TIFFtastic!!!!

Me & Valdie

After a whirlwind of TIFF parties this week, I am posting some pics of the best dressed fashionistas I encountered at the Raindance Canada soiree at Cafe Atelier.  Thanks so much to our staunch supporter, Glenda Fordham of Fordham PR http://www.fordhampr.ca/ for the invite!

I went down with Valdie Poter, our incredible new account manager who has just come over from Britain and helped to launch Britain's Next Top Model Live last year.  Here he is with the fabulous Karen Johnson, television personality and producer.

Karen and Valdie

Karen interviewed us at the party,  she is so fun and natural at what she does.  We loved her and her dress!!!

 

Here are some more stylish partygoers:

Lina of Karmo Pro Entertainment Group

Ricardo, Harun, Me & Izzy, television producers extraordinaire!



Burlesque dancer, Red Herring



Red Herring's protege

Animal print was in!  Here is our new friend
Manal and her
incredible pair of shoes in the pic above!!!

All in all it was a fantastic night!  We ended the partying with a trip to Ultra for the Katwalk Closing party featuring fashion by John Varvatos. 
Here I am with the ever charming Mike Henry from Ink Entertainment!



Now that TIFF is winding down, I think I might have to start planning already for next year's round of parties.  We are so excited about all of the amazing things that are happening with ANTM Live Toronto and I can't wait to share everything with all of you!  Just wait till you see what's coming! 

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia :)

ALL STAR STUNNERS!!!

Hello darling ANTM Fans!

Welcome to another fantastic cycle of America’s Next Top Model, the All Star edition!  I am so relieved to have my ANTM fix again and even more excited that we will be having girls from the show at ANTM Live Toronto http://www.antmlivetoronto.com/!  Stay tuned to find out who you can see in person at the fashion, beauty and shopping spectacle of the year!

There were a few surprises in this episode, but none more shocking than seeing the absolutely gorgeous Nigel Barker with a full head of hair!  What do you think of the newly coiffed photographer? 

Nigel Barker's new do!

On to the episode!  We open to see Tyra in bed re-enacting each all star in a dream sequence.  You’ve gotta love her acting chops!  Judging by the scene clips from the whole season, we are in for a wild ride in true ANTM style! It was nice to get a recap of each model to refresh our memories as to exactly why they chose this group of divas to compete a second time around. 

Angelea

Angelea Preston from cycle 14 is first to arrive and identifies herself as being ‘classy ghetto’.  

Laura

Next we see our favourite country bumpkin from cycle 13, Laura Kirkpatrick, who tells us that she has been modelling since leaving the show.  She is so cute I can hardly stand it and the sweetness of her personality comes out in everything she does. 

Bianca

Drama enters next with Bianca Golden from cycle 9 who tells us that she wants the world to see that she can become a mogul in the modelling industry. 

Lisa

Lisa Damato from cycle 5 arrives and tells us that she has just recorded her first album and is certain that she is going to become a star. 

Bre

Bre Scullark from cycle 5 breezes in to a chilly reception from Bianca.  We find out that Bre and Bianca became friends and moved in together and Bianca is none too thrilled that Bre didn’t tell her she was going to be on the show.  Let the catfights begin! 

Brittany

After Bre’s arrival, Brittany Brower from cycle 4, otherwise known as the party girl of her season moves into the house and talks about how this show will really help to boost a model’s career.

Dominique

Dominique Reighard from cycle 10 is next and she is looking beautiful as ever having just had a new baby. 

Sheena

Sheena Saki from cycle 11 brings some exotic flavour to the mix and states her determination to win. 

Isis

Transgendered contestant Isis King from cycle 11 enters and talks about how much better she feels now that she has had her gender re-assignment surgery.  Looking at her, you can see just how comfortable she feels now that she has made this life change. 

Kayla

Kayla Ferrel from cycle 15 shows up without her ravishing red hair and the girls have a hard time recognizing her with her new raven hairdo. 

