Adele vs Lady Sybil, Katy Perry vs Viola Davis! Which award show red carpet had better gowns: The BAFTAs or the Grammys? | Hollywood yohana




Two award shows in one night means double the red-carpet fun! And despite the ocean between the BAFTAs in London and the Grammys in L.A., celebrities worked the carpet in some similar frocks (including an eco gown by Valentino!) But who did five red-carpet trends (think: chic minimalism and cotton candy brights) best—the musical mavens or their actor counterparts? You be the judge!


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Toronto shop notes: Davids is turning 60! Hollywood yohana

Davids


 Known for its captivating selection of high-end shoes and bags (Christian Louboutin, Valentino) and old-school charm (first-class service with a smile), this celebrated Toronto retailer truly stands out from the crowd. Started in 1951 by husband-and-wife team Louis and Julia Markowitz (who named the store after their eldest son), this private, family-run business continues to serve up superior soles today, with a few additions along the way (a redesigned store at the Bayview Village Shopping Centre and a location in Yorkdale Shopping Centre).

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We see Jenna Lyons in colour-blocked pants, Anna Wintour at Prabal Gurung, and lots of balloons outside Hervé Léger | Hollywood yohana




 We’re just getting started! Day three of New York Fashion Week brings us a look at some incredible colour-blocked pants courtesy of Jenna Lyons, a beyond-textured outfit from Michelle Harper (wearing the designer at Prabal, of course), and a peek at Queen Anna’s signature bob. Come see what else we spotted outside Hervé Léger, Rag & Bone, and Prabal Gurung.


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NYFW diary: Heavy lightness at Prabal Gurung, boxy restriction at Alexander Wang, a brush with Bill Cunningham, and Calla’s New York debut! | Hollywood yohana




Day two of the shows began with another early rise, this time for Lacoste’s Fall show at Lincoln Center. The intrinsically sporty brand took an edgy spin for Fall, with designer Christophe Lemaire turning up the zip-age on the collection from the first look—a quilted high-necked vest over a long and oh-so smooth black leather jacket and colour-blocked leggings—to the last—a black leather mini with sleeves that zipped off above to give the appearance of a jacket worn just on the shoulders.
Next was Jill Stuart with a gussied up Nikki Reed and Olivia Palermo in the front row. The designer’s penchant for vintage girliness extended to a ‘60s soundtrack dubbed over models who showed off gold-threaded embroidery on turtleneck dresses, slim trousers, and pleated skirts. Continuing on the blowout spring trend, a peplum showed up mid-show to amp up the au courant.

And then to Prabal Gurung, where the Shakespearean phrase “O heavy lightness” came to mind (I’m deep like that). It was really dark to start, with models donning fetishistic firm caps over selectively sliced sheer dresses and PVC-meets-fur jackets. The spectrum was widened with pops of shimmering insect-y hues and bright cobalt on Tisci-esque emblem sweaters, Mulleavy-esque patched button-downs, and McQueen-esque swirling digi prints (hey, deriving greatness isn’t always a bad thing). Then to finish, with the soundtrack intensifying to match, the collection’s third act revealed Sistine ceiling–worthy whites and golds on red-carpet ready gowns, sure to suit a one Miss Zoe Saldana in the front row.
After a quick brush with Bill Cunningham’s camera (not freaking out here or anything), it was off to the Lincoln Center once again for the horse-whipped Hervé Léger collection, which blended bondage and bandage (Amy Verner’s phrasing) for its latest outing. This return to restriction naturally made me feel like returning to girly town, at which point I hopped in a cab and pronounced, “Take me to Tiffany’s, sir!” (I might have also just said, “Can I go to 57th and 5th?” but that sounds much less dramatic.) In under 15 minutes flat, I purchased this ring featured in our Valentine’s Day gift guide. Shopping and working at the same time, y’all!
Then, to Alexander Wang for yet another play on bondage, a trend that seems to be picking up steam for Fall 2012. But before the show could begin, a trio of little girls walked right up to the Queen herself for a photo-op. Then, all three sat on Anna Wintour’s lap. And then I died. ANYWAY! Yes, restriction, lacquered-looking boxy coats, tasseled fringe hanging from strict button-downs, knits worn over models’ mouths á la Vuitton‘s Richard Prince collection. Then a finale. Then it was out again, with Gisele, Shalom, and Joan—to name a few—strutting amidst the mirrored set and stopping for an extra-long pose to peer at their own reflections. Not sure what it meant, but I was happy to get an extra-long stare at Shalom under my belt.
Before fellow cool kid Joseph Altuzarra’s show, it was off to Milk Studios to check out Calla Haynes’ New York debut. A prettily set up presentation fit for the dolls showcased her latest venture into femininity. Bravo, and brava, and a have you seen this video?
And then finally onto Altuzarra, where the designer explored his venture to Morocco so loudly that you could hear it as the models walked by. What must have been a million little coin medallions swung from gypsy dresses, knit skirts, and sweaters as a Hanna-esque soundtrack beat loudly to give it that deliciously far-away feel

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Nail Corner: LFW edition! A vibrant manicure inspired by Erdem’s Fall 2012 prints | Hollywood yohana

A few hours after the Erdem show ended on Monday, pictures of the lacy, camouflage-esque floral print started popping up across Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. It’s always interesting to see which elements of a collection achieve viral (for lack of a better word) status on social media sites and go on to become ubiquitous within months—Miu Miu’s swallows, anyone? So, in effort to start canonizing Erdem’s vibrant print, I took the Fall 2012 design to my nails.


