Just in time for the fall weather, on a Friday evening in October, the 2^nd Floor of The Bay was transformed into a classy and elegant reception area and fashion runway for Flare Magazine and The Bay’s 2011 Fall Trends Report.

After some mingling over white wine and a wide variety of cute and scrumptious catered finger foods, guests were seated.  Hosted Lisa Tant, Editor-in-Chief of Flare Canada, and Suzanne Timmins, Fashion Director at The Bay, the fashion show covered upcoming must-haves for fall 2011.  The trends were categorized into 6 looks: 60’s Style, 70’s Style, Pattern Play, Vivid Brights, Man Up!, and Boho Folk. What made the show even more enjoyable was that the 6 themes were taken from the runway and adapted to retail, so that all of the looks could be purchased directly at The Bay.  I was particularly drawn to the 60’s, Man Up!, and Boho Folk trends showcased, so  I’ve decided to focus on my top 3 trends from runway to retail.

The 60′s:

There was a sense of mod couture in all the clothes in this segment, and by that I mean very reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn or Twiggy’s style, or a more modern and update from what you would see on the AMC television series, Mad Men. Since the featured outfits were made practical for retail, they were not costume-looking and would be totally appropriate for the workplace, or shopping around town.

Some 60’s inspired retail looks: Matching tweed cropped jackets and skirts, the peplum dress, strong shaped jackets worn over dresses, sunglasses, black long-sleeved dresses, leather skirts, big hats, and lots of fur.

Man Up!:

There’s something so cool and suave about slicked back hair in a bun, red lips, black aviators. Throw on a black dress shirt, black suit, and top it off with black pumps and the look intensifies. Got the image? Good. That was basically the concept of the Man Up segment, along with the other type of menswear that is so often seen on the streets, which encompasses masculine-styled clothing that are feminine in color and tone. What I loved about these looks was that they still held a sense of professionalism, with a tone that screamed “Girls kick ass!”

Some Man Up! inspired retail looks: Boyfriend blazer, the oxford shirt, ties, suspenders, loose ribbon neck ties, fedora hats, trousers.

Boho Folk:

The Boho Folk segment featured knits, over-sized sweaters, different types of fabrics, long socks, and military-styled boots—all of which were very practical, maybe minus the gold sequined skirt, which I know I cannot pull off… Layering is very trendy for the Boho Folk look, especially with camisoles, blouses, sweaters, cardigans and jackets. This look is very appropriate for nippy fall weather because you can bundle up in all of those comfy layers, and still feel stylish.

Some Boho Folk inspired retail looks: Fur vests, floral print, chunky sweaters, skirts or shorts worn with thigh-high boots, leggings, stockings, draped sweaters, booties, high socks, toques, lots of long and embellished accessories.

I was definitely inspired by the Fall Trends Report, and especially loved it because of its runway to retail concept, allowing me to easily include many of the items in the Trends Report to my own wardrobe. Thanks to Flare Magazine and The Bay for hosting such an exquisite and successful event!

In conclusion, here are some of  Suzanne and Lisa’s personal must-have’s for Fall 2011:

• Anything colored/patterned or that pops!
• Black or brown leather skirt
• Cape
• Shift dress
• Lace dress
• Geopatterns

Holt Renfrew has had a presence in Vancouver since the 1970′s.  Since the 2008 opening of the stunning westcoast flagship, designed by New York architects Janson Goldstein, the store has hosted numerous hot-ticket parties, and hosted some of the greatest names in fashion and entertainment.  Located at the epicenter of downtown activity, with its main doors opening to bustling Granville Street, Holts Vancouver is a shopper’s paradise, and  a must-see tourist destination.  Over 200 individual brand names are represented within its walls, with shop-in-shops for Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Dolce & Gabanna, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Burberry, Tom Ford, to name a few.

In the fashion industry, trendsetting can be compared to a pyramid.  High fashion and couture, starting at the top, and their runway looks for the upcoming season are way beyond the budgets of the average shopper (and MMV reader).  But as time passes, these trends trickle down the pyramid as assessable ready-to-wear fashion available at our favourite clothing chains.

Described somewhat as a “fashion visionary”, being a fashion globe-trotter is part of Barb Atkin’s job description as the Vice President of Fashion Direction for Holt Renfrew (737 Dunsmuir Street).  At Holt Renfrew’s Spring 2010 Media Preview, Barb gave a presentation about forecasted fashion trends for Spring/Summer 2010 and brought back to local media, her insights and observations about upcoming trends, neatly packaged into 4 easily-understandable “looks”.  If you’ve been following @ModernMixVan‘s Twitter, you already would have had a sneak peek at Barb’s forecasted trends as I was doing a bit of live-Tweeting from the media event last week.