Allison

Doe eyed Allison Harvard from cycle 12 arrives next and she is relatively unchanged from her previous season.  She still has an innocent, childlike face and a very unique look. 

Camille

Camille Mcdonald from cycle 2 shows up to the party and is not warmly greeted as most of the girls seem to be aware of her reputation as being nasty. 

Shannon

The beautiful Shannon Stewart from cycle 1 is next and she talks about how much positive response she got from fans supporting her when she refused to pose in the buff.  

Alexandria

Alexandria Everett from cycle 16 arrives and talks about how she was misunderstood during her season and hopes to correct that. 

The girls race to find their beds and are then welcomed to the mansion by Mr. Jay Manuel himself.  He tells them that all the girls were chosen because they were fan favourites and are still being talked about today.  He tells them that their first photo shoot is in the backyard and explains that they will each represent their America‘s Next Top Model persona in their shoots.  He introduces Celeste Canino, famed photographer and she tells the girls how excited she is to capture them on film. 

The girls go and get their hair and make-up done and it doesn’t take long for the drama to begin as Bianca gets some bright red hair extensions that she is clearly unhappy about.  Jay advises Bianca to embrace her loud and sassy nature but Celeste doesn’t think she did well on camera.  Allison’s character is a ‘quirky doll’ and she tries to bring out the wide eyed innocence that made her stand out in the past.  Other great pics came from Dominique, who was wearing a black sheer body suit adorned with metal from neck to thigh.  She looked like a cross between Madonna and Lady Gaga and did her best to stay ahead of the pack.  Kayla wore a gay flag to represent her life choice and talked about how proud she is of herself.  Country cutie Laura posed with her adorable charm and a fishing pole.  Isis was the stand out for me, portraying ‘confidence’ in her shoot by posing in a unique stance and looking absolutely incredible.  Angelic Shannon had a very hard time with her lace outfit and was put off when Mr. Jay tried to persuade her to wear the lace panties to go with her top.

The girls are told that they will be critiqued in a live judging panel in front of all their fans at the Nokia Plaza in LA.  At the plaza, Tyra comes out looking cute in a fedora and suspenders.  She announces guest judges Nicki Minaj, Nigel with hair and Andre Leon Talley.  Each girl gets introduced one by one and Lisa comes out with a bang by hyping up the crowd and doing the splits.  Allison is next and comes out dressed like Little Bo Peep.  The judges love her picture and seem impressed.  When Alexandria walks the runway, she actually gets booed and called names.  She is really affected by the reaction and has a hard time dealing with it but handled it well in front of the crowd.  She is truly the model many people love to hate.  Isis displays a spectacular photo and no one can deny her ability to work it.  Kayla comes out and says that she is portraying a ‘super gay’ in her photo and gets mixed reactions from the judges.  Laura saunters down the runway and makes ‘hee haw high fashion’ according to Andre and talks about how the dress she is wearing for the runway was made by her grandmother.  Tyra then tells the girls about how the crowd reaction will factor into the judging. 

Judge and audience favourites included Allison, Laura and Isis.  They didn’t love Lisa and her jumping in the pool pic and they had a hard time accepting Shannon’s excuse for not wearing the chosen outfit.  At elimination Isis gets called as ‘best photo’.  The bottom two come down to Brittany and Alexandria.  Tyra announces Alexandria as still being in the running to be America’s Next Top Model and explains that being loved and hated is a good thing because it shows Alexandria’s star power, but advised that she should try to gain more popularity. Brittany goes home because fans don’t seem to remember her as much as the other girls and she expresses how surprised she is to be leaving this early in the game.

So ends another riveting episode of our favourite reality t.v. addiction!  Make sure you tune in next week to stay in the know about who else will go!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J   

Hair Couture

Hello Fashionistas!

Have you ever looked at yourself in an outfit and wondered what else you could add to give it that extra something?  It might be a custom made hair fascinator from Melissa’s Bowtique! 

