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by The Backseat Stylers | November 30th, 2012 
Vanessa Hong of The Haute Pursuit, Vancouver/Beijing
As temperatures drop further and further down the thermometer, the wardrobe rotations of Canada’s style bloggers are getting darker and darker. Out with the colour-blocking, in with the black. But when everyone’s wearing black on black on black, a vibrant pop of colour is an uplifting sign that we may be chilled to the bone, but our sartorial spirit refuses to be dampened.
Vanessa‘s bright yellow sweater, Caillianne‘s multi-coloured tie-dye pants and Nelia‘s emerald green statement necklace brightened up their ensembles this week, and put a smile on my face too.
Kimberly Lyn of The Souls of My Shoes (with George Antonopoulos) by George Pimentel, Toronto
Caillianne Beckerman of Beckerman Bite Plate, Toronto
Nelia Belkova of Style Blog, Toronto
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by The Backseat Stylers | November 23rd, 2012 
Yours truly with presenters Glen Baxter and Hans Koechling and host Rob Lowe
On November 19, the 2012 edition of the P&G Beauty & Grooming Awards were held at The Carlu in Toronto. Hosted by the extremely handsome actor and Brat Pack member Rob Lowe, the Awards brought together the biggest names in the Canadian beauty, grooming and fashion industries to honour the year’s best print and online content in 19 categories.
Stacey McKenzie and Jully Black
Assisting Lowe (who was kissed on by all the ladies who graced the stage and was a good sport about it) in presenting the Tiffany & Co. crystal trophies were familiar faces like the iconic Jeanne Beker, Greta Constantine-clad singer Jully Black, supermodel Stacey McKenzie and boxer Mary Spencer.
And the winners are…
1. Best Art Direction: Tanya Watt, FLARE
2. Best New Face: Jenna Earle, Next Models
3. Best Beauty Feature of a Magazine or Newspaper – Trend/Profile (English): Adriana Ermter; FLARE, Back by Popular Demand
4. Best Beauty Feature of a Magazine or Newspaper – Trend/Profile (French): Sophie St-Laurent; Châtelaine, BB La crème a tout faire
5. Best Beauty Feature of a Magazine or Newspaper – Scientific/Technical (English): Michelle Villett; FLARE, Best Beauty Innovations of 2011
6. Best Beauty Feature of a Magazine or Newspaper – Scientific/Technical (French): Micheline Lortie; Châtelaine, La nature en pot
7. Best Beauty Editor of a Magazine: Lesa Hannah; FASHION Magazine
8. Best Male Grooming Feature: Greg Hudson; Sharp Magazine, The Sharp Guide to Grooming: Stepping it Up
9. Hair Stylist of the Year: Justin German
10. Best Fashion Feature of a Magazine or Newspaper (English): Sarah Nicole Prickett; FASHION Magazine, Bro Code
11. Best Fashion Feature of a Magazine or Newspaper (French): Elsa Vecchi; Dress to Kill, Spécial Design: Rad Hourani
12. Best Fashion Editor of a Magazine: George Antonopoulos, FASHION Magazine
13. Best Male Fashion Feature: Yang Goh; Sharp Magazine, Style Manual
14. Best Beauty or Fashion Blog (English): Sharon Ng Hayes; The Backseat Stylers
15. Best Beauty or Fashion Blog (French): Anik Lacasse-Richard; Montreal in Style
16. Best Beauty or Fashion Website: Randi Bergman, FashionMagazine.com
17. Photographer of the Year: Malina Corpadean
18. Make-up Artist of the Year: Nicolas Blanchet
19. Best Magazine Cover: Dress to Kill, Stéphane Le Duc, Winter 2011
With Kimberly Lyn in Arthur Mendonça (left) and Nelia Belkova in Lanvin x H&M (right)
You may have noticed a familiar name in there for winner of the Best Beauty or Fashion Blog (English) category: The Backseat Stylers. WOOHOO! What an incredible honour it was for us to be named finalists alongside our blogger friends Nelia Belkova of Style Blog and Lolitta Dandoy of Fashion Is Everywhere, but to win?
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by The Backseat Stylers | November 1st, 2012 
I have a confession to make: I went a little camera-happy backstage before Arthur Mendonça’s runway show at World Mastercard Fashion Week last week. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of models being dressed and hair and makeup being touched up, I snapped an inordinate number of photos of the same gorgeous subjects wearing the same fabulous pieces from Mendonça’s Spring 2013 collection. I just couldn’t help myself; the clothes, the styling (by fashion director George Antonopoulos) – it was all so irresistibly chic and sophisticated.
