Torontostreetfashion.com is taking a break.

To be honest, it takes a full-time team to run a successful fashion blog and especially to be able to write and blog about all the fabulous things that are happening in Toronto’s fashion scene – time I just don’t have At this time, I am proud to say however that this is the 1069th post – added on to years of pages upon pages of photos, articles and coverage that was published before the blog days.

There really is so much more to say though – so many great fashion and accessory designers to feature, fabulous boutiques and places to shop, artists, photographers, stylists and creative people making the city a more interesting place! Fortunately there are some really great blogs these days for your T.O. fashion fix (fashion magazine, chickadvisor, torontolife,).

If I had more time, these are some of the things I wanted to tell you about (from my TO DO folder):

This is the fabulously fashionable Beckerman family via beckermanbiteplate.blogspot.com.  I love it! They all seem to have such fun with fashion and maintain such creative day to day lives! Check out the blog…

I recently met the sweetest Toronto-based, Brazilian born shoe designer Perla Porto (and Fernanda shown here) at her new Queen Street West shoe boutique! The shop is awaiting its fall/winter merchandise before officially opening, and will then carry Perla’s supple, Brazilian made shoes for women. The Girl from Ipanema shoes are exclusive and affordable – Perla only has very small runs made from start-up factories in Brazil (apparently this initiative has even helped to employ some of Brazil’s homeless people). Stay tuned T.O or shop online!

Do you know these girls? They’re the amazing Deadly Nightshades – designers, artists, renegade cyclists… Cat’s AKA Big Red’s Etsy shop is empty right now but she makes this cool laser cut jewellery and fox tails (all discards from the fashion fur industry). Also if you need ANY help with your fashion business – ANYTHING, contact the girls – they can help.

These are photos of a Denis Gagnon runway presentation. If I was a big star and had to walk a premiere or awards show runway, I would definitely wear a Denis Gagnon dress and be the hottest, most fashionable babe on the block!

One of the perks of publishing a fashion blog is all the great things you get to try (mind you, you work your butt off). I received a lovely package of three Soulstice Spa vegan nailpolishes from Nailpolish Canada recently! “Soulstice Spa nail polish is vegan, cruelty-free (verified by PETA) & free of the toxins dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene.”

I love this – an online nail polish superstore, in Canadian dollars and shipped within Canada so no duties! And they have all the greatest brands (OPI, Orly, Essie, etc…) at competitive prices. Support Canadian business!

These are photos from Haute Classics (946 Yonge Street). It’s consignment, gently used Chloe, Marni, Prada, Gucci… All designer handbags, shoes, clothing, accessories. If you don’t have $$$$ to drop on a new IT bag, how about $$?!

I love this – KRANE underwear for men.

Some DIY Couture ideas I was saving – A Sharpie clutch from PS I Made This and this season’s creative DIY – leopard print (or multi-color of any kind) nails.

Photos I haven’t posted from a Tropical Barbie party (it was a blast!)

Wow, I was really late with this one…it’s Fort Apparel Toronto gear, but apparently this one-man operation closed up shop last fall. With a marriage, new house, other work, blah, blah, designer Trevor Crane couldn’t keep up – I hear ya brother!

I wasn’t too excited over this season’s POLKA DOT trend until I saw these Stella McCartney dresses! Love! Mango has polka dots – dresses, scarves, blouses…

I always wanted to be a shoe designer! Fashion designer Philip Sparks got that lucky chance – he designs men’s shoes for Town Shoes – very stylish, dapper shoes for men!

See what I mean – I can truly go on forever, but unfortunately don’t have all that time!

So I’ll just stop here with wishes for a wonderful holiday for everyone! Thanks for reading,

Rachel

This Halloween, our award-winning Opera House offers refuge from streets haunted by tawdry vixens sporting polyester satin with a world of glamour, opulence and mystery. The annual Venetian Ball is a fundraiser for Villa Charities, which provides support for our city’s most vulnerable – our elders and disabled, and is a highlight of the social calendar.  Even free-market fundamentalist Kevin O’Dreary (aka the Daffy Dragon) was caught in a charitable moment.

The evening celebrates Toronto’s fierce passion for opera, with selections from Rossini, Puccini and Mozart. Measha Brueggergosman (my new favourite soprano), crowned with an afro, makes Maria Callas look shy as she saunters onstage in a flowing silver gown and bare feet. Martha Wainright’s boy, Rufus, strikes the right note as both a librettist and vocalist, and the Canadian Tenors (yes, there are four of them), have voices (and eyes!) that could melt the garters off Angela Merkel.  Luckily, my mask hides my blushes as I make the acquaintance of these gentlemen!