Melissa Sherwin of Melissa's Bowtique

Melissa Sherwin is one of our fantastic ANTM Live exhibitors and specializes in hand made hair accessories that help you to truly stand out in a crowd. 

Since starting her self-made business in February of this year, Melissa’s original creations have been gaining popularity at a rapid pace and she has had to increase her production to accommodate all the orders that are coming in. 

This one woman show is impressive and her incredible creativity has attracted quite a following.  Melissa says her most popular accessories are the feathered hair fascinators, particularly since seeing all of the excitement surrounding the royal wedding of William and Kate.

She says that bright colours are trendy and women are gravitating towards red, purple and turquoise to make a fashion statement.  Her bridal line is exquisite and has been so well received that she is looking to expand the designs she carries.  Some of Melissa’s favourite pieces are her top hat designs, particularly the one she designed with an ‘Alice In Wonderland’ theme in mind.

When asked if she has plans to expand her line into jewellery, Melissa says that she prefers to concentrate on hair fascinators and perfect that aspect of her business instead of diluting her brand with too many different products.  Melissa is also a proud Canadian in that 98% of the supplies she uses are bought locally.  She chooses to keep her prices affordable to encourage repeat buyers and build loyalty among her customers. 

In terms of her personal style, Melissa is addicted to the classic look from the 40’s and 50’s and really enjoys wearing vintage clothing, high heels and of course, doesn’t leave home without a fascinator.  She says that people stare at her when she walks around her hometown of Cobourg, Ontario, but those stares inevitably turn into sales as people always want to know where she gets her fabulous hair couture! 

As a mother of three young children, you wonder where she has the time to dedicate to making these works of art, but in meeting Melissa, you instantly get the feeling that she is a woman who is truly dedicated to her work and it is her passion that drives her success.

    

Her advice to other new business owners is to not be discouraged by the competition.  She says it is important to focus on what you are doing, where you want to be and how you can set yourself apart.  Melissa says that as long as you keep doing what you love, you will be successful no matter what.

Visit Melissa’s website at www.melissasbowtique.ca and watch out for her at America’s Next Top Model Live! 

Thank you to Melissa for taking the time to talk with us and thank you for the stunning fascinator!!

She very kindly named this creation after yours truly! Go get the 'Cecilia Clip' and don't forget to adorn your hair with one of Melissa's handiwork for ANTM Live!  I know I will!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J

Shawn Makes Us 'Shiver'

Hello Lovely Fashionistas!

I recently had the pleasure of taking a jaunt into downtown Toronto to see Shawn Desman at Vervegirl Magazine (www.vervegirl.com) and Clinique’s Ambassador for Change http://cliniqueambassador.com/ event.  It was a day full of fashion shows, free makeovers and an appearance by Shawn to cap off the excitement!

Shawn is a platinum selling artist whose new album, FRESH has received critical acclaim.  With songs like ‘Shiver’ and ‘Night Like This’, his fan base expands by the minute as he continues to dominate the music charts.  www.shawndesman.com His involvement with the Clinique Ambassador for Change and Vervegirl is an example of his desire to use his notoriety towards inspiring people to make a difference in their communities.

Vervegirl Magazine is a great free publication that is distributed across local high schools and has terrific articles and features targeted to 12 – 24 year olds.  Advice on make-up, fashion and all the latest celeb and music news keep Vervegirl current and relatable for their readers.  This year’s joint endeavour with Clinique and Sears is a call for young Canadian women who are instigating positive change in the world to come forward and be acknowledged for their efforts in making the world a better place.  Entries began being judged on August 30th by Shawn Desman himself and the editor of Vervegirl, Xania Khan!  See the entrants at http://cliniqueambassador.com/user/register who will qualify to win great prizes like a $500 shopping spree from Sears and $500 worth of Clinique makeup! 

