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by The Backseat Stylers | May 8th, 2013 
On April 30, Toronto Fashion Incubator held its annual TFI New Labels fundraising gala at The Carlu in Toronto. Chaired by Suzanne Rogers and emceed by a David Dixon-clad Dina Pugliese, the evening’s main event was the design competition runway show presented by Target and the crowning of this year’s New Labels winner.
Suzanne Rogers and Dina Pugliese
The show was the culmination of a six-month long competition that saw the field of contestants narrowed down to a very talented final four that included Christopher Paunil by Chalo Barrueta and Christopher Paunil, Paria Shirvani, Sarah Stevenson and SEVENTHIRTYONE by Maiko Suzuki and Defne Husrevoglu. With the support of beauty partner P&G Beauty & Grooming, the finalists presented four very distinct and well received collections in front of a discerning crowd of industry insiders that included designer Arthur Mendonça, model Stacey McKenzie, The Room’s Nicholas Mellamphy, and sponsor Mantella Corporation’s Sylvia Mantella.
Gabrielle Miller and Stacey McKenzie
If their audience didn’t already have them shaking in their fashionable boots, then the New Labels judges surely did. This year’s distinguished panel was made up of FLARE Editor-in-Chief Miranda Purves, TNT Boutiques’ Arie Assaraf, Target Divisional Merchandise Manager Elisha Ballantyne, Target Senior Vice President, Merchandising John Morioka, TFI President David Dixon and gala chair Suzanne Rogers.
Winner Sarah Stevenson with the esteemed judging panel after her win
After a short but tough deliberation, the judges named Sarah Stevenson, who presented a cohesive line-up of looks featuring gorgeous prints and laser-cut detailing, the 2013 TFI New Labels winner. In addition to bragging rights, the Toronto native’s prize haul included a $25,000 cash award donated by Suzanne Rogers, a full-page feature in FLARE Magazine, and the opportunity to design a collection to be sold exclusively in Target locations across Canada in 2014. Congratulations Sarah!
Table #8!
Check out the gallery below for 40 images from the 2013 TFI New Labels gala, featuring Canadian fashion both on and off the runway.
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by The Backseat Stylers | November 22nd, 2012 
Jenna Naumovich
On November 16, the Design Exchange held the inaugural DX INTERSECTION, a fundraising party in support of the Toronto design museum’s youth education and design preservation initiatives. Hundreds of attendees were treated to everything from a silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind, customized IKEA items to a Food Dudes food truck serving breakfast (genius!), and much, much more. Every corner of the museum offered something new to see, do, eat. A contender for art party of the year? Most definitely.
Toronto’s fashion set, including blogger Anita Clarke, fashion director Liz Cabral (in that Margiela x H&M trompe l’oeil bra top!) and accessories designer Jenny Bird, showed up in full force to support the DX and have a little design fun. They had the opportunity to meet author and artist Douglas Coupland, winner of the DX’s very first Gamechanger award, DIY their very own fascinators at the FLARE x Milk Glass Co. booth (how fun is that?!), and stuff their faces at the late night food market (oh wait, that was me).
I sadly didn’t get a chance to check out all that the evening had to offer (in hindsight, maybe I should have spent less time munching on those to-die-for risotto balls), but I’ve certainly learned my lesson. Next year, I’m going to be the first in the door and the last one out. DX INTERSECTION just officially became one of my favourite fundraising parties of the year, and I don’t want to miss a second of the next one.
 
