|
|
|
by The Backseat Stylers | April 8th, 2013 
On April 5, the Royal Ontario Museum‘s Young Patron’s Circle threw its annual fundraising bash, welcoming hundreds of partygoers to the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal for Ancient PROM. Hosted by MTV’s Aliya-Jasmine Sovani and CP24’s Gurdeep Ahluwalia, this year’s fete featured food and entertainment inspired by the ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilizations.
The dress code followed suit, calling for Grecian glam or Cleopatra chic for the ladies and gladiator garb for the men. PROM guests, including philanthropist Suzanne Rogers, interior designer Glenn Dixon, Toronto Argonaut Mike Bradwell and bloggers Anita Clarke and Jay Strut, arrived in style, dutifully donning head jewels, body armour, or at the very least the traditional high school prom fare.
As they do year after year, ROM PROM-goers showed impressive sartorial commitment to the theme, making it one of the most fun parties of the year.
    
Continue reading →
by The Backseat Stylers | October 1st, 2012 
Me with designer Rachel Roy
Last Thursday, September 27, Rachel Roy flew into town for a public appearance at The Bay‘s Toronto flagship to launch the fall collection for her diffusion line, RACHEL Rachel Roy. As a fan of the New York-based designer, it was an event I wasn’t about to miss, so I donned the newly-arrived Aimee dress, grabbed T, and set off for The Bay to meet Rachel.
“I feel like a hobo next to you,” I told her (rather inarticulately) when we met, and I meant it; Rachel is absolutely stunning in person. I would have felt intimidated if not for the fact that she’s also incredibly charming and warm. Our whole conversation was a blur of Rachel generously complimenting my personal style and suggesting that I share more of it on the blog, and me, well, just being rather starstruck.
I wasn’t the only one who came away from the event with a girl crush; every single person in attendance was gushing over how gorgeous and sweet Rachel Roy is. She also happens to be fantastic at what she does: design. Always a reliable source for on-trend and reasonably-priced apparel, shoes and accessories, the latest offerings from RACHEL Rachel Roy include several pieces I’d like to add to my fall rotation.
To meet the designer herself, I chose the bouclé sheath Aimee dress (as did Nelia Belkova!), but there were plenty of equally enticing options. The eggplant boat-neck Sybil dress, black sequin Lara jumpsuit (that Aliya-Jasmine Sovani sported that night) and beige fur-trimmed Lara dress were also in the running. I’ll certainly be making a return visit to The Bay for all of those…and then some!
MTV’s Aliya-Jasmine Sovani in RACHEL Rachel Roy
Bloggers Nelia Belkova, Kimberly Lyn, me and T
Rachel Roy with models in RACHEL Rachel Roy Fall 2012 collection
FASHION Magazine Online Editor / DJ Randi Bergman
Continue reading →
by The Backseat Stylers | April 11th, 2010  
Since T and I started this blog, some very exciting opportunities have unexpectedly come our way (see here and here), but the most unique so far has been the invitation to attend RUDSAK‘s fitting sessions for celebrities who would be gracing the front row at the Fall 2010 collection runway show. Held at RUDSAK’s Queen St. store in Toronto, we had an enormous amount of fun photo-documenting founder/designer Evik Asatoorian’s sessions with various celebrities as they tried on different pieces from RUDSAK’s current Spring collection.
Rick Campanelli (ET Canada co-host) was to strut down the runway as a celebrity model in RUDSAK’s show later that day, so his fitting included a short catwalking practice session. It turns out Campanelli is a natural, because he walked that runway like a pro just a few hours later. Who knew he could pull off that fur trapper hat with such flair?
For Campanelli’s fiancée, Angie Smith (ET Canada Fashion Producer), Asatoorian chose a leather jacket in a fabulously bright colour that produced a striking contrast against her dark hair. With removable sleeves, the jacket could also have been worn as a vest – how much more versatile can a leather jacket get?
 
Aliya-Jasmine Sovani (MTV Canada host) was fitted in RUDSAK’s latest take on the classic biker jacket – a decidedly edgier look than what she walked into the store with. Success!
Together, Asatoorian and Ivana Santilli (singer) chose for her a leather jacket and matching bag in a very versatile shade of light grey. The colour was the perfect choice for Santilli; it complemented rather than competed with the colour of her hair.
Keshia Chanté (singer), the last to be fitted, was the only one to take advantage of her black leather jacket’s removable sleeves and wear it instead as a vest. Sleeves or no sleeves, that jacket was hot.
With that, the fitting sessions were over, and T and I finally had the opportunity to peruse the store before it was time for the day’s fashion shows. Hard as it was, we managed to resist temptation, but we may not be so lucky the next time we set foot in that store – especially after seeing the Fall 2010 show. Entitled “Fly High”, the aviator theme-infused collection was utterly fantastic. As someone who is already an avid fan of other Canadian outerwear designers like Smythe Les Vestes and Mackage, this collection put RUDSAK on the map in my outerwear-obsessed mind. The coats and jackets were incredibly chic and the flight references in the accessories not too literal. No one’s letting me pilot any planes any time soon, but the aviator hats and flight goggles were too cool to pass on.
When the final model came down the runway, I knew right then and there that my resolution to purchase no more outerwear – especially winter coats – was out the door. The long wool coat with leather accents in that gorgeous shade of mauve was immediately added to my list of must-haves for next Fall.
  
Backstage after the show, as Sovani, Santilli and Chanté gathered for photo ops with the designer, the mood was celebratory. And why not? In the competition for the hearts and fall/winter outerwear budgets of Canadian fashionistas, RUDSAK had just thrown down the gauntlet with one very fierce collection.
xx, S
|
|
THE BACKSEAT STYLERS BY T & S
|
