Long time no click! Lots happening online and off lately -

Andrew Sardone looks towards fashion week with a reflective eye – and looks beyond fashion week at the designers we want to see at future fashion weeks – including New Labels finalist Ashley Rowe, my dear friend Janet Hill, and fellow fashion blogger Irene Stickney.

I know how much time and detail Irene Stickney put into her grad collection because I helped her out as she entered the final few weeks to the due date.

Making four down jackets manually takes many, many weeks – and some of the patterns had over 100 pieces. Some of the quilted garments literally passed under the machine hundreds of times. This is the kind of thing that you can only get away with if you are a fashion student… or an artist. If this is what she considers “safer”, what dangerous dresses await?

By the way, congratulations to all the final year fashion students who handed in their collections this week! Watching it from outside, I feel so proud and impressed, and it reminds me of what an incredible feeling it was to accomplish something so complete. I am looking forward to Mass Exodus!

The New Labels finalists also had their heavy deadline this week, I am super stoked for all of them, and there is another show I am looking forward to! I love fall collections and spring weather.

I had a terrific email interview with Jill Danyelle, who also took my photo while I was in New York in February. Her questions were interesting and I found myself writing down a lot. She just posted it on her new site, This Is My Lab.

Jill brings more relaxed attitude to the lab than she could on her project blog at FiftyRX3. She collects her posts into volumes which she posts every week or two – and instead of focusing so tightly on clothing and sustainability, she brings her perceptive attention to a variety of subject matter. This is My Lab looks like it is fun to make, and it is fun to visit too.

Toronto Life‘s gossipy follow-up to last season’s anonymous petition is out, and it is a huge disappointment. Everything in it was old news, and the reporter did not find out who the anonymous crank is. This conversation is so six months ago.

Mad Glam is doing fashion editorials now, released in a post called the “Quarterly”. The first shoot features Joelle and her model friends showing off some of Susie Love‘s translucent, avant garde jewelry.

Evan Biddell is coming back to Toronto with yet another collection based on cartoons; this time of the Anime genre. Audaciously selecting a sixteen year old artist to illustrate his invitation and the backdrop to his show, it is unclear whether Biddell will disappoint or delight… no wonder we’re all super excited to see him kick off fashion week.

Illustration link roundup…

Nathalie Atkinson reveals the artist who drew all over Prada… a collision of comic art and textiles which you can see pictures of here.

I am super excited to check out this book of fashion illustrations by fashion designers! Thanks to The Fashion Informer for tipping me off.

Ironic Sans takes a look at what courtroom sketch artists draw when they’re not sketching the trial.

Canadian celebrities are registering positive on the Fug-O-Meter at Go Fug Yourself lately.

Sarah Polley accepts an award for her brilliant drama about love and loss looking like she just stepped off an Austin Powers set. Could it be another strike of style vengeance from Julie Christie?

It is a shame, because Sarah Polley is beautiful and looks so natural and lovely in a pair of jeans it drives me to denim.

Nelly Furtado merits an earlier fug at the expense of Arthur Mendonca. Its a bummer when two really nice and talented people make each other look bad! It does happen though.

Fashion biz link roundup…

Jeremy Laing shows his Fall 08 collection to Jeanne Beker – a video by the lovely Alison Violet.

Business Edge takes a look at Canadian Fashion Design – and whether it sells. We are often called upon to support Canadian designers. Perhaps more importantly, can Canadian Fashion Designers support themselves? Sales is the missing link – but if Canadians are not buying, who is?

Suzy Menkes uncovers the backwards nature of a forward industry when it comes to the internet. Even Menkes has a hard time with the distinction between web design and internet literacy.

I make a stab at parsing Fall 2008 as seen in New York City at the Chick Advisor blog.

Last but not least, Fashion Blog Karma! I found these sweet fashion blogs while being linked or commented upon…

Fashion Matter

… a material world

Digital Leaf

The Fashionable Academic

nu fashion

All Things Spiffy

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