Madonna and Iconix Announce Co-Branded Sunglasses Collection With Dolce & Gabbana

When you stop and think about it... it’s amazing if not overwhelming the number of fashion campaigns Madonna has actually done. With the Dolce & Gabbana ads currently appearing in fashion mags around the globe... get ready for another campaign because one is on the way. The next ad we are going to see our girl Madonna in will be promoting a new collaboration between Madonna and Dolce & Gabbana. Madge and the Italian design duo have teamed up to create a collection of six new, luxe sunglasses. The official press release that just came out announces the creation of MDG sunglasses:

“MG ICON, the newly formed joint venture between Iconix Brand Group and Madonna and Guy Oseary have announced their first designer accessories collection, MDG. MDG is a sunglass collection personally designed by Madonna together with the designer-duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The collaboration marks Madonna's first foray into the world of eyewear and is the first co-branded project Dolce and Gabbana have done in their career. The collection will showcase the MDG logo on styles and will be manufactured by Luxottica. The collection will retail from $248 to $289 and will be carried in all Dolce & Gabbana stores worldwide, plus the Sunglass Hut chain and select opticians. The MDG collection will debut during the May market."

Here’s an early look at the ads for the collection shot by Steven Klein:



Madonna appear in the ads with Tyson Ballou... although you can't really see much of him in these preview shots. Although apparently there is more of Tyson to come.

What do you think of Madonna’s latest design gig... and her latest modeling gig?

(Photos courtesy of: Dolce & Gabbana)

On Newsstands Now! A Look At Canada’s Fashion Magazines: April 2010

April is fast approaching and copies of my favourite magazines have been arriving in my mailbox for the last week. I wanted to take a couple minutes today to specifically check out some of the amazing things that are going on with Canadian fashion magazines this month. Here’s a quick look at the hottest Canadian magazine covers (and what you can find inside) in for April 2010.



FASHION Magazine:
http://www.fashionmagazine.com
Amber Heard is on the cover of FASHION Magazine's April cover looking phenomenal wearing a gorgeous Fendi dress. Inside the issue the editors from FASHION bring us their “shopping issue”! Yes there is a chat with Amber, who btw is Johnny Depp’s new leading lady… but this month the mag brings us thoughts from industry insiders on fresh trends, names to watch and more.

Flare Magazine:
http://www.flare.com
Canada's favourite model Coco Rocha graces the cover of Flare Magazine this April looking gorgeous as usual. Inside the issue be sure to read the Oh So Coco piece... as well... you can find features on Mad Men styles, a gorgeous "Fantasy Island" themed fashion photo spread, tribal heels and a little how to on how to wear floral.

Elle Canada Magazine:
http://www.ellecanada.com
Scarlett Johansson looks gorgeous on the cover of Elle Canada's April edition. Inside she talks her life and hubby Ryan Reynolds. Other features include Dree Hemingways' thoughts on the spring 2010 Mango runway show, make-up tips from Pat McGrath and Flare's spring accessories report!


That's what you have to look forward to this April and those are the top 3 Canadian fashion mags! Get out there and pick them up and let me know what's your favourite Canadian fashion magazine this month?

Deconstructing The Over The Top Fashion In Lady Gaga's Telephone Video

Love her or hate her... you have to admit Lady Gaga’s red carpet ensembles are an event themselves and now her videos are finding themselves worthy of some serious fashion commentary. Remember the over-the-top Alexander McQueen threads in the Bad Romance video last year?

Late Thursday night Lady Gaga released the her latest music video for the song “Telephone” which features Beyonce and... the fashion is... well kinda epic. It’s definitely one of the most fashion forward displays we have seen since... well since her “Bad Romance” video. If you haven't had the chance to check it out yet here it is:



The video is pretty crazy. Actually the words I used when I first saw it on Friday morning were "that video is wack". Wack or not the fashion is truly over-the-top and that's what I talk about in this blog. Here’s a look at all the killer fashion that can be found in the 9 minute video which was directed by Jonas Akerlund:


The video starts off with Lady Gaga being escorted to her jail cell wearing a cleavage baring custom made black and white outfit by the ever imaginative French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Remember that crazy Kermit the Frog coat we saw Gaga wear last year... same designer. The sunglasses are courtesy of Mercura.


