Things that go Bling

Farewell Tour

2010-12-13T14:00:00.005-05:00

It's been a long time since I regularly posted here, and it's time to explain. I have been battling with some health issues for the last six months and though I'm feeling much better each day, my priorities have inevitably shifted and I won't be able to commit myself to bringing you the latest on conscientious consumption of Montreal designer fare.

I have, however, begun blogging for General 54, one of Montreal's first independent design boutiques to support local talent. So look for me there.

And if you ever want any tips/opinions/comments/leads about where to shop, who to buy, and how to support the amazing sweethearts of the local design world, you can forever and always email me at info [at] brazen-design.com.

Brazen Design, my line of bling, will live on and can be found at www.brazen-design.com.

Thanks for the years of support, questions, sharing and for buying local. Much love to you and yours.

xoxo

R

Simone's Rose Moving Sale!

2010-09-21T12:39:00.004-04:00

The talented Michelle of Simone's Rose is moving to Toronto, which means a blowout sale of samples, old pieces and discounts on orders for the upcoming collection (some pics of which are posted above, and blowing my mind). Info here.

Glasgow Sale!

2010-08-17T12:51:00.002-04:00

The Jennifer Glasgow Spring/Summer '10 collection is now on sale! Buy online or come by General 54 (I'm working there on Saturday) to take advantage. I bought the Aurore and now have my eyes on the Diana and the Isis.

All Hail The Sale! Simone's Rose SS10

2010-07-27T13:30:00.003-04:00

I can't say enough about the beautiful things that Michelle of Simone's Rose creates. To make way for her Fall/Winter 2010 collection, Michelle is slashing prices on some real gems, including the love-of-my-life houndstooth dress and my newest acquisition, the Tiffany. Michelle posted this pic of me wearing it on her blog, where you can also find the details of the sale and a bonus discount code for free shipping, here at the Simone's Rose blog.

The Case for Nude

2010-06-17T09:31:00.016-04:00

The Nude Shoe rocks.

I know, I know, you think it's hard to pull off and should match your skin tone which is impossible, and anytime the word "flesh-coloured" gets used, people run as far away as possible.

But really, The Nude Shoe rocks.

1. Cream looks good on everyone. You don't have to match your skin tone - it's pure white that'll make you look pasty. And it's summer - get some sun on those feet!

2. Your legs will go on and on and on... who doesn't love that? I have a serious weak spot for ultra strappy and chunky black stilettos but I can't deny they shorten the look of my calves.

3. That killer cocktail dress will be all anyone sees. The Nude Shoe gives your entire outfit a subtle platform from which to shine.

4. Last but not least, they're sex in a shoe. There's something so enticing abou the suggestion that you're barefoot, while still on your tippy toes... Need I say more?

I've shown you some Christian Louboutin's to inspire you - I suggest looking for a substantial shoe like a wedge or espadrille, and/or something very strappy. My favourite incarnations are the summer-boot with peep toes and straps all the way up around the ankles.

And cause I refuse to pay money to see the second Sex and The City Movie, I got my fix by looking for nude shoes in the fashion-candy world of Carrie Bradshaw to prove my point.

And the winners are...

2010-06-15T11:25:00.005-04:00

[francais en bas]

Dearest precious lover of bling::

Today is Brazen Design's 3rd Birthday. I am filled with deep and hefty gratitude for each and every one of you who has complimented, worn, purchased, modelled, recommended, advised, sold, supported and encouraged me and my little bling-making machine for these last three years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

There was such an overwhelming response to the Name Necklace contest that I couldn't bring myself to pull just one name from that ol' mason jar of entries. I decided to pull one name for each year.

And the winners are.....

[drum roll]

Alex Taylor
Deborah Adams
Rosemary Scanlon

Congrats! I'll be in touch with you about what name you'd like on your new necklace!

For those of you still eager to have one, Name Necklaces are STILL ON SALE until the end of June! Half off at $50 instead of $100, with an additional discount to orders of six or more.

Treat yourself to some cake today - it's your birthday too.

xoR

Party favour

2010-06-01T10:09:00.004-04:00

Dear lovers of bling,

While I wasn't looking, Brazen Design's THIRD BIRTHDAY crept up on me and it's almost here! Where did the time go?

When I launched, I set out with a secret mission to bring back The Name Necklace, and have been doing so one hand cut sterling silver name at a time.

In this spirit, I will offer clients HALF OFF of a customized Name Necklace for the entire month of June! That's $50 instead of $100!

It doesn't stop there! if you respond to this email with your name and contact info, you'll be entered into a draw to win A FREE NAME NECKLACE on June 15th, Brazen's official 3rd Birthday!

Pass this message along to friends and family - they can enter too!

Spread the bling love,

xoR

How To Order or Enter: send an email to me at info [at] brazen-design.com.

Wanna see more name necklace pics? Check out the Etsy posting here.

Valerie Dumaine at Unicorn Boutique!

2010-05-26T08:20:00.001-04:00

The lovely Valerie Dumaine will be doing a meet and greet at Unicorn Boutique on Thursday June 3rd!

Her Spring/Summer collection will be 15% off for the evening.

RSVP before June 1st! RSVP info and more on Unicorn's blog.

Make Do & Mend Redux

2010-05-25T13:40:00.002-04:00

If you've flipped through a copy of the Mirror this week, you may have read about the very cool talk taking place at the new Ethik Boutique on St Hubert tomorrow night.

Part of a series of ethical fashion events, fashion historian Pamela Grimaud will be talking about the return to a more conscious consumption of clothing (mending, modifying and upcycling) and the rise of handmade, ethical and environmentally friendly fashion.

Tomorrow, Wednesday May 26th at 6:30 PM
Ethik Boutique, 6050 St Hubert
$10

The full Mirror article is here and the Ethik Boutique has a facebook page here.

All Hail The Studio Sale: Eve Gravel & Station 8

2010-05-18T09:16:00.002-04:00

Previous season Eve Gravel, and Eve's men's line Station 8, will be on sale at the Eve Gravel atelier on De Gaspe starting on Thursday and continuing through Sunday.

Wine n' cheese on Wed evening as well - more info on Candice Pantin's Montreal In Fashion blog and Eve Gravel's site under News.

Swap n' Shop on May 29th

2010-05-11T08:12:00.001-04:00

Bigger and better than ever, a date has been set for the next Montreal S.W.A.P.!

Brought to by the awesome folks of The S.W.A.P. Team, this massive clothing swap will go down at Musee Juste Pour Rire on May 29th.

They've changed up the format this year and it's going to be very exciting: a one day event starting at 2pm and going to 3am, DJs, a fashion show (styled by yours truly!), on-site fashion consultations from Ludique, and a V.I.P. lounge for those swapping haute couture labels!

This year, due to overwhelming demand and limited space, you pay for your entrance (a nominal donation to the non-profit) by buying your ticket beforehand here. The Couture Salon is extra but well worth it if you have some luxury brands hanging at the back of your closet to trade in for some same-caliber duds.

How does the S.W.A.P. work?
You donate clothes and get 1 ticket for every piece of clothing (must be in good condition, no stains and rips!) and you can trade in every ticket for a new piece of clothing you find at the swap.

How do you donate your clothes?
It's so easy - email clothingpickups-MTL@theswapteam.org and they'll pick it up for you!

For way more in-depth information about the swap, check out http://theswapteam.org/happenings/take-off-your-clothes-montreal.

Don't miss out!

Guest Blog: On Fashion, architecture and flowerpots...

2010-05-10T10:59:00.022-04:00

I'm so excited to have this awesome guest blog from Samantha Etane of Montreal visual blog tam+sam! I couldn't check out the Open Doors Design Montreal event so Sam generously agreed to cover it for my dear readers.

Here we go!

This past week-end Design Montreal organized the 4th edition of 'Portes Ouvertes' Design Montreal; designers of all trades - and calibers - opened the doors of their boutiques, studios and atelier to the public.

I saw so many creations, fell in love with so designers, but had to make a choice...

Helmer.
A Passionate creative force who specialize in delicate & unique embroidered pieces for women, Helmer Joseph welcomed us in his St Laurent's boutique-gallery. The designer gives us plaids, polka-dots, lacework, and precious bling with a classy twist.

Incidentally Helmer worked with my next 'coup de coeur' Philippe Dubuc , a designer who embodies the spirit of Quebec's creativity. He welcomed us in his 'atelier' and chatted about his creative process, his upcoming women line he's preparing for Simons, and the challenge of designing women's garment.

Next stop Cardin, Ramirez & Julien , an architecture firm located on The Main. They specialize in sustainable development, and have recently won Rio Tinto Alcan Competition for the design of our new Planetarium.

Jamais Assez is an interior design heaven. There, you can get colorful and original pieces at very affordable prices. On top of it, made in Quebec.

'Portes Ouvertes' Design Montreal is one of these event that makes you realize how lucky we are to live in a city where the artists and the art are so accessible.

PS: A huge Thanks to Eric, from the Dubuc store, who was rocking the brand like it was nobody's business.

Street Stylin': May Day Moments

2010-05-04T11:14:00.018-04:00

May Day has come and gone and it was a blast. General 54's 4th year anniversary, the celebration of Local 23 and the unveiling of the new Local Annex space went down next door to the General this past Saturday. There was a fashion show, drinks, DJs, giveaways and projections.

The theme for the first show was Nautical Garden Party, featuring vintage dresses and new designs by grob, Enfants Sauvages and Jennifer Glasgow, to name a few. The models, hot-to-trot ladies from the hood, did a fantastic job walking the runway and posing en tableau.

Reema, of Cocoa Locale, looked simply splish-splash in this Glasgow dress, hot off the presses from the Spring/Summer collection. She's also sporting the Brazen Design anchor necklace and vintage shoes.

The second show was a little more glam, and the models poured champagne in the General's honour from an oversized cutout bottle.

The crowd was a fashion show in and of itself and many sported our local talent.

Reanna and Emilie were the suave stylists behind the show.

Reanna (left) was representing Australia in her Something Else by Natalie Wood top and denim leggings by Sports Girl.

Emily (right) is wearing a vintage onesie from their vintage collection Caesar Pony, on sale here. Also, check out Reanna's blog at reannatime.blogspot.com

My little sister Monica (left), wearing Noemiah earrings.