A Venetian ball is, by definition, a masquerade. Cheers to those who dressed in full costume, but if you didn’t wear a mask – you can find them in the trimming shops on Queen between Spadina and Bathurst, or you can order them on-line.

Mask Italia has some beautiful laser cut pieces. Ask the artist to put your mask on a hair band – it’s far more comfortable and stable than ribbons, and be sure to buy your mask before your dress and jewelry. If you want to go the whole nine yards – you can rent costumes and gowns from Malabar or Theatrix, (arias not included).

I love Rolyn (Chambers) – the artist/writer/designer/shit disturber behind Fab Magazine’s Deep Dish weekly column – he’s always up to something controversial!

In his latest endeavor, HotorNotTdot – an in depth Toronto Tumblr blog through his roving eyes, Rolyn takes us on a very real, hilarious journey of his relationship with Toronto’s Queen of Fashion, FDCC president Robin Kay – and spills the beans about some of her more inglorious moments around town. Now we all love Robin, but she certainly does make it easy at times to make her the centre of gossipy attention…as you can read about in Rolyn’s article.

“One of the things that has always impressed me about Robin is her ability to command a room. Her gift of public speaking, even while a little tipsy, inspiring. Perhaps though she needs a little bit of the sauce to loosen the nerves and get up the courage to stand in front of hundreds of people night after night.  Many of them her backstabbing colleagues. But night after night she did. And she usually did it very well. Notes? Not required. Cue Cards? Didn’t need ‘em. Her speeches were creative. Her voice held ones attention. And her messages were timely. Usually.

But Robin has also had some bad moments. Moments when she had one (or six) too many drinks before she palmed the microphone. Lets, be real here. Her love of the sauce (be it liquid or powdered) is legendary. Just do a quick online search of JUST her name alone and the third option Google gives you, after “Robin Kay”, and “Robin Kaye” is, “Robin Kay drunk”. For real.”

While we’re on the topic – check out a photo of her all-white abode printed in last week’s Globe and Mail….

Chairman Mao statues, Canadian art, Victorian antiques, Philippe Starck chairs…

On Thursday October 13, 2011 UGG Australia Toronto threw an opening party at their new shop in Yorkville. Guests mingled ate and shopped while checking out the new line and taking pictures of each other. Below are some snaps from the event.

Ugg Australia
23 St. Thomas Street, Toronto

So fitting to be unveiled around Toronto’s official Fashion Week – NOW Magazine’s (Andrew Sardone’s) annual Toronto Fashion Heroes list – in this week’s Fall Fashion Issue, complete with glossy pull-out of NOW Magazine:

“Here’s who’s changing style in the city and beyond.”

18 Waits

“It is a lifestyle which adheres just as much to Parisian cafés as it does to old English pubs, 1920s New York speakeasies, wood cabins by the lake, old upright pianos, poetry, literature, and 1970s rock and roll music.”

B Insider

HBC’s B-Insider.com blog by Christopher Sherman with editorial director Kate Corbett and executive editor Colleen Henman.

George Antonopoulos & Danier

“Calling Danier’s collaboration with George Antonopoulos a pleasant surprise is a serious understatement. Slap-across-the-face revelation is a more apt description for Object, the collection of coats, dresses and separates the seasoned stylist conceptualized for the leather retailer.”

Mercy

“Noted for their innovative use of fabrics and sentimental silhouettes, the design studio MERCY was founded in 1994. Jennifer Halchuk and Richard Lyle enjoy a symbiotic design partnership, always inspired by colour and textiles. ”

The Genteel

Fashion blog by Mona Chammas.

photo via http://www.blogto.com

Pretty Beauty & Books
“One of our favourite recent shop discoveries is Mirvish Village’s Pretty Beauty & Books (587 Markham), and not just because the boutique makeup space has a playful, whimsical look that’s a clever counterpoint to the industrial antique retail aesthetic so popular around town. Andrea Victory’s store is trailblazing a natural beauty movement by proving that you don’t need to go granola when you go green with your cosmetic choices.”

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, UGG Australia has transplanted a new, ritzy locale in T.O, but these Uggs are like none you’ve seen. The new Toronto Yorkville boutique (23 St. Thomas Street) houses a really, foot-worthy collection of boots and shoes – there’s the popular puffy slipper styles we’ve been seeing for years, but here there’s also so many gorgeous well-made boots in premium leathers and suede with wool, sheepskin, cable knits and shearling.

The new UGG Collection, available for men and women, is handcrafted in Italy – known for fine craftsmanship, superior materials and elegance – and boy does it show! Prices, however also reflect the new line with boots from about $300-$1800. Also part of the new offerings in the new store is handbags, woolly sweats and accessories.

pics via UGG Canada and Oscar Mach via Lotus Leaf Communications

I have to tell you about these shoes. And to be honest, if I wasn’t already obliged, I might keep just keep them to myself!

