Fashion for Charity

Fashion for Charity hosted an incredible evening of high fashion and live entertainment, showcasing the avant garde collections from Y-3, G-Star Raw and Custo Barcelona at the Moore Building-located in the heart of Miami’s Design District.

More than 800 people attended the elegant soiree which began with a VIP cocktail reception and silent auction as celebrity guests including Adriana De Moura, one of the “Real Housewives of Miami”, graced the red carpet.  A series of fashion shows showcased this season’s hottest fall/winter collections including designs from Y-3, G-Star Raw and Custo Barcelona.

All proceeds from the evening will be donated to Project Start Off Smart (SOS) and The EDGE Charitable Foundation.  Project SOS is an initiative of the Homestead Police Department dedicated to identify victims of domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and human trafficking and provide services to help these victims.

2011 Event sponsors include Rik Rak, Motives, Pasha’s Healthy Mediterranean Cuisine, Parties by Pat, AVER Productions, Y-3, G-Star Raw, Custo Barcelona, Hpnotiq Hamonie, Peroni Beer, Steve’s Margarita, SX Liquors, Premier Beverage Catering, Treskoi PR, Sobie Fabrics, PrintHouse USA and The G.R.O.W.T.H Foundation.  Media sponsors include WFOR-TV (CBS) and Lite FM 101.5.

Dog bones? Are they safe or not

I’m sure you’re aware of the recent FDA warning reminding consumers to toss out bones from their meals rather than feed them to their dogs. I’ve read several opinions from veterinarians around the country both in support and in opposition of the FDA guidance. The FDA points out several potential pitfalls with feeding dogs bones, among them broken teeth, mouth or tongue injuries, constipation, and bone fragments getting stuck in the dog’s digestive system resulting in surgery or in rare cases death. According to the FDA, “bones are unsafe no matter what their size.”

I take issue with such a blanket statement with regards to bones and dogs. Dogs wouldn’t be around if their digestive systems weren’t capable of processing bones. It is true that some bones are certainly potential hazards to dogs (e.g., cooked chicken bones, ham steak bones, small bones given to large dogs). However, with proper supervision most bones are safe and promote healthy oral hygiene. While I agree that feeding dogs bones from the dinner roast may not be the safest and best option, there are several reputable companies out there that provide quality meat bones of the proper size, shape and density. I do carry several different USA meat bones in my boutique (along with other options for people who are not comfortable with giving their dogs bones). It really comes down to educating yourself and providing your customer with the best options based on the size and chewing nature of their dog. The general rule for bones is “Bigger is better.” Some dogs will try to swallow bones or pieces of bones that are too big to be digested. For this type of dog, you want to stay with a larger, denser bone like a beef marrow bone rather than a smaller, less dense bone like a pork femur. For smaller, less aggressive chewers, a lamb shank or trotter bone is appropriate. Whatever bone is chosen, dog owners need to be aware and responsible for disposing of the bone when its size is such that it could become a choking hazard.

I’ve been giving my 13 year-old Chocolate Lab USA meat bones (e.g., beef marrow, pork femur, lamb shank) since she was a pup. I can remember two or three instances of stomach upset and/or loose stools attributable to the bones. However, I can accept that given her immaculate dental health at this point in her life. With just about anything, you have to weigh the benefits versus the potential hazards. Every year, hundreds of dogs are accidently strangled to death by their collars. Should we then discontinue using collars on our dogs? Of course not, since the benefits of having our dogs restrained by our side outweigh the potential pitfalls. Feeding dogs bones is no different.

Sherel 's hat

Sherel’s is a New York-based hat house, and celebrity favorite of Leighton Meester, Hilary Duff, Blake Lively, Betsy Johnson, Mischa Barton, Selena Gomez, and Elizabeth Olsen.

With a collection of more than 2,500 wooden hat blocks, some dating back before 1900, Sherel’s is one of the most dynamic millineries in the world. Best known for their ultra chic shapes and lux, quirky fabrications, Sherel’s hats are crafted from the most exclusive materials around the world – including custom dyed straw from Switzerland and Italian velour that takes more than 100 steps to produce.

Sherel’s is designed by real life mad hatters (and brothers) Tomer (29) and Omri Amar (25), who recently took over the twenty-five-year family business. The two take great pride in the quality and workmanship of every hat they create, finishing each piece by hand on sewing machines from 1880 - 1920, mirroring the craft of hats made in the 19th century. The duo has designed two runway collaborations for Betsy Johnson and has been featured throughout the current season of Gossip Girl. Sherel’s offers casual and dress styles for men and women, and is available at their five (5) New York boutiques, on www.sherels.com, or at select fine retailers nationwide.