Deborah (middle) is the talent behind Deborah Adams recycled bags and belts and the sweat behind a number of local designer sewing machines. She is wearing boots from Sam Adelman purchased at Little Burgundy, an H&M waistcoat scored at the last S.W.A.P. and a pair of Teenflo pants from the 90's.

Aaron (right) is sporting a Viola Blanca ascot, black 514 Levi's also obtained at the S.W.A.P. and Fluevog ankle boots.

Roxy (left) is wearing a blouse from d.e.p.t., and Hoss ankle boots. Michelle, the genius behind Simone's Rose, is wearing a Vanessa Moore necklace, Betsy Johnson purse, Miss 60 shoes, Pants from Paris Pas Cher!, Foxy Jeans by Michelle Maymond sweater and Brazen Design earrings.

Elaine (left), mastermind behind Elaine Ho (aka Roadkill) jewellery and pepito mimumo clothing, is wearing a Les Copains jacket, belted vintage oversized camisole, Groggy leggings, Full Circle coat and vintage boots found at Value Village, and some knotty roadkill bling.

Yana (right), superstar of Supayana, is wearing a thrifted scarft, cardigan, jacket, purse and vintage boots.

Jenn (left), the 'jenn' of Jennifer Glasgow Design, is wearing a mashup of vintage Glasgow pieces.

Elizabeth (right) of Land of Talk, is wearing an Oasis leather jacket, Vexy shirt, Silence + Noise blazer, and jeans and tanktop purchased at "that sample store on St Viateur near Park". The boots are vintage Charles David and were purchased in New York right before playing on Letterman.

Jeremy (left) is wearing Lucky Jeans shirt and pants and sneaks purchased at Gravity Pope (when're we gonna get one of those?!).

Poppy (right) is wearing an H&M top, American Eagle jeans and Kensie shoes.

Reema (middle) is wearing vintage shoes and an altered vintage dress with a hilarious backstory; her and her father were thrifting in Hamilton while her mom was out of town (a habit they shared that mom didn't condone) and Reema hadn't found anything. Her dad, who is actually colourblind - grabbed a hideous muumuu from a rack and said "What about this?". That muumuu is now the dress you see in the picture, with the sleeves and hem shortened, and one of her go-to favourites.

Tamara, the lady behind This Ilk, is wearing This Ilk, an H&M sweater, Norwegian Wood leggings, Derek Durand camisole purchased at Puces Pop and Aldo sandals.

Monica with Tamara after purchasing a This Ilk necklace. The General opened for an hour after the fashion show and Monica ran over to buy this Enfants Sauvages (left) and grob (right) dress worn during the show.

MAYDAY! Celebrate General 54.

2010-04-29T21:50:00.002-04:00

General 54, one of my favourite Montreal institutions, is 4 years old and ready to get a little loose.

The good people of General 54, Local 23, and their forthcoming store, “The Local Annex” are having a party. They will be opening the door of their pre-renovated and newest location to throw down a celebration for us all.

Kicking off the fun will be a Fashion Show. Wares from the neighbourhood worn by the neighbourhood.

Also a Silent Auction over loud music will be held.

Did I mention music?

DJs Roxy Moron
Dan Lafleche
Mary C.

Visuals by Bearmod

This will be to be a night to remember.

Doors open at 9.
Fashion show 9:30.

NO COVER

Facebook invite.

All hail the sale: AU CŒUR DE LA MODE

2010-04-27T09:55:00.009-04:00

If you missed the Braderie, here's yet another amazing sale of many local designer labels. AU CŒUR DE LA MODE is a Quebec fashion sale that raises money for the Farha Foundation. The proceeds of AU CŒUR DE LA MODE assists the Farha Foundation to continue to help the more than 20,000 men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS in Quebec.

Click here for deets and here for a full list of designers.

Braderie de Mode Quebecoise!

2010-04-14T15:48:00.002-04:00

I am sooooooo excited to tell you about this incredible sale happening this weekend: the Quebec Designer Sale. It's going down at Marche Bonsecours and all your favourite local labels will be there and steeply discounted.

Brazen Design was invited to participate so come by and say hi! And if you have had your eyes on anything from the collection, now's your chance! If you mention this blog post, I will give you an extra 15% off the already marked down prices!

Check out the deets here: www.braderiedemodequebecoise.com

STYLIST'S OWN 3.0

2010-04-07T09:58:00.002-04:00

I don't have time to explain why you should go to this but you should. Go.

Stylist's Own. Edition 3. Deets here.

Brazen Design at the National Women's Show this weekend

2010-04-05T22:10:00.004-04:00

I'll be doing my first big show this weekend - I have a booth in the Place Des Artisans section of the National Women's Show at the Palais des Congres. From what I hear, there'll be a ton of free swag, free makeovers and runway shows.

For my part, I will have the entire Brazen Design collection along with some new pieces, and the much sought-after recycled leather fringe earrings - and if all goes well, my booth will be a custom-built-beauty-of-wood-and-bamboo to behold. I must remember to take pics to post!

So the show is 12$... but I have free tickets to give away!

Email me at info [at] brazen-design.com with the subject line "Tickets" and the first five people will receive two!

And look! I have this 2-for-1 coupon for you to download and print! So you and a ladyfriend can go for 6$ each! Woot!

Springin' Lightly

2010-04-01T11:35:00.012-04:00

I think it's safe to say that all Montrealers are yearning for warm breezes, sun and a respite from winter. It's looking like the weekend just may bring us that and so here's my spring fashion roundup. My eyeballs are thirsty for colour, florals and DRESSES. Mmmm.....

All of these goodies are made right here in la belle province by our incredible talent.

Kimono Nudo by Simone's Rose.

Bailey by Valerie Dumaine.

Diana by Jennifer Glasgow.

Carolina Wren by Birds of North America.

Aurore by Jennifer Glasgow.

Tiffany by Simone's Rose.

Rock Wren by Birds of North America.

Fauna by Valerie Dumaine.

Dream Team: The Perfect Bag Arrives

2010-03-17T11:33:00.009-04:00

Once upon a time, I had a dream. A dream of a purse that could rearrange itself into a variety of bags - laptop, clutch, purse, shoulder and messenger. This dream bag would be a classic black, made of soft leather that was easy on my conscience, and hardware that would stand the test of time. Best of all, it would be hot-to-trot and go with anything I wear.
The bag of my dreams (and yours) has arrived. With a Conscience. The 007 is made from upcycled leather, has plenty of inside and outside pockets, interchangeable fringe and strap accessories, and Mini-me (a detachable clutch).

The creation of a dream bag takes a dream team. In this case, The S.W.A.P. Team, Montreal Couture and local recycled leather accessories designer Deborah Adams (about whom I haven't stopped raving on this blog) joined forces to crowd-source and design the perfect bag, a portion of which will go to supporting the SWAP and Montreal Couture's not-for-profit endeavours."So how do I get my hands on one?!", you ask? Simply sign up for the SWAP's newsletter here to ensure you receive your invite to the exclusive online pre-sale. Only the number ordered will be made to reduce waste. The price has not yet been released but is guaranteed to be less than the retail average with a higher quality production (being the owner of multiple Deborah Adams bags and belts, I can personally guarantee it!).

Ok, stop drooling and go sign up - I don't want to hear "I wish I'd gotten one" when you run into me, 007 and Mini-me on the boulevard.

Red Carpet Round Up

2010-03-10T13:36:00.004-05:00

I usually completely ignore the Oscars but I was home and needing tv-veg-out-time so I watched the Academy Awards in their entirety for the first time in my life.

I kept waiting to be blown away by the dresses but I didn't fall madly in love with anything. There are, however, some worth mentioning.

I don't know if this was on purpose, but I noticed that a lot of the incredible female talent of Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, wore....sapphire blue. (see Michelle's comment below for the real reason - very cool!)

Tanya Kim from E-Talk wore a dress designed by Montreal's own Andy The Anh for the Becel Love Your Heart Campaign - that was pretty cool. It had "love your heart" embroidered on it too.

I really liked Maggie Gyllenhaal's Dries Van Noten number - it was one of the more unique dresses.

I thought Carey Mulligan had the most fun with her outfit: her Prada dress's short front hem showed off her great shoes, and the bust was embellished with tiny pieces of cutlery and other charms.

If I had to pick a Best, it would be Meryl Streep, queen of class. Instead of wearing a big-name designer and getting decked out in swaths of rhinest0ne-encrusted tulle, she wore an awesome white dress from Chris March, a Project Runway contestant.

Street Stylin': Amelia

2010-03-09T09:47:00.002-05:00

I met the gorgeous Amelia, hailing from Sweden, at Friday's Efterklang show at Sala Rossa. I was completely smitten with her studded shoulder dress, an H&M (of course) piece she treasure-hunted for. I firmly believe you can never go wrong with black and a touch of punk.

Shoulders are the newest accessory backdrop - embroidered, studded, draped, puffed, it's a very versatile showcase for your bling. You can pick up some local creations or D.I.Y it with the Bedazzler in the bottom of your closet or simply a needle and some embroidery thread.

One-of-a-kind Norwegian Wood harness.Elaine Ho's Geo Necklace.

Montreal Fashion Week Roundup

2010-03-08T12:16:00.000-05:00

My favourite inspired looks from Montreal's Fall/Winter 2010 runway shows. Dresses, dresses, dresses and ankle boots!

Marie Sainte Pierre
Photo Credit : Bureau de la mode de Montréal

Denis Gagnon
Photo Credits: http://pretextes.ca/

Bodybag by J.U.D.E.
Photo Credit : Bureau de la mode de Montréal

Nadya Toto
Photo Credit : Bureau de la mode de Montréal

Last Day! Glasgow Studio Sale

2010-03-06T11:42:00.007-05:00

Starts at noon and goes til 5. I was there last night and it was packed! I took some photos so you can see just how amazing the selection and prices are! Don't miss out.

5643 clark #114. It's that school-lookin' building on the east side (you can see it from St Laurent) and the entrance is on the side.

Look how cute this outfit is!

Found this gorgeous mauve top in one of the liquidation bins.

Look at these gorgeous faces, don't you wanna go visit them?!

All hail the studio sale! Jennifer Glasgow this Friday/Saturday

2010-03-03T22:53:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited I can hardly write this post: Jennifer Glasgow is having a studio sale to make way for her new Spring/Summer collection. This Friday from 5 - 9pm and Saturday from noon to 5 at

5643 clark #114.

