- Photography by Grant Olson - Photo Editing by Derek Jagodzinsky - Clothing by Kelly Madden - Accessories PHABRIK - Set/Styling by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Makeup by Jenn Vatour - Hair by Davines Sesson Team - Models Julian, Nicole, Jami, Tara-Lynn, Emma, Jody, Chantal, Muffin - Location PHABRIK art+design Canada Styling Hair with Carl Reeves: The Kevin Murphy Session Master The haircare industry values professional training and takes education very seriously. Learning new skills and gaining experience are essential to perfecting the quality of hairstyles and maintaining an edge in the business. There’s no one else that understands this more than well-known session stylist, Carl Reeves, who was in town working with the Davines Session Team on an editorial shoot. His unbridled passion, dynamic creativity and extensive knowledge in the industry were a welcoming inspiration. The opportunity to style hair alongside Carl Reeves proved to be an exciting, invaluable experience that the Davines Session Team will surely never forget. By Teresa Simmons

- Photography + Digital Art by C Side Photography - Article, Makeup + Art Direction by James Kershaw - Models Gaydra R., Rachel, Grace, Lauren at PHABRIK artist + model management Read My Lips What’s on everyone’s lips this Spring? Colour! Everything from soft pastels to vivid brights in matte, cream or glossy finishes. No bland beiges this season! Clarins Paris proposes a trio of sheer vivid brights in their Joli Rouge Brilliant line, and a pair of new shades, a bright coral and a new crystal clear (not shown), from the house’s Gloss Prodige line presented in the Opalescence Spring makeup collection. Jane Iredale adds two new shades to her very successful line of Lip Fixation lip stains, playfully named after moods or emotions; this spring, look for a vivid coral named Craze and a mauve plum named Compulsion. Each colour is paired with a delicately shimmered companion gloss. Lise Watier also adds to her lip stain collection with the Duo Glam Rouge Infini, her long wear stain mated with a matching lipstick for a chic sophisticated cream finish. Elizabeth Arden’s new range of Beautiful Colour lipsticks launched in Fall 2013, with two very on trend brights: their Neo Classic Coral and Ultraviolet, both ideal for this season. Sweet Cheeks One of the easiest ways to brighten your look is with a pop of colour on the cheeks. Clinique’s new Cheek Pops, the Gerber daisy embossed blush shown here in three of the four shades available has an innovative formula that begins as a liquid that is then transformed though a slow baking process into a soft powder that imparts long-wearing, silky smooth, sheer vibrant colour. PurMinerals launches two new ways to blush this season: cream and powder formulas, both of which are paraben free and have no fillers or chemical dyes. The cream formula is available in two shades, while the powder is available in four. Clarins Paris launches a new version of their much loved Multi-Blush. Clarins describes their newest cheek enhancer (which may also be used on the lips) as a sensorial cream blush that merges with the skin. This new product, available in four bright yet very natural looking shades, is enriched with plant extracts, mimosa, rose water and jojoba to help maintain optimal hydration. The subtly shimmered Havana Bronzing Powder by Lise Watier delivers that much desired sun kissed glow; this item is also available in a matte finish. Jane Iredale, one of the pioneers in the mineral makeup industry, offers a new shade of the popular In Touch Highlighter, the new Comfort shade. It is a gold shimmered pink and is a perfect companion product to her In Touch cream blush sticks. Easy on the Eyes Some of the planet’s most forward fashion houses, such as Dior, Chanel, Prada and Lanvin, as well as Versace, in their spring ad campaigns with Lady GaGa, are showing models wearing the lightest, freshest eye makeup seen in years. Soft pastels or shimmering metallics are swept across lids, often alone or subtly embellished with a flick of liner and mascara. Cosmetic houses this season seem to have an “easy on the eyes’’ attitude. Lise Watier’s Imagine eye shadow quad is a mix of cool and warm shades with a soft pearlized finish inspired by the sky. Clarins’ Vibrant Light Mineral Palette blends cool lilac and violet with soft grey and a shimmering silver highlighter, while Jane Iredale’s new aptly named Golden Girl trio is a blend of soft warm metallics that may be accentuated with her new gel liner in brown.

