Since the explosion of bloggers, street style and the commercialization of fashion week, wearing outlandish ensembles and letting your freak flag fly has never been so popular. With fashion’s elite wearing complete runway looks out and about and some bloggers becoming celebrities because of their almost alien looking wardrobes, everyone wants a piece of the attention pie. The need to be photographed and popularized has had an interesting effect on fashion weeks around the world especially outside the tents and venues of the years most anticipated shows. It’s become something of a three ring circus with trigger happy photo bloggers and wack-a-doo clothing which may ultimately be revolutionizing the ways in which designers and consumers find inspiration in dressing themselves or creating new collections. Or… they’re just giving us all a good laugh at their expense. Can dressing over the top be an expression of art and self through fashion? Or is it a cheap thrill to dress up in peculiar manner and give circus performers a run for their money? A tall man in heels walks slowly down what is now known as the “catwalk” in Lincoln Center leading up to the entrance of Mercedes-Benz fashion week wearing a long cream colored cape and matching suit. Sitting atop his head is a hat that resembles a warrior’s helmet molded to his head (in matching cream of course) with a perpendicular fin shooting out the top… The epitome of ridiculousness and the street style photographers are eating it up. He lingers around marble pillars and pretends to text someone giving the photographers the shots they crave. This is around 11:00 A.M. Around 7:00 P.M. the spectacle has somehow made his way into the tents and is posing with celebrities and such. Someone asks him if he saw any shows today… “No” he replies. His purpose at MBFW was to get photographed and chat with people… how interesting. Though the outfit matched in its material and theme, the look was utterly preposterous and lacked any element of style or relevant fashion that would have made it acceptable to wear to an event up to and including fashion week. It’s not enough to wear something crazy and act like a tart when attending a fashion show, or something of the like. I’d of thought it common sense to make absolutely sure that the outfit you’re wearing compliments your style, is relevant to the event in some way, or represent how you want to be perceived by the world. You may even wish to include a statement regarding where you think fashion is going or what is trending through your accessories and shoe choices. Gazing at the gaspalicious looks can be intriguing and fun, but the truth is, it is coming to a point where only the craziest looks are being shot while the style forward outfits are being ignored. So who’s to blame? We can’t simply blame the bloggers, fashion victims who mean well, or flippant writers in dramatic attire; nor can we solely point the finger at people who loiter in and around the tents. Instead, we have to take a look at fashion as a whole and determine who or what is perpetuating this. Looking at many of fashion’s most influential people from days gone by including Isabella Blow, Anna Piaggi, and Alexander McQueen we can see that they were all influencers for intense fashion and often times wore or created the most inspirational pieces and pulled them off with wit and precision. Are they to blame for setting the stage for the circus? No, definitely not. Their looks were always refined and told a story. Also, they were always perfectly in sync with the wearers’ personality. They will never be forgotten, but not because they looked silly or outlandish, because their style simply transcended modern conventional dressing. Aside from fashion personalities and designers, editors of many of the world’s biggest and most influential fashion magazines are also spectacles at the best of times including Anna Dello Russo from Vogue Nippon and Giovanna Battaglia of L‘Uomo Vogue. Having professionals dressed in wild and wonderful clothing (many styled and dressed exactly as they appear on the runway) only serves to publicize looks from a certain collection and push the reach of fashion even further. Fact is, stealing the lime light can be pulled off by abiding these simple rules: Rule 1: Dress for yourself. Rule 2: Dress in a way that represents your sense of style rather than what your perception of what could be seen as stylish. Rule 3: Trends are great, but be sure they complement you rather than override the focus of your look. Rule 4: Don’t dress like Lady Gaga… there’s only one Mother Monster. Rule number 4 also applies to Iris Apfel, Daphne Guinness, and Adam Lambert. To wrap this up, it’s important to look, dress, and act exactly how you are. Pretending to be famous or weird or anything else for attention is ultimately folly and will leave you on the comical side of the fashion front liners. Be a trooper and push your boundaries of fashion by wearing a well put together outfit instead of playing dress up and end up looking like a clown.

