Toronto's Young Empires send us straight to the dancefloor with this mixtape for The Block. www.myspace.com/youngempires
01. Sabali (Vitalic Remix) - Amadou & Miriam
02. Lies (Herve Remix) - Fenech-Soler
03. Hour of the Wolf (Lifelike Remix) - Adam Kesher
04. Dance the Way I Feel (Armand Van Helden Remix) - Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
05. Snake Charmer - Bag Raiders
06. Wait & See - Holy Ghost!
07. All Night (Azari & III Remix) - Voltage
08. You Know I Know It - Tensnake
09. La Mezcla - Michel Cleis
10. Rain of Gold (French Horn Rebellion Remix) - Young Empires
When sisters Chloé and Parris Gordon debuted on Toronto’s runway as Chloé comme Parris in the fall of 2010, there was a palpable buzz. I missed the show, but it’s all anyone would talk about for a solid twelve hours. Grandstanding phrases like “the best newcomers in years” to “the ones to watch” were thrown around, and the fashion set hailed the Gordon sisters as marking a new, exciting era for emerging talent in Canada. Bloggers were swooning at something they could actually relate to (and probably afford) that was also close to home, and the city’s more seasoned fashion reporters finally had new talent worth genuinely applauding in the papers. The duo’s affiliation with The Fashion Collective – a burgeoning creative agency itself tasked with bringing fresh blood to our fashion week – also did much to enhance the sisters’ persona without questioning credibility. Chloé and Parris weren’t struggling to gain exposure or funding or showing mediocre fourth year fashion student work either – they were already, somehow, a thing. Even before their Toronto debut, two boutiques in the city ordered pieces from their publicly unseen fall 2010 collection.
Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmermann dancing to Pitbull’s “I Know You Want Me” clad in Lanvin’s stellar F/W collection. What’s not to love? Couple in the genius of Steven Meisel and creative direction by House and Holme, and we’ve got one minute of much-needed silly fashion fun. The best part: the always-adorable Alber Elbaz joins in at the tail end.
James Worthington-DeMolet (Photographed by Jake Rosenberg)
The Block‘s Creative Director James Worthington-DeMolet was recently featured on The Coveteur. Such an honour! We always knew how amazing James is on set, but it’s sure fun to see him on the other side of the lens.
This year Michael Kors celebrated three decades in business with a flashy new Paris flagship. But, more importantly, he also launched his debut collection of jewelry. Partnering up with Fossil, the same company that helped launch his iconic timepieces, the jewelry is an extension of the modern American woman that Kors is so famous for.
Sunglasses: Ray Ban; Self-Portrait T-shirt: DIY; Rubber Belt: Tie Ups; Watch: Dad’s; Trousers, DIY; Portfolio: Vintage; Shoes: Zara Women
In the realm of countless style bloggers, M’c kenneth Licon stands out with his finely curated personal fashion diary Little Fashionisto. We love how this pint-sized blogger hurdles though the challenges of living in a city “where XXS is still too big and a size 5 men’s shoes is unheard of.” Although he often scours junior sections when shopping, his sophisticated style has caught the eye of Nylon Korea, GQ Italia, New York Magazine’s The Cut, and now The Block.
In 2010, Canadian-born Thomas Tait became the youngest MA graduate from Central Saint Martins at only 22 years of age. The same year he was the inaugural winner of the Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize, which allowed him to secure a London studio and begin groundwork on his collection. A year later, he leads his eponymous label, slowly but surely building its promising future. His F/W 2011 London Fashion Week presentation was applauded for its powerfully structured, yet fluid silhouettes, but also for a restraint so rarely demonstrated by young designers.
On everyone’s “to watch” list, this prodigy is refreshingly humble about his meteoric success. So much so that he appears to be acting as his own publicist at the moment. We caught up with Tait for a quick telephone chat as he ran errands around London.
Far too often we hear about a member of Vancouver’s creative community moving east or abroad in search of something bigger. So its always nice to hear about one of them returning to the west coast. Evan Biddell, fashion designer of his eponymous label, and Canada’s first Project Runway winner has recently re-settled in Vancouver after four years in Toronto. The Block had the opportunity to meet one of the country’s most exciting fashion designers at his South Granville studio to tour his new creative space as well as discuss his inspirations, future plans and what he’s currently working on.
Following his partnership with mainstream retailer H&M in 2004, Karl Lagerfeld caters to the masses again with the launch of his much-anticipated collection for Macy’s, dubbed “Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse.” The 45-piece collection, available in 235 Macy’s stores and online August 31st, features sophisticated Lagerfeld signatures: high necklines, oversized collars, tweed separates and, yes, tanks and shirts illustrated with his iconic likeness.
The quest for a good necktie can be a challenge to even the best dressed and most seasoned modern man. Questions of width, shape, pattern and style are not the only considerations that need to be taken into account these days. Uniqueness and craftsmanship play a huge role in determining the greatness of a neckpiece and that is why we are certain that Marwood, Becky French’s new line of neckties and bow ties, is destined for success. Marwood ties are made from fabrics ranging from wool, silk and traditional English woven-lace, sourced from historic mills from across the UK and made by artisans in the UK and in Italy. Their delicate beauty suspends our expectations of the familiar necktie, but through their exacting construction, we are reminded that they are the heirs to a grand and distinguished tradition of British tie-making.
Known for his painstaking attention to detail and the marked wearability of his styles, 32-year-old Montreal designer Duy Nguyen has truly established himself as a reckoning force within the world of Canadian fashion. After stealing the show at Toronto Fashion Week F/W 2011 with his opulent collection of luxurious mohair overcoats and eclectic cocktail dresses inspired by heiress Daphne Guinness, Nguyen has enjoyed a streak of sartorial successes that will shortly include a new endeavor into menswear. The Block got a chance to chat with the Vietnamese-born designer about his upcoming collection, as well as why he’s over Louboutins, and how to pinpoint what exactly it is that gives Montreal girls their coveted je ne sais quoi.
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THE BLOCK MIXTAPE
by Young Empires
Mixtape: Young Empires
Toronto's Young Empires send us straight to the dancefloor with this mixtape for The Block.
www.myspace.com/youngempires
01. Sabali (Vitalic Remix) - Amadou & Miriam
02. Lies (Herve Remix) - Fenech-Soler
03. Hour of the Wolf (Lifelike Remix) - Adam Kesher
04. Dance the Way I Feel (Armand Van Helden Remix) - Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
05. Snake Charmer - Bag Raiders
06. Wait & See - Holy Ghost!
07. All Night (Azari & III Remix) - Voltage
08. You Know I Know It - Tensnake
09. La Mezcla - Michel Cleis
10. Rain of Gold (French Horn Rebellion Remix) - Young Empires
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