Kevin O’Neill and Liz Cabral
Anita Clarke
 
Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong of Greta Constantine
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by The Backseat Stylers | July 26th, 2012 
M∙A∙C Viva Glam Fashion Cares 25 has announced the line-up of musical talent and fashion designers that will be taking part in the star-studded fundraiser scheduled for September 9, 2012 in Toronto. Raising funds in support of HIV/AIDS awareness and the AIDS Committee of Toronto since 1987, this 25th and final edition of Fashion Cares will feature performances by Sir Elton John and his guests, including Scissor Sisters, Janelle Monáe and Sky Ferreira.
Supermodel Linda Evangelista and designers Dean & Dan Caten of DSQUARED2 will serve as hosts of an evening that will feature a cocktail reception, a Fashion Cares-inspired fashion show, and musical acts that will also include Canadian favourites like Jully Black, Kreesha Turner and more. In addition, attendees will enjoy a 25-year Fashion Cares retrospective exhibit showcasing glamourous looks from past Fashion Cares events, as well as items from Elton John’s costume archives.
Designers contributing original pieces to the fashion show include: Comrags, David Dixon, DSquared2, Elie Saab, Farley Chatto, Gareth Pugh, Greta Constantine, Hoax Couture, Izzy Camilleri, Joeffer Caoc, Manish Arora, Marty Rotman, Mercy, Pat McDonagh, Pink Tartan, Sandra Rabasca, Stephane Rollande, Susan Dicks, The Blondes, Valencienne and Welly.
Musical performers joining Elton John on the Fashion Cares 25 stage will include: Aleesia, Anjulie, Jully Black, Diamond Rings, Divine Brown, Keshia Chanté, Jarvis Church, Shawn Desman, Sky Ferreira, Elise Legrow, Midway State, Mia Martina, Stephan Moccio, Janelle Monáe, Billy Newton Davis, Carole Pope, RyanDan, Serena Ryder, Scissors Sisters, Kreesha Turner and Nikki Yanofsky.
Fashion Cares 25 promises to be nothing short of spectacular, and all in the name of a very worthy cause. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit fashioncares.com.
xx, S
Images via FUSE Marketing, SALON, Nialler9
by The Backseat Stylers | May 9th, 2012 
Honorary chair Suzanne Rogers and sponsor Sylvia Mantella
On May 3, Toronto Fashion Incubator celebrated its 25th anniversary with a fundraising gala at the Royal Ontario Museum, aptly dubbed TFI25, that was attended by a who’s who of Toronto’s social set and fashion industry and fit for Barbie herself. Chaired by Suzanne Rogers and emceed by a Greta Constantine-clad Jully Black, the evening featured a VIP dinner, a Barbie-inspired celebrity runway show, the annual TFI New Labels design competition fashion show and, of course, an after-party.
Singer and TFI25 Master of Ceremonies Jully Black
After a 6 month long competition, finalists Patrick Larrivée, Sid Neigum, Jameson Kane by Genevieve Pearson and Stanley Capobianco, and [blak] – i by Diego Fuchs and Helder Aguiar showed four very well received collections that made the TFI New Labels judges’ decision that much more difficult to make. “Judges are in big trouble from @SusanAtTFI”, FLARE Magazine‘s Editor-in-Chief Lisa Tant tweeted, ”because we can’t decide and won’t come out.”
FLARE Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and TFI New Labels judge Lisa Tant
Tant was joined on the judging panel by TNT Boutiques’ Arie Assaraf, Toronto Star‘s Derick Chetty, TFI President David Dixon, TFI Executive Director Susan Langdon and the gala’s honorary chair Suzanne Rogers, who donated the $25,000 grand prize. In the end, Edmonton native Sid Neigum was named this year’s TFI New Labels winner, taking home a prize package valued at $60,000, which included a feature in FLARE Magazine and a design studio at the TFI sponsored by Arie Assaraf.
TFI New Labels winner Sid Neigum and model
Those weren’t the only prizes up for grabs at TFI25. The Barbie-inspired fashion show featured celebrity models like Dina Pugliese, Tanya Kim and Trish Stratus in designs by VAWK, Arthur Mendonça, Anastasia Lomonova and more. While past TFI New Labels winner Sarah Nicol of Sar Couture was awarded the $10,000 cash prize, it was actress Tara Spencer-Nairn in VAWK who stole the show with her robotic runway walk, tweeted FASHION Magazine‘s Editor-in-Chief Bernadette Morra.
Dina Pugliese in Barbie-inspired dress by Stema
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by The Backseat Stylers | March 9th, 2012 
Jully Black in Lauren Bagliore
Last night, the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s The Heart Truth Fashion Show took the LRD to a whole new level. Always a hit, the event featured a runway presentation of 17 Canadian female celebrities in as many red dresses – the official symbol of The Heart Truth campaign – by top Canadian designers.
Etalk’s Jessi Cruickshank opened the show in a gorgeous gown by Adrian Wu (who’s only 21 years old!), while a smoking Shannon Tweed-Simmons closed it in an Arthur Mendonça number and on the arm of husband Gene Simmons, no less (yes, that Gene Simmons!). In between, actress Ali Liebert played the bombshell role quite perfectly in a short, embellished Momo frock and singer Jully Black stole the whole damn show, dancing on the runway in a stunning Lauren Bagliore gown.
Other celebrity models included Tamara Taylor in Mark Belford, Isabelle Maréchal wearing Anne de Shalla, Catriona Le May Doan in LOVAS, Natasha Gargiulo sporting MICALLA, Divine Brown in Freda’s, Pascale Hutton wearing Paul Hardy, Susan Haskell in David Dixon, Lauren Lee Smith rocking Ines Di Santo, Liza Fromer in Mallia, Jessica Steen wearing Joeffer Caoc, Angie Seth in Thien Le, Gabrielle Rose donning Something Blue Vancouver and Lisa Ray in Farley Chatto.
And it was all for a great cause, raising awareness about the importance of heart health in women. Read more about The Heart Truth campaign and watch the complete fashion show here.
Jessi Cruickshank in Adrian Wu
Ali Liebert in Momo
Gene Simmons in Indochino and Shannon Tweed-Simmons in Arthur Mendonça
 
