The glitz from the opening of Montreal’s Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit + watch talking mannequins in action! | Hollywood yohana

 


“So pleased.” That was how Jean Paul Gaultier summed up his feelings about his retrospective Monday night at the VIP party held at Montreal’s Musée des Beaux-Arts. “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk” opened Monday night with an intimate gathering that mixed Gaultier’s inner circle with Quebec designers and celebs. Male muse Tanel Bedrossiantz in skirt and mohawk, bald and tattooed Ève Salvail, Francisco Randez, star of Gaultier Le Male fragrance ads and doll-like French singer Arielle, in body-hugging tulle, joined musician Melissa Auf der Maur, International Herald Tribune critic Suzy Menkes, Newsweek’s Robin Givhan, and hairstylist Odile Gilbert in touring the show. An ebullient Gaultier, who initially had not been keen on the notion of a retrospective—“it can be like a funeral,” he told me back in January—was clearly enjoying himself, wandering the rooms and amiably chatting and posing for photos.

And funereal this show is not. High-tech mannequins commissioned for the exhibit feature talking, blinking facial projections of favourite Gaultier
models—a hint of how all mannequins may look if the technology can be mass-produced.
What can’t be mass-produced is the Gaultier couture on display: corsets woven from sheaves of wheat, feathered bustiers (for men), bodysuits with red sequined heart and veins, and those cone bras made famous by Madonna. Polaroids of early Madonna fittings and Gaultier’s childhood teddy bear—with its own rudimentary cone bra—are among the few artifacts that round out the exhibit. We wish there were more.
Four thousand guests were invited for another celebration last night and Gaultier will greet fans at The Bay today. After his three-hour autograph signing at Holt Renfrew on Saturday, they can expect a mob. But if there’s one thing made clear by Gaultier’s designs with their all-inclusive gender/culture mash-ups, this designer is a people person. “I love them and they love me, and this is why I do this, because I love people,” he said, smiling.

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Best gift idea ever? 100 must-buy pieces by the who’s who of Toronto’s contemporary art scene | Hollywood yohana




For those who the gift of a makeup compact simply will not satisfy, Toronto’s Neubacher Shor Contemporary gallery is hosting Highly Desirable, a show beginning tomorrow and running through December 23. The show is made up of over a hundred small pieces of artwork that made by a slew of artists both emerging and established. Featured artists include Thrush Holmes, Michael Adamson, Tibi Tibi Neuspiel, and Royal Art Lodge founding member Adrian Williams.

With each piece priced below $2,000 (and with many much below that prince point), it’s a great opportunity to support the arts in Toronto and pick up something crafted by one of the who’s who in the young contemporary art scene. Ordon Edward’s Blissed Out is already on our Christmas list. We’re in love with its serene runway-like setting. Hit up tonight’s opening reception for 10 percent off every piece as well as first dibs.

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Kristen Stewart versus Lily Collins: Watch both trailers for their upcoming Snow White movies and tell us who’s got your vote | Hollywood yohana





Not one but two Snow White–inspired films are coming out in 2012, sparking a battle over which will be the fairest. Mirror, Mirror, starring Julia Roberts and Lily Collins appears to be a comedic twist on the classic tale, whereas Snow White and the Huntsman, with Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart, has a fight-to-the-death Game of Thrones–esque tone.
Speaking of fighting, what it really comes down to is who plays Snow White best. Doe-eyed Collins pretty much looks like a fairytale princess in real life. Her sweet smiles could definitely lure in the help of seven dwarves—can the same be said for Stewart’s ubiquitous “I don’t really know or care why I am here” expression? However, her grungy appeal does suit the very Joan of Arc Snow White that Hunstman is all about.
Oh, and the style! Both films do Elizabethan era costumes (a little Alexander McQueen Fall 2008 in there as well, perhaps?) but Mirror, Mirror takes it to the extreme with an almost animated influence. Jewel-toned gowns are embroidered and over-embellished, there are at least three bows on every outfit, and that wooden corset and hoop skirt? It almost makes up for having to listen to Roberts’ Pretty Woman laugh.

