Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
Marwood F/W 2011
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.
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Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
Duy F/W 2011
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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Ashley Rowe
Ashley Rowe works in concepts. If you look – even glance – at her most recent collections, it’s not hard to see that. When she first started designing, she did so with such a je-ne-sais-quoi approach, choosing to experiment and work her way through the industry to an aesthetic that felt right for her. In some ways, some may say she’s an accidental designer, but with the savvy and the know-how to make it work for her cult followers. Her beginnings are humble too, working her way through school (she studied fashion management at George Brown College), interning at magazines like Flare and finally landing her own mini-studio with a much-coveted spot at the Toronto Fashion Incubator, a Mecca for aspiring seamstresses from all over the country. When she launched her first label Miss Rowe in 2009, it was an exercise in unbridled simplicity, showing a minimalist approach and a stark black palette still present in her work today, citing influences like Rick Owens.
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Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
Daryl Kerrigan ruled New York City’s downtown scene back in the ‘90s. Her store on 21 Bond was, according to the New York Times, “the equivalent of what Marc Jacobs is to Bleecker Street today, the harbinger of a new retail frontier.” This year, the “Queen of Downtown Cool” is celebrating her 20th anniversary with a critically acclaimed Daryl K F/W collection and the debut of the Shackleton Bag.
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Living in what is often lauded as being Canada’s best-dressed city means that Montreal designers have quite a reputation to uphold. Natasha Thomas, the fresh talent behind burgeoning label By Thomas, seems undaunted by the challenge. Thomas’ sleek designs and eye for nonchalant glamour have resulted in her meteoric assent into the Montreal fashion scene. Her wow-worthy Fall/Winter 2011 collection, which was shown during Montreal Fashion Week, as well as her elegant “Illusion and Reality” collection of trench coats, have contributed to an anticipatory buzz over what Thomas’ next stylistic chef-d’œuvre will be. The Block snagged a chance to chat with this must-watch French-Canadian designer about her love of clever style, her design inspirations, and how she cut her teeth in the fast-paced world of Montreal fashion.
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S/S 11, photograph by Sarah Piantadosi
Gabriella Marina Gonzalez’s uninhibited design aesthetic is best described by her blog’s title: “Contemplating Insanity in its Purest Form.” Two years after the debut of her eponymous label, the Manhattan-born, London-based designer has generated a cult following with a growing roster of private clients who covet her made-to-order garments. The dream-inspired A/W 11 collection ‘Sinister Sights in Synthetic Moonlight‘ exhibits the Central St. Martin grad’s couture sensibility through handcrafted knit macramé and leather harnesses. The Block caught up with Gonzalez to learn about her video collaborations, the inspiration behind her 2011 collection, and why she doesn’t want to cater to a mass-market.
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
For the last two years, the unique designs of Australian swimwear brand We Are Handsome have made it easier than ever to look great in a bathing suit. When The Block interviewed designers Indhra Chagoury and Jeremy Somers last summer, we hoped the pair would extend their dangerously hip graphics beyond pool-wear, and fortunately, they have.
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Ann-Sofie Johansson (photographer Mattias Barda)
Fresh off the buzz of their collaboration with Versace, it appears H&M is on everyone’s lips – and fingertips. We phone home to Sweden for a quick tête-à-tête with Ann-Sofie Johansson, the woman behind the fast fashion retailer’s design department. She gives us the scope on how they choose their collabs, fashion’s rising stars and what the team has in mind for spring 2012.
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Karla Špetić S/S 2012
A recent article from The Business of Fashion discussed how the Australian fashion industry constantly faces a series of challenges unto itself. From a rising dollar and a small market to geographical isolation, opposite seasons and negative stereotypes, it would seem that running a successful independent label in the country would be unachievable. Thankfully this is not the case, as a new generation of designers are re-defining contemporary Australian fashion, distinct from the rest of the world.
Leading this new generation is Karla Špetić, a Croatian born, Australian raised designer who has created some of the most beautiful and compelling collections to come down the runway at Sydney’s Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Her pieces incorporate clean-cut tailoring, striking imagery and digital prints, intricate patterns and bright colour palettes. Špetić (pronounced ‘Shpetich’) created her label no more than a year after graduating from design school, and in five years she has quickly become a well regarded and much talked about designer in the Australian industry. Fresh off her Spring/Summer 2012 show, we got the chance to chat with Špetić about her upbringing as well as her recent collections and inspirations.
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Thursday, June 30th, 2011
Dress: Alice and Olivia
Most Canadian fashion insiders will know Anita Clarke, the stylish founder of the fashion blog I Want I Got. Her sartorial adventures have garnered Clarke numerous accolades, including a place on Toronto Star’s “Best Dressed” list, a dedicated window showcase by Holt Renfrew, and a dress named “Anita” by Greta Constantine — and that ‘s just naming a couple!
I live in… Toronto.
I am… A fashion blogger and a software test analyst.
My personal style is… A little all over the place.
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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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