Rick Campanelli » The Backseat Stylers | Toronto Fashion & Style Blog

LOULOU Magazine’s Shop ‘Til You Drop 2012 at Fairview Mall

by The Backseat Stylers | May 2nd, 2012

We’re big fans of shopping parties (who isn’t?), and when we heard that LOULOU Magazine and Fairview Mall were teaming up to co-host the ultimate shopping event, we knew we had to be there. So last Thursday, April 26, when Canada’s shopping magazine brought its 6th annual Shop ‘Til You Drop tour to one of our favourite retail destinations in north Toronto, not only were we there at Fairview Mall, but we were right in the thick of all the action.

The 4-hour shopping extravaganza was a shopaholic’s delight! There were exclusive discounts at some of our favourite stores, complimentary food and drink, giveaways, makeovers, fashion illustrations, goodie bags…more than we’d bargained for, really. If you weren’t able to join us for the fun, not to worry – there’s always next year. And in the meantime, here’s a minute-by-minute account of the event so you can live vicariously through S’s tweets (and post-event commentary):

5:23pm – Kick-off

“We’ve arrived at @louloumagazine’s #ShopTilYouDrop event! Here’s the scene at @Fairview_Mall’s centre court. pic.twitter.com/QmpJxfm”

With 200 luxe swag bags up for grabs on a first come, first serve basis and the entire shindig about to kick off, the excitement was palpable. This was our very first Shop ‘Til You Drop event and we couldn’t wait to get our shop on.

5:37pm – Trend Presentation by Liv Judd

“Waiting for @louloumagazine’s @LivJudd’s trend presentation @Fairview_Mall. Tell me about these shorts! pic.twitter.com/avXbBM5g #ShopTilYouDrop”

The blue paisley shorts turned out to be from Gap’s latest collection. With the entire store at 30% off during the Shop ‘Til You Drop event, it was a no brainer that those babies were coming home with me. I see myself living in these shorts come summer.

“The lovely @LivJudd giving her trend presentation at @louloumagazine and @Fairview_Mall’s #ShopTilYouDrop event”

LOULOU Magazine’s Shopping Editor Liv Judd took the stage for her spring trend presentation in front of a crowd eager for spring style tips. T and I sat front row, hanging on her every word: mixed prints, white on white, denim jackets…this lady knows what she’s talking about!

“Wise spring style advice from @louloumagazine’s @LivJudd: “Never wear a stiletto with a short.” #ShopTilYouDrop”

Confession time: I’ve done this, maybe twice in life…but I promise never to do it again, Liv!

“‘Colour is something you want in your denim’, says @LivJudd. She’s so right. #ShopTilYouDrop”

I’ve been resisting coloured jeans over the past few months, but I’m just about ready to jump on that trend. Proof: Me at Gap admiring denim in all the colours of the rainbow later in the evening. A baby step in the right direction, nudged forward by T and the green jeans she’s been wearing non-stop and, of course, Liv’s trend talk.

“Coral, mint and metallics for spring nails! @LivJudd is featuring some lovely @EssieCanada polishes. #ShopTilYouDrop”

I’m a huge Essie fan, so I was delighted by these fun new colours. Fast forward a few hours and I found myself at Trade Secrets stocking up on my favourite Essie shades. Can’t go wrong with the exclusive buy one, get one 50% off event discount.

“The woman next to me at #ShopTilYouDrop just turned to me and said, “wow!” when @LivJudd’s trend presentation wrapped. What a compliment!”

6:04pm – Exclusive Interview with Liv Judd

“Just wrapped an interview w/ @LivJudd. Now very inspired to get my shop on! Ready for some colour, colour and more colour. #ShopTilYouDrop”

Gap’s Denise Chow and LOULOU’s Liv Judd

We nab Liv right after her presentation to chat more about – what else? – spring trends.

BSS: You introduced quite a few trends for spring in your presentation. Which one are you most excited to get into?

Liv: Colour. Hands down. All of the vivid types of colours, like cobalt blue, fuchsia, green and orange. Colour-blocking is not going away, but now it’s stripes and geometric shapes.

BSS: Is there a trend that you don’t see yourself participating in this spring?

Liv: Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the mullet skirt – short in the front, long in the back. I wouldn’t recommend it.

BSS: On that note, what was your worst fashion faux pas?

Liv: There are so many! I had to wear a bright yellow, acrylic sweater [to a New Kids on the Block concert in grade 7]. I was mortified.

BSS: By the bright yellow or the acrylic?

Liv: By the acrylic! Everybody else was wearing their hip New Kids on the Block t-shirts and I was in bright yellow, acrylic no less.