Mendonça’s designs have a timeless quality to them, yet still manage to feel current. The ladylike line-up featured a soft colour palette of whites and pastels, lovely, waist-cinching obi belts, and smart tailoring. There were no loud prints or busy embellishments here; these are the types of garments that stand out in a crowded room because they’re well cut, simple in design and flattering on the body.
Model Naro Lokuruka’s light blue pant suit and white vest combination was a definite favourite, as was Mendonça’s upmarket take on the on-trend varsity jacket. Standing there backstage, amongst all those beautiful clothes, I came to an important realization: I need some Arthur Mendonça in my wardrobe, stat. Check out the gallery of 33 images from backstage and the runway, and I’m certain you’ll feel the same way.
    
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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 | February 16th, 2012 
Back in December, we posted a very colourful sneak peek of George Antonopoulos‘ Spring 2012 outing for OBJECT for Danier. We know you’ve been dying to see the complete collection, so here, finally, is the campaign and lookbook for the fashion director’s second collaboration with Canadian leather retailer Danier.
My wish list for this second OBJECT line was quite lengthy after the preview, and these images aren’t helping to narrow it down. The caramel leather shorts and perforated suede henley are must-haves, so they’re not budging from the list any time soon. The royal blue leather pants are to-die-for and I’m feeling sartorially brave these days, so those are staying on the list too.
I’ve also still got my eye on a second croc-embossed banker’s envelope. The black version from the Fall 2011 collection has become a wardrobe staple, and I need it in white for Spring. Or maybe orange. Or perhaps both? Decisions, decisions…
What’s on your OBJECT Spring 2012 shopping list?
  
xx, S
Images courtesy of Danier
by The Backseat Stylers | December 15th, 2011 
Remember that Mugler event I attended at the Bay last month? I shot all the fabulous people there that evening, including Toronto socialites Suzanne Rogers in Givenchy and Stacy Kimmel in Mugler, but failed to document my own decidedly less glamourous outfit. Lucky for me, Jason Hudson, the Bay’s official photog for the evening, was on hand with his trusty camera to do the job.
Jason is, first and foremost, one of my favourite faces to see at fashion events, but also happens to be an incredible photographer. Through his lens, I always come out looking good, and that’s quite the feat. I’ve edited enough of my own photos to know that credit definitely goes to the photographer on that one, and not me!
On this particular occasion, Jason captured me looking rather smart. I’ve got the librarian-type glasses going on and my chic leather banker’s envelope by OBJECT for Danier tucked under my arm. I look like, well, an accountant, which happens to be my day job. In truth, this ensemble isn’t quite office-appropriate, but when 6 o’clock hits, the leather pants – a staple in my other life as a fashion blogger – come out to play.
Check out Jason’s other fabulous shots from the Mugler event here.
Roland Mouret jacket / Banana Republic belt / Elise Overland leather pants / OBJECT for Danier envelope clutch / YSL ring / FALLON necklace / Chanel glasses / Alexander McQueen shoes / MAKE UP FOR EVER make-up
xx, S
Image Credit: Jason Hudson
by The Backseat Stylers | December 2nd, 2011 
Remember that time Canadian fashion director George Antonopoulos designed a Fall capsule collection for Danier and a certain blogger (read: me) went out and bought half the collection and wore it non-stop all season? Well, I’m living that right now and it’s about to happen all over again. Yesterday, I got a sneak peek of Antonopoulos’ second outing for OBJECT for Danier at the leather retailer’s Spring 2012 preview; not surprisingly, half the collection leapt instantly to the top of my Spring wish list.
Antonopoulos and Danier have, smartly, remade some of the most popular styles from the Fall collection in new material and colour combinations. My favourite leather dress, for example, is being produced for Spring sans sleeves and in the loveliest grey and pink suedes. The croc-embossed envelope clutches are back too, and are as to-die-for as ever. I’ve been toting the original black version from Fall all over town, and now I’m lusting after the orange…or perhaps the white?
I’d normally try to make a case for getting both colourways, but there’s no room for that in my Spring OBJECT budget; my wish list is already quite lengthy. In addition to a banker’s envelope in a yet-to-be-determined colour, I’ve also got my eye on the caramel leather shorts, perforated suede henley and royal blue leather pants (seriously!). Throw in a yellow skinny belt for good measure, too, and I’ve got all my coloured leather needs covered next season. Because, in case you were wondering, coloured leather is a legitimate need (not want), especially when done this well.
So which pieces are you needing from round two of OBJECT for Danier so far?