As a lead up to ANTM Live, we will be featuring fabulous young women who will be sharing their comments about fashion, trends and what’s in style!  They will also give us an insider’s look into the high school experience!  Allow me to introduce our first two terrific teens, Emily and Azyia, who will be contributing to a ‘High School Confidential’ section for our show blog throughout the year. 



Emily and Azyia

Emily and Azyia gladly accompanied me to see Shawn in person and were very excited to meet him!  He was very friendly and sweet and posed for a pic with our girls!  

The girls and Shawn Desman

They also got to experience free Clinique makeovers and left the event looking like a million bucks!

Looking gorgeous!

Make-Up Artist Simone and Azyia

Thanks to Emily and Azyia for spending the day with ANTM Live!  Congrats to Vervegirl, Clinique and Sears on their fantastic event!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J

Divas, Divas Everywhere!

Greetings Fashionistas!

Today I would like to ponder the question, what is a diva?  In my mind being a diva means owning your ability to walk into the room and command attention.  It is about feeling confident and having the belief that nothing and no one can make you feel bad about being exactly who you are.  I can honestly say that after spending a night in the company of hundreds of divas while attending Divalicious 3, I love that term more than ever to describe charismatic and dynamic women who know their worth! 

Laura Furtado, Owner and Operator of Diva Girl Fitness

ANTM Live was honoured to be a part of this fantastic event organized by Diva Girl Fitness http://divagirl-inc.com/ and Shop Socials http://www.shopsocials.com/.  It was a fun and fanciful evening with terrific vendors, a fashion show, as well as dancing and fitness demonstrations. Diva Girl owner, Laura Furtado and Shop social founder, Tamika Auwai welcomed the ANTM Live Next Fresh Face Competition with open arms and helped us to launch our first set of auditions!

                         

Me and Stacey

The night started off with my getting dolled up in a spectacular one-shouldered Badgley Mischka from Rent Frock Repeat (RFR) http://www.rentfrockrepeat.com/!  

Our ANTM Live show manager, Stacey, also joined me and wore an eye-catching David Meister.  Thanks to RFR founders, Lisa and Kristy for helping us get glam! 

Our official photography and Next Fresh Face competition partner, NTM studios http://www.nexttopmodelstudios.com/, brought their charming staff in full force to help us find beautiful aspiring models and we are very pleased to announce that we had an amazing response!  Take a look at some of the incredible people who are on their way to possibly becoming the ANTM Live Next Fresh Face!

Our official talent agency sponsor, True Colours Modelling and Talent http://www.truecolourstalent.com/ will be giving away two one-year modelling contracts to one female and one male winner!  Thanks also to our other competition sponsors:

Niko Cosmetics, Donna Dolphy Hair, Fordham PR, Diva Girl Fitness and Shop Socials.

We can’t wait to see who will be competing in the finals next May at ANTM Live!  Watch for all the details about live audition venues and don’t miss your chance to become the ANTM Live Next Fresh Face!

It is free to apply, so make sure you enter today! www.ANTMLivetoronto.com

Watch out next week when I profile another one of our fantastic exhibitors!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J

  

Rent Frock Repeat - Releasing Your Inner Runway

I recently had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with the incredible founders of Rent Frock Repeat http://www.rentfrockrepeat.com/, an innovative dress rental service that gives any woman the ability to be glamorous at a fraction of the cost.  Rent Frock Repeat was born when CEO, Lisa Delorme and President, Kristy Wieber couldn’t decide what to wear to a wedding and didn’t want to spend a lot of money buying new dresses.  They happened upon a dress rental service but were dismayed to find out they only delivered in the U.S.  After a year of intense research, and hours spent looking into logistics, shipping, and putting together a business plan, these friends turned business partners launched Rent Frock Repeat and have been receiving great response ever since!

