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Style | Doing Pirouettes

Maybe it’s the icy blues and winter whites, maybe it’s the sequins, or maybe it’s the Nutcracker, but this time of year will forever be linked with ballet in my mind.

Soft cozy dance-inspired sweaters (bottom right), Degas-esque editorials for Harpers Bazaar (an oldie but a goodie, top left), dresses that look like they belong on stage (top right), holiday party-ready tops (bottom left) and the slippers that are the closest things to dance shoes I wear these days (Tieks foldable ballet flats in Ballerina Pink — thank you, Tieks, for sending me a pair!).

They all feel rather en pointe right about now.

November 19, 2012 by

Workspace | Alice Ko of Wantering

The Anthology’s Workspace column takes us inside the creative spaces of some very creative people.

You might know Alice Ko from her fashion blog Koko Stiletto, but soon you’ll know her from the on-the-verge-of-launching shopping site Wantering, a Vancouver-based startup that harnesses the social web (think blogs and social media) to help wanterers discover clothes and accessories tailored to their personal style.

In her own words she takes us through her workspace, taxicabs, stilettos, and all…

I moved back to Vancouver seven months ago from NYC and only recently unpacked everything, and settled into my new place downtown…and actually created a workspace for myself! I only came back with seven suitcases but I forget how much you can actually fit into those things with wheels…

1. I am always eating while checking emails and writing. ALWAYS. Food gives me energy and new ideas :) Today I behaved and had a fresh strawberries. Regular items that may make an appearance include: chocolate covered berries, Trader Joes mix, ice cream from Cadeaux Bakery –basically anything that would make the dentist squirm.

2. I hadn’t purchase any Apple products until recently. I seriously do not know how I functioned without an iPhone or Mac before.  I would love to get in my time machine and see how much my life would have changed if I had first purchased these products a looooong time ago. To anybody considering getting an Apple product – just DO IT! This may sound dramatic, but your life will thank you!

3. I love the whimsical design of the vase. Gives me a “mad hatter” kind of feeling. The mask is from one of my good girlfriend’s stagette (which was actually also my first time in Vegas) and since I attend so many masquerade balls I have to keep that mask around. The fake daffodils are from my grandma — I love yellow.

4. The best part about my workspace (and my apartment) are the beautiful views of downtown Vancouver, the North Shore, and of course, the water. I don’t even need a TV — I could just stare out my windows all day. I love working during both day and night time …. but if I have to choose, I’ll always have a soft spot for night time city views. During some evenings, I’ll look out the window and I feel so peaceful and surreal.  Although I admit sometimes at night I pretend I am back in NYC – with all the city lights gleaming in, it’s easy.

5. I went to SO many sample sales in NY…I must have gone to at least six Betsey Johnson ones.  I bought so many shoes I had to use US Post and separately ship empty shoe boxes back to Vancouver. So here’s my attempt to use all my shoe boxes in a practical manner. And I’m still really into the neon trend right now… so I’m dragging this trend out as loooong as possible!

6. I will be lifelong bookworm. This is the only area where I am old-fashioned — I still love holding a tangible book in my hand. I started using Audible when I came back but I still cherish hard and soft covers.
The Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres: Visiting the Dali museum in Spain changed my life, and so his book is always on the top of my stack :)
The City Out My Window: Picture book of views from different NYC windows
The Fire Starter Sessions: Danielle LaPorte is a motivational wizard. She had a book signing at Chapters and I was absolutely enchanted by her charisma and pure joy about life.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Louis Vuitton recently did a collaboration with Yayoi Kusama (all the polka dot bags!) and her art is currently on exhibit at the Whitney Museum. My old co-workers sent me this – so sweet.

7. I won the raffle prize at the Vancouver Gay Men’s Chorus Spring Recital and this stiletto wine holder was a part of the prize. I’m very particular about my stilettos, and I only own one pair of flats.  Side note – VGMC is amazing, check them out!!!