There will be some inventory from the last three seasons, and some samples that have never seen the light of day. Don't miss it!

Facebook link here.

Majolie

2010-03-03T21:47:00.005-05:00

For a while now, I have been madly in love with the quebec-knit line, Majolie. Creation of the gorgeous and talented Lysanne Latulippe, Majolie provided us with luscious, unique and devastatingly feminine knitwear. Made in Quebec no less! Alas, this collection is on pause for the time being while Lysanne works with some our other local fashion heroes.

Instead of mourning the loss, take advantage of the sales. I was at General 54 and all the pieces I've featured here are in stock and on sale.

I picked up this tied-at-the-neck herringbone sweater, in white and black. It was 50% off! There's one last one left, in medium so get 'em while you can!

Here's hoping this isn't the last we see of Majolie!

(p.s. the General is just down the street from Jennifer Glasgow's studio - see the previous post about her studio sale and kill two birds with one stone!)

All hail the sale: Birds of North America

2010-02-26T10:12:00.006-05:00

Birds of North America, one of my favourite Montreal labels, is having an 40% sale on what's left of the Fall/Winter '09 inventory.

It's an online sale only - check it out here: www.shopbirdsofnorthamerica.com/sale

P.S. General 54 is open for Nuit Blanche! Check out the deets here.

Olympic Fashion Faux Pas

2010-02-19T14:05:00.012-05:00

Ok, confession time: I love the Olympics.

I don't know why. I can't stand watching most sports and though I'm a regular at the gym and do yoga twice a week, I have zero interest in athleticism and even less so in patriotic pride.

Maybe it's the high emotions. Or maybe it's the fashion faux pas.

Ill-fitting retro jackets? Faux Pas.

I have grimaced every time a Canadian has stepped onto the podium. Sporting that ill-fitting quilted jacket and topped with an unshapely red and white toque, each medallist has struggled to raise their arms above their heads. And I bet they're all made in China, too. Such a shame...

Cultural Appropriation? Faux Pas.

As a closet-ice-dance-lover I was rendered speechless upon seeing the outfits sported during the "Original Dance" whose theme was "Folk Dance". Apparently cultural-appropriation is the look du jour when the whole world is watching.

I have no words for this. And this is the supposed improved version after they offended Australian aborigines with their brown-face and extra ridiculous "war paint" markings.

Faux Pas or the bleeding edge of stylish?

Love 'em or hate 'em, atleast Norway's curling pants are interesting.

Australia gets my vote for best speedskating garb, though an honorary mention goes to Japan's blingin' gold and black.

Stylish bling. Never a fashion faux pas.

On the positive side, some respectful nods go to the artwork. I'm loving the wooden podiums by James Lee & Leo Obstbaum.

And the medals, designed by Corrine Hunt and Omer Arbel, are a design first.

The medals are unique, and not flat, two firsts for Olympic medals. Each medal is a piece of a larger artwork, and the waves represent that breathtaking BC landscape.

Random Round Up

2010-02-18T15:58:00.004-05:00

A random round-up of what's on my fashion mind this week.

I was interviewed for this great article on Montreal's Craft culture by Aaron Vansintjan. Check out - well articulated.

If you've admired this skirt I've been wearing, get it NOW - on sale for $39! So easy to wear. Comfy, soft and easy to combine with a variety of tops and leggings.

[While you're on Michelle's etsy shop, check out the new S/S collection. Delicious. I also picked up a pair of her luxe leggings which paired fantastically with my Denis Gagnon over the weekend.]

Upcoming Chatte Bottee sale at HQ on the 25th. Vintage boots n' shoes. Don't miss it!

R.I.P. McQueen

2010-02-12T11:07:00.027-05:00

Lee Alexander McQueen died yesterday. It's a sad sad day for fashion lovers, designers and anyone remotely artistically inclined.

McQueen was the King of the Thing that went Bling.

I tried to write some sort of hommage to my lifetime's most influential designer but these images from the last few collections say it best. Rest in peace, Fashion's Prince.... Enfant Terrible de la Mode.

P.S. Check out a nice bunch of images from the last 10 collections at Clin D'Oeil.

Featured Blog: In LIfe & In Fashion

2010-02-01T17:45:00.003-05:00

Time's been a little precious lately and so I wanted to share with you a post I really liked, on a blog called In Life and in Fashion. A friend of mine recommended Kena's blog to me, and when I went to check it out I was pleasantly surprised to find a refreshing take on style & grace - from a fellow brown blogger no less!

I thought that this post about Making a Most Coveted List would be a great way of imposing some restraint on our wallets and wardrobes. I think this is a great trick for foregoing another round of cheap n' dirty shirts to save up for some Made-In-Canada goodness.

All hail the sale: Preloved!

2010-01-20T09:14:00.001-05:00

It's preloved's Annual Warehouse Sale! Preloved makes stylish new duds from recycled and used garments.

10$, 20$, 30$, 40$ Maximum price 50$!

4 Days Only:

Thursday January 21st 12-9pm
Friday January 22nd 12-9pm
Saturday January 23rd 11-6pm
Sunday January 24th 12-6pm

4832 Blvd Saint Laurent

Bodacious Bras

2010-01-18T12:14:00.022-05:00

I recently visited Secrets from your Sister, a bra-fitting boutique in Toronto, Ontario. There I learned the truth behind a well-fitting bra (see bottom of post for a summary of what I learned!) and that we can apply conscious consumption to what's underneath our clothes.

I asked the very helpful staff about Made-in-Canada lingerie, and they showed me Grenier, pride of our own belle ville de Montreal since 1860! The collection covers all the bases - from plus sizes to wireless to teddies to control tops and bottoms - all reasonably priced and proudly made in Canada.

I also picked up a couple bottles of Soak, the Made-in-Canada no-rinse handwashing soap for your delicates (as seen on Dragon's Den!). I've been using it for 3 weeks - so far, so good!

Bra-fitting tips!

1. Cup sizes are relative to the rib size. So a 32 D is not the same cup size as a 38 D (it's smaller).
2. If your bra rides up in the back, it's not the straps, it's the rib size - it's too large.
3. When trying bras on, try it on the loosest hook so that over the years you can tighten it.
4. Handwash your bras, don't throw 'em in the machine! They will last many years this way.
5. Wash them every 1 - 3 wears.
6. Most of us'll "pudge" out of any bra - don't judge the fitting by it.

Support Haiti

2010-01-15T11:05:00.004-05:00

Come join me this Tuesday to raise funds for Haiti. Brazen Design will be donating a pair of leaf vein earrings. Other prizes include Lucky Jeans gift certificates, make-up, cosmetics, books and a plane ride over Montreal!

All hail the online sales!

2010-01-11T17:20:00.005-05:00

A follow-up of the last post regarding in-store sales on Canadian-made designs this month.

Buying Online is another great way to get Canadian designs. There are sales right now on just about every Canadian designer's online store as well at Chiccane.com and Mudshark.

Check out the sale pages at:

Birds of North America
Jennifer Glasgow
Valerie Dumaine
Dace

And check out these vegan, ethically-made winter coats, on sale, from Vaute Couture! Not a Canadian company, but rigorously conscientious in the creation of their coats.

All hail the sales!

2010-01-10T13:01:00.003-05:00

January is a great time to get some good deals. It's rare that boutiques carrying a lot of Made-In-Canada designs have major sales, but there are some jems this month.

I'd highly recommend popping by Jeans Jeans Jeans - I was in there helping a friend pick out a pair of made-in-Montreal Second Yoga Skinny jeans, and found a rack of Guido & Mary, Lois and Seconds at half-price. Plus, the second pair is seventy-five perfect off! And that's off Jeans Jeans Jeans' regular prices, which are below suggested retail.

Another great sale is going down at La Gaillarde in St Henri. It's on until the 24th of this month.

I've had my eye on a young designer, THIRD EYE by Dessaivre, whose eco up-cycled creations are carried there. Her work is romantic with an edge of dark, using lots of creams and black and lace.

S.W.A.P.'s 2010 Challenge

2010-01-07T11:58:00.004-05:00

By know you've probably heard about H&M slashing & dumping new clothes instead of donating them to charity.

There have been some interesting reactions, such as H&M and Wal-Mart saying they will ensure it will never happen again.

Another is The S.W.A.P. Team's 2010 challenge to swap instead of shop, shop local when buying clothes, and downsizing, amongst other things. Read the full challenge here and sign up in the comments!

Oh snap! Moi sur Clin D'oeil!

2010-01-06T15:32:00.004-05:00

I forgot that I stumbed across this during the holidays - I got snapped at the Billie Boutique blogger's night but thought nothing of it until this came up in my google alerts.
Check it out - I'm on the Clin D'oeil Street Stylin' blog!

The entry doesn't tell you about all the made-in-Canada goodness I'm wearing so allow me:

Fringe Top by Pretty Raccoon Clothing
Simone Cardigan by Valerie Dumaine
Amour skirt by Simone's Rose
Yoga jeans by Second
Recycled leather Evelyn bag by Deborah Adams
Leather belt made in Canada for Bedo
And the bling, of course, is mine.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T15:56:00.007-05:00

Dear readers,

I hope 2010 brings you goodness, grace and style galore.

I am making a resolution to only make vintage, second-hand or Made-In-Canada fashion purchases this year, in addition to clothes swapping. Wanna join me?

A new initiative from the city of Montreal will make it easier to buy local fashion while supporting local retailers. Montrealfashionmap.com is an interactive map that encourages supporting the local fashion scene. There's still a bunch missing, but designers can send their info to the Ville de Montreal to be added.

[Not convinced that second hand shopping is worth the work? Here's a glance at my New Year's Eve dress - I've worn it ever New Year's eve since 2005. It's a hand-sequined haute couture body-hugging mini, complete with snaps to hold in your bra straps (!)... I got for $5 at Value Village.]

Happy New Year,

Rachel

All Hail The Sale: Style Cutters

2009-12-11T11:08:00.004-05:00

I'm doing one last show this holiday season and I'm really stoked about it - three fashion designers, two jewellery designers, two handbag designers and a reclaimed wooden toy maker will descend upon Blizzarts, our favourite plateau watering hole.

More than just shopping - enjoy cocktails, desserts, music and old films.

