LG Fashion Week - Photo Diary of Vanessa Petey

Hey guys!

As you know, LG Fashion Week here in beautiful Toronto has come to a close for this season. The last time I blogged I told you about y first day and how excited I was to see what the rest of

the week had in store. I must admit, despite the fact that we spent a lot of our time moving benches and taking orders, it really was ridiculously cool being backstage and seeing all the fashion drama happening right up

close. Of course, the entire time I had my BlackBerry in my hand and I took asmany pictures

and videos as I possibly could. :)

We'd get there in the morning

(12:45pm...if you stopped for a grande nonfat half sugar free caramel white mocha withwhip and caramel drizzle... I know I'm out of control, no need to remind me) and then we would have an

hour or two at the most to arrange all of the seating, place cards and gift bags in the studio before the shows. Every detail mattered. We had to measure the spaces between the benches to make sure they were exactly straight and aligned with one another. The place cards themselves were a big deal - all having to be lined up and taped down to ensure it was as visually appealing to the industry people as possible.

Obviously the stuff I really loved seeing was the sometimes

outrageous behaviour of the people in the industry backstage . Like for example, Jeanne Becker had a special seat at every single studio show, but she didn't actually show up to any of them. There were 6'11"

models running around everywhere in shoes that I'm sure they needed special training to walk in, not to mention the people running the show who continued to insist that the "socialites" be taken care of first and foremost. :P Love it.But that's so boring.So here are some pictures for you to check out of my backstage fashion week adventures! Some of them are horribly blurry or grainy, but forgive me, it was a panicked situation at

best.

Thanks!!

LG Fashion Week - Life in Toronto in Early Spring

Hey guys!

This is going to be one of those blogs where I update on Petey and my little Toronto adventures and whatever else is up. I hope it's mildly entertaining at least!

This week is LG Fashion Week here in Toronto, Ontario and I am part of a massive team of volunteers who make everything happen with the shows all week. We set up the runways and seating areas and make sure everyone is where they're supposed to be etc. So... that's all great and whatever, but in all honesty there is one major perk to working this event that we're all obviously there for: we get to watch all of the shows right up close and personal. *ehehehehe* It's wicked cool.
Meaghan is also volunteering this week, but she's doing different kinds of work than I am so I'll get an update from her and talk about it later. I work in the "Studio." It's a smaller area for runway shows that are meant to be more artistically presented in a more intimate setting than a major runway. I spent a bunch of time measuring areas to put seating in to make it all look perfectly perfect and then got to sit in the second row corner, surrounded by industry people and press and sponsors and watch the entire show. It was a very cool thing to be a part of. (Watch the blurry video above that I took with my favorite new thing in the whole entire world - my BlackBerry/best friend, for a visual!)

So other than fashion week, I am currently in the midst of a 3 month blitzkrieg of formal wear concluding with three bridesmaids dresses, one wedding guests dress, one prom dress, and one very important wedding dress for a very important friend of mine. It's going to be a little bit taxing, but i am definitely up for the challenge. Also Meaghan like, shaved half her head, which is crazy and awesome. Just so you know.
Ps. Petey is kind of on hold at the moment for the preceeding reasons. we're collecting materials and getting prepared to make the dresses but they are tragically going to have to be pushed back until the fall for release.
It's okay though. It'll be worth the wait, we promise. ;)

(...this is also my way of saying, I'm sorry to those of you who read this, but I'll probably have to keep it to one update a week on the blog for the summer, I'm just going to die of exhaustion if i take too much more onto my plate... :D)

Other than that, I've become obsessed with the clothing I get to see on customers at work these days. I work on King Street where the fashion people are and some of the jackets, coats, scarves, rings, bags boots, heels etc etc etc are flooring me. Not to mention on the street and in the subway and everywhere else.

Keep it up, Toronto. You're fucking awesome.

Concepts are BACK - Milan Fashion Week Part II

Hey there, I've been making a real effort to see all of the high profile shows this season within a few hours of them happening. The internet is pretty amazing that way. This is Part II of my reviews of my favorite designer collections this season at Milan Fashion Week.

When I first took a look at the Prada collection this season, I was rather shocked at how dissimilar it was to Miuccia Prada’s usual sense of style as a designer. I have to admit that I was rather critical of the collection, citing that it was “not Prada enough,” lacking the curvaceous, femininity of the Prada silhouette. However, I stood correctly once I learned of Ms. Prada’s concept behind the collection of box shaped, geometric, Mondrian inspired pieces. What Prada was attempting to do was explore the idea of womanhood in 2011. The majority of the pieces could very acutely be placed in both 1920s and 1960s fashion spreads, with their dropped waists and straight form lines. Both of the previously mentioned decades were times of great change and growth for woman as a whole, and Prada wanted to nod to this idea of the ever evolving societal view of femininity in fashion. Even with a high luxury brand like Prada.