World Cultures: The world is getting smaller with a melting pot of international cultures.  Just look around us with the upcoming Olympics, with 5,000+ Olympic officials from 80+ countries visiting our lovely city, it is no surprise that the upcoming season will incorporate global trends into our fashion too.  So what “World Cultures” signifies is the incorporation of cultural references into our clothing pieces.  This could mean an emphasis on hand-stitching, or hand-dyed items with colourful dyes, or origami-style folding in fashion pieces.

Urban Traveller: This look consists of slightly rugged, but functional pieces.  For example, nature-inspired with color pallets of earth tone and khaki with rough hewn and frayed edges or faded water prints.  Think “perfect imperfection” – not grubby but consciously rugged, for an “Urban Traveller” on the go.  Accessories may include oversized bags for all your travelling needs.  For jewelry, focus on natural elements like wood, stone or suede to accompany this look.

Executive Suite: The most corporate classic of the four looks, “Executive Suite” consists of a clean-cut look with smart cuts, luxury materials and a high attention to detail.  The power woman, ambitious but stylish.  These are investment pieces – timeless and iconic.  Your presentation in style enhances the experience with elegant but  simple, clean lines.  There has also been a trend towards a more structured shoulder for women, with a focus on the silhouette.  Meanwhile, the shoulders in men’s clothing are becoming more slouched and rounded.

Cool School: With an emphasis on “whimsical fun”, “Cool School” consists of a young, preppy look with bright, popping colors.  So take classic pieces like a polo and enhance it with color, on both guys and girls.  Bring back retro, with bright red lips and peals.  (I LOVE PEARLS).

Keep reading Modern Mix Vancouver this upcoming season to see fashion and beauty products in the retail world, of Holt Renfrew and beyond, which will reflect the trends that Barb Atkin has outlined for us.  See the gallery below for some Spring/Summer 2010 picks, available at Holt Renfrew.  Pay attention to the details on the items – a line of buttons, sturdy straps, the materials of the accessories, etc.  Click on the images to see prices.

Schwarzkopf OSiS Upload Style Volume Cream gives instant lightweight volume and medium style control. Upload contains conditioning and natural shine ingredients to create contradictive styles on damp or dry hair. Schwarzkopf Osis Upload Volume Creme Pump is pure volume with a dose of care for multi functional styling purposes. Style as desired. Get more volume and soft movement by using a big round brush.

This blog entry is coming from the point of view of someone who rarely ever uses hair styling products and is a total newbie to hair creams, gels and sprays! When a generous box of Schwarzkopf Osis hair products got delivered to my door last month, I was delighted to be able to play around with hair products I wouldn’t normally try on my own. I dug through the box for something “normal” – for regular hair, for medium styling, for every day use. I came across the “Upload Style Volume Creme” which seemed like a good choice. So I pretty much washed my hair, towel dried it and began to play – with no experience whatsoever with this new product.

The volume upload cream comes in a 6.8 oz plastic pump bottle, which makes it super convenient to just squirt out. No lids to take off, no caps to unscrew. I squirted one pump into the palm of my hand, and just ran the product through my damp hair, using my fingers to comb it through smoothly. This is what I discovered. You know when you normally comb your fingers through your hair, your hair immediately falls flatly back into place? Not so with the Upload Style Volume Creme! When I “tousled” (it’s in quotation marks because I don’t think I’ve ever associated that word with my hair before…) my hair with both hands, it stayed voluminous! But not in a stiff, unnatural, cakey, gel-like way. My hair got kind of wavy, but thicker and fuller. No more limp, flat hair!  Anyway, this is a really good “beginners” product to use for every-day occasions.

For more information about Schwarzkopf’s “Upload Style Volume Creme” and the rest of the Osis+ line and its availability near you, visit: http://theartofcontradiction.com.

During this celebration the centre will come alive as we host local community artists, musicians and performers, raise money for charity, hold contests, cut cakes and pour champagne (sparkling juice) while incorporating fashion components and unveiling our new Style Agent program.

Click here for more details.

Occasionally described as retro or vintage, my personal description of The Boyfriend Blazer is more “stylish corporate”.  This fairly new label in the fashion world allows a casual outfit to be dressed up with added style, without feeling out of place.