We will be there all day, from 12h - 19h. Come by, say hi, and gift your loved ones or yourself with local creations!

Featured Designer: Simone's Rose

2009-12-09T12:03:00.008-05:00

One of the best things about doing the Holiday Craft Fair circuit is meeting and bonding with other designers. I had the great pleasure of hanging out with the wonderfully effervescent Michelle Maynard of Simone's Rose, a Pyxus Passion Project.

When I first met Michelle at Smart Design Mart I tried to limit myself to one piece, the first being this fantastic Amour Houndstooth high-waisted skirt (as seen on me here at the Billie Boutique Blogger's night. Paired with a Pretty Raccoon fringe shirt).

But I spent the week dreaming about the Hailey dress, and so when I saw Michelle at Puces Pop/Rusty Plum I had to try it on. It fit like a glove and it was mine!

This is the dress you'll be seeing me in at a holiday party near you. Paired with my new booties, of course.

Just look at the gorgeous pleating of the sleeve...

Simone's Rose is a brand new line, built upon years of experience creating custom clothing and designing in the commercial fashion industry. Michelle's taste in cut and fabric are impeccable and the quality of the workmanship is undeniably high. Check out her Etsy shop, facebook page or make an appointment to stop by her Mile-End studio. You'll be happy you did!

Bloggers (and booties!) at Billie Boutique

2009-12-04T11:00:00.005-05:00

The lovely Annie and Veronique of Billie Boutique hosted a Women Bloggers night this past Wednesday and I had a blast meeting other fashionistas, getting photographed and well...shopping.

The boutique:

The bloggers:

The booties:

Yes, I will be wearing these to a holiday party near you.

So many opportunities to buy local...

2009-11-23T13:15:00.006-05:00

The last one on this post is happening TONIGHT and features my favourite DEBORAH ADAMS and her recycled leather bags n' belts!

Featuring the crazy-talented, my jewellery role-model, Anick.
This one is happening tonight - get yourself or a loved one a gorgeous recycled leather belt and bag from Deborah Adams!

Belt yer outfit!

2009-11-23T12:48:00.005-05:00

Oh look, another belt-themed blog post! Oh belts... how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

#3882647: Belt That Outfit:

I have been admiring this trend from afar, skeptical about its practicality (I love the look of a winter coat belted with a wide belt not part of the coat... but when you wanna take it off or just zip it open on the metro?) but loving the silhouette it creates.

When Adrienne showed up at my door wearing this cute grey dress with studded belt, I had to try it out on her. She already looked awesome, having taken a shapeless girly dress with great pleating work, and deciding to belt it, not just with anything - some black studded leather to add some edge - and topping the outfit with a black cardigan. The cardigan was a perfect candidate, as it had no buttons or enclosure of any kind - it was actually built to just hang.

And so we belted it. I think it looks awesome and I can't wait to try this look out more often.

The September Issue and the Meaning of Life

2009-11-05T09:09:00.005-05:00

SPOILER ALERT.

Thanks to the lovely folks at Worn Fashion Journal, I won tickets to see The September Issue. I was fascinated all the way through - it was crazy seeing how shoots come together and I had no idea designers showed Anna their goods before the clothes even hit the catwalk. But what I was most enthralled with was the juxtaposition of Grace and Anna and what it taught me about how I want to live my life.

Grace Coddington is the Creative Director of Vogue USA, and responsible for styling many of the fashion spreads that appear in the mag. Anna Wintour is the Editor-in-Chief, and held responsible for bringing Vogue back to relevancy.

If one were to judge them by their Wikipedia entries, Grace would be a mousy, unimportant blip in the world of Fashion, and Anna the Emperess. They are both older women, Anna being 60 this year and Grace almost 70, and they've worked together at Vogue in NYC for over twenty years. (There is a much better biography of Grace here.)

The film inadvertently pits them against each other: Grace styling gorgeous, romantic, and eye-candy-laden shoots, and Anna cutting them from the issue. Designers, staffers and famous photographers cowering in front of Anna, and Grace cheering them up afterwards. In the end, much of the magazine is filled with Grace's talent, though Anna will always get the credit.

Throughout the film, Anna lives up to her Ice Queen reputation, often responding with cutting insults or simply a blank stare. Grace makes us laugh, defends pot bellies and cries at the beauty of the gardens at Place Versailles.

Though Anna has lengthy Wikipedia pages to her name, I would rather live my life as Grace.

P.S. Help us ban Zimbabwe Blood Diamonds by signing the Avaaz.org petition here!

Fatshion!

2009-10-29T10:08:00.010-04:00

I have been reflecting a lot on body image recently. I don't know if Saturn is to blame, but I have been feeling really self-conscious, especially about my belly. Constant exposure to the fashion industry doesn't help and I set out to find images and blogs that would help me see myself as healthy and beautiful.

I had heard about this Lizzie Miller photograph in Glamour that caused an uproar and a call for more images that mirrored our realities (The November issue of Glamour responded with the photo below). Searching for these images led to an obsessive few weeks of scoping out all the fatshion blogs I could find.

I particularly loved the following blogs and have added them to my reader to keep myself inundated with beautiful pictures of real women's bodies. I hope you do, too!

Every Body is Beautiful - gorgeous fashion photos

Fat Girls Like Nice Clothes Too - full of sass and humour and real life

Young Fat and Fabulous - up on the latest fatshion news

Musings of a Fatshionista - intelligent reflections on fatshion news and outfit pics

Other incidents such as the Glamour shot indicate a changing of the tides: Mark Fast's decision to use plus-size models in his London Fashion Week show, fatshion icon Beth Ditto's line for plus-size clothing line Evans, the relaunch of SKORCH mag, and the outrage expressed over the photoshopped n' fired Ralph Lauren model debacle.

I have added a fatshion tag to the blog to keep track of designers, styling and news.

General 54's Fall/Winter line-up

2009-10-28T15:01:00.013-04:00

I stopped in at General 54 recently, one of my favourite Montreal boutiques carrying Canadian-made goodies. They had painted and redecorated and it looked so great in there, I had to snap some pics of some of the great fall fashions they have in stock.

Like this ski-meets-tailored fashion top from co-owner Jennifer Glasgow's line:

Or this gorgeous grey top, also from Glasgow.

This Ramonalisa top is both slouchy and fitted in all the right places.

This gorgeous silkcreened linen dress is from the very-last-ever Nokomis collection.

This sumptuous sweater is brought to you by Anastasia Lomonova.

A gorgeous up-cycled creation from the one-and-only Supayana.

Nothing screams fall more than this red tartan blouse from Grob.

There was also much Birds of North America that I have been drooling over - but photos didn't turn out :(.

Street Stylin': The Wedding Wrap-Up

2009-10-20T16:02:00.020-04:00

Wedding season has come to a close and as promised, here are some snaps of some outfits.

Wearing the Eve Gravel Melting dress at Danielle and Carl's wedding.

Accessorized with Melanie Favreau's As-tu-du feu? earrings, embroidered shawl, April Mayde hairpiece and heirloom brooch.

Wearing the Denis Gagnon purchased at Stylist's Own to Billy and Sandi's, accented with same earrings and brooch as above. Mila peep-toes from Cortina.

Bride Tanya is wearing a custom dress from Gloomth.

Anouk is wearing Montreal company Groggy.

Detail of Anouk's Groggy dress.

Anile wearing Anne Klein and some kick-ass black patent Guess heels.

Jenn wearing a Value Village find, La Canadienne boots and my Deborah Adams belt.

And I didn't forget the boys... they clean up rather well.

We found my partner-in-crime's much-complimented blazer five years ago at Value Village for $12.

Tanya and Steph had matching converse sneakers and Steph's whole lavender and plum outfit rocked the groom universe.

Montreal Fashion Week!

2009-10-14T10:43:00.001-04:00

I wish I could cover Montreal Fashion Week for you but I'm busy meeting with buyers. But A La Mode Montreal has you covered! Check out their coverage here.

I will be posting wedding outfit pics soon!

Wedding Weekend

2009-10-08T11:35:00.004-04:00

My dear, dear friend Danielle is getting married this weekend and in between memorizing my reading during the ceremony and building up my alcohol tolerance, I have been putting together my outfit.

I am wearing Eve Gravel's Melting dress in grey with made-in-Italy peep toe heels in navy blue from Mila purchased at Cortina (7100 St Laurent).

For accessories, I have fashioned a belt from a strip of black satin and my man's grandmother's brooch, gifted to me by his aunt, along with the silver cuff. For my hair, I am wearing the Victoria black lace hairpiece from Montrealer aprilMayde.

To stay warm during the autumn nuptials, I have a beautiful embroidered shawl given to me by my family.

Featured Designer: White Label

2009-10-05T13:59:00.005-04:00

I discovered White Label this weekend at Puces Pop. This Montreal line is made here from biological, ecological and renewable materials. Available at Harmony Code and Unicorn Boutique.

I had my eye on two dresses in particular and ended up with both. When you try a dress on at a craft fair and Richard Perry of Arcade Fire says "Wow, nice dress" - you buy. And blush, cause you've had a crush on him since he worked at the AV department in the basement of the Fine Arts building at Concordia in 2001. Not that I'm keeping track or anything.

BTW, that is not me in the photos. I fill 'em out quite a bit more ;)

All Hail The Sale: STYLIST'S OWN!

2009-10-02T08:21:00.007-04:00

I squealed like a kid in a candy store at the STYLIST'S OWN v.i.p. launch last night. The space, MW Salon on McGill in the old port, was a perfect and gorgeous backdrop to the racks of one-of-a-kind and limited edition items made by our local design talent. Delectable canapes enhanced the experience normally associated with xmas-time fights between parents at department stores over the last hot toy.

I was going to treat myself to one special piece and between the gorgeous belts, cuffs, vintage shoes, bags, coats, artwork and objects for the home I had my work cut out for me. I was secretly nursing a fantasy of me leaving the launch with a beautifully packaged designer dress made of random lengths of fabric draped about it.

I loved this gorgeous wool sweater:

And this buttery cropped leather jacket by Twenty8Twelve.

But last night my fantasy came true and I left carrying a beautiful black STYLIST'S OWN bag containing this maze-of-a-dress by Denis Gagnon, in grey. You can't see the back but there is a hood-type sheath of fabric that hangs from the shoulders revealing a triangular peek of the wearer's upper back.

