Lab Creatif

Don’t know much about it but if you’re an aspiring clothing designer and are looking for a space to work and possible mentorship, you might want to check it out.

I’ve asked them several times to send me information but they still haven’t so dropping by their Mile End offices may be your best bet. This Thursday there’s an open house 5-7!

www.labcreatif.ca
514-272-7393 poste 222

Oscar Smoshcar

I used to watch the Oscars for the dresses but I stopped. It’s always the same damn thing. Classic empire line strapless gowns are everywhere. Enough with the strapless gowns! bring bring Cher and her Bob Mackie outfits! Glamour isn’t safe and tasteful. It’s exciting and a little dangerous! The one exception is Tilda Swinson. Love her look last night or hate it, she shook up the red carpet by breaking the rules.

The famous Bob Mackie outfit

I remember last year, was it it the Oscars? or the Grammies? Who can remember? Other than one being a celebration of “film” and the other “music” – yes the quote marks are very intentional, there’s little to distinguish the two from each other. Anyway – I think it was Isaac Mizrahi who made a comment, referring to Linsday Lohan and a few others, along the lines of – “why are they all dressed like ladies? Everybody knows they’re little tramps” haha.
Well, maybe that’s not a good thing to say on international tv but you gotta admit that he makes a good point. At the very least, they’re not fooling anyone. Not to mention how let we all feel when the very same girls who flash their cookies for the paparazzi are the same ones who dress in floor length demure gowns. Such a let down when we know what they’re really capable of.

See now, that’s the difference between fashion and style. These days the red carpet is all fashion. There’s little personality showing whereas it used to be infused with a little more personal style. While personal style may not always be praised as beautiful and perfect, it’s always entertaining and helps to push the fashion/style envelope further.

Check out this link to see the stylish fashion on the red carpet at the British Film Awards. A little more interesting? I think so.
http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/red-carpet-fashion-in-2008,25,GAL.html

Other than this line, I’m not even going to mention the Canadian equivalent, the Genies, because, I’m sorry but it’s exceedingly rare that I’ve seen good fashion on our red carpets. What gives people? It’s not like there’s no design talent here. Work it baby! Work it!

p.s. I’m incredibly excited that I’ve finally figured out how to post a photo – expect more of this!

Mature ladies and fur hats

I’ve been seeing a lot of large Russian style hats on style-y girls these days. I love it! I own seal skin cab driver hat (too small). Also have a mink floppy top hat-ish (too Pamela Anderson) so I’m still looking for one that suits me and that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Guess I need to start combing the thrift stores for something nice. In the meantime I’m looking at this for inspiration – http://www.furhatworld.com/ – a Canadian site , no less!
I’m surprised it’s not from Quebec where racoon fur coats never went out of style.

Also loving these days – the older women I’m seeing with steel grey hair and a shock of purple accent. I’ve seen two different women in the past two days on blvd. St. Laurent. Guess it’s a new trend with that age group (!?) Anyhoo, I say “rock on!” and remain true to yourself no matter where you are in life!

A rose is not a rose

Last night I saw an ad on tv for the “new” Shreddies cereal. Apparentely the brilliant folks over at Post have discovered that they can now make Shreddies that are not square shaped but *here comes the shock and awe part* are diamond shaped. Wow. Turn your square 45 degrees to the right ( or left if you’re so inclined) and voila! you now have a diamond shaped Shreddie. Now that’s what I call marketing. As much as I admire the simpleness, and effectiveness, of the ad it scares me to think how many people will buy a box of diamond shape Shreddies and wonder why they only got squares. Ok, ok, I know. Most people aren’t that dumb. Most people know they’re being manipulated but they go along with it anyways and buy the box of cereal. Why? I dunno. There’s a myriad of reasons, I’m sure. Most likely, it comes from our human need to want something newer and better. We want to believe that the world is changing and it’s for the better. Who wants squares when we can have diamonds? No one ever said squares are a girl’s best friend.

Marketing works and that’s why companies invest so much money and resources into it. An excellent example (god! there’s so many to choose from but this one really burns me up) is a Montreal handbag company that have positioned their bags in the market place as a vegetarian option to leather. Plastic. (I don’t want to mention their name because I don’t believe in giving free publicity to companies who’s business practices I don’t agree with but you probably know who I’m talking about.)

Anyway, this company recently won an award for being a Canadian company to expect big things from so they’re doing really well. It amazes me that so many people are buying into it. Basically they are selling your basically medium quality plastic handbags. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose. Although personally I laugh whenever I see women with their stylish, plastic masquerading as leather hangbags to compliment their sooo sophicated outfits. Last I heard pleather was cheap and embarrassing. But don’t tell them that.

If you ask me, it’s a far better thing to kill an animal and use it’s hide to make numerous bags than to make a bag from petroleum based toxic to produce plastic. It’s not news to anyone that wars are being fought now for cheaper and more secure access to “petroleum”, and the world’s climate change challenges are major issues that impact us all. Kill the cows not the people and the planet! ow. I know I’m going to get flack for that comment. But seriously, if you really cared about the animals on this planet you woudn’t kill their home.

Buyer beware! but people buy into it anyway. I’m sure some people just buy the bags for the style and the affordable price, but there are many others that buy into the whole vegetarian angle that the company promotes. Now that’s what I call good marketing/

The first day of the rest of your life

Another blog. About fashion. Yay. After reading several other fashion blogs from my fair city of Montreal, I couldn’t help but feel let down. What happened Montreal? You used to have style. Now all you have is fashion.What’s the difference? Fashion follows and style thinks for itself. In general, online Montreal blogs tend to feature boring fashion, but the streets fair a little better, thank god! As you’ll see in the coming weeks, months and perhaps years, I’m not here to make friends and win favours. I’m simply here, for better or worse, to express my opinion.

Anyhoo, it’s Sunday night and I just finished another gruelling 70 hour work week. I’m trying desperately to get my Spring line out and drum up some new business.

Fashion isn’t nearly as glamourous as we all wish it were. But that’s ok, I love it anyway/