Be Sharp

Something Big But Something Small

2010-03-16T00:34:00.012-04:00

It seems to me that blogging serves a variety of purposes. I started this one to share information and tips that I have learned 'along the way'. But what it started out as being, and who I was/am writing it have changed.

The fashion savvy and style-centric entries that I posted when I began here two years ago started to take another tip at some point. As I worked harder to put distance between the stylist and big production costumer designer I had been for my adult life and what I really wanted to do, this was the place I would come to sort it out. Sounds weird that I would do that in such a public medium for something so private, but this blog and its sister blog, became a place that I could positively and productively manifest clarity. Not sure why to be honest. But it worked.

But today something happened. And something changed. Something big but small at the same time.

I remember looking at myself in the mirror after the hectic and almost constant flow of meetings ended and we left our gallery/community centre. My arms and legs were splattered with the ubiquituous flat white paint known to galleries like ours world wide. My hair was a mess, not having thought about it since the day began 15 hours earlier and my face had barely a stitch of makeup left. Nowhere to be seen was the 'fashion freak' that a former iteration of me was known as. Of course nowhere to be seen were the friends that knew that woman either. They've long since left my life.

There in the mirror, looking back at me with a deeply furrowed brow and a weary body was a woman who was giving her very best with everything she had to give. For the very first time ever it didn't matter to me what I looked like, how I was assembled or what I wore. It was my accomplishments that mattered, my insides.

I saw the sum total of my efforts and suddenly the distance between what I had been and what I had become had never been so obvious. It wasn't pretty to look at. For once I gave myself permission not to be.

I just accepted it.

You can find me here and here when I am not active on this blog. Better yet find me on twitter and follow my professional efforts here and here too.

Heroes: Jeff Harris

2009-07-09T22:37:00.034-04:00

I am not going to begin this, my first post in months, with an apology. Micro-blogging (Twitter specifically) is a hit for a reason. Long format blogging can be hard to schedule when life gets messy. But I digress.

I want to talk about the power of photography. As documentation. As mirror. As insight. As a vehicle for shared experience.

I have spent many years working with different photographers and types of photography. It brings me great joy to continue my craft as a costume designer and to study humanity and urban ecology through it. I am fascinated by the commonplace and day-to-day goings on of people. I find them very revealing. Not just the concept of ritual but the functional and aesthetic choices in my own life, of my community, culture and other cultures too.

I love photography because it transmits so much information wordlessly. Expression doesn't end where words end: it just gets richer. Visuals create a vocabulary that picks up the slack and at least for me, shares intangibles in meaningful and easily absorbed ways. Two people can be from different walks of life and look at the same photograph and have that experience between them. As Edward de Bono has said "Once you have seen something you cannot 'unsee' it. Your thinking, choices, decisions are determined by what you have seen." It creeps in.

This is what I have to say about Toronto based photographer Jeff Harris's work: It creeps in. Powerfully and with shrewdness. Jeff has been engaged in an ongoing project where he's had his picture taken-either as a self portrait or by a friend-everyday since January 1, 1999. Think about that. A picture a day, every day for ten years. Thats 3,804 photos up until May 31, 2009 according to his website. A link on his website reveals a subtext:

"We can't pretend like this is just another day! This is THE day! This is TODAY! We have never been given today before! We hold it all in our hands! Go find a calendar and look at the date - whatever day it is, realize this: this day will never come again!"- Andrew W.K.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff through my partner Steve Ferrara two years ago. He is immensely likeable in person. He grilled me about the origins of a framed photo of R.E.M that hung on the wall in my old studio. "When was this photo taken?". Absent mindedly I responded-with the wrong information. He knows *a lot* about the band and as I recall he schooled me on the correct answer. It has been a pleasure to read his website, marvel at the story behind his photos and get updates about his goings on through it and his lens. On July 3, 2008 Steve took a photo of Jeff on our rooftop.

Recently, Jeff has battled pelvic cancer. But he did not suspend his project during this time. Private struggles were made public and they were equally as physical and physiological as emotional. Having watched and witnessed family members fight cancer over the years, I admit to being triggered by the sheer raw-ness of his life's recordings. In April he had major surgery to remove his cancer. To say that the images taken during these days are hard to look at is an understatement. The camera was there as a witness to the Miracle of Modern Medicine and these images bring closer what it means to be flesh and bone. To be human. Its vulnerability, its complexity and preciousness. And that I just can't get out of my head.

Happy Birthday Jeff Harris. I don't want to miss another day and another opportunity to say thank you.

Photo credit: Taken May 13, 2009 by Penny Harris from www.jeffharris.org

My Directorial Debut

2009-03-23T15:08:00.020-04:00

At last I have a moment to tell you what I've been working on for the past few months. I'll likely do that over two posts because a few projects have been in development. For this entry I wanna tell you about my directorial debut!

Back in December, the fine folks at Manifesto Community Projects asked Well and Good a grassroots arts organization that I work with, if we wanted to be involved in the city of Toronto's 175th Anniversary celebrations. We submitted a proposal and it was accepted.

The basis of the proposal was a curated day-long retrospective exhibition of Toronto-based graffiti and street artists who work in a variety of mediums: murals, photography, postering, stickers, wheatpastes, drawings, sculptures etc. Knowing that the art show could only be up for the day March 6, we felt compelled to create something that would have 'legs' and would have more impact over time. So I hatched the idea to create a web specific documentary featuring some of the more prolific artists this city has seen over the past 15 years talking about their work and their individual journey in Toronto.

With a great deal of work, a super teeny budget, some drama and the trust of each of the artists, it premiered March 6, 2009 in Committee Room 2 at Toronto City Hall. The exhibition and the public dialogue that came with it was incredibly positive. The only complaint seemed to be from one of the staffers at City Hall who lamented "I wish this room would always have this vitality!"

