April 23, 2012
These totes amazing burlap bags designed by Tory Burch are priced to fly off the shelves.
LOOK GOOD/DO GOOD | As someone who considers herself (at least somewhat) socially conscious, fashion forward and value minded, I’m excited for Holt Renfrew’s April 30th launch of limited-edition totes by Tory Burch + FEED. Not only do these casual cross-body bags look good, but buying one of them will do some good too, for the Tory Burch Foundation, which supports the economic empowerment of women, and for FEED, American model Lauren Bush Lauren’s charity dedicated to eliminating world hunger—one child at a time. Get the whole story »
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November 17, 2011
Kick off your Christmas shopping tonight with the Shop Hop sale at numerous groovy Gastown boutiques.
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL | ’Tis the season, and the discount shopping is easy—or at least it will be tonight if you wander down to super-walkable Gastown where Shop Hop will be going on. This evening, between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., 31 of Vancouver’s most stylish shops will be offering pre-Christmas specials you won’t want to miss.
There’ll be music, of course, and free drinks, plus every purchase will net you a coupon you can exchange for comestibles at any of seven groovy eateries. To jump the gun (but never the couch, Tom), we canvassed participating merchants for a preview of what they’ve got on sale; in a holiday mood, many of them were only too happy to share. Get the whole story »
August 26, 2011
+J, Jil Sander’s hot fashion for Japanese megabrand Uniqlo, is low-end couture at its finest. Pity these pieces aren’t easily available to Canadians—or are they?
CHIC + CHEAP | Fashion icon Jil Sander, referred to as the queen of minimalist fashion for her single-minded focus on understated elegance—picture the perfectly tailored pant, the precisely cut coat, the impeccably executed white blouse—will end her three year collaboration with Uniqlo, Japan’s inexpensive high-style-basics chain and Asia’s largest clothing retailer, with the launch of a final (fall/winter) collection on September 7. Get the whole story »
August 15, 2011
Premiering at Target in September, the Italian fashion house known for its knits puts its signature on everything from onesies to two wheelers.
SAVE ON CHIC | Not since Liberty London for Target launched in March 2010 has the big box emporium fallen so head over heals in a huge way for a luxury label—right now Target is madly in love with Missoni. Debuting September 13, Missoni for Target will include a mindboggling array of 400 products bearing the kaleidoscope of colours and unmistakable motifs—chevrons, zigzags, flame stitching and abstract florals—synonymous with the 58-year-old-Italian knitwear giant. Get the whole story »
August 9, 2011
He’s gone high-end with Chanel and low-end with H&M, but can Karl Lagerfeld produce a fashion collection that appeals to middle Americans? We’ll find out August 31.
SAVE ON CHIC | It’s kind of funny to think that Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most influential fashion designers in modern history, the face of Chanel, a man defined by his elitism and snobbery, most likely invented diffusion fashion—clothing lines by top fashion designers for inexpensive off-the-rack shops. Lagerfeld’s groundbreaking 2004 collection for low-end fashion house H&M, every piece of which sold out worldwide in under 60 minutes, unleashed an army of copycat courtiers itching to collaborate with mass-market retailers on low-cost apparel lines, starting a trend that continues unabated. Get the whole story »
July 25, 2011
Last week TOMS introduced its new pricy classics by The Row. Does this mean a Three For One program will follow?
SHOPPING AROUND | I’ve been wearing the same pair of classic TOMS shoes for three years now, and I love them. I don’t know whether the alpargata, the Argentinean farmer/polo player’s shoe (a variation on the Spanish espadrille) that is the basis for the TOMS design has any arch support, but TOMS shoes have some, which makes them particularly comfortable—and a foot-healthy alternative to that other ubiquitous casual shoe, the flip flop. Get the whole story »
July 15, 2011
Nordstrom’s legendary anniversary sale is always worth a trip to Seattle—even more so with the high Canadian dollar—and it’s on till July 31.
SALES WE LOVE | If you’re looking for an excuse to head across the border, retail therapy is a good one right now. Our fat dollar will serve you well—doubly well if you can find a great sale. For the fashion-minded, the most exciting sale in Washington (and Oregon—no sales tax!) each July is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Get the whole story »
May 20, 2011
The Fashionista’s Ball promises to be the best sale ever, with clothes for couture tastes on a thrift-store budget.
SALES WE LOVE | Mark your calendars, fashionistas, and don your ninja shopping suit (that’s tights and tees for quick changing) because Sunday, May 29, promises to be one of Vancouver’s biggest—if not THE biggest— charity/shopping events of 2011.
The Fashionista’s Ball, insanely well organized by Pixie Riddle and her pals to benefit United Way, is a one-day pop-up fashion extravaganza (think department store scale rather than boutique) that includes 3,000-plus garments, gently worn or never worn (some definitely couture); hundreds of pairs of gorgeous shoes; beautiful handbags, Louis Vuitton and Bottega Veneta models among them; and accessories including sunglasses, scarves and both costume and fine jewellery items.
And guess what? Prices for all this donated merchandise are shockingly low. Get the whole story »
April 29, 2011
Made to last a lifetime, these high-fashion designer classics never go out of style. That’s why they make worthy investments—at any price.
Burberry’s London Trench Coat
I keep fallin’ in and out of love—with the trench coat. That’s just what happens when an iconic piece of clothing rolls back into fashion every few years. Last year was huge for the once-and-still-utilitarian raincoat invented for British soldiers by Aquascutum during WWI. I’ve owned inexpensive versions over the years but been understandably reluctant to pony up $1,300 for a Burberry’s London line long, double-breasted cotton trench with epaulettes, gun flap, belt with metallic D-rings and leather buckle, and a Burberry check under the collar—the coat by which all other trench coats are weighed, measured and found wanting. The great thing about the London trench is that really can be worn over everything from a business suit to nothing but stilettos, if you’re Ellen Barkin seducing Al Pacino in the movie Sea of Love. Get the whole story »
November 30, 2010
Retro chic items from Vancouver’s Granted Clothing and Native Shoes make fashionable and affordable Christmas gifts.
CHEAP + CHIC | Neo-retro fashion is a “time travelling aesthetic”— contemp- orary, eye-catching clothing and accessories with silhouettes and motifs that are vaguely familiar, mostly warm and fuzzy references to true vintage fashions you’ve seen in shops or items you wore when you were younger.
Granted Clothing and Native Shoes are two successful Vancouver companies that design and manufacture outerwear and shoes (respectively) with a neo-retro vibe. Granted makes premium, chunky hand-knit fashions, while Native makes some of the coolest plastic shoes on the planet. Both have a cult following internationally, particularly in Japan where being unfashionable is quite possibly a crime; both have received miles of prestigious fashion ink. Get the whole story »
