Bid farewell to the quirky florals and pastels of summer. Fall 2013 menswear is masculine, sleek and refined. The Statement Scarf An easy accessory to update your fall wardrobe, the statement scarf started trending on city streets first. Earlier this year, street-style photographers snapped shot after shot of fashionable men wearing everything from printed bandanas tied neatly above collars to oversized, knit scarves wrapped in thick layers. The sidewalk-born trend found its way into designer collections by Kolor, Yohji Yamamato, Trussardi and Gucci. Solid colours are best for pairing with various topcoats, but if you’re looking for a more playful approach try it in a folk inspired print, or the season’s other hottest trend - plaid. Camo-tion Some of the season’s best menswear collections incorporated camouflage into their fall offerings. Some designers showed the print in its traditional tones, while others reinterpreted camo through deconstructed prints and surprising colour combinations. The season’s standout was surely the sleek, black on black camo executed by Valentino. Need for Tweed Tweed blazers, vests, topcoats and suits had menswear models looking absolutely academic this season. J. Crew and Ralph Lauren produced stunning tobacco brown suits in the scholastic fabric, while Paul Smith enveloped models in oversized, grey tweed topcoats over colourful fall layers. Plaid Fad Fall and plaid have been in a long-term love affair for years, so it’s not surprise the pattern is back for another seasonal fling. DSquared2 breathed fresh life into the fall favourite, crossing vibrant blues and greens on sheen fabrics. The mad plaid suits presented by Valentino were absolutely exquisite in tailoring, while Saint Laurent took it grunge in collared zip-up jackets.

Perfumers around the globe are constantly experimenting with combinations of essential fragrant oils and aromatic compounds to create new scents the rest of us cannot resist. Be they eaux de cologne, eaux de toilette, or eaux de parfum. Designers then place them in covetable flacons, veritable objet’art that demand to be displayed. Featured here are a few of the most recent introductions to the marketplace. Boucheron Place Vendome is named for the location of the first jeweler to locate there. Frederic Boucheron chose 26 Place Vendome because he believed it to be on the sunniest corner of the square. The shops diamonds would sparkle more brilliantly in the sun that shone through the windows. There are now more than thirty Boucheron boutiques located in the chicest shopping districts on the planet. Boucheron Place Vendome housed in an elegant “quilted” glass cylinder accented in gold. The Eau de Parfum’s top notes include orange blossom and pink pepper, warming to heart notes of jasmine and honey, finishing with notes cedarwood and benzoin. The fragrance will debut at Hudson’s Bay stores in Canada in October. Jimmy Choo, the name often associated with some of the most desired footwear made today, introduces Flash, the house’s second fragrance. Presented in a lilac tinted faceted glass bottle the scent contains notes of pink pepper, tangerine,and tuberose with base notes of powdery white woods. Prada, the Italian fashion house known for setting more than a few of the fashion world’s haughtiest trends debuts Prada Candy L’eau. A lighter version of their best selling original , the fragrance is modified with notes of Italian citrus, sweet pea with gourmand base notes of benzoin, white musk and caramel. The bottle is indentical in shape and form to the original, the bright fuschia faux accent ribbon is now a delicate blush pink. The Parisian fashion house of Carven was established in Paris on the Champs Elysees in 1945 by Carmen de Tommasso. The atelier focused on Haute Couture and accessories for the petite woman as well as various fragrances. The first scent, Ma Griffe launched in 1946, was a green chypre with floral notes, it is still sold to this day. The house flourished throughout the fifties and sixties, the designer retired in 1993. The house remained dormant until French designer Guillaume Henry came on board in 2010 revitalizing the house with a new fresh spirit. Carven Le Parfum is presented in a simple chic frosted glass bottle topped with a clear glass stopper encircled with gold thread. the top notes include mandarin blossom, apricot and white hyacinth, the heart has sweet pea and ylang ylang the base has sandalwood, osmanthus and Indonesian Patchouli. Elizabeth Arden, born Florence Nightingale Graham in rural Canada opened her first Red Door Salon on 5th Avenue in New York City in 1910. By the 1930’s she had established Red Door Salons in most of the world’s fashion capitals. Her mantra (which you will find printed on the box lining of the firms newest scent) “to be beautiful is the birthright of every woman” launches Untold Eau de Parfum. A fruity floral scent with top notes of pink pepper and cassis, middle or heart notes of Egyptian jasmine and gardenia, warming to patchouli, amber and musk. Juicy Couture’s newest temptation is the limited edition Viva La Juicy Noir. A seductive version of the firms best selling Viva La juicy scent. The Noir version has top notes of berries and mandarin, middle notes of honeysuckle and gardenia and gourmand base notes of amber, caramel and vanilla. Canadian beauty icon Lise Watier launched her newest scent Something Sweet in April 2013 with a novel idea. Create a two month long web campaign contest to become the official spokesperson for the fragrance. More than 400 contestants submitted photos. Twenty one year old, Coquitlam B.C. resident Jessica Kruger won the honour. The 4th year Simon Fraser University student is the first quadriplegic to win a contest naming her “Beauty Ambassador”. (Read more about the contest and winner at http://somethingsweet.lisewatier.com/en/) The scent, which is now available in a convenient purse size roll on version, launched in August has top notes of champagne bubbles and sorbet, notes of melon and red fruit dominate the heart ending with gourmand notes of raspberry and chocolate mousse in the base.

