Earlier this year Montreal-based fashion retailer Jacob named internationally acclaimed Canadian-born supermodel Coco Rocha as the new face of the company's fall/winter 2011 ad campaign.
By representing Jacob, the Vancouver-born model also agreed to the company's strict "no retouching" policy. Last fall the brand publicly committed to stop digitally altering the bodies of models in their ad campaigns for both Jacob and Jacob Lingerie. The retailer is the first fashion brand in Canada to commit to such a policy with all its models and they made no exceptions with the recent ad campaign starring Coco Rocha.
"I am particularly proud to be part of this campaign because of Jacob's leadership in taking an unprecedented stand with its unique no retouching policy." - Coco Rocha
The fall/winter Jacob ads (including the 2 winter images above) were shot earlier this year in Old Montreal by fashion photographer (and Montreal native) Norman Jean Roy.
This isn't the first time that Coco Rocha has taken a stand to promote a healthy body image. The model is known for publicly speaking out against industry pressures on her blog and recently stopped by Anderson Cooper's daytime show Anderson to talk about the current state of the modelling world.
Shop the fall/winter collection online at www.jacob.ca
Toronto Fashion Week officially kicks off today but for fashion watchers the fun started days ago with a flurry of off-site shows that take place during a week affectionately referred to as Toronto's Rogue Fashion Week.
Here's the low down on all of last week's off-site shows that took place in Toronto.
Designers Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong kicked off Toronto's Rogue Fashion Week at King West's Century Room with a runway presentation that included pieces from their Primer collection as well as their much-loved Ezra and Greta Constantine lines. Beautiful Grecian-inspired Primer collection gowns were a nice start. Bright solid colours on draped jersey dresses offered nothing new... but the pretty gowns did remind the audience of what the boys do best. Dark and dangerous spring 2012 selections from the Ezra and Greta lines followed bringing something a little more abstract to the runway. Long draped capes, floor-sweeping dresses, dropped crotch trousers, t-shirts with tails and shredded sheer tanks dominated the runway... the highly structured (and sometimes exaggerated) pieces would be coveted by any downtown hipster. Chunky platforms from Greta's upcoming collaboration with Aldo also made their debut.
This week Coco Rocha was in Toronto to promote her latest project Letters to Haiti. The short documentary follows the Canadian model, her husband James Conran, fellow model/photographer Behati Prinsloo and a small team of friends as they visit Haiti one year after a massive earthquake destroyed the landscape.
Shortly after the devastating 2010 earthquake, Coco Rocha began raising money in New York for LakayPAM ("my home"), a non-profit organization that helps to provide shelter, food, medical care and education to orphans and other children in Haiti. Soon after Coco began working with LakayPAM she made the life-altering decision to get more involved.
"Despite our success with fundraising events in New York, I still felt very distant and disconnected from the people and the children I was trying to help. What I really wanted was to actually see the children of Haiti... As I started gathering the toys I wanted to give to the children, I thought about what they really needed. It occurred to me that many of the orphans had lost so many people in their lives that what they probably needed most was the love of another human being. I decided to create a pen pal program to deliver these children messages of hope and love from other kids. I put the word out on my blog and letters immediately started flooding in from every corner of the globe. " - Coco Rocha
After spending weeks hunched over her computer, reading, editing and translating every letter into French (the language most children are taught to read in Haiti) Coco and her small team travelled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti on a mission to hand deliver the letters and lift the spirits of Haitian children. Filmmaker Gilbert Le captured their efforts in Letters to Haiti.
Here's a look at the trailer for Letters To Haiti.
I had the privilege of attending the premiere screening of the heartwarming documentary and I was inspired by Coco's efforts. Letters To Haiti is a beautiful story and an example of someone trying to make the world a better place with a simple idea.
For more information on LakayPAM you can visit their website: www.lakaypam.org.
Once upon a time Coco Rocha made headlines around the globe because she was considered too big for the runway... well these days people think that she's "too thin".
Earlier this week Coco and model-turned-author Carré Otis stopped by Anderson Cooper's daytime show Anderson to talk about the current state of the modelling world. Naturally the banter quickly turned to Coco's weight and the Canadian model commented that these days people think that she's "too thin".
Is Coco too thin these days to walk the runway? What do you think about what Coco and Carré had to say to Anderson about the body image of young models?
This year the Metropolitan Museum of Art is celebrating the life and work of the late Alexander McQueen and Monday night the industry's most fashionable came out to celebrate the opening of the Costume Institute's "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" exhibit.