8. Magazine subscriptions are super cheap in the US ($5-$10 for annual subscriptions to almost everything). When I moved back, I transferred all my American subscriptions to my Canadian address. I love reading Fast Company, Inc, and Time Out New York, to keep up new innovations, ideas and what’s going on in my old hood (Do you want to punch me in the face yet for talking about NY all the time?? I totally understand).

9. The last thing I coveted and bought for myself before I left LVMH was not a bag, or a pair of shoes…. but a book! Yes the Louis Vuitton New York Voyage Notebook by Ruben Toledo. This books contains the most beautiful watercolors of NY’s different neighborhoods, and its people, by the famous Cuban-born artist. I love flipping through the pictures and getting inspired by a different neighborhood or picture.

10. My special mug to keep me hydrated throughout the day. I only drink water, earl gray tea, or kombucha while working in here. Who needs coffee when you have this view to stay awake? Once, I brought my mug to work (Aritzia head office) and left it in the sink, only to find it go missing for two weeks.  I put up signs about my missing mug (yep I’m THAT girl) and I finally got it back. From now on, it only stays at home :)

11. I am a Broadway buff. I saw over 100 shows in NY and this candle is an actual prop off the set of one of my favorite musicals “In The Heights“. It’s signed by the entire cast, and I got it one year at the Broadway Cares Flea Market.  Every time I look at this candle, memories of 100+ shows flood into my mind. I love live shows as there is so much dedication, focus and work put into this one event, which will only be viewed by the people who physically go and visit a specific theatre. It’s mind boggling to me. Whether the theatre is filled at 100% or 10% capacity, the actors and actresses are always fully present at each performance, giving it their all and for those three hours, the audience is allowed to forget about life, worry, and stress.

12. I love inspirational cheesy quotes. You can totally make fun of me.  I am a complete sucker for any type of motivational quote and this card was given to me by one of my great friends, Rosalyn, right before I moved back to Vancouver (“go set the world on fire”). I’m fascinated by quotes – an excellent quote can have the same power, and motivational impact,  as a five-page article… and is much more likely to be read.

13. I love Alice in Wonderland (for obvious reasons) and I love practical items. This Alice in Wonderland “Drink Me” bottle opener had both a functional component, and sentimental meaning, so I picked it up at Anthropologie.

P.S. Get a sneak peek at Alice’s latest project Wantering.

P.P.S. Creep the creative spaces of some very creative people, like Erica Lam of The Style Spy, Niki Blasina of A Haute Mess, and Anya Georgijevic of I’m the It Girl in The Anthology’s Workspace column.

November 14, 2012 by

Style | Rebecca Bree Boutique

Rebecca Rawlinson is a ray of sunshine. And not just because of her sunny blonde hair or her Reese Witherspoon-esque enthusiasm for just about everything. Scratch that. It’s entirely because of her Reese Witherspoon-esque enthusiasm for just about everything. Especially fashion.

After years of dreaming and planning and what felt like years of renovating, she opened the boutique Rebecca Bree, which is such a reflection of her personality and tastes, those close to her have said it is “like walking into her brain.” So I decided to pick that brain…

On her first thoughts

I wanted my own business for about a decade, since I started working retail. I’m never going to be happy working for someone else. I thought Okay, I’m going to start an online store. But that quickly changed because I thought about my daily life and it would be in a warehouse without one-on-one interaction with people and I was like That is not going to work for me. I love people. I love to be surrounded by people, I love to talk to people, I love to style them.

[The Sleep Shirt is by my friend and fellow Vitamin Daily editor Alexandra Suhner Isenberg.]

On darkness and light

I’ve been to a lot of store openings and the décor never really spoke to me. Too much cement, too much glass, not enough décor, not enough colour. I never felt comfortable and cozy, I always felt cold, like I was in a museum.

Vancouver’s a very dark city so I wanted a bright, inviting store when it’s raining. The lighting had to be bright, the paint had to be white.

On learning to let go

This was a huge risk because I’ve been in retail, I’ve been in management but I haven’t been in business.

Before I was like I have to do it all, no one’s going to do it the way I want it done. But now, if I communicate effectively then other people can help me build the store and help me get to where I am. I mean, I remember telling Cynthia how to fold the hand towels in the bathroom.