Originally we posted the webumentary here. But then, thanks to a 5000% hike in bandwidth over one day (an expensive lesson to learn) we put it here too.

Mad respect to each and every one of the artists involved:

Elicser

UPDATE: Now you can watch the individual chapters on YouTube or Vimeo.

Lee Quinones : Just another WordPress weblog

2009-02-02T13:42:00.001-05:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

Art based on the spray can has been a dynamic movement propelled by young people since the late 1960s that reaches a larger audience gauged by its own persistence. As artists, we are responsible for the advancement of this movement, just as we were responsible for its introduction. We must breach the tar pits of our outlaw status and use our social and resourceful skills to painfully advance an art movement that continues to gain respect in its own time and beyond. This is a call to arms for all Rapid Enamelists.Lee Quinones : Just another WordPress weblog, Feb 2009

You should read the whole article.

Radar: Super Dope Leather Moleskine® Covers

2009-01-31T16:27:00.010-05:00

Been a little time-poor these days with development of a couple great projects (I'll have some goodies to share with y'all shortly) and so I haven't been able to post. As I balance my work flow, aka procrastinate a bit, I felt compelled to share this with you courtesy of 12oz Prophet: The incredible Dan Funderburgh has created these laser etched leather Moleskine® covers for engraveyourbook. $60 US and available by mail order.

Read about why engraveyourbook had to change their manufacturing process from directly onto the PVC Moleskines® themselves.

What Does Your Home or Office Reveal About You?

2009-01-13T17:27:00.006-05:00

I just discovered a very neat-o site that feeds my lust for all things anthropological: The Selby. Perfect for voyeurs and curious types alike, the site features delicious photos and videos of fashionably interesting and creative people in their homes and offices-most of which are in New York.

Although unrelated, this site brings to mind a book called Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You by Sam Gosling, Ph.D.

I Live My Life Like There's No Tomorrow

2009-01-12T11:26:00.003-05:00

Its Monday. Time for work and time for some rocking out, of course. Set your week up right with the David Lee Roth Runnin' With The Devil Soundboard. Yeeeeeah.

Mini Love

2009-01-08T13:52:00.010-05:00

Happy New Year and Happy New Beginnings!

I am not one of those people who believes in resolutions (lucky for you). But I do take the opportunity at this time of year to examine why I do the things that I do and why I don't do things that I like to do more often, like blogging for example.

The first thing I've uncovered from this introspection is in regard to my morning rituals. Generally I like to keep a bit of flexibility in the things that I do and when I do them, but morning time is not an example of this and I pity the fool that tries to deviate me from it. I get out of bed and brew organic coffee straight away (from Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters in Whitehorse). Then I go to my computer and scroll through my email. I look for the the daily emails I subscribe to like VSL: Very Short List and Daily Dose of Imagery. Both of these are short, sweet and inspiring: just what you want first thing in the morning.

Today VSL featured tilt-shift photography and a link from Smashing Magazine about 50 Beautiful Examples Of Tilt-Shift Photography. So tiny, so perfect and so real.

Photo: Timothy S Schenck

Ten Things We Learned From Celeb Fashion in 2008

2008-12-19T17:06:00.004-05:00

I heart the Fug Girls. They are smart, acerbic and they are almost always bang-on with their commentary. This article is no exception: Ten Things We Learned From Celeb Fashion in 2008.

Two entries in particular strike closest to my heart. Take heed people: Being on A Reality Show Doesn't Make You A Fashion Designer and Shopping A Lot Doesn't Make You A Fashion Designer. Word.

Photo: Getty Images/The Cut

50 Most Beautiful Icon Sets Created in 2008

2008-12-19T15:16:00.005-05:00

The 'Best Of 2008' series continues here and here.

I was excited to come across the 50 Most beautiful Icon Sets Created in 2008 on Furl today.

I am a big fan of using custom icons. Its a fun, easy and inexpensive way to personalize your computer. Like these Kidaubis Chinese Wind Icons above. Most are free!

2008 Wrap up: Anna Wintour On Worst Dressed List?

2008-12-15T20:21:00.007-05:00

Come on now Time Magazine. There's no way that THIS outfit-Chanel by the way- is a bigger fashion faux pas than this one by Janet Jackson. Or this one. Like really.

Scent of Time

2008-12-01T18:12:00.003-05:00

Today the fine folks at Yanko Design wrote about a clock designed by Hyun Choi that allows for scents to be exuded to indicate time. The idea is "if we are able to perceive the time by other sensory organ, we might be able to feel the time, which will bring a completely different thinking and behaviour. The numerous holes are the exit of the fragrance. If we insert fragrance containing capsule we want into the corresponding time on the backside, it will make smell at the time. Take for instance, if you insert the fragrance of toast at 7 o'clock, you will get up at 7 o'clock with the fragrance of toast and know it is 7 o'clock naturally."

Looking Good Can Be Bad For Your Image

2008-10-23T16:45:00.016-04:00

In today's issue of 'In The Cut' New York Magazine's daily fashion blog, André Leon Talley admits that he shops at discount retailers like Target, Walmart, K-Mart and Sam's Club.

Not so newsworthy perhaps? It is when you consider the source. Leon Talley is the Editor-at-large of Vogue magazine, has been a fashion show A-lister and style guru for well over two decades. In his admission, he exposes the fashion double standard many people in the public eye are guilty of. He is referring to Alaska Governor and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin when he remarked:

"I think that every woman should put her best foot forward in her career and she's a professional. I think there's a bit of a double standard because when you hear her talking, they call her the Wal-Mart hockey mom. And Wal-Mart hockey moms would never spend $150,000 on clothing. Most people in this country don't make $150,000 a year and she's spent it on a clothing splurge."

