- Makeup + styling by James Kershaw - Photographs by Supa-F Photography - Model Kelsey Neutral Territory Earthy neutrals, whether matte or gleaming with flecks of gold are the perfect choice to compliment the array of ivory, buff and camel hued garments so prevalent this season. Shown here are some of the best cosmetic examples of this warm, wearable palette. Some Like it Haute The hautest cosmetic colours of the season are actually tres cool. Blue tinged greys, plums and aubergines make eyes smolder, mauvy pinks light up the cheeks. Lips are luxurious, laquered in deep cherry, bordeaux and crimson.

- Photographs by Ernest, studio-e.ca - Assisted by Chris Chan - Makeup by James Kershaw - Hair by Kelly Bula - Styled by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Models Michelle, Paula at PHABRIK artist+model management - Location PHABRIK art+design

Lou Salomé is a music artist from France, and as you would expect from the birthplace of haute-couture, she exudes class, sophistication, and charm along with her musical talent. Sitting in her Parisian apartment near Bastille, she is a figure of chicness in her skinny jeans, silk blouse and trendy shoe boots, enhanced by simple silver jewellery and the hint of a dirty laugh; the effortlessly stylish image all Parisians seem to possess. A Diane Kruger lookalike (but with a trendy, curly, bob) and a sultry voice like Shakira, Lou is a sexy siren full of soul, French style. And with performing in clubs all around Paris and the south of France, she is busy too. Having just released her second album in France - My Art Belongs to Dad - Lou is now ready to conquer the world; well, the English-speaking world at least. Inspired and influenced by the likes of Serge Gainsbourg, The Mitsouko, Bashung, Sting, and the great singers of jazz, her bilingual album is an eclectic mix of soul, jazz, pop and funk. The album has all the contours of hope and celebrations of life, along with a mixture of the fragility and forces of nature. It is also a heartfelt dedication to her father who died of cancer. “Singing has always been a spirit inside me; an intense passion. I connect intimately with the music and sing to express myself and my emotions”, says Lou. “Inspiration for this album came to me like an earthquake after my father died, it flowed quickly and naturally.” Lou began singing as a child, letting her voice echo down the stairs of her parents home in the south of France. A hidden ambition for many years, it was only a few years ago she decided to take it more seriously, writing and co-composing her first album in 2008 ‘Tic Tac Mania’. At this time the identity of Lou Salomé was not born yet, but the first steps of her musical journey had begun. “The singing was deep-rooted since my early childhood, so deep that I did nothing to indulge it for all those years. Then one day it became clear, and I understood that I had to engage with my passion and dare to share these things that have always resonated within me.” A relative newcomer in the music industry, Lou started her career at age 34, a bit late perhaps in the age of youth claiming fame younger and younger. What she does bring to the musical table is grace and soul, as well as experience in many different genres of music, allowing her to realise that she does not want to be locked in to just one classifiable genre. With the confidence to pursue her dream and the talent to back it up, her music is beginning to cross oceans and transcend borders with the help of her music collaborator and childhood friend - Carine Bonnefoy - a renowned pianist and jazz composer in France. With their eyes set on Canadian Folk Festivals, concert halls, and clubs, Lou is excited by touring a bilingual country such as Canada. “I want to hear English-speaking people singing my songs in French, and French people singing my songs in English, crossing borders to embrace each other in universality.” Onstage Lou does not disappoint, to the ears, or to the eyes. Extremely watchable, her style is uniquely hers; feminine, bohemian, and sexy combined with nostalgic flair. “I’m influenced by the 20’s”, says Lou. “I love the materials that make you so elegant and feminine, the pearls, the feathers, the (false) fur and the women’s liberalization that occurs during this period. Coco Chanel was a precursor of this trend and I love her work for that.” One of the first women to wear trousers, cut her hair and reject the corset was Coco Chanel. Probably the most influential woman in fashion of the 20th century, Chanel did much to further the emancipation and freedom of women’s fashion. And if you think the name ‘Lou Salome’ sounds familiar, you are right. The singer chose her stage name based on the Russian-born Lou Andreas-Salome, one of the first women psychoanalysts who dared to write about female sexuality. Lou has based her image on the free-spirited nature of this woman, and her vintage Chanel flair echoes this theme onstage, through her image and her music. What does she like to wear when performing? “I love to wear heels, false fur, peacock feathers, and a pearl garland on my head. I love to wear also cuffs on my wrists and lace...I love to mix the styles of the 20’s with a contemporary style. I love sophisticated materials as well as fur or feather that illustrates the animal part we have all in us.” Signature items? “I always wear a pearl headband and peacock feathers, I used them for the album cover. When I was a child, I was fascinated by the beauty of this bird. I found it bizarre, mysterious and marvellous in the same time, different. I love the feather, it looks like an eye, maybe the third eye, who knows?!! It is for me the eye of the child I was, all what made me from my childhood until today, all the life experiences and the memories.” As she prepares for a string of concerts in the south of France, Lou is nervous, as always. When I ask her how she deals with her nerves, she gives me a quote from Oscar Wilde: “Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”. As Lou has proved, it’s never to late to shoot for the moon, and there is no doubt that wherever she goes, she has star quality. Look out for Lou Salome performing across Canada next year. In the meantime check out her album on her website http://www.lousalome.fr/en, Spotify or Amazon.