Architect Zaha Hadid has unveiled the Liquid Glacial series of tables at the inaugural exhibition for the new David Gill gallery in London’s St James. The tables, which come in clear or in colour, resemble ice formations made from clear and coloured acrylic. The geometry of the flat table tops appears transformed from static to fluid by the subtle waves and ripples evident below the surface, which seem to pour from the horizontal through a vortex that forms the table legs. The transparent acrylic material, milled and hand-polished to create their finish, amplifies this perception, adding depth and complexity through a display of kaleidoscopic refractions. The result generates a surface dynamic that inherits a myriad of colours from its context and continually adapts with the observer’s changing viewpoint. The tables represent Zaha Hadid’s application of her architectural process to the design of furniture. Known for pushing the boundaries of architecture and design, her fluid forms are informed by multiple perspectives in defiance of accepted ways of working in space. Hadid’s key architectural projects include the Rosenthal Centre for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, the Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg, Germany, the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games, the National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome (MAXXI) and the Guangzhou Opera House in China. Hadid has lived in London since attending the Architectural Association in the 1970s. He work has been featured in several exhibitions worldwide and she has won numerous awards, including the Pritzker Prize, the Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association, and the Stirling Prize by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Beijing-based MAD Architects have completed their Absolut Towers (nicknamed ‘Marilyn Monroe Towers’ by the locals owing to their curvaceous shapes) in Mississauga, Canada. The two residential towers (one of 56 stories and the other is 50) are located at the junction of two main streets. They feature a continuous balcony that surrounds the whole building, eliminating the vertical barriers traditionally used in high-rise architecture. The entire building rotates by different degrees at different levels, corresponding with the surrounding scenery and providing 360 degree views of nature for each residential unit. The project was recently awarded the best new building in the Americas by the Council of Tall Buildings and Habitat (CTBUH).

The Evergrande Tower, designed by UK architecture firm Terry Farrell and Partners, has started construction in the central business district of Jinan, the capital of China’s Shandong province. The tower, which comes with a building price tag of approximately 25 billion Yuan (or 4 billion USD), will contain apartments, offices, and entertainment and retail spaces. When completed, the Evergrande Tower will stand at 560 metres and will be China’s second tallest skyscraper after the Shanghai Tower by Gensler Architects (due to be complete in 2014).

This season, designers offered men more exotic ensembles than seen in recent years. Unconventional looks composed entire collections, including head-to-toe florals, white-on-white layering and pops of pastel. Navigate through the whimsy with our top trend picks for the season. White Noise White, white and more white. Layering of this non-colour was a key trend from designers Philip Lim, Gucci, and Givenchy. Popular for women over winter, the clean, sophisticated look is now masculinized. Invest in a great pair of white chinos, or a well-tailored trench to pull of the look with effortless poise. Secret Garden Florals made dashing appearances in many menswear collection and we’re yearning to see this trend walk from the runways onto sidewalks. Find inspiration from Raf Simons’ lengthy floral jackets, showing the print in its most wearable light. Even safer, incorporate the print into your look with accessories such as ties or pocket scarves. Color Theory Spring 2013 runways served bold brights and even pastels for colour thirsty men from the likes of Lanvin, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. If a head-to-toe pastel pink suit is too intimidating, try easing into the palette by layering the daring hues under your current wardrobe neutrals. But bottom line: go bold or go home. Bombs Away Athletic-inspired apparel rounded the bases this season, including one distinct item – the bomber jacket. Sported in every print, colour and fabric the options are limitless. Party hoppers and fashion insiders might opt for a bomber in red satin and floral print as seen from Dolce & Gabbana , while those looking to flaunt their boyish charm might lean towards a wool or cotton jacket in traditional hues such as navy blue, greys or army green.