On Rebecca Bree’s tucked-away location on Fourth Avenue

After three months of searching my realtor sent me this place and I was like No. The windows are too small, I don’t like it. I was very negative about it at first.

But then my boyfriend and I came to visit it and we parked two blocks away and we walked past Aphrodites and Banyen Books and Bioethique, and saw La Quercia across the street. We walked in and it was a blank canvas. There was nothing in here.

My boyfriend and I looked at each other and we were like This is it.

P.S. Follow The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter and you’ll be the first to see behind-the-scenes photos.

P.P.S. You’ll find all The Anthology’s interviews with the likes of designer Rachel Roy, J.Crew’s design directors Tom Mora and Frank Muytjens, and Topshop’s top people right here.

November 12, 2012 by

Pinstagram | Cher, Dionne and Violet

The Anthology’s Pinstagram column marries the dream (Pinterest) and the reality (Instagram).

La La Land. Two of my favourite things about Los Angeles? LAX and Beverly Hills.

Sweet tooth. A teeny, tiny, and very delicious coconut pudding at Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver + a teeny, tiny crystallized violet.

Living in textile. A few bright, colourful fabrics I found at my local sewing shop Spool of Thread + a bright, colourful carpet I’d love to have in my dining room.

Hello, halo. Hers is fake. And since mine is a trick of the camera, I suppose my halo is too. (That MINI, I’m driving? MINI Richmond wants to give it to you!)

Art attack. Opening night of Andrew Grassie’s exhibit at Rennie Collection + words worth walking on.

Taking it easy. My two office mates (on the left) are pretty lazy. I can only image how they’ve been slacking since I’ve been on the road for two weeks. Not in Paris and Roma, mind you, but in Kauai, Kona and Maui.

P.S. Follow Kelsey Dundon on Pinterest and Instagram, or if you prefer a more traditional route, add The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter.

November 4, 2012 by

Happy Halloween!

I love any holiday that has its own kitschy, catchy tunes. I can’t wait until it’s time to play Hanson’s Merry Christmas Baby again (who am I kidding — I’ll listen to Hanson any time).

Guess what, fiends! Today is the day I look forward to all year because I finally, shamelessly get to play the Ghostbusters theme song. Again and again. I’m not kidding — I’m goblin it up as I write. It’s all the treat I need. Well, that and this outfit.

But if the thought of putting that song on repeat for 24 hours straight frightens you and you’re wondering witch songs to haunt your neighbours with tonight, may I recommend these spooktacular tunes from the playlist I put together for Vitamin Daily?

It’s creepy and it’s kooky, mysterious and spooky and all together ooky. It’s frightfully ghould!

[First image found here, second image found here, third image found here, fourth image found here.]

P.S. Follow The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter so I can haunt you wherever you are…

October 31, 2012 by

Workspace | Melissa Knight of Miss Melissa

The Anthology’s Workspace column takes us inside the creative spaces of some very creative people.

She blogs, she vlogs, she bakes. Melissa Knight, better known as Miss Melissa, is the bubbly blonde behind the personal style site named, well, Miss Melissa.

In her own words she takes us through her closet/desk/vanity…

1. I had two options when deciding where to create a work space in my suite. Option one was in the kitchen where I would be arms length away from snacks and option two was in my closet. Taking into consideration my love for snacking and the fact that the room I turned into a closet was technically supposed to be a den to begin with, I opted to put my desk in my closet.

2. My brother framed one of the photos I took of our gorgeous city and gave it to my for Christmas. It’s really the only nice thing he’s ever done for me so I have it hanging above my desk as a reminder that miracles really do happen. No, I’m just kidding. I just really love how he framed the photo.

3. My desk moonlights as my vanity so it’s also where I keep my jewelry. I’m admittedly not huge on accessories so most of the time they are just sparkly decorations.

4. My laptop. The one place my work life and blog life unite. If someone ever steals my laptop they are going to be really confused as to what the heck I do.

