Sponsor of the site and swell fun party, Buy Design for Windfall, has an announcement.

Buy Design Spring Social to Dazzle and Spoil

Tickets to the hottest fundraiser in Hogtown are now available

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Feb. 26, 2010) – For the past six years Buy Design has dazzled and entertained Toronto’s socially-conscious fashionistas. Now in its seventh year, the event promises to give its guests a ring-a-ding-ding! On Saturday, April 10, 2010, Buy Design Spring Social, will blow everyone’s wig off with a 1930’s post-depression-inspired party.

On behalf of Windfall, Canada’s only new clothing and basic-needs items bank, event host Adrian Mainella will welcome guests into a transformed Fermenting Cellar mimicking a festive outdoor space.

A SWELL RAG
“Once again, our remarkable organizing committee will deliver guests what they have come to expect, an incredibly fun event in support of an incredibly important cause,” says Helen Harakas, Windfall’s Executive Director. When entering the space at the Distillery District, guests will go back in time to an outdoor, post-depression country social fair. They’ll walk amidst badminton and croquet courts, alongside bales of hay, and help choose the winner of the boater pageant. While indulging in picnic fare at the many concession stands, they’ll enjoy live music performances from the era and shop the mess hall-style auction featuring the latest fashion and lifestyle finds. At the end, they leave with a gift bag stuffed with goodies worth upward of $150!

Over the past six years, Buy Design has become known as one of Toronto’s top fashion events, but from the beginning the organizing committee has been adamant about keeping the cost of the ticket affordable. “It’s always been really important for us to keep the price of the ticket reasonable. It’s still $75, and $80 at the door,” says Tralee Pearce, Buy Design co-chair. “We hope it encourages more people to come and celebrate Windfall with us.” Thanks to this year’s sponsors, which include TD, FASHION Magazine, H&M, The Globe and Mail, Alterna and BMO, the committee can, again this year, host a snazzy evening that will be sure to impress all.

GET YOUR PAWS ON THAT HOT TICKET!
Tickets are limited, but still available, and can be purchased online at www.buydesignforwindfall.ca or by calling Windfall at 416.703.8435. $75 or six for $375, and $80 at the door.

ABOUT WINDFALL
Windfall, an award-winning registered charity, assists more than 64,000 vulnerable citizens in the Greater Toronto Area; 1/3 of them are children. Windfall provides brand-new donated clothing and other basic-needs items to people living in poverty and/or crisis enabling them to boost their self-esteem and sense of belonging resulting in increased life opportunities. The items are distributed, free of charge, through partnerships with more than 100 social service agencies across the GTA. In the past year, Windfall has distributed 900,000 items worth $28 (retail). www.windfallbasics.com

Very pleased to have my favourite fashion fundraiser, Buy Design for Windfall, supporting Final Fashion for February and March.  The theme this year is “1930s Spring Social” and the accompanying photoshoot was a lot of fun (yes I did a rare stint as a model).  Check out the gorgeous website which just went up this week to see the pictures, and if you’re going to be in Toronto in April be sure to buy a ticket. Buy Design always has the best crowd and the most fun, all in support of a marvelous cause.

Such a surprise to see my painting for the Heartbeats fundraiser featured in NOW Magazine, Toronto’s free alt-weekly. Andrew Sardone, the style editor at NOW gives me a shoutout in print every so often and jokes that it is no big deal – but I always love it.  The first time he did it, exactly three years ago, will forever be one of the most significant moments in the history of my site.  Thank you, Andrew.

Also, if you’re in Toronto, you should totally go to Heartbeats on February 13 and bid generously on my painting or some other red-hot work of art, all to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Sponsor of the site, Bijouxbead, is having a Valentine’s day themed trunk party at Magnolia in Toronto on February 11.  This event will be filled with some of the sweetest fashion friends I know, so if you’re in Toronto, go and see some lovely things with some lovely company.