The crime scene tape design that Gaga writes around her cell wearing was created by LA based designer Brian Lichtenberg.


The custom made jumpsuit and chain outfit that Gaga wears as she is escorted out to the prison yard was created by Viktor & Rolf... while the very cool lit cigarette sunglasses and crazy platform heels were custom designed by the creative team behind Lady Gaga known as “the Haus of Gaga”. Those smoking cigarette sunglasses are just insane don’t you think?


Back inside the jail... Gaga’s studded jacket is by Search and Destroy while here sunglasses are Chanel. Notice the Diet Coke can hair rollers? That little detail is one of my fave things in the video. When it is time for the first dance sequence Gaga and her dancers strip down to wear studded/crystallized barely there bikinis designed by the team at the “Haus of Gaga”.


When Lady Gaga is released from the big house she does it up in a vintage outfit and over-sized hat by Thierry Mugler. Enter Beyonce wearing a vintage Thierry Mugler hat and outfit.


Next Beyonce struts her stuff through the dinner wearing a skin tight yellow "Wonder Cup Pencil Dress" dress and hat by Atsuko Kudo who are known for their sexy couture latex designs. The Mickey Mouse inspired flip sunglasses which we have seen Gaga wear a few times before are courtesy of Jeremy Scott.


During the “Let's Make A Sandwich” sequence Gaga wears clear silicone rubber Rachel Barrett dress... Gaga performed in a similar Rachel Barrett dress on her Monster Ball tour. She wears a Fred Butler constructed telephone hat and a pair of Haus of Gaga papier-mâché boots. When she waitresses her way into the diner the blue telephone hat is replaced with a telephone hair piece created by celeb hairstylist Danilo.


For the big dance sequence with our girls we get Gaga in an American flag bikini outfit by Haus of Gaga and boots by Christian Louboutin. Beyonce dances along in a similar dress by Oscar Olima. (BTW... Gaga has worn L.A.'s Olima designs numerous times in the past year...) The background dancers wear custom made denim outfits by Franc Fernandez and Oscar Olima and leather outfits by Noki, Bess and Haus of Gaga.


Beyonce’s solo scene in a baby blue hotel room has her wearing a bling jacket and shoes by Jean Charles de Castebaljac. The denim shorts she’s wearing are by Franc Fernandez and Oscar Olima.


Next up we get Lady Gaga dancing solo in a custom made ribbed leopard 1piece by Haus of Gaga.


The video ends off with both Lady Gaga and Beyonce dancing in front of Quentin Tarantino’s infamous “pussy wagon” from the Kill Bill series. Both wear cowboy hat with sheer draping by Emilie Pirlot.

And that’s that! Exhausting right! What do you think of the video... do you have a fave part... and more importantly what do you think of all of the studs, the revealing outfits and those crazy hats and head-pieces? Let me know.

Mad Men Characters Are Getting Immortalized As Barbie Dolls

Yup... you read that title right... The cast of Mad Men is going to be getting the "Barbie Treatment". Mad Men characters Don and Betty Draper, Roger Sterling and Joan Holloway will be the latest screen stars to be turned into plastic now that Mattel has purchased the licensing rights to design a collection of Barbie & Ken dolls patterned after series.



They will be fashionable... they will be fun... each doll will be styled in iconic 1960’s costumes and come with some fun accessories that suit the character. On Tuesday March 23rd the season three DVD box set hit the shelves and will include exclusive collectible sketches of the dolls and then the actual collectible dolls will go on sale this summer for around $75.00 at select retailers and at BarbieCollector.com — just in time for the fourth season of the critically-acclaimed cable series.

What do you think? Are you a Mad Men fan? Would you actually buy one?

(Photo courtesy of: Mattel, Inc.)