Asked when the last time he went shopping was, he replied "I don't shop, darling! It's a crisis! Everything I have on is nothing new, all old clothes, not one new thing. Nothing new."

But then, he's not running for office.

Bonus:Click here for a Sarah Palin slide show pre- and post makeover.

'In The Cut' first reported Sarah's secret of big ticket fashion purchases back in mid September.

Could it be that Mrs McCain is behind Mrs Palin's makeover? Her hairdresser at least.

Photo: In The Cut

The hemorrhaging continues: Amy Strozzi, Palin's makeup artist was the highest paid individual in John McCain's presidential campaign during the first half of October.

Update: Maureen Dowd chimes in with her thoughts about the Republican Eliza Doolittle.

Today's Big Thing

2008-10-16T19:30:00.001-04:00

On a day where nothing is funny at all, this is pretty close.

R.I.P Larry Martin-The Very Best Friend Anyone Could Ask For

2008-10-15T18:15:00.004-04:00

Unknown date 2001-Oct 15, 2008

Introducing: Well and Good Art Space

2008-10-01T17:54:00.026-04:00

Oh my goodness. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

August began with the winds of opportunity and virtually overnight I went from independant designer who blogged to the director of a brand new cultural centre! I don't even remember September it flew past so fast, even though my birthday was in the middle of the month.

Its been pedal to the metal, doing whatever it takes to get the job done: renovating, cleaning, moving, conceptualizing, negotiating, recruiting, haggling, arguing (lots of that), writing, planning, strategizing, compromising, building, a few tears, lots of laughs and bucket loads of unexpected joy.

So dear readers, friends and clients: I'd like to introduce you to my latest creation: Well and Good Art Space @ The Burroughes Building at 639 Queen Street West (at Bathurst), third floor.

Rumour: Alexander McQueen Designing For Target?

2008-08-07T16:40:00.005-04:00

I know, I know! Its just a crazy rumour at this point but not one but two (!) reputable sources today have said that "whispers" are flying that fashion heavy weight Alexander McQueen is aboard to design a capsule collection for Target under their women's 'Go International' label. Past designers for apparel have included Jovovich Hawk, Rogan, Paul & Joe and coming in October Jonathan Saunders! Subversive did a line of jewelry in the spring and Botkier currently has a line of handbags in the stores.

Radar: Super Fertile

2008-08-06T20:21:00.006-04:00

Super Fertile is a stunning line of jewelry by Kali Arulpragasam, M.I.A 's older sister. And its perfect for those of you are politically minded and like your accessories to speak for you. Her summer collection called Tourism (Terrorism affects Tourism) features over size gold and silver plate necklaces (chestplates actually) and earrings that depict imagery of nine war torn countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Columbia, Haiti, Lebanon, Central African Republic, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Israel. "I wanted to create a positive tourism poster for the most dangerous countries we cannot visit" explains Arulpragasam. "It was a duty and a mission to design a necklace showing the precious beauty of these nations...a proud identity. These necklaces are to be cherished as are these nations." Each piece is made by hand. Some of the necklaces take three weeks to make and run about $900.

Michelle Williams Is Perfect For Boy

2008-08-06T18:08:00.010-04:00

Band of Outsiders is probably one of the best men's clothing line that you have never heard of. Designed by Scott Sternberg, a former CAA agent with no fashion background, the label has a cult-like following particularly in Japan. His aesthetic has been described by Tim Blanks as full of "Nantucket nostalgia" with design details that border on "fetishistic specificity". Think short, slim shirts and jackets, tailored silhouttes and quality construction. Totally something Jason Schwartzman would wear.

Lucky for us ladies, he has introduced a full collection for A/W 08 of preppy basics called Boy.The designer asked Michelle Williams to star in his look book because "Michelle is beautiful, cool, low maintenance, funny, sweet, talented, smart and curious". Check out the complete collection here. Oh and the shoes featured in the picture above? A collaboration between the designer and Manolo Blahnik.

Cancer Is A Fungus

2008-08-05T08:14:00.003-04:00

I haven't made it a habit to post things like this here before, but this is a subject that is close to my heart and I think, is worth your time to watch. In this clip via Know The Cause, Italian oncologist Tullio Simoncini, M.D. talks with Doug Kaufman about the results of his research into the causes of cancer and successful treatments using only sodium bicarbonate.

Radar: Nat-2 Shoes-Two Pairs In One!

2008-08-04T17:39:00.013-04:00

Reminiscent of the soles on Chuck Taylors, these patented 2-in-1 kicks from Nat-2 of Munich are a travelers best friend. After four years in development and with the flick of a zip, the upper of the shoes are easily removed revealing a pair of sandals beneath. The uppers can be stowed in your purse or pocket. Available in a variety of styles (there's even a deck shoe) and fabrications (vinyl, cotton, leather) Nat-2 will be at Pool trade show in Las Vegas later this month, so expect to see them in a store near you soon. In the meantime you can get them here with international shipping!

UPDATE: These innovative shoes have 'inspired' legions of fans like Raf Simons who released a shoe suspiciously similar for A/W 08 the blog Shoetonguez reports.

Your Friday Funny

2008-08-01T14:50:00.001-04:00

Source: The Rut.

The Zune: Whats Not To Love, Part 2- A Closer Look

2008-07-30T15:56:00.035-04:00

Its clear that a great deal of effort has gone into the marketing of the Zune experience. The website features content that demonstrates how fun and cool life can be with this MP3 player. Take the Zune Journey and see what I mean (highly recommended). Then there's Zune Arts: billed as "a place where emerging young artists can collaborate", you can watch and download original content like "The Lost Ones" graphic novel or the Three Legged Legs & Chromeo zombie puppet video. Or download artist backgrounds featuring Toronto's own Derrick Hodgson.