5. I’m in a constant struggle over whether or not I want to fully embrace technology (no seriously, it took me years to switch from VHS to DVDs). I love my iphone and I use my laptop all the time but there is something about making to do lists or jotting ideas down in a notebook that just makes me so happy.

6. I always have work and blog business cards on me because I never know who I will run into. Sometimes I’ll bribe someone into taking one of my blog business cards by offering them a Big Mac card with it.

7. Caffeine in a pretty mug. Need I say more?

P.S. Click your way to Miss Melissa to see the fruits of her workspace.

P.P.S. Check out the first post in The Anthology’s Workspace column and find out how Niki Blasina of A Haute Mess smells when she blogs. Click through the second post to find out where Anya Georgijevic of I’m the It Girl started her footwear obsession. Find out how Kumiko Ide of Tribal DDB keeps her workspace fresh to death. Take a look at jewelry designer Justine Brooks’ works in progress and her favourite places to work very, very remotely. Take a look at Lisa Wong of Solo Lisa’s cat-decorated desk, Anna Cohen’s converted stable in Denmark, and Alicia Quan’s yellow suitcase desk storage is definitely an idea worth stealing. And peep the latest Workspace post: Erica Lam’s desk, where nail polishes outnumber books 2:1.

October 29, 2012 by

Style | Sterling Shoes Fall/Winter 2012 Campaign

We shot Sterling’s fall/winter 2012 campaign in the middle of summer (take a look at the behind-the-scenes shots) and now that it’s autumn, it’s finally in stores. And I couldn’t possibly love it more.

It was shot by Evaan Kheraj, styled by Luisa Rino, and art directed by yours truly, the same team that put together the spring/summer 2012 campaign (take a look at the behind-the-scenes shots and the finished products).

It makes me want to frolic in the autumn sun. Stellar, no?

[Models are wearing Lifetime Collective, Kersh, Press, Cecile Benac and in the first photo, my ring.]

P.S. Follow The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter and you’ll be the first to see behind-the-scenes photos.

October 25, 2012 by

Style | Inside TOPSHOP Vancouver, the brand’s biggest international store

Topshop’s biggest store outside the UK — all 33,000 square feet of it — opens today in The Bay on Granville Street in Vancouver.

“I’m still getting lost in it, I can assure you,” said managing director Mary Homer when I stopped by yesterday to get a first look at the space, which houses Topshop’s specialty boutique, a petite section, tall section, maternity wear section and gigantic shoe section. Plus, a personal shopping suite.

After my tour I sat down with a few of Topshop’s top people and here’s what they had to say…

Mary Homer on the pre-opening jitters 

It gives us such a sense of pride that people are excited for Topshop. You hope that people are going to love Topshop but until people actually come through the door and buy, I’m always a little nervous about the reception.

Mary Homer on how the web’s changed the game

You’ve got an online business and it’s brilliant, but the stores have to be even better now. Our customer is quite interesting because she will go online and look and then she’ll visit the store and buy.

Talk to teenagers and ask them if they’re going to shop online and they say “Oh no. I want to go shopping, I want to have lunch, I want to try things on.”

Topman creative director Gordon Richardson on women shopping the men’s section

You shop Topman? Please say yes. [Well I will now that I’ve seen the sweaters – Kelsey]

A lot of women shop Topman because it’s just good, great clothes, it’s like weekend clothes. Put on a sweater or a big blanket-looking shirt with a boy blazer or a boy jean and it kind of works.

Gordon Richardson on evolving men’s fashion

I think men just haven’t been let free yet to explore. We were just talking earlier that it’s taken us 10, 12 years to build brand credibility within Topman. We needed to make it a cool brand and we needed to improve the product, which I think we’ve done and we’re now at this point where we’re a fashion-led brand every bit as good as Topshop is for women.

Gordon Richardson on what it’s like being creative director

It’s about the creative brushstroke that I have across everything, which is a great role but quite exhausting sometimes.

The stakes are higher, the pressure is there to get it right. There are some things that don’t work as well but you can’t run a fashion business on everything being right. Fashion is about creativity and constant change so you have to run with that.