Fashionist Interview: Philip Sparks Talks About His Nautical 2010 Fall Collection

Last night young Canadian designer Philip Sparks presented his fall 2010 collection at the Burroughes Building on Queen Street West in Toronto. The show was a success... and I'm not just saying that because I have been a huge fan of his for years. After the show (be sure to check out the low down on the show here) I had the chance to slip backstage and talk to Philip about the nautical collection and much more. Here’s what the designer had to say.



Christopher: Tell me about your fall/winter 2010 collection
Philip: So the collection for this fall is inspired by Moby Dick. We used that as a starting point. The collection has a very maritime... navy... nautical feeling to it. But it’s not as formal as you might see in the military. It’s a little bit more utilitarian.

Christopher: If you could only wear one piece from the collection what would it be? What is the one stand out piece for you in the collection?
Philip: I would say the short cropped pea coat.
Christopher: I have to tell you mine would be the black wool melton cape coat!
Philip: That’s my number two!

Christopher: Why did you choose to once again show outside of Toronto Fashion Week?
Philip: My studio is on the 5th floor (of the Burroughes Building). Its one flight of stairs up from my studio and it’s a beautiful space and it works perfectly for us. This is our fourth time showing in here! I think a lot of our guests enjoy the intimate experience of coming to our offsite shows. What else can I say it really works for the brand.

Christopher: In terms of timing?
Philip: In terms of timing... fashion week was suppose to be next week so we were originally scheduled for the day before. We did a trade show in New York and then ten days later we did Montreal Fashion Week and then 10 days later was this. That was our schedule and when the week moved we decided to stick to our schedule.

Christopher: What do you love about the Canadian fashion scene?
Philip: I think there is a lot going on with Canadian fashion. It’s building and there’s definitely excitement! Look at the crowd of people out here tonight. They love fashion and they are excited to get out there and see what’s new.

Christopher: Which Canadian designers do you most admire or are you most inspired by?
Philip: I’ve always enjoyed Philippe Dubuc from Montreal. Before I started he was somebody that I looked up to.

Christopher: Which international designers do you most admire or are most inspired by?
Philip: Thom Browne.

Christopher: Where can Canadian fashion watchers buy Philip Sparks?
Philip: Right now the spring collection is in stores. You can find it at Delphic (706 Queen Street West) in Toronto. It’s at Simon’s (977, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest) in Montreal and at boutique duo (30, rue Prince-Arthur Ouest) in Montreal as well.

Christopher: Last question. Anything else on the horizon we can look forward to?
Philip: We’re also doing a small capsule collection of knitwear and accessories for the holidays.


For more on Philip Sparks check out: www.philipsparks.com

[Above Photo: Philip Sparks and Christopher Turner]

(Photos by: Silvia Drugea)

Toronto Fashion Week - 2010 Fall/Winter Collections: Philip Sparks Kicks Things Off 2 Weeks Early

Philip Sparks: Fall/Winter 2010
Toronto Fashion Week
Thursday March 11, 2010
http://www.philipsparks.com

Toronto Fashion Week doesn't officially start until Sunday March 28th but that didn’t stop a Philip Sparks from kicking things off a little early. Last night the menswear designer started things off for Toronto’s fashion community with a presentation of his amazing Moby Dick inspired Fall 2010 collection.

The backdrop of Toronto’s first unofficial show of fashion week happened over at the uber trendy Burroughs Building on Queen West. The exposed brick with the sun setting in room gave a warm intimate feel and definitely added to the entire experience. One by one handsome lads walked out giving the audience and photographers a glimpse of the nautical-inspired clothes before taking a spot amidst the boat yard set of wooden crates, a canoe frame and massive unwound rope. Altogether there were 12 looks of tweed and wool each styled with timepieces by sponsor Hamilton Watches.

Here’s a look at the presentation:








Was it new or crazy? No… but there was a nice twist on classic men’s pieces that will allow the collection to stand on its own but still remain very sellable. The collection was indeed impressive.

Make sure you check out my backstage interview with Philip.