Spring/Summer 2013 is a season to be excited about. Stripes, brights and other fashion delights debuted, offering up some fun and fresh trends worth investing in. Smarten up that wardrobe and step into spring with these easy-to-wear trends freshly picked from the world’s runways. Peek-a-Boo Peek-a-boo cutouts offer a more playful, conservative approach to showing a little flesh. Simple and intricately cut details are trending on tops and dresses, found on necklines, right below bust lines and waistlines. The slits let all body types play with sexing up even the most conservatively designed garment. Walk the Line Marc Jacobs set the standard for this spring trend, pairing up stripes top to bottom for a high contrast look. Go bold and mix and match with varying patterns for a fashion forward feel, or keep it simple matching stripes with solid basics. Bright On Spring hatched some shockingly bright colours, bordering on neon at times. Jenni Kayne decked out models in electrifying pink pantsuits while Diane von Furstenberg paired fluorescent green with aqua for a juicy colour combination. Be brave and play matchy-matchy, layering one bright on top of another for a chic monochromatic ensemble. Short and Sweet Short suits are the essential trend for women this season. Take this put-together look from nine-to-five straight into cocktail hour following the lead of designers such as Jil Sander, Carven, Jenni Kayne and Marissa Web who perfected the look with well-tailored blazers and shorts in high-end fabrics and feminine details.  

It’s an exciting time for us at Mode Models, as we are entering our fifth season supporting Western Canada Fashion Week! We shot five models wearing five Edmontonain designers to celebrate our partnership with the start up. The image proudly commemorates the growing fashion community and our collaborations with talented Edmonton designers in the last few years. Supporting local talent and bringing light to Edmonton’s burgeoning fashion industry has been of utmost importance to us. WCFW has served as a fantastic training platform for fresh faces looking to gain experience on the runway and many of those promising young models are taking the skills learned at the Transalta Arts Barns to propel themselves forward in the international market. Since March 2011 we have been honoured to support Malorie Urbanovitch, Angelique Chmielewski, LUXX, Suka, and Nicole Campre among others. Malorie started working as a stylist for Mode Models. She started showing her eponymous ready to wear line in October 2010 and since then she has been featured in Fashion Magazine and British Vogue. Nicole Campre won WCFW’s inaugural Emerging Designer competition in April 2012. After getting a head start locally by designing for Loft 82, she is now moving forward with her ready to wear line. Nicole has also been featured in Fashion Magazine and British Vogue. Angelique Chmielewski is now based out of New York after graduating from New York’s prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology and working under contemporary designer Yigal Azrouel. Her collection can be found at Coup Garment Boutique. Designers Alisha Schick of Suka Clothing and Derek Jagodzinsky of LUXX RTW have been local design darlings for many years. Alisha celebrated 10 years with her women’s line last year and teaches fashion design and illustration at MC College to the next generation when she isn’t designing her next collection. Derek graduated from the U of A with a Bachelor of Design, followed by an internship in New York with Michael Kaye Couture. In his spare time he is a graphic designer for WCFW and Phabrik Magazine as well heavily involved with their initiatives to support local designers. Both designers stock their wares locally at Bamboo Ballroom (Suka) and Thread Hill (LUXX). These five local trendsetters have received incredible national and international attention, and are quickly raising the bar for the next generation of local artists. We chose to celebrate them as they continue to push the limits of Edmonton fashion and take it to new heights. We look forward to watching these talented individuals continue to grow in the next five seasons.

- Photographer: Ernest studio-e.ca - Photo Assistant: Angela MobergMake Up: James KershawHair: Sandy Tang - Art Director/Stylist: Sandra Sing Fernandes - Models: Julian PHABRIK artist management - Featuring musician Martin Johann Kloppers - Location: Red Piano

- Photography: Amanda Diaz - Photo Assistant: Ferd Isaac - Makeup: James Kershaw - Hair Stylists: Chantal Girard, Jami Cuglietta, Sandy Tang - Art Director/Stylist: Sandra Sing Fernandes

Architect Daniel Libeskind has completed ‘The Reflections at Keppel Bay’, a series of aluminium-clad residential towers in Keppel Harbor, Singapore. This is Libeskind’s first residential project in Asia, and his largest completed residential project to date. The six glazed curved towers, that range between 24 and 41 floors feature rooftop gardens and are connected to one another by elevated bridges. The development also includes 11 low-rise villa apartment blocks that range between 6 and 8 floors. Overall, the two-million-square-foot residential development comprises a total of 1,129 units.