee  •  2. Pierre Hardy Buckle Espadrille Wedge  • 3. Marc by Marc Jacobs Envelope Clutches in camel & green  • 4. Prada Banana & Stripe Dress  • 5. IRO Secret Sequin Sleeve Sweater  • 6. Dolce Vita Nude Sandals  • 7. Miu Miu White Dress  • 8. Cartier Love Bracelet  • 9. Michael Kors Double Buckle Sandal  • 10. Lover Underwire One-Piece Navy Swimsuit  • 11. Michael Kors Cork Sandal  • 12 Jill Sander Platform Sandal  • 13. Valentino Cat Eye Sunglasses  • 14. Alexander Wang Motorcycle Jacket  • 15. Prada Cut-Out Pattern Suede Boot (last season)  • 16. Erie Basin Vintage Amethyst Ring  • 17. Miu Miu Two-Tone Jersey Mini Dress  • 18. Hermes Cape Code Double Tour Watch  • 19. Vintage Gold Rolex  • 20. Jenni Kayne Camel Leather Booties  • 21. More Prada Bananas  • 22. Alexander Wang Ines Oxford  • 23. Rochas Platform Sandals  • 24. Druzy Earrings  • 25. Queen of Hearts V-Neck Sweater  • 26. Prada Fur Stole  • 27. Giuseppe Zanotti Canvas & Leather Boot  • 28. Giles & Brother Archer Bangle  • 29. Devi Kroell Wood & Crystal Minaudiere

Today I bought: Hoi Bo

I've been eyeing the larger grey version of this same waxed cotton bag for over a year now and today when I saw the khaki colour with gold hardware at Delphic, I didn't hesitate. Handmade in Toronto, in the Distillery District, Hoi Bo is fast becoming a personal favourite.

 

Love for TOMS Shoes

I already tweeted this photo but I think it's important enough to post on the blog as well. If you're not familiar with TOMS Shoes yet, please take a minute to visit Blake's site and learn all about his model of One for One which provides shoes to needy children globally. Each time a pair of TOMS shoes is sold, they donate a pair to the cause and distribute them – an absolutely amazing initiative. So far they have placed over a million shoes on needy little feet all over the world.

The above sparkly pair are mine – love them. Very MJ's glittery glove no?

Alexander Wang Kristen Bag

When I first saw this bag online a while ago – I liked it. Today, when I saw it in person at Jonathan + Olivia, I loved it. Very nice and very necessary. ;-)

The Master Chart of Fashion Influence: NY Edition

 

They need do to another version of this chart with the Brits, French and Italians.

Natalie Massenet & Conan O'Brien

 

No, Natalie Massenet and Conan O'Brien don't really have anything to do with one another. I just came across these shots of them and thought they were great. Her, with her hugely visionary fashion empire, and he, with his marvelous bouffant – which I always thought defied gravity on it's own – until now. :)

 

She shot by Henry Bourne, he shot by Gillian Laub.

Today I bought: Vintage Miu Miu

Remember this Miu Miu collection from SS 2004? It's one of my many favs from the brand.
I recently came across the super cute pink dress pictured above, but, alas, it was not my size. Liked it so much, I almost bought it anyways to hang on the wall. Luckily, I came across a unworn vintage pair of the matching embellished pumps in pink today and all is redeemed. So excited to get them – it will be like wearing mini gilded birthday cakes on my feet. Yes, I am crazy. ;-)

Today I bought: A.L.C. layered jersey knit dress

 

 





Love A.L.C.

Gimmie Gimmie:

Bangle by Lady Grey  •  Sparkle Bag by Miu Miu  •  One-piece pale pink swimsuit by Miu Miu  •  Medor Clutch by Hermes  •  White leather bracelet by Hermes  •  Gold oxfords by Nicholas Kirkwood  •  Pyrite ring by Lunessa  •  Linen oxfords by Jill Sander  •  Silver pyrite ring Carole Tanenbaum •  Gold sequin top by Vince • Velvet dress  • YSL Nail lacquer  •  Gold lace cuff by Aurelie Bidermann •  Hammered gold bangles by Osanna Visconti  •  Caramel booties by Celine  •  Trench by Burberry  •  Jypsiere by Hermes  •  Coin ring by Aurelie Bidermann  •  Silver sequin / pink scarf by Club Monaco  •  Bow brooch by Balenciaga  •  Boots by Hermes

 

 

The Sartorialist Speaks

He seems like a lovely person.

Christopher Kane Galaxy Print

Sometimes you don't realize how amazing something is until you see and feel it in person. While at The Room last week, I finally saw Christopher Kane's galaxy print dresses firsthand and they stopped me dead in my tracks. Gorgeous!