(Photos by: Silvia Drugea)

Paris Fashion Week – 2010 Fall/Winter Collections: Louis Vuitton

Show: Louis Vuitton
Location: Halle Freyssinet
Date and Time: Wednesday March 10, 2010 – 2:30pm

Marc Jacobs brought a little fifties-style to the runway with the 2010 fall/winter Louis Vuitton collection which included tweed suits, printed wool and chiffon dresses. The Mad Men-esque pieces were prim and proper many nipped at the waist. And then there were the bags... I can't forget to mention the bags. There were fantastic redos of some of Vuitton most popular bags including the Speedy. They will end up on many must have lists.




Also worth mentioning are the models who actually walked the runway. A few of the ladies we are pretty use to seeing in the pages of Sports Illustrated's "Swimsuit Edition" not necessarily walking the runways in Paris. Elle Macpherson, Bar Refaeli, Laetitia Casta and Adriana Lima all walked... and were a welcome change.

(Photos courtesy of: Getty Images Entertainment)

Paris Fashion Week – 2010 Fall/Winter Collections: Elie Saab

Show: Elie Saab
Location: Espace Ephemere Tuileries
Date and Time: Wednesday March 10, 2010 – 10:30am

Lebanese designer Elie Saab is definitely one of the kings of the red carpet. If you doubted that you could look to his fall/winter 2010 collection he sent down the Paris runway Wednesday morning. What it was... a parade of elaborate evening wear. What it wasn't... overly embellished or over-done.




The collection was simply another impressive and elegant collection that we will see popping up on the red carpet in just a few months.

(Photos courtesy of: Getty Images Entertainment)

Paris Fashion Week – 2010 Fall/Winter Collections: Alexander McQueen’s Incredible Final Presentation

PPR, Alexander McQueen’s parent company, has indicated through the past weeks that business would continue on without its founder and creative director. Always one of the highlights of Paris Fashion Week McQueen was scheduled to show this week... however given the situation the company decided to forgo a formal runway show and instead have a private showing of the collection which took place Tuesday. The final showpieces, which were created by McQueen just weeks before he took his own life, were presented in a salon at the headquarters of luxury titan Francois Pinault. The soundtrack for the show consisted of haunting operatic and classical music that McQueen had been listening to as he created and fitted the 2010 fall/winter collection. The presentation itself was obviously quite solemn.

In his final presentation McQueen continued to experiment and express extreme creativity. The elaborate creations were a combination of old-world romanticism and modern technology. Models walked with golden feather Mohawks and wore sandals on their feet that were wreathed in gilded roses. The garments were incredibly elaborate. Many of the pieces had digitally captured works of art which had been weaved right into the fabrics. The collection is indeed extraordinary... here is a look at a few of my favourite pieces:




Reportedly tears were spotted in the eyes of some viewers as the elaborate finale dress entered: an incredible coat of gold feathers that ended in a froth of embroidered tulle. (below right)



The collection is truly memorable. The end of the show notes for McQueen’s final collection read: “Each piece is unique, as was he.”

Such a true statement. R.I.P. (Lee) Alexander McQueen.


“People always ask if I think about a concept or the show or the front row or whatever first. No! F**k off! The client comes first! The collection is driven by what clients want in different parts of the world, so I want them to be able to see it straight away and to judge it for themselves. Well I just think that which celebrities are wearing it, what reviews say—none of it matters if it’s all there for people to make their own minds up. I’m 40 now, but I want this to be a company that lives way beyond me, and I believe that customers are more important to making that happen than press. When I’m dead, hopefully this house will still be going. On a spaceship. Hopping up and down above the earth.” -Alexander McQueen in Love Spring/Summer 2010 Issue

(Photos courtesy of: Getty Image Entertainment)

Paris Fashion Week – 2010 Fall/Winter Collections: Valentino

Show: Valentino
Location: Halle Freyssinet
Date and Time: Tuesday March 9, 2010 – 5:00pm

The 2010 fall/winter Valentino collection was filled with truly feminine creations... far more feminine than we are use to seeing from the famed label. The flowing collection came down the runway in creams, whites and reds. The details... well there was beading, lots of lace... and tons and tons of ruffles.




Of course I should also mention the show started nearly an hour late. Vogue's ever-fabulous Grace Coddington was booed by the photographers for being so late when she finally arrived.



(Photos courtesy of: Getty Images Entertainment)