*Update & shameless plug: go here to listen to Derrick talk about his artwork for Zune.

Some of the free pre loaded content--podcasts, music and videos-- is a little dated now, a year later from when it was added but its enough to get the gist of what's possible. But the features that really speak to me are its WiFi capabilities and excellent FM tuner. Its awesome to be able to plug the Zune into my little JBL speakers and blast DNTO while gardening outside or listen to the accompanying music during The Festival of Fire. What's also cool is that you can even reverse sync.

Its only really when I go to log into my Zune account that things fall apart. I am not seeing anything that really speaks to me there. It may be because I've (happily) used iTunes for so many years, but the idea of paying a monthly fee of $14.99 to access an instant music library (which is effectively renting) doesn't really appeal to me. I already have a humoungous library-although I appreciate that it would appeal to many.

The whole social aspect of the Zune is lost on me too. I have spent a lot of time considering this product and its entire ecosystem. I am just not picking up what its putting down. A part of this could be explained by the fact that as a Mac user, I am shut out of the full Zune experience. Having to use my BF's computer to be a part of Zune Social and the Marketplace is like graduated licensing-you can drive but you can't drive alone or on the highways.

So what's not to love about the Zune? Well as it turns out, a lot. For me at least. But sort out its exclusive M$ platform issues and I think iPod will have a formidable competitor.

The Zune: What's Not To Love, Part 1-Out Of The Box

2008-07-29T15:55:00.016-04:00

Its been a little more than a month that I've had the Zune and as I mentioned in an earlier post, the packaging is tight. It appears that thoughtful consideration was not only given to the player itself, but even to the colourful foamy ear bud covers which fit over comfortable ear buds (unlike the ones that come with the iPod). But what is not so thoughtful, no what bites, is that Zune is 100% NOT Mac compatible. How it makes good business sense to alienate that much of the marketplace who are Mac users I'll never be able to figure out. But for this reviewer and Mac user, this is a big downer.

Luckily my BF does have a PC so he volunteered to download the Zune software to get started. In the process of downloading the software it actually seized up his laptop. A smooth looking machine it may be but that wasn't enough to make for a smooth start to use it. Talking later with a friend, I learned that he had experienced a similar sort of ordeal when he bought a Zune for a Father's Day gift. Nevertheless my intrepid BF sorted it out and by day's end I could begin my test drive.

The elegant 8GB Zune has 3 buttons on its face just below the scratch resistant 1.8" 320X 240 pixel colour display. The screen has a vertical orientation while listening to music and makes a smooth transition to a horizontal one while viewing videos and pictures. Hit the trackpad or little play/pause button and a two dimensional menu with easy to read font comes to life. Designer Steve Kaneko and his team have done well. While I'd say that so far, the Zune is generally intuitive to navigate, the trackpad is annoyingly sticky compared to the iPod.

In my next post, I'll tell you about my take on the marketplace and social aspects of Zune.

Cuil Is Cool

2008-07-28T19:55:00.007-04:00

Have you checked out the new search engine Cuil yet? Chances are if you tried just after their launch yesterday that you didn't see that much: their servers were jammed. Billing itself as "the world's biggest search engine", cuil has a different search basis than Google which analyzes web users and the sites they visit. The more popular the site, the more often Google and other search engines will list that site as relevent- regardless of whether the content you are looking for is really there. Anna Patterson, the founder and one of 4 developers of cuil (an old Irish word for knowledge) reasons that metrics might not be the best way to database information. Her goal is to create the new gold standard for information architecture and organization by indexing the entire internet, not just the popular portions of it and analyzing that data quickly to get the relevant results. I like the interface. Its simple, bright and is laid out like a magazine.

Money ≠ Talent Even in Hollywood

2008-07-28T19:12:00.006-04:00

The rumours are true: people are just not that into celebrity fashion collections, at least if sales are any indicator. I thought it was just me who couldn't give a hoot but it seems not. Kitson Boutique ,the infamous L.A. shopping destination to see and be seen at, have canned Victoria Beckham's dVb menswear collection and Lauren Conrad's line due to "lacklustre sales". Kohl's department stores launched Avril Lavigne's new junior line to immediate markdowns and dismal reviews aren't helping move Heidi Montag's collection.

Fed up with the hype, Kitson owner Fraser Ross offers this advice to celebrity designers:

1. Do remember that not everyone's a size 2 like you.

2. Don't think your clothing line will fly off the shelves just because you a celebrity. (LiLo is the exception.)

3. Do make multiple personal appearances at retail stores that support your brand.

4. Don't believe everything your publicist says.

5. Do walk to the nearest coffee shop carrying a sketchbook after alerting the paparazzi. After all, it never hurts to look like you're doing work.

To read the rest of the tips go here.

'Light Footprint' Shoe Manufacturer & Award Winning Architect Collab

2008-07-28T17:39:00.006-04:00

Architect Zaha Hadid is trying her hand at shoes with Brazilian manufacturer Melissa. Today's British Vogue and New York Magazine Blog The Cut reports that these sculptural plastic shoes will come in eight colours and be available come September exclusively at Dover Street Market in London. Hadid will join the likes of former collaborators Judy Blame, Vivienne Westwood and Alexandre Herchcovitch. Check out the S/S and F/W 2008 collections.

Radar: Curated by Arkitip Series Launches

2008-07-18T12:43:00.006-04:00

And we're back! Check this gorgeousity out: Incase the California based outfit that makes protective sleeves, cases and folios for iPod, iPhone and MacBooks in conjunction with L.A based magazine Arkitip and Krink a.k.a drip styles graf artist KR a.k.a Craig Costello have just released a first ever limited edition protective sleeve for the MacBook. Get your 13" or 15" Krink sleeve online for $79.95. Check out the genesis of the project here.