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AMC and La Perla turn out an ultra-sexy rooftop lingerie fashion show | Hollywood yohana

 


Aside from Monday night’s double-whammy Madonna dinner and celeb-filled after party at the Soho House, AMC/Nikki Beach/La Perla threw a boudoir-themed party atop the TIFF Lightbox at La Terrasse. (Bizarre semi-celeb sighting of the night: on our ascent to the swank rooftop terrace, the Trailer Park Boys tumbled out of the elevator—they were dressed, strangely, as racecar drivers.) Once inside, partygoers took endless iPhone shots of the astounding view (you can see all the way down King Street) and lounged on wicker couches on the gladiator arena–steep steps of the venue to watch a parade of La Perla lingerie models adorned in Birks jewels trot by. Guests, however, were not pleased by the cash bar situation. “What?!” gasped one attendee in an immaculate suit. “This isn’t open bar?” The surprisingly low AMC talent quotient (read: no Hamm sightings) was also on everyone’s lips. We did, however, catch a glimpse of Jordan Clark, Sunday’s barely legal and oh-so-gorgeous redheaded winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, nervously gulping down a pink highball, and fellow ginge Glenn Baxter stalking the crowd. Also spotted: a super-sunned Ben Mulroney and Ennis Esmer from The Listener on CTV.


ate looks ravishing in all-white at the Order of the Garter and are Camilla and Sophie playing twinsies with her? | Hollywood yohana



 This isn’t just a case of twinsies, it’s triplet-ies! Kate, Camilla and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, were all dressed in light (and in Kate’s case, white) shades for yesterday’s Order of the Garter ceremony. These royals really do have a thing for wearing white—but then again, you know they don’t have such pedestrian concerns as spilling coffee, sitting in something sticky or any other menial task that would ruin their pristine attire. Of course, we’ve seen this particular white item on Kate before: it’s the Alexander McQueen coat she wore to last year’s Trooping the Colour. On top, Kate had on a cream hat by Jane Corbett, who also designed the very similar pastel-blue hat she wore the day before. (At, coincidentally, this year’s Trooping the Colour.) And while we can’t see what dress Kate has on underneath her McQueen topper, all guesses point to the white Reiss Peacock dress she wore to last year’s Epsom Derby.

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André Leon Talley is coming back to reality TV with a new fashion show… wait, haven’t we heard this before? | Hollywood yohana





We’ve been missing André Leon Talley—former Vogue editor-at-large, forever cape-wearer and sole creator of “dreckitude”—in our lives ever since he left his seat at the judges’ table on America’s Next Top Model. Lucky for us, the fashion icon will be starring in a new Bravo reality fashion show (yes, another one of those), tentatively titled Fashion Stories of NYC.
The press release describes the new show as following “four up-and-coming fashion design teams as they produce the defining collection of their careers, all under the watchful eye of fashion icon André Leon Talley.” Hmmm, sounds a little familiar, doesn’t it?
While there’s no denying there are already enough fashion reality shows to last us a lifetime (and then some), we can’t help but be excited about this one. With a mentor/judge like Talley, who clearly knows what’s what in the industry (ahem, Jessica Simpson…), we’ll for sure be tuning in.
THEY SAID:
The Cut: “Conceptually, this sounds like a mishmash of many previous fashion-themed reality shows, but as long as there’s an opportunity for ALT to label things dreckitude, we’ll be watching.”
Fashionista: “In all seriousness, with the glut of fashion reality shows now clogging the airways, most of them as far from reality as you can get (ahem, Fashion Star), this one sounds promising.”
The Frisky: “For now, let’s just hope some of his industry pals make a cameo — like, say, Grace Coddington? Hey, just a suggestion.”
WE SAID:
Eliza Grossman, assistant fashion editor: “I am almost positive I’ve seen this show recreated four times over, but I’m a sucker for ALT. Maybe his larger-than-life personality will make this attempt at fashion x reality television something more memorable.”


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Window wars: View the top holiday displays from Toronto to New York and vote for your favourite! | Hollywood yohana



 With less than a month to Christmas, glitzy shopping meccas north and south of the border are pulling out all the stops while unveiling their eagerly anticipated holiday windows. From Lady Gaga’s poptastic takeover at Barneys New York, to the Bay’s old fashioned ode to holiday cheer, there’s lots to feast the eyes on before engaging in some major gift hunting.