And surprise surprise!! Versace’s show featured oversized geometric prints and box shaped garments with dropped waists!! I must admit though, Donatella always knows how to spin a trend to make it quintessentially Versace. She’s used bright, bold colours similar to the rest of the season to date, but the prints are much more subtle than say… Carolina Herrera’s line in New York. She’ll put a shoulder-sized baroque curlicues, (once a signature symbol of the label) in bright yellow on a black dress, or she’ll synch a straight waist together with a belt and an oversized geometric buckle. Then the leather numbers came. I was so afraid that the entire collection would be the same as all the rest, which is fab, but getting tired quickly, for someone who has been watching all of the high profile shows to date this season. The leather was stunning. I loved each one, and though I don’t normally consider myself a Versace girl, I would rock the hell out of one of these outfits. ;)

Last but not least for my Milan Fashion Week highlights is the one and only Dolce and Gabbana, one I’ve been eagerly awaiting as a loyal fan. The show opens with a female model is a little boyish outfit wearing a cap with her hands in her pocket. Hmm… I do believe I detect a hint that the designers were going to be stressing androgyny in this collection?? Well indeed, that was the case and the clothes represent two wonderful things to me. Firstly, we have lots of collared shirts and sweaters, pleated pants and caps – in the real world, women love to dress like this. It’s more comfortable, it’s more acceptable these days, and it is just lovely to go out dressed like a boy, walking around like you’re the man in charge. Admit it. Then there were the dresses. Some were oversized, billowy sheer fabrics, reminiscent of imagery associated with witches world-wide. :P Some, on the other hand, were the most beautifully built lace and metallic lame dresses. Always a spectacle with the Dolce and Gabbana shows.

To conclude, Milan fashion week is always a treat because there are so many spectacular Italian designers that no matter what there will be something beautiful to look at. I found that with this season’s most reputable and intriguing designers, there has been a definite growth in the conceptual aspect of the creating of a collection of clothing and the subsequent fashion show. Whether it’s Prada’s exploration of the female spirit or Donatella Versace’s nod to her company’s ancestry by having her show take place in the same venue her brother Gianni had years earlier. Leave it to the fabulous Italians to put the depth back into fashion design.

Until next week, when I review the first of my favourite collections from the most important city in the history of the fashion industry. I have never been so excited for Paris Fashion Week!!

Thanks for reading!

Spring in New York: Fall 2011 New York City Fashion Week Highlights

I've really got to make a point to go to NYC for fashion week some coming year. Much like its European counterparts in Paris, London, Milan etc, New York City Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is rarely a disappointment. All of North America looks to the guidance of this creative melting pot for the latest, most innovative, most avant-garde clothing available. At this moment in time – February 13 – we are right in the middle of Fall 2011 NYC Fashion Week. From just the first three days of events, these are some highlights I personally liked from designers such as Cynthia Rowley, Alexander Wang, The Row, Marc Jacobs, Rodarte and Betsy Johnson.

Cynthia Rowley is always a collection I make a point of checking out every season. This time around she featured what appear to be velveteen or velour coats and gowns paired with everything from Lycra to full sequins. But the one thing that stood out the most in this collection was the designers unique take on the industry's Alexander McQueen inspired obsession with geometric shapes and digitally generated prints. The almost 3D appearance of these skirts is eye popping to say the least.

Who better than Alexander Wang to do a show loaded with futuristic lighting, black shiny fabrics and stunning wide heeled shoes. I normally shy away from designers who make clothes only in neutrals because I don't understand the vendetta against colour, but Wang is usually an exception to this rule. His soft, matte base fabric paired with Lycra lapels all in black screams texture contrast and really works throughout the line. Throw in a few shredded silk gowns and you've got yourself a winner. And he manages to pull all of this off with models wearing their hair in loose buns on the backs of their heads. Simple.

The Row is a young fashion house started for a very exclusive clientele managed and designed by none other than fabulous Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Normally I am not an advocate of the whole actor turned designer thing... but I feel like Mary-Kate and Ashley are a huge exception to this rule. I'm mostly impressed with the fact that they didn't just decide they wanted to make clothes and use their fame to create a label - they actually paid their dues like the rest of us and attended NYU for Fashion Design. Love it. Anyways with this collection, like the rest of the season, it seems to be all about colour and pattern. The bright yellows paired with soft grays were a great contrast with the full leopard print coats and bright blue fur. What really killed me though was the hats. How these women managed to make a giant ball of fur on ones head look elegant, unique and utterly stylish, I'll never know.

Keep checking these shows out and I'll have more info on the collections of Marc Jacobs, Rodarte and Betsey Johnson in the next post.

Peace for now!!