Unassumingly dapper, equally comfortable, priced amazingly and even ethically contrived, Urshuz is a revolutionary approach to footwear. Currently the styles available are only made in men’s sizes, but once the women’s line is launched (I hear it’s in the works and I hope it’s similar to the men’s), I’ll be joining the revolution!

Urshuz, conceived by Canadian shoe designer Grant Delgatty (K-Swiss, Vans, et al.), is an interchangeable shoe. That is, a combination of uppers and soles that you can attach or reattach to each other, creating a different shoe every time! Both uppers and soles come in a variety of colors and materials (leather, suede, jute) for you to essentially mix and match. Popular combos are a grey lace-up sneaker with a bright orange sole or a leather low-cut shoe with a ‘baltic’ blue sole – but with the creative freedom to choose your own shoe combo at a great price, you can interchange however you like!

My man received a beautiful cognac colored (sienna) leather pair of low-cuts with a co-ordinating cork sole, exactly his style! Not only do they look pricey with the premium leather and perforated lining, the ergonomic thermo plastic rubber sole is apparently “moccasin-comfy”, so he says. And the combination costs $75US! Awesome! For Christmas I’m considering the perforated white sneaker for $40 and because the sole is so comfortable, the attachable flip flop upper come summer.

“Unassumingly dapper, equally comfortable, priced amazingly and even ethically contrived, Urshuz is a revolutionary approach to footwear.”

Urshuz uppers and soles are interchangeable using a patented looping system – elastics that loop onto locking channels in the soles making it easy to attach and reattach. Once you get your groove on (using a little tool that hides in the sole), you can assemble a shoe in a few minutes. Even if you don’t want to do the labour yourself, you can get another pair of Urshuz at about $65 for top and bottom. And then, when you’ve had enough, Urshuz has a recycling program for your old soles.

In Canada, Urshuz is available in select stores in Quebec but can be easily purchased online. In the US, several Urban Outfitters are carrying the line, which means we’ll likely be hearing more about the brand. Find all stores online >

Every year the folks behind Cashmere bathroom tissue put together an elaborate event and invite the top Canadian fashion designers to design luminous gowns and avant garde creations out of….you guessed it, bathroom tissue!

The 2011 showcase – the 8th annual – was curated by Canadian fashion designer Farley Chatto who assembled an amazing line-up of creators to transform the Cashmere BT (bathroom tissue) Couture into bridal and evening wear, hats and even jewellery in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Have you ever seen bathroom tissue look so good?! See all the looks here and vote on your favorite to support the cause >

A lot of delicate pleats and fringe make up Simon Bélanger‘s prima ballerina frock. He studied visual arts, makeup and photography in Montreal before achieving his masters at Milan’s Domus Academy.  Winner of the 1996 Montreal White Cashmere Student Design Competition, Simon is a former Denis Gagnon protégé who collaborates on a decidedly edgy, always glamorous women’s wear collection with fellow White Cashmere-ite, José-Manuel St-Jacques. Earrings by Toronto jewellery designer Rita Tesolin.

Jason Matlo‘s sexy handstitched, strapless floor length gown. Recently acclaimed in FLARE Magazine, emerging Vancouver bridal designer Jason Matlo draws on a multitude of diverse stylistic and cultural influences and is continually inspired by the golden fashion decade of the 1930s.

I can’t even begin to imagine how on earth Montreal-based Academy of Arts and Design alum, Luko Marion made this custom dress out of tissue paper – or how long it took! In his custom fashion work for L’autre Couture, Marion is equally adept at working in leather, denim, metallics, knits and even exotic blossoms.

It’s sophisticated allure for Wesley Badanjak’s elegant floor length gown. This Toronto designer honed his tailoring skills at Ryerson where he earned an Honours design degree, then at tevro + chase and then under David Dixon before launching his own LOVAS label in 2008.

Femininity, modern tailoring and precious details are cornerstones of the BROSE aesthetic. Toronto’s Marika Brose beautifully crafted designs fuse high fashion with a light sensibility using feathers, sequins and crystals as the foundation of the collection. A graduate of ESMOD Paris and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Marika has collaborated in both design and business with some of the industry’s leaders including Chloe in Paris, aleXsandro Palombo in Milan and Pink Tartan in Toronto.

It took hundreds of strips for to weave this June Cleaver-like shirtdress. But with stints in costuming at the National Ballet, COC and at Stratford – all that preceded the launch of this Torontonian’s own collection, designer Philip Sparks is used to creating perfect couture. Headpiece by self-taught designer Mikki Rizvi.