   
xx, S
by The Backseat Stylers | November 23rd, 2011 
Intermix’s Crystal Torchio and CEO Khajak Keledjian
Intermix‘s first boutique on Canadian soil launched back in August, but the US retailer only officially celebrated last night with a shindig fit for Hollywood actresses, top Canadian designers and models, all-around fabulous people and…me. Far from the civilized breakfast date I had with CEO Khajak Keledjian when the store opened its doors, yesterday’s fête replaced coffee with free-flowing wine and an audience with Keledjian with a set by rapper Theophilus London.
It was a very well-attended affair. Keledjian was there, of course, with the rest of the Intermix Toronto team, as well as his co-hosts from The Coveteur. Oh, and actress Jessica Chastain, who I missed completely somehow. The ubiquitous Greta Constantine team was out in full force, as were big name Canadian models who’ve walked the runway for them, Tara Gill and Naro Lokuruka. The other two-thirds of my “blogger troika” (dubbed as such by FASHION‘s Randi Bergman), being Styleblog.ca‘s Nelia Belkova and Stylehog.com‘s Julia Seidl, kept me thoroughly entertained until Theophilus London took over that job.
Give the gallery a gander for party photos. I spied lots of Versace for H&M, just as much Joe Fresh and even a little bit of VAWK (OK, that last one was me)…
The Fashion Collective’s Dwayne Kennedy, Greta Constantine’s Stephen Wong, and model Tara Gill
StyleBlog.ca’s Nelia Belkova and Stylehog.com’s Julia Seidl
The Souls of My Shoes’ Kimberly Lyn and Wolff Public Relations’ Lauren Wolff
Fashion Director George Antonopoulos and model Naro Lokuruka
Chatelaine’s Tyler Franch
Me and my straggly rain-ruined hair (VAWK jacket / Zara blouse and skirt / Chanel bag / YSL ring / Alexander McQueen shoes
xx, S
by The Backseat Stylers | October 23rd, 2011 
George Antonopoulos and me
You know that feeling of loving a new purchase so much that you want to wear it right away? I didn’t get that with my leather dress from the OBJECT for Danier line by George Antonopoulos. In fact, I adored it so much that I wanted to save its first outing for a special occasion of sorts, rather than just any ol’ day.
After sitting patiently in my closet for a month and a half, my new leather frock finally got its inaugural call to duty for none other than the opening night of this season’s LG Fashion Week. With the Spring 2012 collection from Arthur Mendonça, for whom Antonopoulos serves as Fashion Director, on the agenda, I thought it the perfect opportunity to take the dress out for a spin.
The Alexander McQueen winged booties I paired my OBJECT dress with were also a piece that had a delayed debut after I purchased them last winter. Do you save particularly beloved new purchases for special occasions too?
OBJECT for Danier leather dress / Biko Jewellery necklace / Alexander McQueen boots / Balenciaga bag
xx, S
Photo Credit: Jessica Chiu
by The Backseat Stylers | September 11th, 2011 
Kimberly Lyn, George Antonopoulos, Nelia Belkova, me, Tricia Campbell-Hall
All summer I counted down the days until the OBJECT for Danier Fall 2011 collection would hit sales floors, and last week the long wait finally came to an end. Toronto-based stylist George Antonopoulos‘ inaugural collection for the Canadian leather retailer launched with a trunk show at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre store on September 7th.
Canadian fashion heavyweights like FASHION‘s Editor-in-Chief Bernadette Morra, Zoomer Magazine‘s Editor-in-Chief Suzanne Boyd and Toronto Star‘s Derick Chetty, stylists, fashion bloggers and fans descended on Danier’s Yorkdale location to be the first to shop the lush collection of leather separates, dresses and outerwear. With constant line-ups at the changing rooms and registers, much of the stock on hand was snapped right up that evening.
Yours truly was lucky to be able to snag two fierce pieces, the leather henley shirt and mini dress (pictured below). Can’t wait to take them out for a spin! Check out the full Fall lookbook here, and be sure to stop by your local Danier store before the collection sells out.
As for what’s next, Antonopoulous has already been dropping hints about his Spring 2012 outing for Danier. “There’s lots of colour,” he revealed, to our utter excitement. And footwear, too! Knowing how covetable the first OBJECT collection is, we’re dying to see what Antonopoulos has up his sleeve for his second. Time to start replenishing my OBJECT fund in preparation for Spring!
 
xx, S
Image Credits: First photo by Ryan Emberley / Danier, all others courtesy of Danier
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THE BACKSEAT STYLERS BY T & S
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