November, 2016 The well-heeled clientele of Toronto-born jeweler Myles Mindham have the luxury of shopping the world, but when it comes to dreaming up special pieces to last a lifetime, these connoisseurs come back home to collaborate with him. With no formal design training, the 57 year-old designer has been catering to celebrities and socialites alike for 25 years with …
Iris Apfel
October, 2016 With true originality becoming an increasingly precious commodity, the 95 year-old iconic Iris Apfel soldiers on, spewing her wit and wisdom about the subject of style, and inspiring multi-generational fashion enthusiasts to think… and dress… for themselves. The New York native—a former textiles manufacturer and interior designer—was catapulted into the American pop culture consciousness back in 2005, when …
Olivia Kim
September, 2016 With competition heating up, retailers are on a constant quest for cool. And few are doing it better than the Seattle-based, century old chain Nordstrom, thanks to a dynamic fashion fanatic named Olivia Kim. Raised in New York, the 38 year-old merchandise maven spent ten years working with hip retailers-turned-designers Carol Lim and Humberto Leon of Opening Ceremony …
Sarah Gadon
August 2016 Call it a ground-swell of glamour or some kind of cultural renaissance, but Canada seems to be shining exceptionally brightly these days, and when it comes to style, notable emissaries, like Toronto-born Sarah Gadon, are helping with the cause. The talented 29-year-old actor, who starred in three consecutive David Cronenberg films, and one by the famous director’s son, …
Douglas Coupland
August 16, 2016 As many ponder retail’s future, venerable Canadian fashion retailer Simons is really pushing the envelope and exploring what our nation looks like now and where we’re going with technology. With stores in seven cities, CEO Peter Simons has been working with Vancouver artist Douglas Coupland and 3D printing expert John Biehler on a mega 3D portraiture project …
Jessica Alba
August 9, 2016 A self-proclaimed “big thinker”, 35-year old Jessica Alba wasn’t content to rest on her acting career laurels for long. In show business since the age of 13, the California-born beauty has been on a mission since she latched onto a healthy lifestyle concept back in 2008, with the birth of her first child. Three years later, she …
Paul Hardy
July 2016 On the Canadian fashion front, where it’s all about ‘survival of the fittest’, designers must be prepared to think outside the conventional business box, and concoct inspiring new ways to not only market their wares, but to keep their names out there and keep themselves creatively stimulated. That is why Calgary’s Paul Hardy remains a shining light, 12 …
Kate Moss (June 2016)
June 2016 Arguably the most iconic, influential and controversial model of her time, Britain’s Kate Moss was still a schoolgirl from suburban Croydon when she first auditioned for designer John Galliano at the tender age of 15. The year was 1989, and no one suspected that the enigmatic, 5’7”, fresh-faced beauty would soon be turning the fashion world on its …
Carol Lim
June 2016 When Japanese born-designer Kenzo Takada first opened his “Jungle Jap” store in Paris in 1970, he likely never envisioned that not only would his brand go down in history as a trail-blazing force in fashion, but that 46 years later, his jungle motif would still be going strong. In an inspired collaboration with Disney, the dyamic duo that’s …
Maria Giulia Maramotti
May 2016 Maria Giulia Maramotti really has her work cut out for her. As the heiress to her family’s 65- year-old fashion business, the 32-year-old U.S. Director of Retail for Max Mara—and Global Ambassador of the tony brand—faces the challenge of bringing an edgy new energy to the Italian house, known in the past for its classic take on luxury. …
Johnny Coca
May 2016 It’s long been said that in fashion, God is in the details. So when it came time for iconic British brand Mulberry to find a new creative director, it’s no wonder the victorious candidate would be someone who really knew bags inside out. After all, 70% of Mulberry’s business revolves around their bags, which first surfaced when the …
Lynn Ban
May 2016 To really make a mark in fashion today—to get heads turning, people talking, and the world’s top celebrities clamouring to sport your wares—a designer has to be unapologetically dynamic with his or her vision. And that’s precisely Lynn Ban’s approach. The Singapore-born, New York–based jewelry designer has become the go-to brand for most of the planet’s biggest pop …
Kim Cattrall
May 2016 With awareness and appreciation of Canadian designers on the rise—at least here at home—the industry embraces all those who enthusiastically wave our flag on the global stage. After all, the success of our brands depends on it. That’s why British-born, BC-raised Kim Cattrall made such a good host for the recent, third annual Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards. …
Coco Rocha And James Conran
April 2016 The most successful fashion models —the ones with longevity, who manage to remain relevant—are usually the ones with the most business savvy, who look at their careers as branding exercises, far beyond mere creative practices. And that’s why the unstoppable Toronto-born, B.C.-raised Coco Rocha continues to make waves on a variety of fashion fronts. With 1.1 million Instagram …
Rebecca Burgess
March 2016 Fashion consumers take note: Our planet is in environmental peril and our obsession with clothing isn’t helping this enormous carbon footprint we’re leaving. Rebecca Burgess is an educator, writer, and natural dye farmer from Northern California who’s trying to make us re-think our wardrobes in myriad ways. First of all, because today’s textile industry is one of the …
Peter Simons
March 2016 When John Simons opened his first dry goods emporium in Old Quebec City in 1840, you have to wonder if he had any idea of how frenzied the retail landscape would one day become. Then again, if vision is something that runs in families, perhaps he passed some down to his great, great grandson Peter. The 51-year-old President …
Jessica Mulroney
March 2016 One thing’s for certain in the Canadian fashion arena: It’s high time our designers grabbed the attention they both need and deserve on the international stage. Now, with the vivacious and stylish Sophie Trudeau at our Prime Minister’s side, the stars may be finally aligning to give our talent the hefty platform they deserve. Consulting on the style …
Victor Alfaro
February 2016 When it comes to having been through the fashion mill, Victor Alfaro has likely seen it all. The elegant, 52-year-old designer who hails from Chihuahua, Mexico, moved to the States at the age of 16, first to study communications in Texas, and then to pursue his fashion dreams in New York. In 1987, he graduated from FIT, and …
Shirley Kurata
February 2016 At this frenzied time in fashion, when eclecticism rules supreme, the role wardrobe mix masters play has taken on new gravitas: Designers, editors, and celebrities alike depend on a stylist’s astute eye to bring unique looks together and inspire us all to new sartorial heights. Enter Shirley Kurata, a spirited young Japanese American stylist from L.A. who’s become …
Tavi Gevinson
January 2016 The moment I saw the pint-sized fashion blogger take her seat in the front row of Chanel’s spring couture show back in 2010, I knew it was the beginning of the end. Tavi Gevinson was a 13-year-old kid from Oak Park, Illinois, but already the precocious style maven was making big waves in the international blogosphere with her …