So which celebs opted to walk the red carpet keeping with the fashionable McQueen theme?
[Above L-R: Sarah Burton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Daphne Guinness and Salma Hayek]
Alexander McQueen's creative director wore one of her own angelic designs, Sarah Jessica Parker wore a beaded archive McQueen gown, Daphne Guinness wore the feathered finale gown from Burton's 2011 spring/summer collection and Salma Hayek (honorary chair of the bash) wore a peach organza McQueen gown.
Past McQueen models were out in full force on Monday night. Naomi Campbell paid tribute to her friend wearing avant garde McQueen couture, Gisele Bundchen was red hot in a gown from the 2005 fall/winter collection, Karen Elson chose the dress she originally wore on the spring 2004 runway while Coco Rocha and Raquel Zimmermann both wore McQueen designs by Sarah Burton.
[Above L-R: Anna Dello Russo, Chloë Sevigny, Hamish and John Legend]
Anna Dello Russo wore a McQueen tux, Chloë Sevigny opted for a black lace McQueen gown with a high-neck, Vogue's European editor Hamish Bowles wore a tartan tuxedo from the McQueen archives and John Legend wore an Alexander McQueen tux with a skull bow tie.
Who wore your favourite McQueen design on the red carpet?
Attention Twilight fanatics! The latest rumour is that the people behind Twilight: Breaking Dawnhave selected Zac Posen to design character Bella Swan's wedding dress in the next film installment of the series.
Part one of Twilight: Breaking Dawn is scheduled for release in November 2011 and there is a ton of pressure around picking the perfect dress. If you look to the book for clues, Bella's wedding dress is described as a romantic... like something that stepped out of a [Jane] Austen movie.
Zac Posen designed Ellen DeGeneres suit and Portia de Rossi's halter-top gown for their wedding in August 2008. The American designer also designed the fishtail gown that supermodel Coco Rocha wore on her wedding day in June 2010.
A fairy tale wedding dress? I think Zac Posen is probably the man for the job. Who do you think should design Bella's wedding dress?
Coco Rocha got married over two months ago but people are still talking about her storybook wedding to James Conran. First fashion watchers got a glimpse of the 21-year-old Canadian model wearing her custom Zac Posen gown and now Coco has decided to share a little more. Earlier today, the model took to her blog "OhSoCoco" to share her wedding video with fans.
Coco writes:
Within this blog you often see into my professional life but, once I saw these films I realized that though personal, they were too beautiful to keep to myself. The first film is just 3 minutes long and is perfect for those of you who may not have much time. The second film is an expanded 18 minute version and contains some lovely interviews. I'm happy to present to you two short films documenting our wedding in France, the happiest day of my life.
Here's the stunning 3 minute teaser film that Coco is sharing with the world:
It won’t be long until the fall/winter ad campaigns begin to see the light and while we are waiting to catch an early glimpse... Esprit has been creating a bit of buzz around their upcoming campaign. Yup... Esprit. After a very successful spring/summer campaign fronted by Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Daisy Lowe the retailer is making a return to the international fashion scene by once again using some familiar faces from the international fashion scene.
Coco Rocha, recent bride and the current darling of the international catwalks will be featured in the ads for the cosmopolitan Esprit Collection line while top models Anne Vyalitsyna and Missy Rayder will be the faces of Esprit Casual. I love that that we will be seeing Coco in Esprit and getting a little Esprit deja-vu with Anne and Missy...both beauties previously modelled for the 2010 Esprit summer shoot.
Here’s a few behind the scenes snaps from Esprit’s upcoming fall/winter campaign:
So Coca-Cola is taking on the fashion world once again... except this time they are teaming up with Karl Lagerfeld to do it. Coca-Cola Light (which is basically Diet Coke) has collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld on a limited edition bottle of Coca-Cola. The white bottle is decorated with Karl's silhouette and costs slightly more than your average can of coke. Of course you can also purchase the fashionable bottle in a limited edition box which also contains an accompanying bottle-opener. It's ridiculous and totally fun don't you think?
The ad that has just been released today stars Canadian model Coco Rocha and Karl's muse male supermodel Baptiste Giacobini. Here's a look:
Baptiste looks as pretty as he always does and our girl Coco is channelling a little bit of Karl... notice the black fingerless gloves?
Of course, Karl himself shot the campaign. I guess there have been stranger combinations... what do you think?
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?
