Fast Life

Toronto Board of Health to consider broader smoking bans Smokers...

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:41:31 -0400

Toronto Board of Health to consider broader smoking bans

Smokers in the city have a reason to hold their breath today, as they await the results of a meeting that could light a fire under the possible broadening of public places that cigarettes are forbidden.

The Toronto Board of Health is taking a closer look at report calling for a tightening of the city’s anti-smoking by-laws at their meeting Monday afternoon.

If the board gives its OK, public and stakeholder consultations could be held next year ahead of a potential decision to broaden the existing rules on smoking in public.

Presently, smokers across the province are bound by the terms of Smoke Free Ontario Act (SFOA) passed in 2006.

The city passed its own regulations in 2009, extending the ban to include areas near playgrounds, wading pools and splash pads as well as farms and zoos operated by the municipality. Bylaws also prohibit lighting up in commercial vehicles and indoor workplaces.

Last month, Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown released a report that calls for an expansion of the ban to include bar and restaurant patios, building entrances, all hospital grounds and even areas on and around sports fields.

It was in August, when fashion news typically slows to a...

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 15:03:19 -0400

It was in August, when fashion news typically slows to a trickle, that New York-based IMG World’s purchase of Toronto Fashion Week was announced, prompting a collective “Whoa” among those who cover, attend and stage the shows at Canada’s biggest style extravaganza.

The handover from the Fashion Design Council of Canada to IMG Fashion, a division of the mammoth entertainment-management company, represents a significant moment for Toronto’s fashion industry – whether or not the ramifications are immediate. IMG Fashion had already been working with the FDCC in a consulting capacity for several seasons. But now, as Peter Levy, the company’s senior vice-president and managing director puts it, “we’re actually owning it and taking on the risk of producing it independently every season.”

And there is definitely some risk involved, even if IMG Fashion has flexed its managing muscles in New York, Berlin, Tokyo, Mumbai and Moscow. In Toronto, long-standing issues go well beyond seating arrangements (expect chairs instead of risers this week) and tent capacity: They include late positioning on the fashion calendar, scant international media coverage, a schedule programmed with too many tangential events and, more recently, various rogue shows.

In a phone interview, Levy acknowledges that some of these challenges will require time: “We’re a little cautious in general; we want to see what’s wrong before we’re sure it’s wrong.” One smart move: hiring Carolyn Quinn, the FDCC’s sharp associate producer, to be the de facto general manager; her expertise will provide a necessary bridge for future restructuring. (Robin Kay, the flamboyant showwoman who launched Fashion Week in Toronto 23 years ago, will maintain a symbolic grande-dame role.)

Among designers, fewer logistical hiccups and better global positioning, both possible under IMG Fashion’s leadership, would be well-received. Arthur Mendonça, who is celebrating his 10th year as a designer this season, started to notice improvements in the lead-up to his show in Toronto last March, when IMG’s influence was felt.

“Backstage, there was great flow and the whole set up was well organized,” he says. “It’s still a small fashion week, but it’s definitely growing.”

The goal, says Levy, is to focus on the talent. And expectations, at least for now, are measured. “The point is not to put Paris out of business,” he explains. “It’s to create a relevant marketplace with its own point of view and personality and connect that all the way through.”

Where to see and be seen at Toronto Fashion Week

After years of site changes, World MasterCard Fashion Week has made Toronto’s David Pecaut Square its (hopefully) permanent abode. Smack in the middle of the city’s Entertainment District, the locale works in terms of both glam factor and crowd control.

It will also be either home to or not far from the after-parties that designers, editors and models head to post-shows to blow off some steam. Most are invite-only, but a number may be worth crashing. They include Pink Tartan’s shindig at the Shangri-La (188 University Ave.) at 9 p.m. on Oct. 22, Pavoni’s blowout at the Thompson (550 Wellington St. W.) on Oct. 22 at 10 p.m., the Mackage bash at the Spoke Club (600 King St. West) at 8 p.m. on Oct. 24 and the Express fete (featuring Dragonette) in DP Square at 9 p.m. on Oct. 26.

– Tiyana Grulovic

PARIS — “This dress would retail for $45,000,” says Nicholas...

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:57:56 -0400

PARIS — “This dress would retail for $45,000,” says Nicholas Mellamphy, holding up a sexy short cocktail dress by Balmain in their showroom. It is made of a mixture of raffia, leather and encrusted with crystals, and weighs a ton.

But Mellamphy, vice-president and buying director of The Room, a luxury women’s designer department including clothing, shoes and accessories at The Hudson’s Bay Company, is not keen on purchasing it.