CEO Lisa Delorme, Me and President Kristy Wieber

In watching these two dynamic women together, there is no doubt why Rent Frock Repeat works - they both understand the business of fashion and believe passionately that each woman deserves to have her ‘Cinderella Moment’.  What girl doesn’t want to feel special and beautiful?  Rent Frock Repeat prides itself on the fact that although we all want to invest in our wardrobe, not all women can afford a $6,000 designer gown.  And let’s face it, don’t we all want to be the belle of the ball and not have to worry about showing up at a function risking that someone else might be wearing that very same dress? 



Robert Rodriguez Black Label Braided Fringe Dress



Bibhu Mohapatra Graphite Silk Charmeuse Dress with Bow

The dresses and gowns available through this distinctive on-line service make the impossible possible by giving the chance for anyone to wear a once-in-a-lifetime dress, look fabulous in it and return it, only to come back and rent another spectacular piece the next time. 

Lisa and Kristy see that customers are renting everything from more casual day pieces, to extravagant evening wear.  Many women are attached to one particular frock and can’t get enough of renting it multiple times.  The good news is that those who are genuinely unwilling to part with a dress have the opportunity to possibly purchase that dress at any of Rent Frock Repeat’s trunk shows where they sell off dresses that are no longer in the on-line rotation to their customers.  These trunk shows also give you an opportunity to try on new arrivals that are not yet available to the public and allow you to pre-order them before inventory runs out!

Lisa is wearing a Tracy Reese Sour Shingles Silk Peasant Dress
Pictured on the mannequin - Shoshanna Monet Floral Silk Faux Wrap Dress

Lisa and Kristy spend quality time buying from showrooms, attending fashion weeks and purchasing looks right off the runway.  They investigate the trends, but also stick to classic pieces that will never go out of style.  Whether it is black tie or gala, sparkly or laid back and fun, Rent Frock Repeat has it all for every occasion.

What’s more, Lisa and Kristy are making efforts to heavily support Canadian designers and have purchased looks from the likes of the famed David Dixon http://rentfrockrepeat.com/products/v-neck-navy-stretch-satin-sleeveless-dress , as well as dresses from the stunning LOVAS collection. http://rentfrockrepeat.com/products/nude-and-metallic-v-neck-chiffon-and-paillettes-dress  They are keeping their eyes out for new and upcoming homegrown talent and will continue to build their Canadian design stock.

Other popular designers include U.S. bred Christian Siriano, http://rentfrockrepeat.com/products/antique-sequin-one-shoulder-dress whose garments are not available in Canada and the talented David Meister http://rentfrockrepeat.com/products/deep-royal-one-shoulder-dress-with-beaded-detail whose blue one shouldered dress was the first rental and worn by the editor of Wedding Bells magazine.

Christian Cota Origami Fold Silk Dress with Plunging Back

Sizes currently range from 0 – 16, however  Lisa and Kristy are looking at trying to source out designers for plus size women, as well as stylish maternity wear.  There have been great demands for their service and they recognize the importance of considering women of all sizes when it comes to being glamorous.  There is a convenient measurement tool that allows women to truly find the best size for their body and just in case, customers can order an additional dress in a size up or down, depending on their needs.  Each rental comes in the mail with a fit kit that includes double sided tape and deodorant remover.  Once you are done wearing the frock, you simply send it back in the envelope provided and that dress is dry cleaned and ready for the next fashionista!

I can’t think of an easier way to dress up, without dressing down your wallet!  If I were you I would hurry and register for Rent Frock Repeat so you don’t miss out on their specialized trunk shows, deals and news about up and coming arrivals.  Only those on the mailing list will get the inside scoop!  http://rentfrockrepeat.com/signup?p=/login

Look out for Rent Frock Repeat at ANTM Live next May!!! They will be creating a spectacular fashion destination on our show floor!  You won't want to miss it! 

A big THANK YOU to the incredibly warm and sweet Lisa Delorme and Kristy Wieber for opening up their Rent Frock Repeat closet for ANTM Live Toronto!  Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J