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Say it on the Huffington Post
This season, Montreal designers Simon Bélanger and José Manuel St-Jacques of the label Unt Tld looked to Japan for inspiration. Baffled by the standing ovation as they walked the runway post-show, this duo is one to watch. For now, see the video I took backstage (in which we see a touch of makeup prep) and take part in a quick-fire interview with the boys.
MARTIN LIM blossomed in its spring and summer 2013 collection with florals and happy sorbet hues. After winning the Mercedes Benz StartUp competition last year, husband and wife team Danielle Martin and Pao Lim presented this past September at Galerie Arsenal, Montreal Fashion Week's new address. The video below offers both front row and backstage access to this growing Montreal label.
Duy Nguyen transported his fashion fans in Montreal to the beaches of St-Tropez with a show that was all luxury, glamour and very high heels. This video gives you an up-close look at his spring and summer 2013 collection, plus an intimate interview with the designer just minutes before the runway presentation.
Travis Taddeo showcased his latest collection for men at the pristine white PHI Centre in Old Montreal this past September during Montreal Fashion Week. The talented Montrealer also debuted his black and white sneaker collaboration with Aldo. This video brings the viewer inside this exclusive Montreal event. Afterward, I chat with Taddeo on the rooftop of the building to learn more about his inspiration for this season.
Denis Gagnon shows he's no drag at Montreal Fashion Week. Enlisting his eclectic entourage to walk his show, the runway was a colourful circus of models, drag queens and other friends. This video takes you backstage to see the makeup artist in action and then a private interview with man himself.
How do you break up the long stretch of time between summer vacation and the holidays? With a fall break, of course. Autumn is a shoulder season for many destinations, which means discounted hotel rooms and cheaper airfare are easy to find.
Payam Tavan and Mike Mitto are the Montreal designers behind the label Tavan & Mitto who presented their spring and summer 2013 collection on Sept. 4. In this video I speak to the directors of hair and makeup at this year's Montreal Fashion Week and caught up with the designers themselves post-show to talk about their clothes and inspirations.
Anastasia Lomonova is a Montreal-based designer whose shows at Montreal Fashion Week attract a cult following. The unveiling of the "tribal warrior femme" for her spring and summer 2013 collection at Galerie Arsenal on Sept. 4, 2013, did not disappoint. This video takes you from the front row to backstage where I interviewed the young, up-and-coming talent post-show.
This summer, as I flew a kite along the shores of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, I couldn't remember the last time I had done that. As I watched Cirque du Soleil's Kooza at the edge of my seat, I couldn't remember the last time I had done that either.
A lifelong Torontonian, I've seen startlingly little of the rest of our beautiful country, a reality of which I'm not proud. This reality was the impetus behind my most recent family travel venture. With the summer quickly winding down and Labour Day beckoning, I boarded a train with the family and headed East. La Belle Province was our destination, Montreal to be exact.
During Pauline Marois' victory speech in Quebec last night, gun shots were fired -- an alleged "assassination" attempt on the outspoken leader, as a 62-year-old armed with a handgun and an assault rifle "lost his shit" outside the venue. Marois was unharmed but sadly someone actually died in this vapid protest. We each are responsible for embracing the idea that there is a place for everyone in society, and that to fight for fierce nationalism or singularly-minded patriotism is a dangerous and unnecessary battle to wage.
When I first visited Montréal, I couldn't believe that there are four markets in the city which are open every day of the week. These markets are treasures and offer an amazing glimpse into Montreal's unbelievable food culture.
What better way to get into the underbelly of a country, a culture, than through the ever-curious, angst-ridden soul of a fellow human being on that timeless quest for meaning, whether that person is real or imagined? It's no wonder travel is an omnipresent theme of modern fiction.
After a fateful trip to Paris, Ackerman was inspired to turn her love of travel, food, art and culture into a business. So she launched Butter and Egg Road, a travel-inspired private members' club that brings together an international community of like-minded people to share their love of food, art and culture during weekend social events in different cities across North America.
Look in your shoe closet. There's a very good chance a pair of Aldo Shoes sits in them. Or you might have a pair of shoes from one of Aldo Group's brands: Little Burgundy, Call It Spring, or GLOBO. I recently visited the head office of the Aldo Group in Montreal, getting a sneak peek into just where the "shoe magic" happens.
Lately I've been obsessed with today's musical climate. Too long have I agonized over this sentiment, trying to reconcile whether "it's just me" or if music has evolved into a new beast with unusual behaviours I no longer understand. But I've decided: Modern music, I am done with thee. What keeps me going is the knowledge that people are still putting their souls into things. How do I know? Because it is in our human nature to create.