Urban Gentleman is the theme for fall with sophisticated fabrics and tailored shapes trending runways from Lanvin, Burberry Prorsum to Yves Saint Laurent. Keep in mind it’s all about the fit no matter what trend you’re embracing. Blue Black No, it’s not navy blue. It’s blue-black, and it flooded runways from Paul Smith to Yves Saint Laurent for Fall 2012. The summer’s bright, cobalt blues took a walk to the dark side and are showing up in moody, inky shades. Grab hold of the trend and invest in a blue-black, classic wool coat or well-tailored suit. Layers As the weather gets cooler, pile on the layers. Seems like a no-brainer, right? But the key to this look is showing off those layers through pattern and texture. Burberry Prorsum nailed the trend by layering polka-dot button-ups under monochromatic suits and classic wool coats. All topped off with gloves and tweed news-boy hats. Texture Touch-worthy fabrics from fur, wool to velvet are now fair game for both men and women. DSquared2 presented green, mohair sweaters in its fall/winter 2012 collection while Lanvin revisited old-fashioned, gangster glamour with wool coats flaunting exaggerated collars in sheep’s fleece. Leather Leather lapels, sleeves, cuffs and collars dominated runways as accents to the dark looks of the season. Wear it discreetly in the details, or invest in a leather blazer or the minimalist motorcycle jacket perfected by Philip Lim.

Extravagance and sophistication covered fall/winter runways in tailored silhouettes, lavish details and outrageous patterns. The more drama the better this season, whether it be a head-to-toe white ensemble or geometric prints layered to the max. White Out This surprising trend coined ‘Winter White’ strutted down the runways of fashion’s heaviest hitters including Alexander Wang, Chanel and Proenza Schouler. The all-white ensembles have us yearning to pull of the sophisticated look and adding the neighborhood drycleaner on speed dial. Geometry Lesson The only textbook you need for this tutorial is a glossy copy of PHABRIK. Math inspired prints from triangles, squares to hexagons have the trend-hungry mixing and matching from top to bottom. Most noteworthy was Prada’s flawless execution of the trend with pantsuits and coats covered in geometric, boldly coloured prints. If It Ain't Baroque Designers take us time travelling to the Renaissance with ornate embroidery, gold detailing, lace trims and luxurious fabrics. Large chandelier earrings and gold accessories act as icing on this already indulgent cake. Silhouettes are modernized, but peplums and angled shoulders hint at over-the-top shapes of past eras. Fur Sure Draped over the shoulders of countless models at fashion weeks around the globe, the fur stole claimed its title as the Fall 2012 fashion accessory. But models had no fear of flying red paint, as more designers went the faux route to appease conscious consumers. Play with fur to add texture and dimension to your fall ensembles. The Pant Suit The woman’s pantsuit has returned edgier than ever. One of the most versatile investments in your wardrobe, the pantsuit offers a fierce, powerful appeal. Exchange the pants for jeans for more casual attire that still looks polished.

Photographs © Rainer Torrado, courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier For his Spring/Summer 2013 menswear collection, Gaultier sought inspiration yet again in sailor tailoring and imagery (as often witnessed in previous collections, namely his trademark buttoned panel sailor’s trousers, Breton tops in horizontal blue and white stripes, and cape-back tops) but added an exotic dimension by picturing his garments worn by sailors in the far-flung shores of India. As such, his customary designs were contrasted against a range of bold colours, patterns and designs inspired by Indian landscape, social history and religion (such as shades of red and yellow, layered fabrics and pleated harem pants), and were mixed with elements that evoked travel story-telling, as manifest in clothes richly printed with sailing and fishing motifs or meticulously encrusted with minute beading on dark fabrics as a way to represent starry nights in warm climates. At the same time, the seafaring passage of time and space could be glimpsed in patterns inspired by the rhythmic movements of waves in the ocean such as textured striped seersucker fabrics, pinstripes that discretely vanished and faded into plain colours on wool jackets, trousers or overalls, or stripes that changed directions to create dynamic patterns in cotton tops. In addition, waxed linen was used in some outerwear pieces to evoke water and sea travel, and the rough masculine world of maritime existence as symbolised by sailors’ tattoos could be discerned in delicate and feminine rich embroidery and lace. Despite the very successful incorporation of Indian imagery into his Spring/Summer 2013 menswear collection, it was in the mastering of details that Gaultier struck sartorial gold again. This was evident in astonishing features or broader design choices, such as the careful and playful positioning of buttons, the subtle deconstruction of traditional tailoring by introducing layering and asymmetrical cuts, the adoption of bright summery colour (a rare vision during the latest Paris Men’s Fashion Week), and the stunning pleating (with contrasting colour stitching) that created a kilt-like effect by adding a removable back skirt to shorts or to the wondrous raincoats.