Gordon Richardson on the big picture

You have to think globally now as well because we’re such an international brand although we’re very British-focused, a lot of our imagery and our look is British. Obviously we’re now going to have now consider international markets.

It has a very British slant this season with all the fabrics and tweeds. The tweed is actual Harris Tweed and I don’t think there are any other brands at our level working with it. It’s woven in the outer Hebrides, north of England. It’s proper traditional cloth gentlemen used to wear to hunt, and shoot and fish.

London calling? Put it on hold and head to Topshop Vancouver instead.

P.S. Follow The Anthology on Facebook and Twitter and you’ll be the first to see behind-the-scenes photos.

P.P.S. You’ll find all The Anthology’s interviews with the likes of designer Rachel Roy, J.Crew’s design directors Tom Mora and Frank Muytjens, and New York-based artist Jason Young right here.

October 18, 2012 by

Bookmark | Vancouver Cycle Chic

In The Anthology’s Bookmark column we explore some of the most inspiring places on the wild, wild web.

If your favourite shots on The Satorialist are of people on bikes (and obviously they are) then Vancouver Cycle Chic will be your new favourite street style blog.

It cuts out all the people-on-foot clutter and gets straight to the good stuff: chic cyclists.

Vancouver’s is an official extension of Copenhagen Cycle Chic (there are offshoot in cities all over the world from Barcelona to Ottawa) but in my very biased opinion, this site is more beautiful than most.

So bookmark Vancouver Cycle Chic already and bookmark The Anthology while you’re at it.

[Images from Vancouver Cycle Chic obviously.]

This P.S. is a PSA: wear a helmet, people. These by Sahn will do the trick.

October 15, 2012 by

Workspace | Erica Lam of The Style Spy

The Anthology’s Workspace column takes us inside the creative spaces of some very creative people.

If you follow style blogs in Canada you’re very familiar with The Style Spy. Founded by the lovely (seriously, she’s a doll) and talented Erica Lam, it chronicles fashion trends, features interviews with industry insiders and highlights “Girls of the Week” (one of whom you might recognize).

In her own words, Erica takes us through all the shoes and books and nail polishes that fill her workspace…

1. I recently moved to Montreal and this is my current set-up at the apartment I’m subletting. I must confess, I’m typically messier than this, but moving cross-country has forced me to streamline. It’s a good feeling not to have piles and piles of stuff sitting on your desk.

2. There’s usually a rotation of magazines – it’s either fashion magazines like the ones you see or business magazines like Fast Company or INC.

3. The book Creative, Inc. is a guide to running a freelance business. It was actually recommended to me by The Anthology’s Kelsey herself [Glad you like it! – Kelsey]. I left my advertising agency job as a social media strategist in Vancouver and am now working with clients on a freelance basis.

4. The Holstee Manifesto poster sits right above my desk. It’s a great daily reminder to really go after what you want in life.

5. Brands regularly send over products for me to try, the red suede booties are from Call It Spring’s fall collection and the nail polishes are from Essie’s winter line.

6. Don’t you love checking stuff off lists? I do. Hence the weekly things to do notepad from Chapters. I always have a Moleskine notebook next to me where I jot down all my ideas.

7. Attending events and networking are part of the job. The invitation on the desk is to Aldo Shoes’ 4oth anniversary, they’re hosting special pop-up exhibit at the Aldo Flagship store in Montreal.

P.S. Click your way to The Style Spy to see the fruits of Erica’s workspace.

P.P.S. Check out the first post in The Anthology’s Workspace column and find out how Niki Blasina of A Haute Mess smells when she blogs. Click through the second post to find out where Anya Georgijevic of I’m the It Girl started her footwear obsession. Find out how Kumiko Ide of Tribal DDB keeps her workspace fresh to death. Take a look at jewelry designer Justine Brooks’ works in progress and her favourite places to work very, very remotely. Take a look at Lisa Wong of Solo Lisa’s cat-decorated desk and Anna Cohen’s converted stable in Denmark. And Alicia Quan’s yellow suitcase desk storage is definitely an idea worth stealing.

October 12, 2012 by