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Move over, $200 moisturizers! Clé de Peau Beauté has a $13,000 cream coming out this fall |Hollywood yohana



 If you’ve ever coveted the complexion of Clé de Peau Beauté spokesperson Amanda Seyfried and happen to have a nice stack of cash laying around, take note: The Japan-based luxury beauty line will produce three limited-edition jars of their high-performance night cream La Crème. The original version, at $525 a jar, is thought to be the most expensive moisturizer in the world. (Though it’s worth it if makes your skin as radiant as Seyfried’s.) The new, super limited-edition version, however, is set to take that top-dollar crown. Packaged in 2-ounce hand-fashioned jars adorned with crystals and platinum, the cream will cost a staggering $13,000. With a price tag that is five times more expensive than gold, we can’t think of a more indulgent way for Clé de Peau (and three very lucky customers!) to celebrate their 30th anniversary this fall.


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A new study reports that women spend more on beauty during recessions | Hollywood yohana




It should come as no surprise that during financial downturns, people tend to tighten their purse strings. What is surprising, however, is a spending phenomenon called the “lipstick effect,” which is a cute way of describing how women surprisingly spend more on beauty products during recessions. For example, did you know that L’Oréal was one of the few companies to experience growth in 2008? When all other sectors were approaching rock bottom, the beauty market was actually thriving.
Up until this point, most speculated that women were opting for beauty buys because they’re cheaper ways of splurging. However, a recently released study seems to have scientifically debunked this notion. According to the study’s findings, when it comes down to it women are less “recessionistas” than they are “recession mate hunters,” at least on a subconscious level.
Essentially, the scientists found that in keeping with ancient times (when finding a mate was of paramount importance, especially during environmentally taxing periods) the modern-day hunt for a mate is put into subconscious overdrive when the economy takes a nosedive.
In other words, as the number of gainfully employed men dwindles, women are drawn to beauty products to up their physical attractiveness, making them more viable competitors for those few eligible bachelors. This trend even extends to advertising: slogans that hinted at a “catch-a-mate” function fared better than those that were more neutral.
Though this sounds a bit (a lot) like gold-digging, apparently, it’s not — according to the study, the women’s own resource needs (i.e. money in the bank) didn’t play a part in their draw to beauty products. In fact, the lipstick trend seems to just be a byproduct of an adaptive evolutionary tactic that’s been around for years: the most desirable females were often the most beautiful, while the most sought-after men were usually well-equipped to provide for their mate and offspring.
Sexist? Well, unintentionally, yes it is a bit sexist. But it’s food for thought: are evolutionary tactics still permeating our modern-day existence? Or did the researchers fail to take into account other factors, like the cross-gender effect of a little retail therapy during bad times? Also, how many women can rely solely on beauty products to enhance their appearance? What about gym memberships, cosmetic surgery, and the like — do women spend more on them during recessions as well?

THEY SAID…
Eric Horow, psychology research blogger: “One interesting question that remains is whether the female response would be different if the cultural circumstances were different. What if there’s a gun shortage in a country rife with violence? Would the same kind of lipstick effect emerge?”
Megan Pechin, marketing, Cirque du Soleil: “Glad I can use the economy as my excuse.” WE SAID…
Sarah Daniel, beauty director: “The lipstick index is so new millennium. It’s all about the nail polish index, friends. (Have you visited Nail Corner yet?) Regardless of what beauty product we’re talking about, I find it hard to believe that there is such a specific (and sexist!) anthropological explanation for why women buy this stuff during a recession.”


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Watch Out, Tia! It's Tamera's Turn to Play Fashion Critic | Hollywood yohana

Tia & Tamera 300's 
 
 You already know Tia's stance on Tamera's signature conservative-chic look. (Refesh your memory by clicking here.) Now, it's time for Tamera to play fashion critic.
Back in 2007, Tia wore this vibrant shift to the Somebody Help Me (no comment) premiere in Los Angeles. So, what does Tamera think of the look-at-me outfit?  "I am not in love with this printed dress," Tamera admitted. "I am all about natural looks." She continued: "I know that my sister definitely likes to turn it on when she's on the red carpet. But that's not how she walks around."
Find out what Tamera thinks of other ensembes that Tia has worn in the past by visiting our Tamera Critiques Tia's Fashions gallery—and don't forget to catch a new episode of Tia & Tamera Mondays at 8/7c on Style!

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