Ok. Stop reading! Go to STYLIST'S OWN, starting today (Friday) and going until Sunday!

And then Fashion went POP!

2009-10-01T13:29:00.017-04:00

We had a blast last night at Fashion Pop!

Congratulations go out to Angie of Norwegian Wood, who took home the cash prize and Le Chateau gift certificate.

The audience was decked out and Montreal-gorgeous, all the collections were strong and had their share of strange "I don't know what to think about that!" elements - it was everything one wants to see on the catwalk.

All pictures courtesy of the incredible ncbeets, who accompanied me as my photographer. Maybe next time Pop'll have reserved seating for fashion bloggers so we can give you better coverage ;)

My favourite from winner Norwegian Wood. I love the gorgeous layered shoulders on this jacket.

Flavie Le Chat, LeChat clothing

Rachel J Chan's Contradict line.

Emily Brunet's La Fete

Charlotte Edison's Girlfriend Material

Marie-Eve Emond's Betina Lou

Sneak Peeks for STYLIST'S OWN

2009-09-28T09:57:00.008-04:00

As promised, here are some sneak peeks of (a few of) the Brazen Design limited edition collection on sale this weekend at STYLIST'S OWN. All the pieces are made with recycled leather and sterling silver chain.

Made in MTL with Love

2009-09-25T16:07:00.012-04:00

Holy cow, next week is like a not-so-mini pre-party for Montreal Fashion Week (which is more like three days, not a week, and will be upon us Oct 13th).

But first things first: we're gonna kick things off on Wednesday with Fashion Pop, followed by STYLIST'S OWN on Friday. Saturday will launch the Puces Pop annual Arts & Crafts fair.

FASHION POP

Wed Sept 30th
8 PM (doors at 7)
Espace Reunion, 6600 Hutchinson
This is an exciting fashion show and contest between 6 up-and-coming Montreal fashion designers. You can read my previous blog entry about Fashion Pop here.

STYLIST'S OWN

Friday, October 2nd – 10 am to 9 pm
Saturday, October 3rd – 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday, October 4th – 12 pm to 6 pm
Studio MW
400 McGill
Montréal

This is only the 2nd ever STYLIST'S OWN from respected Montreal wonder woman and stylist Azamit, and founder of souk@sat. She has gathered one-of-a-kind and limited edition items from over 60 Montreal designers. The perfect opportunity to get your hands on a gorgeous unique piece made with love right here in Montreal.

Brazen Design will be presenting a never-before-seen recycled leather/sterling silver collection and I'll post sneak peeks next week.

PUCES POP

October 3rd & 4th, 11am - 7pm
St. Michel Church Hall (105 St-Viateur O.)

Quickly becoming a Montreal institution, this Pop Montreal side-project-turned-raging-arts-and-crafts-beast, The Puces Pop Marketplace is an amazing assembly of handmade clothes, jewellery, zines, toys, ceramics, books and much much more.

I will be there all weekend, and the permanent Brazen Design collection will be on SUPER SALE so take advantage!

Fashion Pop!

2009-09-23T12:14:00.006-04:00

I am getting really excited for Fashion Pop, Puces Pop's inaugural fashion design contest in collaboration with Le Chateau.

Six on-the-rise local designers will present a mini-collection of 6 looks to a panel of judges.
The winner will get $1000, a $500 Le Chateau gift certificate and a feature in Worn Fashion Journal.
The participating designers are Emily Brunet (La Fête), Rachel Chan (Contradict), Charlotte Eedson (girlfriend material), Marie-Eve Emond (Betina Lou), Angie Johnson (Norwegian Wood), and Flavie Lechat (Le Chat Clothing).

It's all going down next Wednesday September 30th at 8:30pm @ Espace Reunion, 6600 Hutchinson. See you there!

(image: le chat, betina lou, girlfriend material, la fete, norwegian wood, contradict)

Monday Morning Musings

2009-09-21T10:19:00.006-04:00

Lack of sleep and too much caffeine has led to a mishmash of thoughts bouncing around my head, so here's a smattering.

Buy your dad some bling. Look how awesome Sarah's dad David looks in a Brazen ring. Yours could too.

I'm looking forward to shopping local designs at STYLIST'S OWN and Puces Pop on Oct 3-4 weekend.

Wedding season has meant dry cleaning for the first time in my life. I'm trying out Renew System, the Ecological dry cleaner on Bernard, and I'll blog about it when I pick my items up.

I'm sad to say I missed promoting and attending LabCreatif's 5th annual designer sale - still not sure where it happened, but it was this past weekend.

And my very feeble morning glories finally bloomed in a last ode to the dog days of summer.

Top Fall Picks

2009-09-18T10:04:00.019-04:00

There's no denying it anymore - Autumn weather is upon us and by the end of the weekend it will officially be the end of summer.

But there is much to look forward to as fall is a really great time for fashion. The weather is not too hot and not too cold, making for outfits full of possibility. We can have fun with layering; wear luxurious cashmere, wool, knits and jacquards; and pay homage to the trees in rich forest greens, wine reds and ochre yellows.

I've picked out some of my favourite made-in-Canada items for the chilly weather.

My favourite materials this fall are leather and denim - the new collections widely feature these in ways we haven't seen them before: in shirts and skirts, highly structured and layered. Like this Denis Gagnon leather shirt.

This wool sweater dress is on sale for a mere $40 from Dace.

This great looking coat is from Lily & Jae's new collection.

The next couple of items are from Chiccane.com. Chiccane.com is a new online boutique retailing Montreal designers, launched about 6 months ago. I was really happy to hear about another project promoting our local talents and sifted through the site for my top Fall picks.

For those who like a really slim fit, Travis Taddeo's Double Empress Dress is on sale here and would look fantastic with a cropped military jacket and tall boots.

I adore the Equestrian Belt from Denis Gagnon, available here.

Montreal Geek Girls rule.

2009-09-17T08:34:00.006-04:00

I had a blast presenting last night at Montreal Geek Girl Dinner's "September Issue" - A Passion for Fashion.

Aleece Germano of The SWAP Team talked about their amazingly successful Montreal and Toronto clothing swaps the past two weekends, and about why clothes swapping is so fun and important and sustainable.

If you missed my presentation, I have uploaded it to Slideshare and you can check it out here.

Someone asked about jackets for taller women. I found this one at Melow, and I found an entire collection designed for tall women: The O Collection.

I also mentioned that a great place to get one of my Top Ten Wardrobe Must Haves - The Boot - is at La Chatte Bottees vintage shoe sales at boutiques around town. Well, there is one coming up Friday September 25th at Headquarters Boutique, 6 - 9pm. Don't miss your chance!

The September Issue: Passion for Fashion at Montreal Geek Girl Dinners this Wednesday!

2009-09-14T10:25:00.005-04:00

The second half of Montreal Girl Geek Dinner's "September Issue" (focus on fashion) is taking place this Wednesday at 7pm at Station C.

Aleece Germano of S.W.A.P. will be joining me to talk about conscious consumerism, buying local and helpful fashion tips and faux-pas for fashion newbies. It'll be fun and we'll head to the Sparrow for drinks afterwards!

You can read more about the event here at Montreal Girl Geek Dinner's blog.

When: 7 pm on September 16th, 2009
Where: Station C, 5369 Saint-Laurent #430 [map]

RSVP using the Facebook event page here .

Pearls of Fashion/Life Wisdom

2009-09-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favourite fashion bloggers - Kristen O'Reilly of Idiosyncratic Style - asked ten independant fashion bloggers for their best fashion tips.

She compiled them all into Pearls of Wisdom: Fashion Bloggers on Style: a whole lot of fashion advice that can be applied to life in general, like love yourself, have fun and be a trendsetter not a follower.

In the pic in the post, I am wearing Jennifer Glasgow's Thelma shirt and Lalouka's Nautical Pencil Skirt.)

Featured Designer: Jennifer Glasgow

2009-09-09T08:45:00.001-04:00

Jennifer Glasgow's line has been a staple in Montreal wardrobes for the last decade. She's a wonderful, warm and funny person... and one of the brains behind mile-end institutions Local 23 & General 54. Last week, I had the privilege of getting a sneak peak at Jennifer Glasgow's studio and Fall/Winter 09. collection. Exciting stuff!

Above, Jenn is wearing the Tamarac dress from the new collection - like everything Glasgow, it has pockets (yay!) and we love her for it.

Below, Jenn is modelling the new Elderberry shirt. I love the scoop neck in back, and that she's taken the pouffy sleeve farther down off the shoulder. The skirt is the Greta, from her Spring/Summer 09 line... and on sale for 59$ here!

I love Glasgow's shirts - the tailoring is so unique and she has a real feel for noble and eco-friendly fabrics such as bamboo, linen and lyocell (a cellulose fiber made from wood pulp! how amazing is that?)

I am really looking forward to rocking some of these wool blend sweaters with swooping birds when the cold weather hits...

Check out the entire Fall/Winter 09 collection here!

Swappin' Saturday!

2009-09-05T22:33:00.017-04:00

I had a blast today at SWAP - and there's plenty of goodies left so bring your used clothes tomorrow and Monday to get some for yourself!

We also styled some really fun outfits - like the one above with Tanya wearing a belted purple tubetop shorts jumper.

We found this incredible skirt for Jennifer. (ooh, ooh check out her awesome blog and video about her swap experience and see the other sweet threads she got!)

This sailor dress was out of this world on her!

A very cute little pink skirt.

Some of the shoes I wished were my size!

Nicole found these fantastic cowboy boots.

There were still some incredible finds remaining on the racks when I left - like these two never-worn made-in-MTL Glasgow tops.

And there's one Deborah Adams belt left - a gorgeous black suede number.

I scored some amazing things! Here are some of my favourites:
two belts - a wide leather one from deborah with a vintage clasp and a wraparound leather and wover belt made in England.

This never-worn (bubble) pink bubble skirt from Anastasia Lomonova.

These knee high leather boots.

Vintage shopping with the Smiths

2009-09-04T12:18:00.000-04:00

Adrienne and Rebecca were over to celebrate the end of Rebecca's internship with Brazen Design (she did a killer job, yay Becca!) and they were both modelling their fantastic vintage finds. It inspired me to revisit second-hand shopping which I'd become a bit bored with. Rebecca showed up wearing this incredible floral summer dress in greens and creams that she picked up at Cul De Sac and her other finds are from the various vintage stores in Point-St-Charles and Adrienne's gorgeous purple silk dress and leather belt are from a recent trip to Brooklyn, NYC.