Vancouver’s Eco Fashion Week kicks off with stellar collections and re-styled Value Village wears

Mother Nature clearly approved of the kick-off to the Fall 2012 edition of Eco Fashion Week. She gave a long, wet, chillier-than-usual Vancouver winter its first dry spring high of 16 degrees. The runway, set atop an iceless 2010 Olympiad legacy rink in Robson Square, warmed up with a show featuring no new clothing.

It was stylists, not designers who took centre stage using some $500 worth of pre-loved Value Village finds. Sarah La Greca and Deanna Palkowski styled 21 waste-not, wide-ranging looks from pastel-on-pastel and print-on-print to ‘70s rock and ‘80s glam sent out to a Grimes soundtrack. My favourite: a Chinoiserie smoking jacket that wouldn’t have been out of place in Jason Wu’s fall collection, followed by a Cher Horowitz-esque pastel blue pleather jacket worn over a ladylike ivory ensemble—albeit more spring than fall—and a double scoop of polka dots on a blouse and pencil skirt.

Next, Eco Fashion Week founder Miriam Laroche styled her pick of pre-loved threads. There were rich, clashing colours overall, with tartan skirts atop sequins tops, and scarves reworked as tops, skirts and finally a whole cocktail dress. A little ‘80sYves Saint Laurent meets ‘80s Ralph Lauren meets present day Marc Jacobs,perhaps. In fact, one actual YSL dress of yore, magenta with abstracted roses, traveled the runway for a second time.

Perhaps I’ve been reading too many dystopian teen novels, but could all-vintage be the post-apocalyptic future of fashion? There were even contestants in attendance, of the Miss World variety that is.

It got even more apocalyptic, and punk too, yet new and never-worn at Unlokk byEason Wang. The young Shanghai-born designer, a former Blanche Macdonald student, opened his presentation with a conceptual video of a girl in a gas mask struggling to come untied then staggering through a distorted forest. The clothes, both men’s and women’s, showed sparks of creativity but lacked polish. A cape-type topper with sharp, angular shoulders reminiscent of armor I liked, a shaggy Sasquatch hair hem on a dress I did not.

Next was Snap, a line from Whistler-based F As In Frank that reworks men’s vintage pieces for women. A remix of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” was selected and aptly sums up their aesthetic. It was all very Grunge Prairie Western corralling plaid, denim, lace, floral and sweats.

Eponymous jewellery line Bitru Fariel ended the evening. To say her handcrafted baubles are statement pieces is an understatement. There was a necklace of batteries bunched and wrapped in wire, what looked like white electrical cable coiled into two breasts, and coral and wire shaped like a skeleton as a finale. Not to beat a dead comparison, but these too befit a fictional Hunger Games’ Capitol.

Hands Up People, one of the best 2012 club music :)

Emil Lassaria & Caitlyn - Tu amor

Kate Bosworth and Lara Stone party for Calvin Klein!

       

Kate Bosworth, Lara Stone and Chloe Moretz jet to the Calvin Klein Infinite Loop party in South Korea – SEE FASHION PICS!

Bombshell model Lara Stone, aka the new face of Calvin Klein Euphoria, jetted from Cannes to Seoul, South Korea yesterday to join Kate Bosworth and Chloe Moretz  for the Calvin Klein Infinite Loop party.

CALVIN KLEIN EUPHORIA PARTY IN CANNES

Sporting a plunging LBD and a pair of cobalt sandals, supermodel Stone posed for snaps with the fashion house’s designer, Francisco Costa.

Meanwhile, Kate was the ultimate futuristic fashionista in a monochrome number that boasted a leather shell top and metallic belt and Chloe was perfectly girly in a red tulip dress and T-strap platform shoes.

What a stylish trio!

Cannes Film Festival 2012

Judge Diane Kruger certainly made a style statement at the Cannes Film Festival in a Medieval-style hooped gown by Christian Dior Couture. Can we just say WOW?!

Oscar winners Audrey Tautou and Adrien Brody took to the stage at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.

At the Hemingway and Gellhornpremiere in Cannes, Nicole Kidman was a modern-day flapper in a stunning beaded metallic halter dress by Ralph Lauren. With her ringlets styled in a cute bobbed updo, doesn't she look straight out of the Roaring Twenties?