  Totally Soled Out Rockabilly fans can hoot n’ holler as the pointy toed, buckled shoe reappeared on the runways. Animal, floral and even oh so-feminine lace prints strode down this season’s catwalks. The gladiator sandal, now considered a summer staple, made its presence known in many presentations. Materials ran the gamut from classic leather, both smooth and embossed, to suede. to translucent plastic, in the form of t-strap sandals at John Galliano. Well Heeled Designers turned to elegant styles of yore; lady-like, slim heeled slingbacks and pointy toe pumps all made a comeback this season. Platform soles were not in the forefront as in seasons past, although they are still around, often in the form of the wedge heel. Bright jewel tones made a statement, as did girly embellishments such as bows and ruffles.

- Photography Grant Olson - Article + Art Direction by James Kershaw - Model Ross L. at PHABRIK model + artist management Two of the hottest men’s scents for Spring 2014 are of European and North American origin. John Varvatos, one of the most prolific American designers, adds to his portfolio of best selling men’s fragrances with the launch of the limited edition Artisan Acqua. This invigorating citrus blend has accents of spices and herbs that create a unique woody aroma. The fragrance is the third in the Artisan series following the original Artisan and Artisan Black. The fragrance opens with notes of tangelo, mandarin and angelica root developing to heart notes of clary sage, coriander, basil, geranium and jasmine sambac, and finishes with notes of moss, patchouli and fir balsam.The second fragrance from the house of Mont Blanc is the new Mont Blanc Emblem which debuts in May. Described as a fresh woody aromatic scent with top notes of clary sage, cardamom and sparkling grapefruit, the scent warms to notes of violet leaves and cinnamon, finishing with notes of precious woods and tonka beans. Prada adds another scent to their growing collection of men’s fragrances with the new Luna Rossa Extreme, a new version of their uber successful Luna Rossa launched in 2012. The fragrance is named after the house’s sailing vessel/team that competes in the America’s Cup race. This new interpretation, blended by perfumer Daniela Andrier under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada, is housed in a Yves Behar designed black glass bottle with a jet black carapace cut with vertical apertures. The fragrance opens with bergamot from Italy and it invigorates the black pepper and activates fresh lavender notes, warming to notes of leathery labdanum and juniper berries, m aturing to notes of intense lavender absolute and rich vanilla.

- Photography by Kelly Rosborough - Styling for Derks Formals by Jon Harmon, Sterling Derk, Sean McClure - Architecture and Décor Sandra Sing Fernandes - Model Max M. Mode Models

The season’s trends pay homage to classic styles dating back as early as the 1920’s, but updated for some seriously modern wardrobe play. The Wide-Leg Trade in your skinnies, there’s a new trouser in town. Popularized by Coco Chanel in the 1920’s, wide-leg pants are making a comeback as one of the most wearable trends this year. Labels BCBG MAXAZRIA, Trina Turk and Alice + Olivia perfected the pant in loud prints, billowy fabrics and high waisted versions to elongate the tricky silhouette. Cropped Cher Horowitz would be, like, so stoked to see this 90’s fashion staple dominating spring/summer 2014 runways. This season’s modern crop top has been classed up in well-tailored versions and mature palettes. See 3.1 Phillip Lim’s elegant lavender fabric and BCBG’S boxy white sportswear take on the trend. Candy Store It’s no surprise sugary sweet pastels are trending for spring, nor Pantone’s “Colour of the Year,” Radiant Orchid. What is surprising are these soft hues matched head to toe as seen on Burberry, Armani and Jason Wu runways—a bold statement that can earn you serious street style points. Great Lengths Characterized by its calf-grazing hemline, the midi-skirt dates back to the 1940’s post-war era. Fashion has recycled the style over the years, always staying true to its origins as a sophisticated and elegant piece, à la Grace Kelly. The skirt swished onto runways last spring and is coming back even stronger for 2014. Editor favourites included the playful plaid House of Holland and Marchesa lace pencil midis. Bombs Away Labels Suka Clothing and Marc by Marc Jacobs are putting a feminine spin on the traditionally sporty bomber jacket with accents like floral sleeves and satin sheen. Paired with a pencil skirt, the garment looks extra chic.