Your perfect chance to browse some amazing second hand finds is this weekend at SWAP! And I will be on hand to provide complimentary fashion consultations. Read the blog post here.

Take Off Your Clothes!

2009-09-02T11:05:00.008-04:00

Things that go Bling will be doing on-site fashion consultations at the Labour Day weekend clothing SWAP at Piknik Electronik this Saturday from 4 - 7!

Come check out the biggest clothing swap in North America this weekend and keep your consumption to a minimum.

Event Deets:

We’re back for our third year in a row at the Piknic Electronik! You’ll have 3 FULL DAYS to swap your heart out!Plus, we’ll have NEW clothes on the racks from some of Montreal’s hottest designers, including: Olga Tigirlas, Valérie Dumaine, Anastasia Lomonova and Jen Glasglow.

DJs James Holden (Sept. 5) and Misstress Barbara (September 6) will be on the decks, so don’t forget to dance!

Admission: FREE with your paid entrance to the Piknic Electronik ($10)

More details here and here.

About S.W.A.P.:

The S.W.A.P. Team is a non-profit organization founded by Aleece Germano and Nicole Picard. Through its clothing swap event Take Off Your Clothes, the group endeavours to promote sharing as an antidote to overconsumption while increasing awareness of the human and natural resources involved in the creation, transportation and marketing of mass-produced consumer goods.

Street Stylin': Becca & Tali

2009-08-31T09:23:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago, Nantali (aka IamBlackgirl of Nomadic Massive) stopped by for a jewellery cleaning and I just loved how her summer outfit matched my intern Rebecca's. I'm really enjoying the skirt worn high and belted with a slim fitting tank top.

I love Rebecca's Disney Snow White-esque layering of tank tops to look like a bodice. Nantali was blinged out in Brazen Design as usual, this time paired with this incredible ring from Dubai.

I know today feels far too cold for this outfit but I think this look will transition really well into fall with the simple addition of leggings, tall boots and long sleeved shirts.

All Hail The Sale! Fig Clothing (made in MTL yoga gear!)

2009-08-27T08:55:00.007-04:00

Fig Clothing, a made-in-montreal yoga and "travel wear" line is having a sale on their upcoming Fall collection.

28th to 30th of August

STUDIOS LYNE ST-ROCH
4416, St-Laurent, STUDIO 305
Montréal, QC, H2W 1Z5

Friday 28 August 10am - 9pm
Saturday 29 August 10am - 4pm
Sunday 30 August 10h - 4pm

Cash only/Final Sale

Street Stylin': Gorgeous Jillian

2009-08-26T09:00:00.011-04:00

I saw my gorgeous friend Jillian for coffee at Olympico on Sunday. As usual, Jill was decked out in head-to-toe made-in-montreal digs.

Her fantastic high-waisted pencil skirt is from HomeBaked, purchased from General 54.

Her adorable lace top with billowing cap sleeves is from none other than Lustre, purchased from Lustre Boutique.

Her earrings are none other than Brazen Design - the One Off collection. Purchased from Spring Puces Pop. The ring was picked up at the St Laurent Street Fair for 5$. The Oyster shell necklace is from Hilary Thomson.

Jillian's bright cuff is from Pupina, purchased at Katrin Leblond. The bra is Marlie Dekkers, purchased at the blow-out sale I blogged about in May.

Street Stylin' Style Tip: Accessorizing for weddings

2009-08-24T09:55:00.013-04:00

Adrienne came by to borrow some accessories for a wedding. She had found a gorgeous vintage-styled dress (at Gap, believe it or not) with a beautiful tiger lily print in white on royal blue. I couldn't believe how perfectly the Brazen Design Tiger Lily Necklace went with the pattern. To suit the style of the dress, we strung it on a very long diamond-cut ball chain and then paired it with Adrienne's own pair of Brazen Design Small Leaf Vein Earrings.

The key with accessorizing for weddings it keep it simple: go with one or two larger items than you would normally wear, instead of lots of small. Unless, of course, the wedding is a very formal affair in which case you can wear a full earrings/necklace/bracelet/ring set.

Street Stylin' Style Tip: Belts! Perfect for weddings.

2009-08-19T08:40:00.017-04:00

If, like me, you have multiple weddings to attend before the summer draws to a close, you may be feeling it in your wallet. Buying gifts, travelling and needing multiple outfits per wedding really add up. Borrowing is a great way of making a great-looking one-time outfit that doesn't break the bank.

Nancy was in the same situation and so we had an accessory date. Belts were the focus, as we were trying to give shape to a gorgeous but shapeless Banana Republic dress found on super sale. We finally located the perfect one: my wide black leather belt with snap and puckered front detail (handmade from second hand leather in Montreal by Deborah Adams, available at Lustre Boutique). It matched the other pleats in the dress and instantly gave Nancy a flattering hourglass silhouette.

We also had fun dressing Nancy up in a variety of other belts to match her fantastic black tube/black skirt outfit that day. She left wearing a faux leather green wraparound that I picked up in NYC as well as an extra-wide purple leather made-in-Canada corset belt from Bedo.

All Hail The Sale! Jennifer Glasgow Spring/Summer '09

2009-08-12T18:58:00.008-04:00

Alright. This is NOT TO BE MISSED. I'm serious.

Jennifer Glasgow's made-in-Montreal-with-love Spring/Summer collection is on CRAZY SALE online! Remember those gorgeous high waisted cottom denim trousers I raved about? 49$. Yes, that's right: 49$.

Just...just go.

Style Tip: It's gettin' hot in here! Stay cool.

2009-08-12T09:21:00.009-04:00

Woowee! I just scanned the weather projections for the next week and it is gonna get H-O-T-T. I'm so glad I was gifted this Kimchi Blue (made in the USA!) lace-neckline tank yesterday by the always-stylish Reema Singh of Cocoa Locale - it'll be the perfect nearly-nude top to stay cool in this week.

STYLE TIP

Pair a light, long and billowy tank with short-shorts or a mini-skirt. If you're feeling a little more conservative, try a pair of lightweight (linen or cotton) capris. Accessorize with a skinny belt around your natural waist. Finish the look with strappy wedge sandals.

PERFECT WITH...

Lalouka's handmade-in-Montreal bloomers:

Second-hand Givenchy Sandals from Shoes and Your Mom:

Featured Purchase: Lalouka Nautical Pinstripe Skirt

2009-08-11T09:09:00.007-04:00

I recently stumbled upon Lara's Etsy stores - Lalouka (handmade goodies) and The Crumpet Closet (vintage finds) and went nuts for her stuff.

Think retro casual cool meets smart garden tea parties (Lara's originally from England).

I promptly ordered the Nautical Pinstripe Skirt and I LOVE IT! Lara tailor-made it to my size and I've worn it twice since picking it up on Friday. The fabric is a nice mix of strong and stretch and I love the highwasit - it's very flattering. My favourite touch is the contrasting horizontal stripes in the pocket. And as Lara put it, it's "very nice in the bum".

She's gearing up for her fall line so I'll let y'all know when it's ready. In the meantime, head over to her shop and pick up this skirt or a pair of bloomers - it's gonna be a hot september!

Featured Product: Eco-conscious foot bling from Neuaura

2009-08-10T10:41:00.005-04:00

I've recently started following Magnifeco.com's blog and I just had to re-blog Kate's post from this morning. These shoes are TO DIE FOR - except that nothing died for them - AND this vegan, conscious-production foot bling is ON SALE!

Montreal Shopping Guide for IdStyle

2009-08-06T08:19:00.003-04:00

Check out my guestblog on Idiosyncratic Style - Kristen asked me to put together a Montreal Shopping Guide and I had so much to say! You can read the guide here, and Kristen's IdStyle Spotlight on Brazen Design here.

I heart Black n' White nailpolish.

2009-08-05T00:20:00.010-04:00

Thanks to the combination of a friend throwing a nailpolish party, another friend showing up with a bottle of black nailpolish and other friends encouraging a move away from the classic red I usually sport on my nails (toes only unless I'm on vacation - the woes of a rough-handed bling maker), I have become obsessed with black nailpolish. And nothing is classier than black and white so when I spotted a bottle of white nailpolish on a toilet paper-run, I couldn't help myself.

I'm a changed woman. Now if only I had the skill to paint houndstooth on my nails!

P.S. Sorry, no photos of my chubby and painted fingers or toes allowed. But you can submit yours to me and I'll publish them!

P.P.S. Again, not a fan of posting photos of myself but here's the promised photo of the Valerie Dumaine Cardigan - I've barely taken it off; it's the perfect summer rain and chilly evening wear to throw over my dresses n' sandals uniform. The propane tank makes for a strange background...

Street Stylin: Aprille in the T-Dot

2009-07-25T10:10:00.005-04:00

Here's a weekend post before I go on my first vacation since launching Brazen Design two years ago!

While I was in Toronto and snapping shots of the Holt Renfrew blogger windows, I ran into Aprille and her fabulous (dare I say? Tres Montreal) get-up and just had to get her photo for the new Street Stylin' feature.

Full name: Aprille Melissa Radam
Age: 25 yrs old
Occupation: Associate Manager at Aritzia

Wearing:
Satin crepe drapey blazer - Wilfred for Aritzia
Spandex tank top - Talula Babaton for Aritzia
Cotton harem pants - a boutique that sells products from Nepal (I forgot its name?)
Zip gladiator sandals - Michael Michael Kors from Holt Renfrew
Aldo Accessories
Coach wristlet

What does your tattoo mean?
I got it when I was much younger (14 years old), so the explanation of the significance of it is quite juvenile. Its a dove carrying a rose...which quite simply symbolizes peace and love. LOL (how hippy is that!?)

Not hippy at all, Aprille! Peace and love still rocks my world...

Street Stylin': Danielle in BodyBag by J.U.D.E.

2009-07-23T14:31:00.004-04:00

My friend Danielle wore this stunner to her engagement party - a perfect light summer dress amped up with classic navy blue striping and oversized white hem. Made in Montreal with love!

