2013-05-24T22:06:27-04:00 Raj Thandhi http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=raj-thandi Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Raj Thandhi Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2924780 2013-03-22T12:07:27-04:00 2013-05-22T05:12:01-04:00

Raj Thandhi http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raj-thandi/
This year VFW is featuring 50 designers, and many eyes are on the event to finally take its place as one of Canada's premier fashion events. The venue and runway set-up this year showed growth in that direction, and it was a pleasure to walk into a room that looked so good. Even though it was a wet and dreary day in Vancouver (when is it not?) the seats were pretty much full, and the attendees were excited! My only wish; some of that excitement would spill through into street style worthy looks. As I sat in my seat, I observed a sea of black all around me. Sure there were a few people that pulled out some vibrant colours and bold fashion week looks -- but for the most part, it was black on black. I'm not giving up hope yet, there's still four more days to go.

The evening opened with a very black and grey showing by Elk Designs of Iceland. For me the leggings as pants, especially the ones with sequins were a bit of a turn off (Vancouver has enough issues with leggings already), however, the outerwear was beautifully tailored. Following Elk was Mirae Kim of Korea, showing a very runway-friendly collection. Lots of drama, military/warrior inspired pieces, and even some glimpses of over-the-top Japanese street style. From the audience reaction, I would say it was one of the favourites of the night.


Photo Credit: Peter Jensen

The local section of the evening opened with 23-year-old Emily Hart's debut collection. The young designer showed very wearable pieces (although most were quite Spring-like), and I really liked her selection of soft fabrics. She told me that her pieces were inspired by nature, and the theme for her collection came from a picture she took of some trees and later turned into a print that was seen on the runway. I'm really looking forward to seeing her line and aesthetic develop further over the next few seasons.




Papillon showed an interesting range of pieces -- including some print dresses that were very current and wearable for the spring season. If someone is interested in fashion and wants to support local designers, a piece from a line like Papillon will easily fit into your basic wardrobe. The same can be said of local favourite Shelley Klassen of Blushing Boutique. She showed her spring/summer 2013 line which is currently available in her store and very wearable. My favourite pieces from her line were the shift dresses, lots of bold colours and texture, and easy to dress up or down.


Photo Credit: Peter Jensen

What I found most interesting at Vancouver Fashion Week is how accessible the fashions really are to the local community. Traditionally fashion weeks around the world show very avant garde looks and it can take two to three seasons for those pieces to filter down to the masses (or the average shopper). On VFW's runway I saw many pieces that were affordable, accessible, and pretty much ready to wear.

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Raj Thandhi http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raj-thandi/
If I wanted to go attend Burberry's show, there is slim to little chance that I'd even get in the doors, and if that somehow happened, I'd get the worst seat in the house. The live stream on the other hand gave me access to the best seat in the house; curled up in my comfy reading chair with a laptop and hot cup of tea, you can't beat that. I love that such a fashion forward and exclusive house of design understands the need to use new media and connect with the buyers. With a simple idea like live-streaming their shows, they've introduced their line to a whole new generation of buyers. (If you missed the show, you can still watch it here)

The show itself was remarkable. There was a lot of love for animal prints; leopard, zebra, and even giraffe prints were stamped and woven onto bags, trench coats, pencil skirts and shoes. There was also a lot of mixing of patterns. My favourite bag mixed the unlikely combination of leopard and hounds tooth; two classics playing off of each other rather well.

By far my favourite part of the show was the trench coats. Presented in a fresh new way with latex pieces, printed sleeves, and embellished details, it was like watching a sexier, younger sister version of a traditional Burberry coat come down the runway. Even with so many amazing options, the one that made my heart skip a beat; the heart print of course! Now, I've never owned anything in calf-skin or leather because it creeps me out a little, but if I had an extra $11,500 hanging around, I would definitely consider this trench.

Anticipating that viewers of the live show would want to shop, Burberry even launched a new made-to-order catwalk service. For the next two weeks, customers can visit the Burberry site and order a bespoke piece off the runway; custom made, with your name engraved on a metal tag plate at no additional cost. These pieces are also designed with a special technology that allows the owner to run their phone over the item, and unlock footage that will retrace the garment's journey from sketch to finished design. How unbelievable is that. Seriously, if you are considering a purchase from Burberry's line -- this is the way to go.

I love the way that Burberry has included every potential shopper from their live stream to the bespoke made-to-order catwalk service, and hope to see more designers thinking about the 99 per cent of us that can't make it to every fashion week, but still save up our pennies for special purchases.

]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2459064 2013-01-14T12:55:40-05:00 2013-03-16T05:12:02-04:00

Raj Thandhi http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raj-thandi/
If you are new to having your eyebrows shaped professionally I recommend threading. It's a centuries-old technique that originated in the Middle East and South Asia, and uses cotton thread to remove hair. A threader twists a thread into a loop and rolls it against the skin at lightning speed. The loop acts like a tiny lasso, pulling your hair out by the roots. I know it sounds painful -- but really it's just a little uncomfortable, and totally worth it.

Just before the holidays I visited Vancouver's premier brow stylists at the Bombay Brow Bar for a much needed threading. To really accentuate what a good brow treatment can do for your face, and to take full advantage of the stylists know how, I grew my brows out to full growth beforehand.