I am sitting in a warehouse in New York as intricately placed incandescent tube lights flicker to life on what was then the Diesel Black Gold Fall 2013 show. The models hit the catwalk in waxed wool and lacquered studded pieces that screamed early 90’s. It wasn’t like anything else I’d seen that season and I knew it was going to be popular. I left thinking that hiring Andreas Melbostad as Diesel Black Gold’s new creative director was a perfect idea and after tweeting madly and Vine-ing the finale, I strutted off to find myself a slim-fitting pair of waxed pants. I went to a number of stores, but ultimately found what I was looking for at H&M. I squeezed into them, tore off the price tickets, paid and wore them out... no questions asked. One thing I noted was how many other obvious fashion enthusiasts were hunting for waxed denim, glossy finished leathers and studded body-con dresses - all in the name of achieving the trends that hit the Diesel runway that very morning. I took the liberty of asking one of the girls (a young fashion blogger) who was buying a leather studded skirt—in the name of market research—where she got the drive to buy such an impractical item from? Her answer... “Diesel Black Gold.” So there we were, literally a half year before the pieces we saw this morning will even hit the shelves, wearing out the trend. And I DID wear out that trend! I wore those pants to World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto, I wore those pants to Europe when I went with my family on vacation, I wore those pants to the movies, the club, the after parties. I WORE THOSE PANTS! Six months after the show, the pieces from the collection hit stores. I was excited to check out the clothes in the flesh and there they were. The studded calf skin pants, the fitted dresses, the unforgiving slim knits, all of it was there. But... I was over it. I was tired of the collection pursed under the “New Arrivals” sign. I’d seen it on every fashionable Instagram account, on every Facebook News Feed and Fanpage that had anything to do with fashion. From Style .com and WWD I relived the show taking notes on styling and how to emulate the looks from the runway; not to mention that the colours, the fabrics, the silhouettes... they were all available and ready to be picked up at a moments notice. All I had to do was go out and buy them at the nearest fast fashion retailer. Not the same as the ready-to-wear collection by a long shot, but conceptually they lacked difference, aesthetically they were more consubstantial than they were contrasting and so I went for it... and so did everybody else. The shows were nearly too accessible with livestream viewing, bloggers blogging on location (like myself) via social media sites like Instagram, Vine and Pinterest; then there were the traditional media sources like: Huffington Post, Vogue and the Telegraph. So not only did you see the shows, you were bombarded with images, gifs and videos of them from HD video to the lowest quality blurred images of models walking down the runway sloppily snapped up by Anna Dello Russo or Bryanboy, from the instant the pic was taken to long after the show had finished. By the time the product is in stores you are overexposed to it. And if there’s something I’ve learned about fashion... it’s that it needs to be needed, it needs demand. Overexposure kills demand. Social media creates a buzz about certain items like the Bambi Givenchy sweater or the Chanel Lego clutch, which we love to love (and love to buy). But aside from the one offs, we are becoming numb to the industry’s seductive pull because every Man Repelling, Blonde Salad, eating, Cupcake and Cashmere, wearing blogger out there is tweeting fashion’s bottom line to DEATH! The solution? Couture darling! The only way to stop the cycle is to go back to basics and invest (heavily) in the building blocks of fashion. By going to the source, we cut out the wait because couture is shown on the runway, sold right after the show, then made for each buyer and finally shipped to their abode. There is no hype, there is no chance to be “popularized” and more importantly, there is no wait. We have become such a “buy now wear now” society that the only way the fashion industry can keep up is to show their collections closer to the shipping date and by so doing, give stylish people the opportunity to buy the pieces they see on the runway almost instantly. Or the designers could just emulate what Burberry did... Fast forward to the Fall 2014 Burberry Prorsum menswear collection, which showed in early January. The collection was unique in that you could buy the pieces on their e-commerce site right after the collection showed. How inventive and lucrative. This endeavor, though challenging for the tailors at Burberry (constructing the items as the orders come in), was revolutionary in that it afforded customers the opportunity to wear the pieces immediately after they walked the runway. Christopher Bailey and his team should all win medals. This model may have shattered the prestige factor for a great many fashion lovers and will most definitely hinder in-store sales when the Fall 2014 products finally hit stores in June or July, since everyone who REALLY wanted those pieces will have already bought them and worn them to death. It’s better for Burberry if a buyer wears the Burberry Prorsum scarf rather than an extremely similar, slipping under copyright law by a hair “Burrberry” scarf on sale bundled up in a ball, or better yet on the dusty floor of your local Zara. If you love fashion, you will justify the piece, the price and the wait, but what if you didn’t have to wait? With this new model you may not have to, but in the mean time... hold onto your cash and try to wait for the real deal otherwise designer fashion may not make it into the next generation.