Dress:

BodyBag by J.U.D.E.
17 Bernard West, Montreal.
www.jude.qc.ca/bodybag/

All Hail The Sale! Eve and Valerie at Unicorn

2009-07-16T14:57:00.000-04:00

There's a big ol' sale going down at Boutique Unicorn (St Laurent, north of Laurier, east side) , today and tomorrow! Eve Gravel and Valerie Dumaine brand new stock going back to the warehouse post-sale so a golden opportunity not to be missed!

Here's the post with all the deets.

And here's the post with some pics of items. It looks to me like it might be more than just Eve and Valerie... I recognize a gingham DACE (Vancouver designed and made!) dress I tried on in Toronto - super cute! (Though tailored to the tall skinny girls among you!)

See you there!

I Heart Valerie Dumaine

2009-07-14T12:41:00.009-04:00

I am on a Valerie Dumaine kick lately - this Montreal designer's locally made creations are seamlessly satiating my desire for classic cuts with a sexy edge.

I blogged about my Valerie Dumaine jumpsuit a few weeks ago - the one I bought at LabCreatif's Designer Sale.

I've worn this dress once a week since I purchased it in April (it even got Mom's stamp of approval - though that time I didn't pair it with my Marlie Dekkers bra;)

And seeing as the hot humid days of July and August are nowhere to be seen, I just purchased this cardigan from Mudshark Streetwear, my favourite one-stop online shop for Canadian couture. I'll upload another pic when it arrives!

If I could, I would have added these to my shopping cart.

The Chloe Dress:

And the Olivia Tunic (I saw a girl rockin' this up St Laurent and it was just fantastic - the sequins really do it for me!)

Oh Valerie! How I love thee!

Holt Renfrew goes 2.0 - Take 2.0

2009-07-13T06:13:00.020-04:00

Pardon my lack of blogging this past week - I was at a family reunion in Toronto. As promised, I made time to see the Toronto and Montreal Holt Renfrew "ode to fashion bloggers" windows.

I took my childhood friend Camille to see them in Toronto which was appropriate as she and I spent a lot of time trailing her mom through Holt's and fantasizing about shopping there as adults.

Pardon the photos - I would have loved to take photos at night without all the reflection but just didn't get a chance.

Toronto's Bryan Boy window. Montreal's was too lame for me to photograph.

The Sartorialist windows in Montreal - didn't get to see the Toronto one, sadly.

Montreal's I Want I Got window:

Toronto's I Want I Got window.

Toronto's Sea of Shoes (I love the wave! We didn't get a wave!)

Montreal's Garance Dore window:

Toronto's Garance Dore window:

Eco-friendly Jewellery Polish

2009-07-01T08:59:00.005-04:00

My friend Steph, who works with silver art clay, has been on a mission to find eco-friendly jewellery-making techniques. An effort I very much appreciate as it helps me make my process lighter on the environment. She is blogging about each method she finds and here is her first discovery: using soap nuts - purchased for $2 from one of the mile-end Indian grocery stores on Parc below Bernard - to polish silver and gold. Read her blog here.

Holt Renfrew goes 2.0

2009-06-27T10:12:00.008-04:00

The new window displays outside Montreal's Holt Renfrew on Sherbrooke between Drummond and De la Montagne stopped me in my tracks the other day.

We love Bryan Boy? We love Garance Dore, Tommy Ton and Jane Aldridge? Wait a second... Those aren't designer names... those are all high profile fashion photog/bloggers!

So Holt Renfrew has gone Web 2.0 and each of their windows this season (across the country, I believe) is dedicated to 6 influential fashion bloggers, two of them being Canada's own Anita Clarke of I want I got (iwantigot.geekigirl.com) and Tommy Ton of Jak and Jil blog (jakandjil.com). Others are Bryan Boy (bryanboy.com); Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist (thesartorialist.blogspot.com); Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes -who happens to be 17! (seaofshoes.typepad.com); and my personal favourite - humble and well-written french fashion photographer Garance Dore (garancedore.fr/en).

Go by and see them for yourselves! I was so mesmerized by the literal sea of shoes that I forgot to photograph them! The Sartorialist and I want I got windows weren't finished so I'll see if I can capture them later this week.

You can read the press release here.

Ooh, just go this great panoramic photo of I want I got from T.O's Holt's, courtesy of @photojunkie on twitter.

Happy St Jean Baptiste!

2009-06-24T18:23:00.004-04:00

The Etsy blog "Storque" asked Angie (of iheartnorwegianwood and Headquarters Boutique) to write an article about Quebec artists in honour of St Jean Baptiste which was published today on Etsy.com.

I am honoured that Brazen Design was featured! Check out all the other amazing talent and remember: shop local!

Conscious Consumption Catwalk

2009-06-19T07:04:00.004-04:00

The ladies and I had an awesome time at the opening Fashion show of Festival Mode & Design. 50 local brands showed off three fall outfits a piece while Beast of Sound made the most gorgeous live beats I've seen in a decade.

Highlights: (sorry, can't get images yet!)

Andy The Anh's billowing red silk dress (ah if only!)
Eve Gravel's Melting Dress (which I already have?! Wow, I'm ahead of the curve!;)
Valerie Dumaine's fall cocktail dresses. (ALL OF THEM. Must choose one only - gonna be a tough call!)

Go check the amazing stuff happening down on McGill College! You still have today and tomorrow!

Festival Mode & Design

2009-06-17T08:10:00.005-04:00

Starting today and running until Saturday, Montreal's Fashion and Design Festival will take over McGill College and there's gonna be a lot of cool stuff to check out. There's music shows, fashion shows, shopping, live creations and on and on... all featuring local brands and bands.

Amongst other things, I am gonna check out MIR-handbags live moulding at 7pm on Friday - on my way to birthday dinner.

And if you've missed other spring opportunities to buy local, don't miss the outdoor La Boutique, featuring dozens of local brands.

Check it out at Festival Mode & Design.

Diva-fy

2009-06-15T13:35:00.004-04:00

I am completely anti-over-consumption - but sometimes you just wanna accessorize to an extreme. Music vids are the new catwalk and I have been drooling over the bling in Beyonce's Diva video and Lady Gaga's Paparazzi. I want B's sunglasses and Lady G's Dior rings. To the studio at once!

Nothin' to hide...

2009-06-10T21:23:00.004-04:00

I am just bushed these days: I have a mouse in the house, a bird or very mean person has eaten all my morning glory seedlings, my cabinetmaker man is working double-time and consuming absurd amounts of food that I am supposed to somehow make appear all while working part-time and running my business...Ok, enough whining from me.

Saw a store on my way home up St Denis: "Rien a Cacher - chic et ethique". Found one review. Apparently carries some locally produced lines such as Oom Ethikwear. Will go in one of these days and give you a more energetic review.

Tailor Made: Shoes

2009-06-08T07:23:00.005-04:00

Image by urbanmakr at flickr.com/photos/urbanmkr/471915540/
I got lucky while breezing through Zara with a friend recently, and found the last of a pair of leather sandals that had arrived and sold out that day. They were made in Spain, mostly leather and really affordable; but the sole was one very thin piece of leather that just wasn't enough padding between me and the sidewalk.

I took them to Imperial boots on Bleury, just south of Sherbrooke. It's the third shoe repair I've taken to them: they re-soled my cowboy boots (doing a far superior job than the original manufacturer, I might add) and replaced a long side zipper on a pair of riding boots from Paris.

I have been super happy with every repair and this time was no exception: he added a rubber tread to the ball of the sole and thick piece of rubber matching the leather under the heel. I walked out of the store wearing them and walked from Bleury to Guy and back with no issues.

The real beauty of Imperial Boots is their old-world customer service and quality. They actually make shoes from scratch (all those boots you see hanging in the window when you walk by? Handmade in Montreal. And they do custom work. I have heard many a testimonial to the awesomeness of custom Imperial winter boots. I swear you're gonna see me in The Winter Boots of My Dreams this year.

Imperial Boots
2117 rue de Bleury
Montréal, QC H3A 2K2

(514) 844-5611‎
(map)

Featured Purchase: The "Loni" from Jennifer Glasgow

2009-06-04T09:15:00.013-04:00

I have found the perfect clothing item for this 7-degrees-below-average-weather that we have been having: Jennifer Glagow's "Loni" High Waisted Pant from the Spring/Summer 09 collection.
They are beautifully tailored trousers made with a soft lightweight cotton denim. With an invisible side zip instead of a fly, these pants cover your legs in the chilly mornings while keeping you breezy when summer peeks its head out of the clouds in the afternoons.

I love the retro aesthetic of these pants - the not-that-high waistline is reminiscent of your mom's trousers (which were a really flattering height and it's a shame we don't see more of it), the shape of the pockets and belt loops, the wooden buttons, and the colours in the stitching and lining are all vintage-inspired classic.

They are perfectly paired with spring blouses, and they work great with a belt. I wore them to Puces Pop day #1 and got tons of compliments: proof that they work on short curvy girls like me and not just the tall & lanky set!

Locally designed and made (of course!). Get 'em while you can at General 54 or at Jennifer Glasgow's online store.

(Hint: They are more affordable at the store.)

Recessionista Snippets n' Stylings.

2009-05-29T08:48:00.007-04:00

Bra Bling. I am going to admit this publicly for the first time. Until Saturday, I owned one bra. It's a LaSenza bra, forced upon me by a friend in 2002, and the bane of my existence. It is ill-fitting, the hooks poke into my back and it is now essentially a rag.

So when I heard that design & PR company 1milk2sugars was hosting a Marlies Dekkers liquidation sample sale, I set aside some funds. Some of you may remember the store in Les Cours Mont Royal, with it's crazy-ass thongs that are more metal than textile. Marlies Dekkers design some crazy-ass lingerie. Metal parts, lots of extra straps, crazy colours and prints. It has a very sexy bondage aesthetic that I never dreamed I would enjoy and feel comfortable wearing but man, was I mistaken! I tried on about a dozen bras and it was the first time I didn't cry in a lingerie changeroom! A lot of the crazier bras weren't in my size but I still ended up with some bra bling:

1 unpadded white bra, hummingbird detail on back, translucent sides, wide straps and two extra straps echoing the top edge of the cups.

1 padded black bra with a t-strap at the cleavage. Wore it out on Sunday and it got a lot of attention.

But the best part is that they are so comfortable! I have never been one to gladly sport a bra everyday but I think the tides are changing...