From ultra feminine pink, to the plaids of 90’s grunge, this season leaves plenty of options for wardrobe play. Grunge Goddess Leather, plaid, studs and ripped jeans galore. This trend actually encourages you to return to your angsty teen wardrobe and rep rebellion. Saint Laurent demonstrated the grunge trend in its most ready-to-wear version with leather pants, schoolgirl plaid dresses, and multi-zipper embellished miniskirts. All styled with fishnet stockings and buckled, black biker boots. The key to executing this trend on the sidewalks? Leather, plaid and looking like you didn’t try at all. The It-Pant Comfort has been crowned queen of fall fashion, appearing in relaxed silhouettes from top to bottom. The loose-fitted trouser is an autumn must-have and looks absolutely chic paired with heels and a more tailored top. On our most wanted list are the perfect slouchy pants from sister superstars Mary Kate and Ashley’s, The Row. The fall collection showed the trend in its most wearable form – simple, black, classic. Coat Room The world’s runways made it very clear - bigger is better when it comes to fall coats. Cocoon shapes and dropped-shoulders draped models in shows from Carven to Marc Jacobs, Chloe to Acne. Wool, mohair and leather were the star fabrics for this effortless, but exaggerated silhouette, but pattern and colour had no limits. Go for a sleek and traditional grey topcoat as seen by Emporio Armani, or flaunt the trend in all its glory with an elegant pattern such as Rochas floral silk opera coat. Think Pink To the surprise of us all, this feminine hue might be the colour of fall/winter 2013. Pink starred in many designer collections and is the focus of some of the season’s most illustrious fashion editorials, including the September issue of British Vogue starring it-model Cara Delevingne. The cotton candy shade stood out in a season of more androgynous trends imagined mostly in outerwear. Prada executed the colour on sophisticated plaid trenches, while Miu Miu paired it with playful polka dots in floor length jackets. Carven prescribed the trend in a double-dose: a show stopping, oversized, boiled wool coat in bubblegum pink. Let the lusting begin.

Have you ever inspected, fondled or wore a garment that was priced at over $25,000.00? If I narrow the parameters and eliminate fur pieces from your options, you may find it difficult to think of the last time (if ever) that you’ve come across something with such a considerable price tag. Recently, I had the privilege of getting a very close look at a Fall 2013 Balmain Ready-to-wear jacket that was by all accounts...divine. The craftsmanship that goes into a piece like this is overwhelming and all too obvious within the first glance. That every inch is encrusted in jewels and glass beads raises the jacket from common to Fabergé in about 5000 hours. And even though its mass resembles a bag of stones you’d never complain while wearing it? Not when you put it on and every eye is affixed to you like a blogger to a front row seat at fashion week. The thrill of wearing a piece like this is incomprehensible until you’ve worn something quite like it which... as I’ve mentioned above, is quite rare. Taking into account all the intricate handwork and dumbfounding exquisiteness that makes up a piece like this, is it worth it? When you consider a Kazimir Malevich painting such as the Suprematist Composition (blue rectangle over the red beam) which sold for just over 65 million or Mark Rothko’s No 1 (Royal Red and Blue) painting that recently sold for a staggering 75 million; dishing out $25,000 on a jacket seems like pocket change. Especially since the item you’re owning is a sanctioned piece of art and a piece of history created by Head Designer Olivier Rousteing of Balmain. You might even call it an investment seeing how resale on premium designer clothing is becoming more and more profitable. The mention of Malevich and Rothko is not to, in any way demean their works but rather draw a parallel between the art that these great artists produce and their relative prices. Haute Couture has always had its hands wrapped around the leash of the fashion world and dominating the runways, and rightfully so. With every centimeter designed by hand, each piece measured and cut precisely, each bead sewn on one-by-one not to mention the personalized fittings that go along with the sale of each look on the runway - shouldn’t the couturiers get to turn the head of the fashion industry in whichever direction they please? I used to think so. But since Haute Couture has decreased measurably as a subsidiary industry within fashion, Ready-to-wear brands have stepped up there game and are filling in the gap. So... who has the power now? Thankfully the “power” still resides with the buyer. They get to choose how fashion creates, what pieces are magnificent and if fashion truly is an art form. The Balmain piece I was lucky enough to try on is owned by a good friend of mine who, when asked whether they would rather spend the money on a similar piece from a Ready-to-wear brand or start shopping Couture, said “Isn’t this Couture?” And aside from countless fittings, isn’t it?