What I love about Bombay Brow Bar (beyond the beautiful décor and ambience), is their commitment to brows. They focus on one thing and one thing only. When you get in the chair one of their expert brow stylists walks you through the process, and suggests the best shape for your brows. According to owner and brow enthusiast Ravy Mehroke, "To determine the right brow shape, it's really important to analyze the symmetry of the face. To do that, we look closely at facial features, face shape and personal preferences to really determine the best shape for the brows."




Before the actual threading begins, your stylist will even draw a mock outline of your brow shape to make sure it's perfect. I love that they ask you about your preference on the thickness of the brow, and also the height of the arch. Ravy suggests "a softer brow if you have soft facial features. For stronger facial features, a strong brow will draw attention to your eyes." Things I've never considered with an at-home waxing strip.

Once you start threading your brows, you'll be looking at getting a touch up every 3-4 weeks depending on the growth. You can do some minor maintenance by pulling stray hairs, but avoid pulling anything that affects the overall shape of the brow. Leave that to the professionals. There is no real after-care to threading either, but if it's your first time having it done, you may want to avoid putting eye makeup on the area for a few hours, or ice it to reduce redness.




Although I'm completely smitten by the arch angels at Bombay Brow Bar, you may not have a location near you, or might decide to go somewhere else. Be sure that you are going to someone that works in a licensed facility and at the very least read a few online reviews.

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Raj Thandhi http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raj-thandi/ possibility of there being two royal babies. Two babies or one, the only thing I'm thinking about is how that poor girl is feeling, and what she will wear when she finally débuts that baby bump!

One of the reason's that the Duchess of Cambridge's sartorial style has become so popular with the masses is how effortlessly she mixes designer labels with high street fashion. She has a taste for Alexander McQueen and Burberry, but still loves her Zara frocks and LK Bennet heels. The perfect marriage of royal disposition, with a commoner's shopping skills.

Once Kate is back on her feet and ready to resume royal duties, I'm sure we'll see some custom designer gowns on her bump. Alexander McQueen (which is the label that designed Kate's wedding dress), is a natural choice -- and they have experience creating custom maternity wear for French actress Marion Cotillard. Another great option would be up and coming British designer Mary Katrantzou who has done custom work for Victoria Beckham during her last pregnancy. Although Mary's choice of prints tends to be more graphic than Kate's taste, I'm sure she could tone it down for the Duchess.


Photo from Elbise Modelleri


On the American front, I would love to see Kate in a custom creation by Versace. They really knocked it out of the park with Reese's blue maternity gown in Cannes and would definitely create a stunner. (OK, their trademark centre slit wouldn't fly for the possible future queen -- but other than that it's a winning option.) Another winner for Kate -- Dianne Von Furstenburg. The Duchess is already a fan of DVF and their wrap dresses are the best maternity dress ever made, and they aren't even a maternity line.


Photo Credit: Red Carpet Fashion Awards


When it comes to basic everyday looks, I expect to see a lot of high street fashion on Kate's growing belly. Cult favourite Isabella Oliver comes to mind, especially since they are a U.K.-based brand. Other options might be; Liz Lange, or Top Shop Maternity (that last one might be wishful thinking).

Of course, with Kate having such a tiny frame it's quite possible that she'll wear a lot of non-maternity pieces during her pregnancy. Whatever fashion direction she takes, I can hardly wait to see the style evolution during her bump watch. And then of course....it'll be time to think about royal baby clothes.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2089412 2012-11-09T17:52:48-05:00 2013-01-09T05:12:01-05:00

Raj Thandhi http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raj-thandi/ Perform Your Best campaign.

The hockey star describes his style as "trendy but comfortable," and says that he doesn't really have a personal style icon, but generally listens to the sales associates who work at the stores that he frequents. Well, he may not have a style icon -- but he is definitely an icon to many. That was more than evident by the scores of fans that lined up outside of RW&Co's Pacific Centre location yesterday to catch a glimpse of their hockey hero and also grab an autograph.




RW&Co had organized the event in an effort to bring more attention to their large offering of men's wear. In fact, Burrows arrived dressed in pieces from their new line, and looking very sharp. I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about his decision to collaborate with the retailer and this is what he had to say; "It's a cool brand with really comfortable clothes and looks good -- I like to be dressed nicely when I go out, and wear comfortable clothes when I chill and relax so it really fits my style."

What was really great to see were all the young sports fans lined up to meet their favourite player and waiting patiently with their jerseys in hand. So I couldn't help asking Alex about his dad uniform, what does he like to wear on the weekend? "Just a casual look you know -- a sweater and jeans," was his response, with eyes that completely lit up when talking about being a dad.

After a quick picture and some chatter about wishing for a simple hoodie and not a Santa Clause tie for Christmas, Alex was kind enough to sign my son's jersey and pose for yet another picture. I guess he wasn't kidding when he said what he loved most about his job was interacting with the fans.


Armaan and Alex


Burrows spent two hours at the store signing autographs and posing for pictures with his fans. I loved how interactive he was, asking questions and even making jokes. He fit perfectly into the "cool image" that RW&Co is trying to create with their new Cool Factor line (my favourite collection right now). The tagline is "dress up without losing your cool factor" -- and that fits Alexandre Burrows perfectly.

Before attending this event I hadn't thought much about RW&Co's menswear line, but last night I was equally impressed with their selection of men's clothing and their new brand ambassador. They really scored big with this collaboration and I'm sure they won some new fans just in time for the holiday shopping season.

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