As much as I hate to admit it, I am in college. And as a student, I do love free stuff. So for all my Canadian readers out there, I have a way for you to wet your appetites with possible goodies and to satisfy your thirst for all things Canadiana. Started by fashionista Leesa Butler, The F-list is a great resource for knowledge on and for giveaways from the hottest and newest Canadian designers.
So sign up at the F-list for your chance to win a fashion and beauty prize pack that includes $75 gift certificate to Preloved’s online store plus goodies from Darya Designers, AIME, L’Oreal Paris and more! The F-list is picking a new winner every week this February! You’ll not only be entered to win amazing prizes, but they’ll keep you in the loop on Canadian fashion with the monthly newsletter, The F Word. Plus you’ll also have access to ongoing sales and events, special offers, contests and sample sale invitations. Head on over and fill out your name and contact info!
There is no denying the amount of fashion-related programming on air now, what with Project Runway, America’s Next Top Model, and The City for starters, and especially now with the hype of Bravo’s “Kell on Earth,” which features Kelly Cutrone and her public relations firm People’s Revolution. I wasn’t expecting much from “Kell on Earth,” but there’s a certain quality (or you know, just the amount of hype) about reality TV that makes it difficult to shy away from the computer/television screen.
Revealing a tad of the fashion industry to America, the audience follows Kelly Cutrone as she prepares for NYFW’s Spring/Summer 2010 shows. And quite surprisingly, “Kell on Earth” keeps my attention with its decent narrative and quirky characters. Several minutes into the beginning of the show, we find ourselves introduced to the main characters, which are, in fact, quite likable despite their “bitch” personas. And while Kelly may not be the most attractive or the most impeccably dressed in the industry, it is those traits that make me all the more interested in watching. But aside from the office team, we are also introduced to Kelly’s young and adorable daughter, Ava, who I never knew existed up until the promos for the show aired. Seeing this dimension of Kelly that isn’t associated with the fashion industry and where she takes on the role of “mom” certainly adds depth to the show itself and credibility to that Kelly Cutrone may in fact have human qualities.
Like what others have said, one of the elements that actually makes “Kell on Earth” fun to watch is that things actually happen. Unlike The Hills and The City where the half hour slot is filled with stretched-out melodramas and lunches, there are actual problems (uh oh, seating!) and progress (hey, we actually get through a fashion show). And of course, there would be no entertainment value if there weren’t any memorable quotes, such as “Pharmaceuticals really help in People’s Revolution. If I offer you an Ativan, just take it, it helps!” and “I was working in L.A. in Beverly Hills as a hair colorist — I left everything I had in California. It was a successful career mind you, to come to New York and be called a retard.”
And for those of you that haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, check out the promo video below:
Take note of what is said on Kelly Cutrone's shirt.
Even though I’ve lived in Toronto all my life, I just discovered the real Queen West area. Before, when you tell me that you’re heading over to the area, I’d think that you meant anything east of Bathurst. Well, without a metropass, I decided to take my time in heading over to the “End of the Decade” sale by strolling and taking in the neighborhood’s yuppie vibes. So when another sale in the same area popped up on my Twitter feed the next day, I was excited to head on over. Poking my head into the Gladstone Hotel is where I found designer Ashley Rowe and her self-titled collection.
Graduating from George Brown’s fashion management program three years ago, 26 year-old Ashley Rowe has already racked up some significant accomplishments, including internships/employment at FASHION, FLARE, Holt Renfrew , and the FDCC. Wanting to find a median between the exorbitant prices of designer department store Holt Renfrew and the stylish, yet lacking in workmanship and uniqueness, wardrobe staple of H&M, Ashley took the bold chance and started her own line in 2007.
Infusing the essences of England’s “out there” personality and American rock & roll style into her clothing, Ashley’s miss rowe line received its nomination as a finalist for the Toronto Fashion Incubator’s (TFI) prestigious New Labels competition. Particular about fabric choice, Ashley presents versatility as a designer with creations in leather, silk, linen, and Egyptian cotton. And with each season comes an evolution of the line; inspired by her holiday trip to Mexico, the upcoming season is said to be a “voyage into patterns, prints, and textures,” which I am sure will be hot with her clientele aged 20 to 40.
What remains a staple each season, though, is the suit; from the Fall’09 collection are the glimmering Lennon jacket paired with Ono pants. Believing in comfort and ease, this suit’s chic style, along with other pieces from Ashley’s line, allow for office girl to head from work to the lounge for drinks with her girlfriends after a long day. And with reference to the titling of the pieces, “Yoko” and “Ono,” Ashley creates a unique playlist for each season with Lykke Li as the inspiration for Spring’10, which features a colour palette stemming from nature and the surroundings of her parents’ farm.
What I love most about this line is that the edginess of Ashley’s fabric (and sometimes color) choices provide style for a night out on the town, and the excellent tailoring and key shapes permit them to be office appropriate. And with a small colour palette, it’s a delight to see what Ashley designs and how she makes each piece a must-have.
As of this past July, Ashley left the nest at TFI and moved into the Gladstone Hotel in the Queen West area where other designers and artists currently reside. Also, after four seasons of miss rowe, Ashley is embarking on her second line, ASHLEY ROWE.
For more information, check out Ashley’s website at http://www.ashleyrowe.com. But for now, watch her Fall ‘09 campaign, Les Smoking, featuring Mosha Lundström Halbert below:
Black and white close-up of Ashley Rowe's Spring'10 Pieces
Hand-dyed coral dress from Fall'09
Back view of the Lennon jacket
The suit from Fall'09
An all white ensemble for Spring'10
Profile picture courtesy of Toronto Life, and images courtesy of Ashley Rowe
As much as I hate to admit it, I am in college. And as a student, I do love free stuff. So for all my Canadian readers out there, I have a way for you to wet your appetites with possible goodies and to satisfy your thirst for all things Canadiana. Started by fashionista Leesa Butler, The F-list is a great resource for knowledge on and for giveaways from the hottest and newest Canadian designers.
Even though I’ve lived in Toronto all my life, I just discovered the real Queen West area. Before, when you tell me that you’re heading over to the area, I’d think that you meant anything east of Bathurst. Well, without a metropass, I decided to take my time in heading over to the 
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