WHAT WE'RE READING: CHIAROSCURO - Fashion Weekly

APRIL 21, 2009 ISSUE 17
RYERSON’S MASS EXODUS:
CHIAROSCURO
WHAT WE’RE READING:
The Female Thing: Dirt, Envy,
Sex, Vulnerability
SPRING CLEAN YOUR
CLOSET INTO A BETTER
WARDROBE

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Farhan Zaidi (farhan@fashweekly.com)
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sakina Khawaja (sakina@fashweekly.com)
EDITOR Lora Maghanoy (editor@fashweekly.com)
WEB DEVELOPER Nick Ostan (web@fashweekly.com)
GRAPHICS AND LAYOUT Shokofeh Shahsavarani (design@fashweekly.com)
PHOTOGRAPHY Fw Staff
EDITORIAL INTERNS Erica Wark, Ainsley Graham
(editorial@fashweekly.com)
EVENTS TEAM Lauren Parrott, Olga Siniakov (event@fashweekly.com)
PHOTOSHOOT TEAM Fw Staff (pr@fashweekly.com)
PR INTERNS Vanessa Manno, Vanessa T (pr@fashweekly.com)
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CITY CHIC
RYERSON’S MASS EXODUS:
CHIAROSCURO
By: Lora Maghanoy, FW Editor
For Ryerson University’s School of Fashion, the end of the
year celebrated the light and dark. Dubbed “Chiaroscuro”,
the Italian word, which defines the contrast between the two
parts – and how various shifts of light can reveal different
elements to a piece.
Mass Exodus has become an annual fashion event in
the city, attracting rather notorious industry big wigs, much
of which, not surprisingly, graduated from the same fashion
program. Showcasing the best in Toronto’s (and maybe even
Canada as a whole) design talent, the show fuses fun fashion
and over-the-top theatrical display.
Some of the collections we thought made the cut:
Kristin Poon’s CLOVEN:
Cloven Intimates brought vintage glamour to
modern silhouettes and luxurious fabrics. And
more notable, the collection has items for women
who suffered, or are suffering from, breast cancer
by providing extra coverage – even making special
details for women who have had a mastectomy.
Now, that’s thinking we can proudly applaud.
Jocelyn Teng’s EXHIBITION:
While watching Teng’s outfits move across the
stage, obvious comparisons instantly came to mind
– the collection somewhat incorporated the avantgarde
silhouettes of both Comme Des Garçons
CITY CHIC
and Viktor & Rolf – an ambitious approach for a
fledgling designer.
Aimee Tobolka’s AIMEE TOBOLKA
COLLECTION:
This collection boasted rather simple
silhouettes and cuts, however, the draping effect
was instantly reminiscent of the draping Queen
herself, Doo.ri Chung. A strong collection that
proved to be quite wearable.
Overall, the show was once again a success; not
only garnering the attention of the audience, but
members of the industry no doubt.
December 22, 2008 • 7

WEEKLY LIVING AT HOME
WHAT WE’RE READING:
The Female Thing: Dirt, Envy,
Sex, Vulnerability
By: Laura Kipnis, FW Editor
For as long as we can look back, there is one
constant By: Erica struggle Wark, that FW women Writer have been forced to
endure – no, it is not the stiletto heel, although,
can we please get some credit for walking around
in those bad boys? – but something of much greater
cultural importance: equal rights.
It seems that when this subject is introduced,
nothing short of a blame game begins- an attempt
to make someone accountable for not allowing
women to emerge from the shadows of their male
counterparts. Whether it’s the media (“they
perpetuate stereotypes which are difficult for
women to break!”) or men themselves (“they are
intimidated by strong women, therefore, insist on
keeping us subordinate!”), there is always SOME
reason why women struggle to be seen as equals.
However, author Laura Kipnis (the woman
behind Against Love) boasts a new way of thinking,
that perhaps, dare we say, the problem is actually
us. This brave revelation (and let’s face it, it’s
pretty ballsy of her to say that years of inequality
is actually a fault of our own) interprets a female’s
own internal struggle between femininity and
feminism as the definitive factor in why women
just can’t seem to break the stereotypes. Are we
mothers? Spinsters? Doting wives or aggressive
businesswomen? Women are constantly faced
with these dichotomies. It’s hard to escape and
even harder to confront.
Kipnis delves into the female’s internal struggle
by dividing the problem into 4 categories: envy,
dirt, sex and vulnerability- analyzed both in the
home and at the workplace. Each section offers
a scathing critique on women and their “thing,” –
the “thing” being the complex that we place upon
ourselves.
SPRING CLEAN YOUR
CLOSET INTO A BETTER
WARDROBE
By: Erica Wark, FW Editor
Staff Fw by: Photos
It’s that time of year again to be forced into sell your items, why not get together with a group
evaluating your closet trying to decide what needs of your best friends and have everyone bring items
to go and what has to stay before heading out that they no longer wear. It’s amazing-what one
and picking new pieces for your spring/summer friend sees as trash, the other sees as treasure!
wardrobe.
So we’ve figured out what we’re keeping and
Here are some tips and ideas to make this process what we’re giving away, now let’s use the closet
a whole lot easier and much more enjoyable! space we have to the best of our ability!
Let’s face it; if you haven’t worn it for an entire The first step is to create a more visually
year, I think it’s best to say you could live without appealing closet by using multipurpose hangers
it (with the exception of that one-of-a-kind for your clothing. Make sure to pick out hangers
designer dress that you are saving for that special with swivel tops and clips for skirts and other
occasion). So why not in this time of recession, put hard-to-hang items.
your slightly used clothing to use!
If you have space above your rack, check out
There are so many stores all over Canada that purchasing shelving units where you could store
will purchase your clothing and resell it to other many different items: shoes, belts, scarves and so
budding fashionistas who can’t yet afford to buy on. If you’ve got space below the rack, even better!
the brand-spankin’ new designer bag.
More room for all your shoes!
Extoggery for example, is Canada’s original Another way to organize your wardrobe
resale store for second-hand clothing and (especially the smaller items, or things that can’t
accessories. It’s an upscale consignment shop that be put on a hanger) is containers! Often we just
sells pre-owned clothes for both men and women. throw things wherever there’s space and that can
When your item sells, you pick up the money-if lead to damaged pieces or worse, lost! The simple
they don’t sell, they’re donated to charity (it’s a solution is clear containers with labels. There are
win, win).
so many different shapes and sizes that can be
Every day hundreds of new items come into used to maximize your space!
their stores including brands like Prada, Miss The last thing you can do to spring clean
Sixty, Juicy, LuLulemon, Jones New York, Banana that closet of yours is to organize your rack into
Republic, Coach, Holt Renfrew, Hugo Boss, and sections. Putting your jeans together, your skirts
The book gives an interesting perspective many more.
together, jackets and so on, will make it a lot easier
on a woman’s struggle for equality, but suggests
EBay of course is another way to clean and to find when in a rush (and I know we all have the
that perhaps before we begin to point the finger
organize your closet while making a couple of problem of being fashionably late all too often).
at the more obvious culprits, we should instead
extra bucks. It’s easy and quick, with millions of Hope this helps put you in the right direction,
look inwards. Terribly witty and provocative,
people willing to buy.
and for all who are willing to take part in this
Kipnis amuses readers with fresh ideas and careful
musings on the female condition – definitely worth
If you don’t feel like taking that much time to tedious task, good luck!
a read!
Photos by: Fw Staff
December 22, 2008 • 9