Moving Daze

2008-07-02T14:20:00.003-04:00

Stand by: Regular postings will resume just a shortly as I can get an internet connection up and running at my new office!

Heroes: Where The Hell Is Matt?

2008-06-23T21:55:00.005-04:00

Its been a busy and a sad day (R.I.P. George Carlin) and I didn't get done all the things that I wanted to, but I did discover one of the most heart warming videos I have ever seen. I don't want to spoil things for you so just go here, turn your speakers on and get ready to smile. For more information on what is surely one of the best marketing campaigns ever, visit Where The Hell Is Matt for more information.

A Closer Look at Zune

2008-06-20T19:07:00.012-04:00

On the heels of last week's post and virtually everywhere I look-music blogs, magazines I've been seeing adverts like the one above for the Zune. To my surprise a black 8GB arrived by Fedex at my front door this morning (thanks Clay)! Let me tell you that my first impression about the packaging did not disappoint. About the size of your average bottle of perfume, the box even opens like one: the matte black lid gets pulled up off an tiny ombré orange and fuschia base. Judging by appearances only at this point and attention to detail, the Zune presents itself as a formidable runner up to the iPod. I'll give you more deets after I spend a little more time with it!

Rejoice: Topshop Arrives Stateside

2008-06-18T10:53:00.013-04:00

Fast-fashion retailer and British high street store Topshop is finally opening its flagship North American store in New York October 10 (insert squeal of delight here!) The opening was orginally supposed to coincide with Fashion Week September 5-12 but had to be pushed back. The store will be located at 478 Broadway in Soho which used to be the storefront for the infamous Yellow Rat Bastard. Sources in New York tell me that this past week Top Shop offered a style preview of the trend driven well priced merchandise that will be available come the fall and by all reports it won't disappoint! Start saving! Read here about one of Topshop's upcoming marketing initiatives.

Photo source: Fader

UPDATE: See more Topshop looks here.

Polaris Prize Long List Annouced

2008-06-17T17:11:00.003-04:00

The 3rd Annual $20,000 Polaris Music Prize has announced its 2008 long list. The list consists of 40 full length records by Canadian recording artists released from June 7, 2007 to May 31, 2008. The artists were chosed by a 185 member jury. The second round voting will take place soon and then the nominees will be reduced to a 10 album short list to be revealed at the Drake Hotel July 7. Former winners include Final Fantasy and Patrick Watson.

Radar: Nagi Noda

2008-06-17T16:31:00.005-04:00

I have been known to come late to the party once or twice and this may be the case with the discovery of the beautiful Nagi Noda (thank you Yankodesign.com). Director, multi disciplinary designer and artist, the Tokyo born Nagi came to much of the world's attention with her video called "Ex Fat Girl"-which if you haven't seen yet you really owe it to yourself, especially if you like big poodles. What I wanted to tell you about though is her Hair Hats: small animals sculpted out of hair. They are very well crafted and although the website doesn't give any specific details about them, the photo featured on her website is dated 2005-which means that I am not the only one arriving late...

A Little Treat

2008-06-16T10:10:00.004-04:00

I am a pretty big music fan. I simply have to have fresh new sounds on the regular and I have found one of the best ways to do this is through rcrdlbl.com. Totally legal downloads from new, emerging and established artists (from local faves Tokyo Police Club and Woodhands to Moby, Kid Cudi and Santogold) this site is blazing pathways to building an audience for the music and leaving all the other crap behind. Starting today what you will see on the sidebar of this blog is a rcrdlbl.com widget displaying the most popular downloads. To listen just click on a track and you'll be whisked away to the artist page on the rcrdlbl website. Enjoy!

Radar: Huile Prodigieuse

2008-06-12T17:52:00.006-04:00

I wasn't really sure, when the big beauty makeover happened over at Shopper's Drug Mart a few years ago, that I would actually shop there by choice. I mean, I've never had a knowledgeable customer service experience there except when I was buying insulin needles for my cat. Plus its expensive. If I had the money and needed beauty products, I'd rather go to Sephora because their product line is more sophisticated and their staff are trained. But now I am not so sure.

Because it was at Shopper's that I discovered Huile Prodigieuse by Nuxe. Huile Prodigieuse is billed as a multi usage dry oil for face, body and hair. I am not even joking when I say that this product lives up to its billing. And at $25 for 50ml, its a great little hard working product. Use it on your face, hair, dry cuticles, chapped skin, after sun exposure and as a bath oil. I haven't tried it yet, but they even have a shimmery version of the oil with soft golden particles: perfect for summer!

So props to you SDM. Its taken me a while to consider your store as a beauty destination and it took a while for you to bring in the right product lines at the right stores, but you did it.

Coming Zune? We'll See

2008-06-12T12:30:00.007-04:00

I think it was back at Christmas that I first started seeing a lot more press and adverts for Zune. Zune for those of you Macheads or non digital music folks, is Microsoft's version of the iPod mp3 player and iTunes music service combo: Zune is not only hardware but it also refers to the software and the marketplace (music store) too. The hype seemed to die down with the Holidays and I never thought anything else about it until recently.

Taking the subway the other day, I was sitting across from a guy who, like me was listening to music. He nodded towards me presumably looking over at what device I was using. I pulled my iPod covered in this gelaskin out of my pocket to show him and he smiled in that knowing way when you find something sympatico, but then he frowned and raised his mp3 player. From across the train it looked something like an iPhone. But it was actually a suped up Zune with what looked like some cool etching on the back side like this. Later that day I started seeing all the adverts on Rcrdlbl.com and took it as a sign. I am now compelled to take a closer look: Microsoft products looking this sexy? I'll keep you posted.