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Health news: A pleasurable side-effect of exercise, how to fudge an athlete’s muscle tone, and water bottles so adorable you’ll be dying to hydrate | Hollywood yohana




This month, we’re reporting on a trend that will take over living rooms everywhere during the Olympics, a sexy new study about the pleasurable side effects of working out and the latest high-intensity workout craze—though get-slim-quick-seekers need not apply. Read on!
THE VIEW
For most of us, the Olympics mainly involves sitting on the couch while we watch the world’s fastest and strongest people duke it out. Surprise, surprise, a recent study linked TV viewing to consumption of more unhealthy snacks and drinks, and fewer fruits and vegetables. But we are a more active audience—at least in terms of communication—now that we take to social media when something momentous occurs. London 2012 is the first Summer Olympics to happen since this phenomenon took hold. It’s already being dubbed the “Twitter games” (athletes are encouraged to tweet their experiences; volunteers are not), and there are even predictions of service disruptions due to the massive volume of data flying around. We’ll be sitting back to enjoy the ride—let the Games begin.

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MEN’S FASHION: Principal dancers with the National Ballet of Canada, Guillaume Côté, Jirí Jelinek and Piotr Stanczyk star in fashion’s shorts program | Hollywood yohana

MEN’S FASHION | Leg work


Eco-friendly with elegance: Gucci to launch a line of environmentally sound shoes | Hollywood yohana




Proving that you don’t need to dress in head-to-toe hemp to do good for the environment, Gucci has launched a line of environmentally friendly shoes for both men and women.
Frida Giannini, the Italian brand’s creative designer, made sure the line was environmentally sound from shoe string to sole, but did so without sacrificing the brand’s famous stamp of luxury.
The women’s Marola Green ballerina flats, which come in blush, taupe and black, may be made of biodegradable plastic, but their signature GG motif and elegant cutout details give the flats a hefty dose of luxury. Their male counterparts are the California Green sneakers, which are available in both a high- and low-top version: vegetable-tanned calfskin, bio strings and bio-rubber soles are all given the Gucci treatment thanks to the tongue, which is emblazoned in a green Gucci logo on recycled polyester.
The shoes are part of Gucci’s pre-Fall 2012 line and will be available at the end of June in flagship stores and the Italian house’s e-commerce shop.

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MEN’S FASHION: Champion diver Alexandre Despatie on his return to Olympic form | Hollywood yohana

Alexandre Despatie


For Alexandre Despatie, diving is all about aesthetics. “Every time I step on the boards, I’m judged by how I look,” says the two-time Olympic medallist while on set at his Men’s FASHION cover shoot in Toronto. “It’s a fact I live with. My form has to be sharp. Every angle of my body is studied—it’s what I’m marked on.”
At a solid five-foot-eight and 155 pounds, Despatie’s frame is noticeably well toned. As he approaches the camera in a brief black swimsuit, an air of confidence radiates from his diamond-cut build. “Our bodies are our machines—our Formula One race cars,” he later says, after throwing on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “They need to be perfect to run well.”
In the midst of preparing for the London Summer Games—his fourth Olympiad to date—the Montrealer is clearly running on overdrive. Heading to the gym six days a week, he maintains a schedule that befits his title as Canada’s 36-time senior diving champion. Yet his daily routine—which includes 1,000 crunches, one hour of strength training, 20 minutes of trampoline work, an indoor cycling program called PowerWatts and 50 sets of ab exercises called “pike-ups”—is something he feels “lucky” to be able to  do at all.
“If we’d spoken [last year] when my knee injury happened, I wouldn’t be sure what to say to you about my situation,” Despatie says. His diagnosis of tendinitis and bursitis left him no choice but to opt out of joining the Canadian diving team at the 2011 World Games. “The pain wasn’t settling down,” he explains. “I even started thinking that it might be the end of my career, because I couldn’t dive in that condition.” With treatment and physical therapy, the 26-year-old recovered and quickly began to plot another Olympic coup.
“Being back and fitter than ever, the desire and the flame to win have been reignited,” Despatie says. His return to form is something he has been sharing with the public since he began tweeting in January. “Nothing short of a disaster… this is how I feel,” he posted after what was supposed to be his comeback performance at the FINA Diving Grand Prix in February. However, he redeemed himself a week later at the 2012 World Cup, earning a bronze medal in the three-metre diving category and securing his place at the London Olympic Games. 


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