BSS: What was the last purchase you made for the upcoming season?

Liv: I was at Old Navy, and I bought neon-striped t-shirts and long, colour-block maxi dresses.

BSS: What items are still on your wish list for spring?

Liv: Bright-coloured jeans, more maxi dresses, a new white jean, and pointy-toe flats in a bright colour.

BSS: What’s the most fun part about the Shop ‘Til You Drop tour for you?

Liv: Coming out to meet shoppers. Being in the mall and seeing them come up to you and say, “I listened to what you said and this is what I bought. To get that feedback immediately is a delight.

BSS: What is it about Fairview that makes it such a great place to shop?

Liv: It’s so easy to get to. It’s right just on the subway line. And they were the first mall to get H&M [in 2004], so they have that prestige. That was the very first time I shopped here.

6:16pm – Celebrity Trends with Angie Smith at Gap

“Angie Smith @bumbalina of @ETCanada talking celeb style trends at@GapCA. @RCampanelliETC is here too! #ShopTilYouDrop”

Over at the Gap store, Angie walked us through on-trend outfits by some of our favourite celebrities (including Solange Knowles – love her!) and how to recreate the looks using pieces from Gap’s spring/summer collection. Husband and ET Canada on air personality Rick Campanelli is there too to lend his support.

“Shopping for stripes this spring? The smaller the stripe, the more flattering on the body, says @bumbalina at @GapCA. #ShopTilYouDrop”

“Photo booth at @GapCA! Of course T and I had to get in on that action. #ShopTilYouDrop”

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Fashion News

Stuart Weitzman To Host Canadian Celebrity Shoe Auction

by The Backseat Stylers | September 5th, 2011

I recently posted that Stuart Weitzman had teamed up with select celebrities south of the border, including Olivia Palermo, to create the Young Hollywood Cares Collection. Now, he’s bringing his charitable initiatives in support of ovarian cancer research to Canada.

This month, Stuart Weitzman will be auctioning off 9 one-of-a-kind designs created by a group of Canadian celebrities, each of whom personally decorated a pair of the brand’s ‘Fever’ pump. These celebrities include Fashion Television‘s Jeanne Beker, LOULOU Magazine‘s style editor Claude Laframboise, actresses Rachelle Lefevre, Chantal Lacroix and Emily VanCamp, Olympic athlete Ashleigh McIvor, and ET Canada‘s Rick Campanelli, Cheryl Hickey and Roz Weston.

I recently attended the launch of the auction, and was incredibly impressed by the level of creativity each celebrity brought to his/her shoe. Jeanne Beker and her daughter Joey O’Neil were inspired by a nursery rhyme; Claude Laframboise drew on Truman Capote’s legendary Black and White Ball; and Ashleigh McIvor designed a fierce yet feminine shoe that represents her gold medal success in ski cross. Each shoe was hand-decorated by the celebrities themselves, and done beautifully too, I might add. In fact, I’ve been daydreaming about how my own imaginary design would look. Next DIY project, perhaps?

Stuart Weitzman’s First Annual Canadian Celebrity Shoe Auction is being held online from now until September 21st, here. Bid on a stunning, one-of-a-kind pair of shoes for a very worthy cause! It’s a win-win situation, really.

xx, S

Images courtesy of Stuart Weitzman

Events

The Heart Truth Fashion Show 2011

by The Backseat Stylers | March 29th, 2011

On March 24th, the Heart & Stroke Foundation held the 2011 edition of The Heart Truth Fashion Show at The Carlu in Toronto, an event that aims to raise awareness about women’s risk for cardiovascular disease. In its fourth year, the show featured celebrity models, including actress Elisha Cuthbert and singer Deborah Cox, in one-of-a-kind red dresses by top Canadian designers like Greta Constantine and VAWK.

“We’re reaching Canadian women with this lifesaving message: it’s time to take charge of your heart health”, said Bobbe Wood, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, in a press release. “Make healthy lifestyle choices, monitor your cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and advocate for the care you need from your doctor. And to Canadian men, we say support the women you love to protect their heart health.”

The HSF found a fun and light-hearted way to convey such an important message. The celebrity models strutted, danced and shimmied down the runway in stunning one-of-a-kind creations ranging from a sexy fringed mini dress by VAWK to a glam floor-length ballgown by Ines di Santo. This fashion show was the most fun I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending, and was a great kick-off to Toronto Fashion Week!

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Runways and Showrooms

Toronto Fashion Week: RUDSAK Fall 2010 ‘Fly High’

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