Designer Adrian Wu with celebrity model Jessi Cruickshank
xx, S
by The Backseat Stylers | December 4th, 2011 
Yesterday I posted style snaps from this year’s Operanation 8: A Muse Ball, and guess what? I wore clothes to the Ball too. More specifically, I donned my favourite David Dixon dress. The last time I took my sample sale find out for a spin was to Prom at the ROM earlier this year, when the “Into the Wild” theme of the event called for an animalistic approach to styling. This time, though, I needed an ensemble that would take me from the last day of shows at LG Fashion Week straight to Operanation.
Dressing for two events is always tricky; inevitably I find myself overdressed for one shindig and under-dressed for the other. On this particular day, I seemed to have pulled it off. In fact, Sabrina declared, “If I had a street style blog, I’d be all over you,” or something of that sort. A ringing endorsement, indeed! But since she doesn’t have one, and I happen to, I did the job myself. Ever the shameless style blogger.
 
Sonia by Sonia Rykiel jacket / David Dixon dress / Chanel bag / Giuseppe Zanotti shoes / Biko Jewellery necklace / MAKE UP FOR EVER make-up
xx, S
by The Backseat Stylers | July 31st, 2011 
The last time I wore this David Dixon sample sale find, it was the dead of winter; black tights and closed-toe shoes were a necessity more than a fashion choice. In the heat of July I pulled the dress out of my closet for round two, and left the pearls, tights and pumps behind this time. Instead, I turned to purple Gucci sandals for a pop of colour and my FALLON cuff for some edge, producing a decidedly very different vibe from my first go at styling this dress. Sure, the fabric was a bit heavy for summer and I sweltered a bit, but it was all worth it.
  
David Dixon dress (last seen here) / Club Monaco belt / Chanel bag / Gucci shoes / FALLON cuff (last seen here) / MAKE UP FOR EVER make-up
xx, S
by The Backseat Stylers | April 11th, 2011 
I’ve had a lot of love for David Dixon lately, thanks largely to a few gorgeous pieces I picked up at a recent sample sale and have been wearing all around town (see here and here). The flattering designs, high quality workmanship and very practical details (i.e. hidden pockets in cocktail dresses!) have made Dixon a personal favourite, so I was looking forward to his Fall 2011 show at LG Fashion Week. When delays earlier on in the evening caused his show to run 1.5 hours late, I was exhausted but determined to stay to see his “Reunion” show, celebrating Dixon’s 16 years in the business.
Opening with a short retrospective of his work over the last 16 years and an emotional tribute to his late parents, Dixon then took us to Jakarta, the inspiration for his Fall 2011 collection. From the fierce leopard print number that kicked off the show to the beautifully-draped red gown that closed it, what came down the runway made staying up way past my bedtime incredibly worth it. While the styling was lacking (why the cheap-looking patterned tights and open-toe wedge booties?), it did not distract from the elegant designs. The animal and tribal print dresses and separates gave the collection a distinct Indonesian flair, and were so chic that even this print-fearing gal wanted a piece. Not to be missed among the Jakarta-inspired looks were Dixon’s signature evening dresses, including a petal-skirt cocktail dress right up my alley.
No Barbie by David Dixon collection was shown this season, but it wasn’t missed (by me, anyway). What Dixon created for his main line for Fall 2011 included enough covetable pieces for me – I didn’t need a whole other line to tempt me as well!
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by The Backseat Stylers | April 1st, 2011 
Freelance writer & photographer Phil Birnbaum and bloggers Anita Clarke and Nelia Belkova
On March 26, 2011, the Royal Ontario Museum‘s Young Patrons’ Circle hosted its annual fundraising gala, PROM: Into the Wild, presented by BCBGMAXAZRIA. Held in the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, it was an evening of good food, great company, and fantastical fashions. Party-goers were instructed to ignite their imaginations ”with inspiration from the natural world. Take cues from a rowdy canopy of rainforest trees, a deep ocean brimming with life or a dry desert habitat hissing with activity.” Suggestions included fancy feathers and faux fur; bold and racy prints like cheetah, zebra, or sexy snakeskin patterns; safari chic or khaki cool; wild manes and magnificent masks; and penguin suits. And what did we see? All of the above!
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by The Backseat Stylers | March 13th, 2011 
David Dixon dress / Club Monaco belt / Chanel necklace / Chanel clutch / Christian Louboutin shoes / Make Up For Ever makeup
I took a break from my winter shorts recently to get gussied up for a professional shindig. I may be alone in this, but I love opportunities to get fancy. I pulled my new David Dixon sample sale dress out of the closet and paired it with some of my most beloved accessories. I think I clean up pretty nice, if I may say so myself. *wink*
By the way, the part of this outfit that made me the happiest? Not the Chanel this, or the Christian Louboutin that. In fact, it was the oh so convenient hidden pockets of the lovely dress. As I tweeted recently, whomever invented dresses with pockets is a genius. A genius, I say!
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THE BACKSEAT STYLERS BY T & S
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