There were plenty left once I was done shopping and I was the last to leave. Uzma and Priya assured me that if anyone still wanted to go by they are welcome to drop by - so don't be shy! There are a wide variety of sizes - a lot of them are unlabelled samples so it's a matter of trying a whole bunch on and seeing what fits.

1milk2sugars
1117 ste.catherine st. w., #715
montreal, quebec
514.807.9578

Gladiators. Speaking of straps, I see that this shoe trend just isn't gonna go away. A small tip for those of you still in the market for a gladiator sandal: go for a covered heel. When faced with heel vs a-million-straps, go heel. It is the element that most cinches this style and without it all you'll have two years from now is an overwhelming amount of strappage with no clear structure to define your foot.

You can buy the pictured pair at: http://shoesandyourmom.blogspot.com/2009/05/cynthia-vincent-luella-gladiators-365.html

Recessionista. Thanks to my friend Tanya's blog, I heard about Sarah Slean's neat Recession-Ista Tour eco-wardrobe-initiative. Read about it at Tanya's blog here. Let's hope more celebs take a page from her book.

My job is to make your life easier.

2009-05-28T10:57:00.003-04:00

Which is why I have put together a Google Map of Montreal boutiques to help you consume more consciously. The boutiques I have listed carry either some, mostly or all local fashions that are locally-designed, locally-made, Canadian-made or vintage & second hand. If I have left anything out, please let me know in the comments section!

Can't wait to use it? Why not start this weekend at Main Madness, where St Laurent Blvd is car-free and the stores and restaurants spill onto the street between Sherbrooke and Mt-Royal. I saw something about $25 ruffle mary janes at Lola & Emily during the street fair....?!

[I had to remove the embedded map as it took too long to load inside the post but here's the link!]

Saturday Sale-ing

2009-05-25T08:48:00.006-04:00

Aw, I miss the weekend already.

I had an awesome local-consumption Saturday - on my bike ride to drop off supplies for the massive depaving and garden project for Greening Duluth, I had to stop at Jen Glasgow's impromptu studio-sample-street-sale along the bike path. I picked up a lace-back summer dress in shades of watermelon, a grey v-neck t-shirt with pouffy capped sleeves in dark denim and a smokey rose-coloured long-sleeved scoop neck shirt...all for 15$!

After watching the crazy greening on Duluth for awhile (check it out if you're around Duluth and Coloniale), I headed down to Les Ailes De La Mode to check out the Marche du LABcreatif.

I had a hard time finding it - tucked away in a vacant retail spot on the 2nd floor, it was sadly inconspicuous. Once there though, I gleefully loaded up my arms with a dozen items from a dozen designers. Not much was on sale or from previous collections, which I can understand - they're trying to market themselves as serious established designers and it wasn't a sample sale.

Nonetheless, I swore I'd only buy something on sale - which meant I went home with a grey Valerie Dumaine shorts jumper from the spring/summer collection of '08 at half price (pictured above in navy blue), and didn't go home with this beautiful cowl neck dress from Marie-Eve Gravel at Meg Couture. Now that I have been introduced to this incredibly well-made and classic line, I will definitely be keeping my eyes on her.

Check her out: http://www.megcouture.ca/

I wish I'd seen more people at the sale - the only other ladies in the changeroom were from Toronto and had just stumbled upon it - though they made a nice dent in the selection with their T-dot salaries!

I feel like a celebrity...

2009-05-22T10:06:00.005-04:00

I am honored to say that I am the first "creatrice" to be interviewed for Creacamp.org's new "3 Questions for..." feature!

The questions are in French but my answers are in English. I can't decide if I sound like a dork or frighteningly anal retentive and boring... You tell me!

You can ready the interview here: www.creacamp.org/content/3-questions-rachel-dhawan

Fightin' Words: To my friends & foes on salary...

2009-05-20T22:57:00.008-04:00

Dear friend with a regular paycheque,

I'm kind of upset with you and I don't know how to say this so I'll just say it like it is: Here I am, a self-employed broke-ass artiste with a part-time job in the non-profit sector that barely covers rent. I'm squirreling away tiny amounts of money here and there, abstaining from $3 lattes and bus tickets so I can buy locally designed and made clothing, jewellery and art. And there you are still spending your moderately cushy paycheques in The Mall.

The mall? Do you realize you live in the most creative and dynamic city in Canada? That you are surrounded by stores carrying emerging and established designers of every kind, making beautiful objects to fill your heart's desire? And yet you scorn the pricetags and opt for Made-In-China products that will end up on the Value Village shelf in a year, if you aren't too lazy to do a second hand store drop-off?

Sure, the prices are a wee bit higher. But not in the long-run. And the impact it will leave will be more than worth it. Still bitchin' about this abnormally cold spring? Welcome to the result of over-consumption that sails millions of tons of plastic mass-produced crap across the Pacific Ocean.

I can't do this alone: money is power, and you - my dear friend with power - are the key to ensuring that our dynamic fashion scene, the local economy & all of its budding talent survive.

And we'll all look the hotter for it.

Sincerely,

Rachel

P.S. Don't know where to start? LABcreatif is holding a sale of many of their designers' wares, at Les Ailes De La Mode - y'know The Mall you keep shoppin' at. More info here.

Puces Pop!

2009-05-14T12:00:00.007-04:00

So. Tired. Must. Prepare. More. Things. For. Puces. Pop...

So y'all better come see me and the other 99 talented montrill designers who are bustin' our butts to provide you with hot-to-trot bleeding edge fashions and findings.

For those who've been coveting the cast spruce and pinecones, I got a fresh new batch! They're only $45, which is a crazy good deal cause they are retailing for $70!

And for those yearning for more silver-covered truffles, there's a batch of those on the way as well - if I don't fall asleep while melting chocolate.

The Deets:
Saturday My 16th - Sunday May 17th
11am - 6pm
Ukranian Federation (yo - don't show up at the St Michel Church - it's not there this time!)
Corner of Hutchison and Fairmount (map)

That's a wrap!

Shopping local and handmade has never been easier...

2009-05-11T09:28:00.008-04:00

I had a blast at Fresh Off The Press this past weekend - there were so many juicy locally-made designs that I spent every cent I made.

I got:
a fantastic wide recycled leather belt with snaps and pleating from Deborah Adams (who also makes recycled leather bags - a great, affordable alternative to m0851! If you make one purchase at Puces Pop this weekend...make this it.)

a yellow feather hair clip from Lorianne Hawdur Design.

a red and black gingham blouse with ruched button-up from Shanah of Little Houses Clothing... and it's called The Rachel! Not named after me, though I'd like to think so.

a set of hand-stitched and silkscreened cushions from Shannon of coucou salut - I just love her industrial aesthetic.

A lot of these ladies will be at Puces Pop this coming weekend (Change of location! At the Ukrainian Federation instead of the St Michel Church) so don't miss your chance.

In other news, Brazen Design has been added to the roster at CanCon Fashion and to the Mudshark Streetwear Online Boutique. CanCon Fashion is "a showcase of Independent, socially responsible designers accessible to both retail clients and new boutiques" and Mudshark is like the Canadian Fashionista version of etsy. All of my favourite Montreal lines are there, including Eve Gravel, Valerie Dumaine and Anastasia Lomonova. Now there are no excuses not to purchase locally-, consciously- and well-made clothing that supports our incredible design talent.

Mother's Day = SALES

2009-05-07T16:58:00.000-04:00

photo by Nancy Beaton, aka ncbeets, aka my favourite mtl photog
ncbeets.com

This rainy day has been a challenging one - trying to stay cool, focused and yogi-like.

There are some great events to take your mum to this weekend. There is the Fig Clothing sale, apparently Quebec-made yoga wear (I tried to fact check this but the Contact page on their site is blank. I'll keep you posted). Deets at bottom of post.

Osalon, my favourite hair salon in Montreal, is having 2 for 1 Mother Daughter haircuts on Saturday. 782 gilford ave, Montreal. Make an appointment: 514.523.7878

Sorry for the caps, I only have enough energy to copy/paste today.

LA GRANDE VENTE FIG @ STUDIOS LYNE ST-ROCH
4416, St-Laurent Studio 305 (entre Marie-Anne et Mt-Royal)
- VENDREDI 8 MAI / DE 12H À 21H
- SAMEDI 9 MAI / DE 12H À 18H
- DIMANCHE 10 MAI / DE 12H À 17H
WWW.FIGCLOTHING.COM

And of course, y'all can come visit me and 14 other lady designers all weekend at Fresh Off The Press. See previous post for all the pertinent details.

Brazen Design at Fresh Off The Press this weekend

2009-05-04T13:25:00.005-04:00

Brazen Design will be launching two new pieces - the blossoming branches, pictured here - this coming weekend at Fresh Off The Press. Also, for those who haven't tasted them yet, Edible Bling (dark chocolate truffles coated in edible silver leaf) will also be available for purchase!

Fresh Off The Press brings 15 emerging Montreal designers together at Salon Snap, in the heart of the plateau on St Laurent Boulevard.
They will be offering their latest creations at discounted prices!

And don't forget that this Sunday is Mother's Day!

:: Fresh Off The Press Deets ::

The fair will take place at Salon Snap ( 2nd floor)
4064 St Laurent (map)

Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM

facebook event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=67670239534&ref=ts

:: Participating Designers::

Amarille (www.amarille.ca)
Black Sheep Betty (www.blacksheepbetty.com)
Brazen (www.brazen-design.com)
Bread (bread.etsy.com)
Deborah Adams Design
Haramaki Love (www.haramakilove.com)
La Raffinerie (laraffinerie.wordpress.com)
Little Houses (www.littlehousesclothing.com)
Lorianne Hawdur Design
Mir Handbags (www.mir-handbags.com)
Miss Fragola (MissFragola.etsy.com)
Sheena Jewellery (sheenajewellery.etsy.com)
Shannylea (www.shannylea.com)
Urban pigeon (www.urbanpigeon.ca)

Use your shopping compulsion for good...

2009-05-01T17:18:00.002-04:00

I forgot to mention in yesterday's blog that this Sunday May 3rd is Au Coeur De La Mode, a fashion fundraiser for AIDS organized by the Farha Foundation.

So many juicy Montreal designers will be there. Too many to mention but you can see the entire list here.

The Deets:

This Sunday May 3rd
Palais Des Congres de Montreal
10h - 17h
website: www.farha.qc.ca