How to wear “The Boyfriend Blazer”:

1. The Top - with a graphic t-shirt will give your outfit a more casual artsy look.  I wouldn’t suggest wearing anything too “cutesy” underneath – otherwise you will look like an oversized child playing dress-up with her father’s blazer.
2. The Bottom – if you are wearing denim, make sure they are skinny jeans (I support straight leg would work as well…) to offset the slouchiness of the lengthier blazer.  Otherwise, your outfit will look sloppy and baggy as opposed to a streamlined ideal.  High-waisted jeans would work as well.  If you’re wearing a skirt instead, make sure the cut ends above the knees.  Otherwise, the layers are too elongated with a long blazer and a long skirt.
3. The Dress - play around with lighter, silky materials and use the blazer as a jacket.
4. The Feet - high heeled pumps and pointy shoes all the way!  I was told that gladiator sandals would work too – but I am personally not a big fan of them.  If you’re wearing skinny jeans, pair them like usual with boots.
5. The Sleeves – if you want to show off some jewelry – roll up the sleeves!  Perhaps some chunky gold bangles to contrast a dark-colored blazer.  Feel free to play with different textures of jewelry.

Where in Vancouver to buy “The Boyfriend Blazer”:

Wilfred Linen Boyfriend Blazer from Aritzia
$225.00

Club Monaco “Abbie” Boyfriend Blazer from Club Monaco
$199.00

American Eagle Boyfriend Blazer from American Eagle
$59.50 (USD?)

Silence & Noise Boyfriend Blazer from Urban Outfitters
$68.00 (online only)

• Polyester and Rayon
• Color: black shadow
• Exclusive to Urban Outfitters

Fans of “sophisticated” men’s high-fashion, expensive goods and the obscure in general may take interest in dropping by the Komakino. Currently located in 111 East Pender St. in Chinatown Vancouver, this “Guerrilla Shop” has covered various downtown locations, frequently moving around with little attempt at raising its awareness to the general public.

Not the most glamourous of its locations compared to some previous ones...

Flatly stated, Komakino carries men’s items that virtually “no one has heard of”. This is not your D&G or Moschino store and this is not where you go to get your tailoring done or where to find $500 Ferragamo loafers to match your belt. This is strictly fancy yet artistically casual clothing from designers such as Ann Demeulemeester, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Julius and The Viridi-Anne; brands which eschew premium quality along with a premium price. You’d certainly have to be someone who pays scrutinizing attention to detail and the subtleties of labour that went into these pieces to appreciate the amount of money you’d be paying for them. The items may seem too flashy, gaudy and, more than likely, universally overpriced, but there will certainly be buyers who can see these as a worthwhile investment. Myself? I could understand the beauty and aesthetics of many of these but would have trouble coughing out the money.

Certainly the rarity of the items are also part of the appeal as there are virtually no other retailers in Vancouver that carry these brands – Julius, notably, is probably only carried by Komakino within North America. The closest thing to here would probably be Blackbird in Seattle, and even that caters to a slightly different crowd, as the other “high fashion, low-profile” store around, Richard Kidd, has closed in the last year – not to mention it was subject to notorious overpricing that even Komakino-shoppers would scoff at. Although a recent Komakino warehouse sale just ended on August 3rd, there are still plenty of discounts to take advantage of and you can browse around at their online shop. While Komakino items are “rare”, there definitely exists ways to buy them for cheaper online, if you’re willing to purchase secondhand. Regardless, the store staff is very friendly and certainly do not mind people browsing around. There’s none of the uppity attitude you’d get at Hermes or Louis Vuitton for being “underdressed” at the place.

Example of a more glamourous Komakino location

Guerrilla stores, or retail locations that intentionally come and go, are nothing groundbreakingly new – Comme des Garçons has been doing it for years. From an economic standpoint, this stealth-like practice seems nothing short of bizarre. Komakino’s intended audience is already a narrow niche to market to but more creatively minded professionals may note its cult appeal to the underground; positioning itself as chic and artsy should only help to improve its underground credibility amongst the Komakino clientel: affluent, street-savvy hipsters.

It’s difficult to say with certainty whether this practice will continue to have lasting appeal for Komakino, or whether it will eventually become tired as people get over the initial awe and surprise at the quirky idea as really, it’s not as if the store’s disappearing out of Vancouver or even the local area. Then again, given how few people know about the place, there are still plenty of potential shoppers to surprise and amuse.