Radar: Tina Tsang

2008-06-11T19:09:00.003-04:00

Former Central Saint Martin's student Tina Tsang is very talented. Her website undergrowthdesign.com is an amalgamate of cool goodies like this sexy Blaue Blume Tea set. Also available on the site delicately racy Nymphette Lingerie and Art Deco meets Peter Max lust-worthy handbags. Go London!

Make the Switch and Unscrew America!

2008-06-11T12:18:00.005-04:00

Global warming is the largest challenge that our species has ever faced on this planet. That we caused it just adds to the urgency to solve it. Unscrewamerica.org is a terrific initiative to light the way towards making all of us informed and involved in reducing our energy consumption saving resources and money.

The website is terrific. It combines wit, animation and clever navigation to engage visitors to do their part in switching out old incandescent lightbulbs to more efficient options like LED's (light emitting diodes) or CFL's (compact fluorescent light bulbs). Read here about the comparison between incandescent vs. LED vs. CFL bulbs and download a free lighbulb comparison sheet.

The website says that according to Energy Star if every home in America changed just one regular incandescent light bulb to a CFL, the energy that would be saved would be enough to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars. This cost savings means $3 billion in energy costs!

I've Been Next Door at Words To Grow By

2008-06-11T10:08:00.012-04:00

I have been spending more time over on my other blog lately. I have been focusing on business issues (more on that in a moment) and the Words To Grow By forum just seemed the better place to have that dialogue and share my findings. Basically, I have been trying to keep afloat in my design practice. In case you didn't know, its not easy being an independant designer of any sort in this country. Its a balancing act between offering services that have value in the marketplace (that is to say-reflect actual needs), that are affordable to offer, to deliver and that have a niche. In a climate as we have in Canada where design doesn't have the traction like in Italy, Japan or the Netherlands, a large part of my daily operations is educating the public about the nature of design. Couple that with clients who refuse to honor their commitments and pay for the services they've received and it can very easily become impossible to succeed.

Why am I telling you this? Because you, dear reader, need to know that design is important. It enhances our quality of life not only in the products we consume or the things we buy, but in how we relate to each other and live together. Design needs an audience to succeed. But to get to that audience, design needs to step out from the shadows and be recognized and legitimized for all the value it offers all of us in our everyday lives. And with this post I pledge to do everything I can to raise visibility, support and awareness for it. And so should you.

Gives A Whole New Meaning To Drinking Cups

2008-05-23T16:28:00.015-04:00

How about increasing your cup size by wearing a day's water intake on the outside of your bra? No, I am not making this up. Pink Tentacle reports:

"Lingerie maker Triumph International Japan has unveiled a new eco-friendly concept bra called the "Solar Power Bra", which aims to stimulate eco-awareness and promote clean energy. The green, high quality bra features a waist-mounted solar panel that powers a small, chest-mounted electronic billboard or any other electronic device you choose to connect. A pair of reusable drink containers attach to the bra cups, allowing the wearer to reduce consumption of aluminum cans and bottles while increasing bust size." Go here to read the article. What's next drinking 'boxes'?

Heads up: This is the same company that brought you such Eco-Hits as the No! Shopping Bag Bra.

Fun With Post It Notes!

2008-05-22T18:58:00.004-04:00

Source: fffound.com

Eye Candy

2008-05-20T18:29:00.004-04:00

Have you seen the new Spectra Visual Newsreader from MSNBC? Wow...

How to Travel Lightly

2008-05-20T15:44:00.008-04:00

Whether you are travelling around the world or just to the cottage, it really is possible to put everything you need in just one bag... or so says Doug Dyment whose website onebag.com is dedicated to the art of travelling light. Dyment has two big tricks for packing a bag correctly: don't let any space go unused and wrap your clothes in bundles. To learn more read the article "How to Pack Everything" and listen to an excerpt of the NPR show "All Things Considered". Get a packing list to get you started here.

Costume Is Control In Polygamy

2008-04-22T13:16:00.010-04:00

For most of us, what we wear is limited only by our pocketbook and our ability to tastefully arrange its elements. Our choices are often only eclipsed by the reasons we choose to wear what we do: to look pretty, to appear in control, to be taken seriously at work. But for the women of the Texas Polygamists-as they are popularly referred to in the media-what you wear is an indication of your virtue, strength of faith and ultimately your subservience to your husband. "You can modify people's behaviour just by putting them in a certain kind of dress." Oddly enough, my entire career has rested on that very premise. But these words were uttered by Carolyn Jessop, a former spiritual wife of Merrill Jessop, the bishop of the Texas FLDS enclave and the context is quite different. "Its a uniform. You have nothing about you that's individual. You're just part of a whole." She is quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune talking about how the clothing that the FLDS women wear is a matter of mandate. Strictly enforced and coloured- coded by family, even the way a woman wears her her hair is minutely controlled.

Watch this for a MSNBC report. And this if you want to watch Carolyn Jessop read from her autobiography about her escape from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Legalizing Beauty Standards or Censorship?

2008-04-22T09:09:00.017-04:00

This is a contentious topic for many, but one that is worth talking about: the relationship (if there is any at all) between the media, fashion and eating disorders. In the weekend issue of the Globe & Mail, Siri Agrell wrote "The Perils of Legislating A Healthy Aesthetic" about the schism between the size of fashion models and healthy body weight (and what that means). The article examines how the government of France has tabled a bill that would, as CNN says, make it "illegal for anyone-including fashion magazines, advertisers and web sites-to incite extreme thinness". According to Ms. Agrell this is a dialogue thats happening here at home too. "In October, a group of fashion designers from Milan attended the L'Oreal Fashion Week in Toronto and asked Fashion Design Council of Canada president Robin Kay to sign a pledge not to use skinny models in the shows. She refused." Whether its appropriate, or useful for the state to rule on the appropriateness of someone's physique (or more importantly someone's intrepretation of their body image) is a slippery slope in my opinion, especially given that eating disorders are more a social and psychiatric condition rather than a criminal one.