 Twenty-four year old Hayley Wright has a unique goal: to bring back the frequently ignored and forgotten art of fashion illustration. Trained in fine arts at the University of British Columbia and holding a diploma in Fashion Marketing and Merchandising from Vancouver’s Visual College of Art and Design, she’s doing a stunning job. A clear vision is apparent from her artwork; her signature use of ink and watercolours tie her range of work together. Hayley’s fashion illustration strikes a charming balance between capturing detail and concept, and expressing fluid movement and emotion. The subjects of Hayley’s artwork seem like they would be the charismatic cool girls working the room; with cheeky pouting faces and impeccable outfits, they ooze confidence from the paper. As she builds a stunning portfolio, selling prints and other interpretations of her art online on Society6 and independently as Paper & Ink Art, Hayley is becoming increasingly more popular. A simultaneous, albeit small, renaissance of fashion illustration spurred on by independent, art-friendly magazines and rising popularity of illustrators like Danielle Meder is helping to make fashion illustration a household word again. Artwork with personality, like Hayley’s, offers a beautiful alternative to static photography—sacrificing some accuracy captures the emotional essence of their subject. And isn’t art, and fashion, about feeling?  

  Watching the bustling intensity of the film award season as it came to a close with the Oscars on March 2nd left me in a reflective state. The films that stick out in my mind as gripping and moving have always incorporated strong, standout scores to support the storytelling process and impact the audience’s senses, heightening the experience. Regardless of the genre, a well-crafted, cohesive film score brings deeper dimension and feeling to each scene, and gives the audience a fuller understanding of the tone of the film. Danny Elfman, Alexandre Desplat, John Williams, James Newton Howard and James Horner are a few of the big names that come to mind when we talk about film music composers. A common theme we find amongst these composers is the great breadth and diverse involvement they’ve had with music over the course of their careers. Many of “The Greats” are multi-instrumentalists, producers, orchestrators or conductors, and often more than one. They’ve had the opportunity to experience music in various ways: listening, creating and arranging. This profound understanding of music and exposure to it in different forums is paramount to composing moving music that will coalesce with a scene. Think of the ominous and thunderous nature of “The Imperial March” in Star Wars. If John Williams was tasked to compose a piece of music to strike fear in the hearts of men (and aliens), I’d say he certainly succeeded. Three soundtracks that find their way into my rotation frequently are Amélie, Pan’s Labyrinth, and About a Boy. Amélie There is much to love about Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 release, Amélie. The sweetness of this film lies in the depiction of life in the Montmartre arrondissement, Amélie’s imaginative and whimsical nature, and of course, the fantastical compositions of Yann Tiersen. The Amélie soundtrack is comprised of accordion and piano rich instrumental pieces that capture the eccentricity and loneliness that is Amélie Poulain. The closing scene of this film, which is one of my favourites, is a great example of music and imagery working in tandem to convey a feeling. We see Amélie and Nino, two endearing misfits, riding through the streets of Paris, carefree and totally in love to “La Valse D’ Amélie.” For the viewer, there is feeling of relief when Amélie and Nino finally get together. Amélie’s ultimate display of courage to let love into her life is a triumph for her that is fervently felt by the audience. “La Valse D’ Amélie,” with its playful yet romantic accordion melody, contributes to these emotions of triumph and freedom, not only for Amélie and Nino, but also for many of the film’s characters that have overcome hurdles of their own. It is actually somewhat reminiscent of “J’y Suis Jamais Allé,” which plays during the opening scene. This lighthearted but sassy piece is immediately switched to “La Dispute,” a sad, foreboding piano instrumental for the opening credits. In this way, we are introduced to the multi-dimensional nature of the film within the first five minutes. In 2013 it was announced that Amélie will be made into a Broadway musical. However, Tiersen’s music will not feature in the adaptation. Pan’s Labyrinth Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth takes place in a tumultuous post-Civil War Spain and spirals between a dark, bleak reality and an even darker world of fantasy. There are a multitude of happenings and moods conjured up by this tale: the malevolence that marks this era, the cruelty and callus of Captain Vidal, and the spirit and bravery of the rebels and little Ofelia. Javier Navarette, who also composed the score for Guillermo del Toro’s earlier film The Devil’s Backbone, creates a haunting yet magical musical backdrop for the film. Writing a score to mirror a film with this much juxtaposition is likely no easy feat. There is the contrast between the innocence and determination of young Ofelia and her sinister but equally driven stepfather Captain Vidal. There is also this fantastical dark fairytale imagery, coupled with the captain’s macabre killings. Navarette’s score achieves this balance between the wonderful and the sad by employing a wide range of stringed instruments and the chilling hum in the lullaby “Long, Long Time Ago,” probably the most recognizable piece on the Oscar-nominated soundtrack. Through the storyline and graphic imagery, the film naturally evokes a lot of emotion from the audience. I recall leaving the movie theater completely awestruck. Years later, listening to just a few seconds of any track on the soundtrack instantly brings into mind the same harrowing emotions and images as if I had just seen it. About a Boy The UK’s Damon Gough, better known as Badly Drawn Boy, had already experience a great deal of success prior to scoring the film adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel About a Boy. The original sound of his 2000 album The Hour of Bewilderbeast, an eclectic collection of indie, folk and experimental songs, garnered Gough a lot of attention and an expanding fan base, which included directors and brothers Chris and Paul Weitz. About a Boy centers around the development of a friendship between a very unlikely pair: Will, a seemingly self-absorbed and emotionally detached man who lives a life of leisure as he collects royalties from a popular song his father wrote, and Marcus, a quirky delight of a boy who contends with bullies at school and copes with a depressed mother at home. While there is a strong comedic presence in the film, there is also an awareness of the seriousness of the issues that Will, Marcus and his mother Fiona are facing. Each of the characters has this lovable peculiarity and it was important for the accompanying music to reflect this. Badly Drawn Boy’s score captures the beauty and friction involved in the burgeoning friendship, off center characters and events. The soundtrack is a mixture of dreamy instrumentals and songs that are more similar to the composer’s style found in his other works that feature his modest husky vocals. One of the most notable scenes is when Marcus’ mother Fiona returns home from the hospital after a suicide attempt. Observing her first interaction with her son after the tragedy and seeing her faced with readjusting to life, “A Minor Incident” plays and as the only real audio in the scene, is absolutely touching. You can just feel the fear and suffering; the lyrical content is spot on. There’s nothing I could say To make you try to feel ok And nothing you could do To stop me feeling the way I do And if the chance should happen That I never see you agai Just remember that I’ll always love you —“A Minor Incident,” first verse, by Badly Drawn Boy A good film score will provide accompaniment and an enjoyable background. Great and unforgettable scores intensify tone, emotion and imagery, as well as illuminate each scene’s narrative. Those are the ones that stick with you long after the ending credits have rolled off screen.

