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!

Catch Leesa’s fashion musings on either the F-list blog or on her twitter page.

Images courtesy of The F-List

Barb :: Feb.08.2010 :: Fashion :: No Comments »

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

Barb :: Jan.31.2010 :: Fashion, Spotlight :: No Comments »

If my resolutions included no more procrastinating, I would have to say that I completely failed that idea. I’ve been thinking a lot about this past year and the idea of resolutions, and I finally managed to bundle my my thoughts together to write a post on 2009.

At first, I didn’t think much of the past year in terms of significance. After all, on the surface, there was no monumental accomplishment of any kind – I only just started university. But when I started going through my pictures on Facebook and on my computer, I realized how different things are now from when I rung in the previous year at a friend’s house.

I came to college with the aspirations of becoming a psychology major, going to graduate school (wait for it…), and becoming a counselor (now there’s the punchline). I dabbled in fashion for fun and worked in graphic design for some pocket money. And as much as I don’t like to admit it, France changed a lot of my views. The amount of culture that existed and the multitude of things that were possible to do (e.g. fashion shows for a couple of euros and chocolate dresses for public viewing) were astounding. Working for a start-up fashion line is/was great for me, but aside from that, my exposure to the fashion world was so limited.

By opening myself up to new experiences, I allowed myself to doubt the goals that I had set before college and to explore new possibilities. Reinforced by what I was seeing in this foreign country, I was able to entertain new paths, as well as better direct my goals to meet the activities that I found myself to be pursuing.

And I suppose this is the point where I started caring a lot about my appearance and presentation towards others. I grew up with a lot of boys; of the ~45 kids I grew up with, about 12 were girls. The need for caring how I dressed never really existed because of that (and my school wasn’t hottie central anyway). But when I became more confident in knowing what I wanted to do, I also became more sure of myself and could take hold of how I wanted others to see me, which included my painful struggle with trying to wear contacts (I really did tack on an extra half hour to get ready for the first month that I started wearing them).

Aside from experiencing cultural things, my life in the career aspect boomed. I started this blog up again and gave it direction to make myself more visible, cranked up the social media, was offered an internship (coincidentally, it was because they found my blog off a network) before I even moved to New York City, was sought after by Like.com, attended New York Fashion Week, had a media pass for LG Fashion Week, was invited to various events, and met designers.

Let's compare me from high school to me in 2009: I'd like to think there's at least a bit of improvement.

2009 was a year where a lot happened, but was more so a year of trial and error for me. This next year only has good things to come. I don’t have a set of resolutions; rather, I have a list of goals that pertain to my personal life, health, and career. It makes sure that I strive to lead a balanced life, and by seeing them posted on my desk everyday, I won’t forget what I want to achieve with the deadlines that I have set.

For more on my view on goals and resolutions, check out my entry at The Ability Project.

Barb :: Jan.28.2010 :: Life :: 1 Comment »