Click for the slide show that accompanies the Globe & Mail article.

Quote Of The Week: Marc Jacobs on Creative License

2008-04-21T15:25:00.003-04:00

"Appropriation is a totally contemporary and actual way of creating. Every field works to a certain extent in that way, and I think one is absolved of being a thief or a fraud when one fesses up to what informs one's work. I always get this quote from Chanel wrong, but the gist of it is that he who insists on his own creativity has no memory. I don't think it's necessary to say how fantastically original one is, and if one does, one only has to dig in the past to find out who came up with that idea. Innovation is an evolutionary process, so it's not necessary to be radical all the time."

-Marc Jacobs

Ethical Fashion

2008-04-17T12:19:00.005-04:00

Today's issue of London's Daily Mail features a poignant article about disposable fashion-think H&M, French Connection, Zara-and the conditions under which its made. The story highlights a new 4 part BBC reality series called Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts that follows 6 twentysomethings that travel to India to experience life as garment factory workers. How conscious! This looks like reality TV worth watching: go BBC! Check out the new BBC fashion website Thread-the online fashion magazine dedicated to eco-fabulous style too. There's a great section called Style File and a Features section which are definately worth checking out.

Trade Secrets: Topstick

2008-04-15T18:14:00.008-04:00

I am not pulling your leg when I suggest that having Topstick brand toupee tape in your tickle trunk of supplies just might prevent you from pulling your hair out. Honestly, this double sided invisible tape is amazing. I use it all the time, on skin or fabric, on and off the set. Its great to travel with! It keeps belts in place, plunging v-neck tops from exposing your tatas, and its especially good when your hem drops. They are easy to use, can be cut to size, made of medical grade adhesive (virtually hypo allergenic) and can be used directly on the skin (and don't cause rashes). It doesn't slip or lose its grip even after hours of use. Just be careful when you pull it off your skin or removing it from delicate fabrics and remember to remove it before you launder anything.

Trade Secrets: Wet Ones

2008-04-15T17:22:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness its been too long since I last posted. Work got crazy busy, then it was tax time, then I got sick and my best friend is getting married--you get the idea. So in the spirit of a busy life and how sh*t just sometimes happens, I thought I would do 2 posts of trade secrets. These are hard working tools of the trade that every person should have in their tickle trunk of supplies. First up-Wet Ones brand moist wash clothes are the ultimate must-have! You never know when disaster will strike-except that it will almost always happen when you are in something brand new, white or when you can least afford the inconvenience-- like you are about to go on camera. As a costumer for Film and TV for 20 years believe me when I say that I won't go to work without them. They are incredible for removing blood, red wine, coffee, chocolate and almost all hard to remove stains. The key is to use ONLY the original vitamin E and aloe blend with the blue packaging and use them when the spill is fresh. Lightly and in feathering motions up and away from the fabric, lift up and absorb the boo-boo with one sheet at a time (being careful to watch for any unstable dyes that might leech out of the fabric should it not be colourfast). Stay away from the antibacterial and scented versions of Wet Ones because they have a different formula and don't work nearly as well. Forget also about any other brand doing the same thing: The secret is the alcohol and the proprietary blend that does the trick.

Trade Secrets: The JC Report

2008-04-03T16:18:00.009-04:00

I am happy to introduce a new series of posts where I share tricks and tips of the trade. For the first post, I want to tell you about The JC Report. It's no longer just a bi-monthly newsletter. Its now a weekly newsletter and a website. I recommend it to all of my clients to keep an eye on up-and-coming designers, trends, trendsetters and all sorts of fashion intel. For example this little nugget of information about Amy Winehouse and Roberto Cavalli.

United Nude

2008-03-31T17:13:00.009-04:00

Remember Ralph Fiennes character in David Cronenberg's movie "Spider" and how he wore his shirts? It may sound odd, but when I saw 'the Cup' (above) by United Nude from their Spring Summer 08 collection it made me think about that character. And only because its so unusual to see echoing shapes like this (and it might have something to do with the fact that I am a costume designer, but I digress). The shoe is actually a classic mule with a peep toe and the 'cup' part is a heel cover with ankle strap. Slip on your choice of heel from the selection of 3 different colours that you get with each pair and you've got yourself a customized shoe! The Cup comes in two heel heights: 'Hi' and 'Mid'. Be sure to check out the Mono Jane too. Lastly, I want to mention that United Nude do the most scrumptuous winter boot ever! They are called the Sharpei Bubble High and they are practical sexy and warm. After the winter we've had this year-they will be on my wish list for next year!

Radar: JPG Magazine

2008-03-28T15:36:00.013-04:00

I just discovered JPG Magazine. The tagline is "Your World In Pictures" and its a photography mag unlike any other. Its collaborative and community oriented. The content-photographs and the stories behind them-are submitted by readers and then voted on by other members for inclusion in each issue. You can find photo essays like "Storm Chaser" by Ryan McGinnis or this one by Eamonn Aiken which is a poignant commentary on the footprint of industry past and present called "Brooklyn Nights". There's plenty of fun stuff like the picture above by Simon Christen too.

Going Against The Grain

2008-03-27T08:55:00.007-04:00

Fashion is almost always so ephemeral its ridiculous. But every so often you come across a maverick like Thomas Maier, designer for Bottega Veneta, whose conscientiousness, level headedness and modesty is, well, exquisite. So says Ruth La Ferla here.

Radar: Freedomwig 2

2008-03-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

Martha Rich is brave and silly. And awesome. Last year she did a painting a day called Freedomwig. This year she decided to re-visit the concept but do a painting a week. Its called Freedomwig 2 and you must check it out.