- Photography by Javier Ortega India is traced with an intricate lace-work pattern of roadways that cover 3,516,452 km (2009). Essential to the growth and survival of rural areas, these roadways provide a link between villages or small farming communities and booming metropolitan centres. However, despite the importance of roads and land transportation, India largely lacks consistent driving regulations and road upkeep. Without regulations and funding, roads are very rough and narrow, major highways are only two lanes, and a significant part of the rural population does not have access to all-weather roads. Even so, travelling around India can be a very enjoyable and exciting thing to do. Public transportation, particularly India’s fast and efficient bus and train systems, is a very popular way to travel, especially through mountain regions inaccessible to car or motorcycle. Buses offer a fast and inexpensive way to travel, even taking regular stops for passengers to go to the washroom or get a snack. Some drivers do take riskier maneuvers though, particularly on quieter night routes, so it’s wise to travel during the day if possible. You can book tickets on state-run buses up to a month in advance, but it’s advised to nab a seat in between the axles to minimize bumping and shaking due to road conditions.  India’s train system is an exciting way to travel, following extensive routes though the beautiful country. With approximately 17 million passengers travelling by train every day, in addition to freight, the Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest employers. The railways are always bustling, but the system is thoughtfully designed and quite efficient. While renting cars and hiring drivers is quite common, particularly in metropolitan areas, more flexible forms of transportation are often more well-adapted to India’s roadways. Bicycles and motorcycles are very popular forms of independent transportation, as they are nimble enough to dart through the congested roads and avoid rough patches. It’s a common sight to see several members of a family riding together on a motorcycle, as well as tourists taking advantage of this flexible form of travel. In response to the popularity of cycles, bicycles and motorized, parts and other related services can be easily found throughout the country. Although less common now because of the dominance of motorized vehicles, traditional rickshaws and other carts, sometimes pulled by animals, can still be found in quieter roadways and communities. Practical and simple, this long-standing way of travel makes up for speed with its endurance and the opportunity it gives to truly recognize the beauty and warmth of the country. Autorickshaws and their variations, the vikram or tempo, marry the traditional rickshaw with a motor, a hybrid able to carry more passengers and achieve greater speed. India is a bustling country; whether you are riding a train, zipping through the streets, or chugging along on an autorickshaw, the vibrant web of transportation provides a lovely window into the daily life and customs of different regions. While moving from place to place can be made more calming with a book and earplugs, taking the time to observe can show little snapshots into the daily life of someone else.