“It’s not about the money, we sell more expensive things,” he says.

The woven handiwork of the dress — like some sort of opulent rococo wicker chair — is stunning.

Then there is the matter of weight. It probably wouldn’t be an issue for the private-jet-flying clientele who frequent The Room in Toronto and Vancouver. But Mellamphy has practical concerns, such as sitting down. The model in the showroom could not when she tried on the skirt version.

Last Wednesday during Paris Fashion Week, the Star shadowed the dapper and engaging Mellamphy to see how he selects items that make it onto the exclusive racks at The Room, and the backs of some of the most fashionable women in Toronto and Vancouver.

First stop was the Balmain showroom, housed in building not far from the famed shopping strip, Avenue Montaigne, home to Dior and other luxury brands.

The long showroom is lined from top to bottom with racks of samples. On one side is the spring 2013 collection, hot designs that came down the runway a few days earlier. On the other side is what is referred to as the commercial collection — a more wearable, but no less expensive version of the runway looks.

While Mellamphy selects looks from this retail-friendly side of the room, he will also pick items from the runway collection.

“It’s important to represent runway looks in the buy,” he says, selecting a broad shouldered, nipped waist, leather jacket that was look number 33 in the show.

He buys four of these jackets which will retail for $6,500 each, two in the Vancouver store and two in Toronto.

“A lot of clients have emailed me already about this collection,” he says.

Despite its stratospheric prices, Balmain is one of the hottest labels in Paris. The new designer at the label, 27-year-old Olivier Rousteing has been garnering rave reviews for the glam sexy youthful flair he is bringing to the storied French label.

“It’s almost a second wave of Balmainia,” says Mellamphy.

According to Mellamphy, customers of The Room following the runway shows online often email him requesting specific pieces. One popular in demand piece this time out is a power-shouldered leather jacket.

A body-con yellow knit dress on one of the showroom models — several models wander around the showroom trying on various outfits for the buyers — catches his eyes. From the commercial collection, Mellamphy is intrigued by the colour.

“It’s interesting to see yellow because of the Emmys,” he says.

The recent Emmy red carpet featured three actresses wearing yellow dresses, including Julianna Moore, and Mellamphy feels strongly it will leave a lasting impression.

“The dresses will be knocked off. We’ll be seeing the red carpet pictures for months and the colour will be in customer’s minds,” he said.

Ultimately however it’s not just one factor that pushes a look into the order books.

Besides attending the runway show of the label he is buying to get an overall view of the collection, Mellamphy reads reviews and look at the pictures selected to run in various newspapers.

Media outlets will often pick similar images and they come to define the collection, he says.

“The power of an image is so strong, it’s like a celebrity, people will remember it and will often call me about it,” he says.

Next we visit Balmain shoes, and discover that runway items are often

altered or adjusted for real life.

Stepping into the showroom, Mellamphy immediately zeros in on a raffia bootie which was featured with many of the looks on the runway. But the director says that particular style will not be put into production.

He’s also loving the black patent pumps with sharp sculpted heels.

The heel, we are told, will now be 10cm instead of 12cm as they were on the runway. The heels come in two varieties, black or metallic silver.

He opts for the silver, reasoning, “Everyone has a shoe with a black heel already.”

Then, almost in the blink of an eye, from the glamazonian ultra-luxe looks of Balmain, we are at the showroom of the sweet and innocent — and fairly well priced label Carven, in the Marais district of Paris.

Many years ago, The Room used to stock Carven when it was a haute couture label.

More recently, the historic label was revived and the brand has been gaining fans, not just for its very girlish Parisian looks but also for its affordability.

“Carven is exploding for us,” says Mellamphy. “I love that it has that French woman look — a simple dress and flats.”

But how does this label fit into The Room’s its high-octane fashion philosophy? “It’s very design driven instead of being item or price driven. The look is very lady-like and appeals to our customer because the design factor is there,” he says.

Carven’s show featured a toile print pant suit, but instead of depicting a pastoral scene usually found on these wallpaper-style prints, it was a safari scenario.

Mellamphy bought it.

But once at the showroom, a design that hadn’t run on the catwalk caught his eye — a soft silk print dress featuring Queen Elizabeth postage stamps.

The showroom director explained the print will be slightly changed; the Queen will not be wearing the crown.

But the tiny detail was irrelevant to Mellamphy. “We definitely have to do the Queen Elizabeth print. We were, after all, part of the British Empire.”

Then he notices it’s a New Zealand stamp.

“Oh we have beautiful stamps of the Queen in Canada too you know. Just FYI,” he says to the director, before snapping up the royal design.

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Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:08:06 -0400

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