From Indexed

2008-03-25T17:42:00.000-04:00

From Indexed. Killer.

New 'Heroes' Series: Melanie Janisse

2008-03-25T10:33:00.000-04:00

Today I'd like to introduce a new series called 'Heroes'. The series will consist of people who are leaders in their fields or are trail blazers breaking new ground. They are courageous, talented and warm hearted people worthy of recognition. Some are artists or creatives, others are social minded entrepreneurs, bottom-line philanthropists or behind-the-scenes geniuses. Some are modest, others are flambuoyant. The one trait they all share is a deep desire to improve their lives and make the world a little better-even if that's only one person at a time.

To start all of this off, I'd like to introduce you to Melanie Janisse. Melanie just oozes talent. She is an incredibly talented writer, photographer, painter, accessories designer and entrepreneur. No joke-she does it all. You may know Melanie from her vintage clothing boutique Melanie's Closet, but did you know that she will soon be debuting a new series of amusement park inspired paintings and that she is now represented by Canvas Gallery ? And that she's just about to publish her first book of poetry (!) called 'We Sink We Swim' with Guernica Editions (disclaimer: I edited her book)? Somehow Melanie finds time to create incredible handmade corset belts (she's wearing one in the photo above), necklaces, pins and earrings made from re-purposed leather jackets under the label Clothes Horse (disclaimer: I wear my belt every day). What I admire most about Melanie is her dream to create a vintage clothing store/design studio that would sponsor, house and employ young women struggling with sobriety. What a superstar. Check out Clothes Horse at Etsy and visit Melanie's Close t at 829 Dundas Street West 416-532-4231

The W&G Store is Up!

2008-03-24T17:57:00.000-04:00

Here are two of the styles of the W&G vs. BITNB t-shirts I was telling you about in earlier. While its not officially-official that Well and Good is open for online sales, check out the complete line up here.

Blood is the New Black vs. Well and Good

2008-03-24T10:39:00.001-04:00

This just in! I am thrilled to tip you off to a great new initiative that combines a few of my favorite things: art and t-shirts! Local sweetie Steve Ferrara of Well and Good and Mitra Khayyam of Blood is the New Black in Los Angeles have joined forces to launch a t shirt collection featuring the artwork of Toronto artists Elicser, Dean Drever, Talia Shipman and Adam Hilborn. I have seen the samples and they are amazing! The t-shirts come in super soft cotton in men's and women's short sleeve crew neck styles in sizes XS to XL. The women's style is slim and hip length. The artwork is digitally printed (very cool) or screen printed depending on the artwork. No details on retail outlets yet but they will be sold at wellandgood.ca soon. Both W&G and BITNB are devoted to showcasing emerging artists in their respective countries. Stay tuned for pictures of the tees and for details about the Toronto and Los Angeles events (!) showcasing the work of the artists.

Well and Good is Alive and Well

2008-03-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

Let me be one of the first to tell you that Steve Ferrara's artist collective and community oriented enterprise is back up with a brand new website at www.wellandgood.ca. Designed by Transmitter Studios the website will be the place to check out up and coming local and Canadian artists, awesome curated events (more about this shortly) and buy some really great art! Featured artists include "Stencil Queen" Lease, the gifted photographer Che Kothari, and the multi talented Luna Simic and more. Support collaboration. Support creativity. Support your community. Support Well and Good.

Miroïke

2008-03-23T10:38:00.001-04:00

And speaking of new shoes...I just bought an incredible pair of boots at UPC* by Miroïke. A young Berlin based fashion label, these boots were made by hand in thin pleated lamb nappa (crinkled almost) and lined in silk. The sole is traditional oak tanned leather and the craftmanship is incredible. Read this for coverage on their fashion show in February at Berlin Fashion Week. Ulrike Seidel and Ramiro Calderón Alvarado formed the fashion label in Berlin in 2004. Both are graduates from the Berlin University of the Arts and they studied under Vivienne Westwood. Her influence is unmistakeable. *Kudos to the lovely Maha and Anat at UPC for bringing the line to Toronto. If you're not familiar with this boutique you must check it out at 128½ Cumberland Street, just below street level. You'll get incredible customer service and a curated approach to fashion the likes of which you won't find anywhere else in the city!

Stepping Out

2008-03-23T10:25:00.000-04:00

Today is Easter Sunday. There was a time in our parents day that hats would be on parade as a show of spring but I think the more modern equivalent are shoes. Bill Cunningham muses here in his weekly Sunday feature 'On The Street' that there might be a new category of shoe that just might be afoot. Is the new shoe destined to take the fascination away from handbags?

Radar: Clare Tough

2008-03-14T10:34:00.000-04:00

From The New York Times Style Magazine Women's Fashion Spring 2008

Go here to see the online version of this article.

When Fashion Has Nothing To Do With The Clothes

2008-03-14T09:59:00.000-04:00

God bless Cathy Horyn. Yesterday in the Style section of the New York Times she wrote a frank article commenting on the "cronism and delusion in fashion". Entitled "My Invitation Isn't in the Mail" she surmises that fashion shows are never really about the clothes but more a demonstration of the designer's power as defined by their invitation list and seating plan.

Which reminds me, L'Oreal Fashion Week is upon us March 17-22, 2008.

Be sure and check out Cathy Horyn's blog On the Runway.

From ffffound

2008-03-12T12:33:00.000-04:00

You Are What You Share

2008-03-11T16:43:00.000-04:00

Charles Leadbeater has a new book coming out this week in the UK. Its called "We Think" and its about the web culture of participation, sharing and collaboration and the influence that may have on information distribution and the pusuit of truth and knowledge. Download the first three chapters for free here and watch an animated concept of the book here.