From the press release:

Embrace Valentine Cocktail will take place on Thursday, February 11, 2010 from 7pm till 10pm at Magnolia, 333 Eglinton Avenue West. Guests can shop while enjoying a glass of wine and delectable cupcakes, and mingle with an eclectic group of Toronto’s fashion industry insiders, media and artisan lovers.

Bijouxbead designer, Darlene Martin will be in-store to greet customers and help them find the perfect piece of wearable art as a Valentine gift for a loved one, or a special treat for themselves.

Alison Lawler-Dean (of the adorable blog Gifted) asked me to contribute a work of art for a fundraiser called Heartbeats for Africa, in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The loose themes are the colour red, and hearts, and I was inspired by the heart shaped red pincushions that are so common to create this piece called “threading”, featuring genuine pins, needles and thread.

The event is on February 13th, and there will be cocktails and lots of lovely art to be auctioned off for a terrific cause.  If you are in Toronto, you should go!  Buy tickets here.

Check out these kids, they know how to have a happy Holladaze.  This party was all about celebrating the diverse Hi-Style of the members of the Style Council, in 69 Vintage’s new location on Bloor Street West.

Everyone thanked Rea McNamara, the intrepid coordinator of the Style Council and the editor of the mini-mag that recorded their stories.

On the walls, style council members like Septembre showed their styling skills using 69’s merchandise.  She asked me to add an illustration and I obliged.

Saida Baba Talibah graced us with an intensely charismatic and inspiring musical performance.

Meanwhile, lots of shopping was happening on all three floors of the store – upstairs there are smaller independent vintage dealers, and downstairs is a basement Bazaar where Deadly Nightshade member Cat did a bit of secret shopping. Shhhh.

The delightful ‘zine we got to take home helps us get to know the members of the style council a bit better – pretty rad to see such creativity and collaboration coming from young people outside of the fashion system.  Click the spreads for big. Cheers to the Style Council for a fun night and a job well done.  Keep it up.

In you are in Toronto this Thursday Dec 17th, the party to be at is Hi-Style Holladaze. It is pretty much a convergence of the 2009’s leading dynamos. If you go to one fashion-themed holladaze party this month, this should be the one.

Bijouxbead, a sponsor of Final Fashion, is presenting a holiday collection for a limited time only at the Fair Trade Jewelry Company’s new headquarters in Cabbagetown.  The sterling silver and glass crystal pieces are inspired by the Spring 2010 collections of eight Canadian designers.  Its difficult to guess which designers go with which necklaces – peek at the tags on the wrists of the mannequins for the answers.

It was a pleasure to finally meet the designer, Darlene Martin at the opening of the exhibit on Saturday.  She lovingly creates each of her designs by hand, bead by bead.  My photos really don’t do them justice so you should drop by FTJCO before December 14th and see them in person.

Fashion Crimes, sponsor of Final Fashion, let me know they are having a very brief “Friends and Family” sale from December 2-4.  Since any friend of mine is a friend of Fashion Crimes (and vice-versa), you all get 25% off of everything in the store.

Today is the last day of the “Visual Presentation for Fashion” class I am teaching at Passion for Fashion, a program combining the forces of YES and the TFI.  My first teaching gig has been quite the learning experience – especially for me – and a marvelous chance to meet intrepid young entrepreneurs.  Their energy and enthusiasm always inspire me.

The final phase of the program is the “Fashionista’s Den” competition, where the participants are asked to present their business idea to a group of fashion industry pros (and me) for a chance to win $1000 and a year’s membership with the TFI including fabulous access to resources and networking opportunities.

YES is currently matching these young entrepreneurs with volunteer mentors to help them prepare and focus their presentation.  If you work in the fashion industry, this is a terrific opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with a younger person who is at the beginning of their career – like you were once.  Some of these students are looking to start magazines, styling careers, fashion labels, and other unique ideas, so no matter what your background there is someone out there who would really appreciate your time.

For all the information on mentorship, please download the PDF.