London-based architect Zaha Hadid and property developer Related Companies have unveiled plans for an 11-storey building that will be built beside the High Line at 520 West 28th Street in New York City. The residential building, which will be Hadid’s first project in the city, will comprise approximately 37 luxury apartments and will include a double-height lobby, a large roof terrace, an indoor pool and a spa. Images courtesy of Related Companies and Zaha Hadid Architects

- Photographs by Tracy Grabowski - Styled by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Hair by Alexander Daniel, Chantal Girard, James Abu-Ulba for Davines - Makeup by Sylvie Desroches for Jane Iredale - Sofia / Wylie at Next Models Paris

When I’m in the middle of a project I feel like I’m totally inside my dreams, but when a project ends I can never help but feel like I still have a long way to go. How did you start? I started working when I was 16 years old in a store where I made fashion accessories. I worked there for two years and then took a contemporary jewelry course at an art school. Fashion Designer Ana Salazar invited me to create fashion accessories while I was still studying. Because I began my career working with Ana, my creative process has always been very connected to the parameters of fashion. What was your original mission with your work? To be able to live of my creativity and to share my visions with others. Do you ever create things that no one sees? Sometimes I develop work that does not get presented but it is part of my creative process. I call these works “Work in Progress” because that’s literally what it is. They’re four very distinct elements inside a machine that continue to give me ideas for other projects and exploration. How do you like to work? I have to admit that my creative universe works best in chaos; I don’t like to have every thing very organized because it affects the creative flow. I like to look around and see what’s available. I need to experiment with materials. Is experimentation crucial for you? Without a doubt. I’ve tried many different techniques and inspirations, from baroque to tribal, inserting them in different creative processes to see how it would work. I like to turn an ordinary material into something exquisite. At first glance a press-stud seems to only serve the function for which it was created, there’s nothing beautiful about it, but by applying them to a piece, I’m creating a beautiful and luxurious dimension, caused by the texture and achieved by the use of repetition of the same element. I now feel the need to get a little more experimental, even with materials. I don’t have as much time as I’d like to explore them. How do you choose the materials you’re going to work? In the beginning I would have an idea and then look for the appropriate materials to execute it. There came a time when I realized I could do the reverse as there are materials that give me ideas and bring relevant concepts. Now, the creative process happens both ways. It’s an enormous challenge to pick up an object and try to imagine how else it could work. It brings me great joy, when the original object becomes unrecognizable. During the creative process, do you make the distinction between your fashion pieces and art pieces? I know that many people look at my work and wonder if it’s wearable as some pieces can go from a fashion collection and can then be displayed in a gallery. The work process is the same but it makes sense to separate these two aspects of creation. Do you always keep in mind the commercial and marketable aspect of a piece? I don’t allow myself to be dictated by that. When I create a piece that’s not as commercial, I try to refine it in order to make it more wearable, which doesn’t make it any easier or less creative. It doesn’t lose its worth, but I know my customer and know what works. In my case I can’t oversimplify, otherwise it doesn’t capture the attention of those who like my work. You’ve always collaborated with other artists from different fields. Do you enjoy the creative exchange? I really enjoy it. I’m always touched when I conceive a piece that is then transported to the universe of a photographer. Its exciting and working this way can learn a lot. All my life I’ve worked in open studios shared with other artists and I find it far more constructive than working in isolation. Does the fact that every six months you have to present a new collection keep the creative juices flowing? Absolutely. And many ideas not fully explored in one collection can be put to use in another, it’s an ongoing process. There are techniques I discovered 2 years ago that are still to be applied, and I will return to them, the process is never just six months. Your 20 year career was celebrated with a retrospective exhibition in 2010. How did it feel looking back at your work? It was complex when it came to collecting all the pieces. Much has happened in 20 years and it was good to look back... The pieces enabled me to visualize who I once was; it’s interesting to see the evolution of my work. At the end, the pieces had to interact with each other and I must admit it was an interesting dialogue. What are hardships you experienced being an artist? The biggest difficulty is to work without financial support. Particularly at the beginning of a career You really do have to learn from your mistakes. In school, you learn to draw, work with materials, and develop a project, but no one teaches you how to sustain a creativity-based business. It’s very hard to focus on your work when you have to do all the equally crucial things like contacting clients and collectors, promote your work, etc. All without which success is rather impossible. What is you ultimate mission? To show people my creative world within. Are you closer to realizing your dream? When I’m in the middle of a project I feel like I’m totally inside my dreams, but when a project ends I can never help but feel like I still have a long way to go.

  - Photographs by Roberto Magliozzi - Styled by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Hair by Chantal Girard for Davines - Makeup by Valentina Lordanova for MUD Studio Milano, Olga Bordoni - Loredana Next Models Milan

- Photographs by Tracy Grabowski - Styled by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Hair by Sarah Cameron for Davines - Makeup by Sylvie Desroches for Jane Iredale - Natasha at Next Models Paris

Uruguayan (and New York-based) architect Rafael Viñoly has designed what will become the tallest residential building in the western hemisphere when it is completed in 2015. Since it was launched in March 2013, the 96-storey 432 Park Avenue condominium has achieved over 1 billion USD in sales of apartments priced between 7 million USD and 95 million USD. The homes in the concrete and glass building will command views of Central Park, as well as of the Hudson and East rivers through 10 by 10 foot apertures that evoke Mies van der Rohe’s architectural compositions.