MUST HAVES: NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SURVIVAL KIT

Believe it or not, attending the New York shows as a stylist or editor isn’t just about making nice with street style photographers! As lovely as the shows are, it’s also about eating meals on the run, hobbling around in five-inch platforms, praying that you can get from the tents to Milk studios in 15 minutes, going hundreds of dollars over your cab budget, balancing your show schedule with office deadlines, navigating the party circuit, and trying to get work done while looking Sartorialist-ready. Here, our must haves for surviving the gruelling schedule and style wars…at least until Milan!

1. An unlimited Metrocard. Cabs are impossible to get at certain times of the day and during inclement weather, and for certain itineraries, it’s just must faster to take the subway.

2. Whether you’re taking runway shots or street style notes, this sleek Olympus E-P2 Pen digital camera takes amazing photos on the run. $899.99US, bhphotovideo.com.

3. We are obsessed with Smythson stationary, and scribbling notes in this ‘Inspiration and Ideas’ leather pocket notebook is just so much more chic than pounding away on one’s Blackberry while waiting for the shows to start! $69US, smythson.com.

4. With 3G Internet access as well as wireless capabilities, there’s no quicker way to approve layouts and see how cute you look on Style.com than on your Apple iPad. From $679.00, store.apple.com/ca.

5. No cute little clutches please! Any fashion week veteran knows that a good fashion week handbag must be big enough to at least hold the invite packet and schedule that your assistant so lovingly put together, as well as the office Blackberry. We recommend the Celine Classic Box Bag, of course. $3,400.

Head to Danier.com tomorrow to witness the first-ever virtual fashion show, hosted by Jeanne Beker and stylist George Antonopoulos. The iconic Canadian brand will be showcasing its Fall and Winter 2010 collection of leather’s and suede’s.

Canadian label JUMA, who has recently been picked up by the W Hotels chain worldwide, as well as Henri Bendel’s in Hong Kong, will be participating in NYC’s Fashion’s Night Out this coming Friday with designers Jamil and Alia Juma appearing at Henri Bendel’s on Fifth Avenue.

Trying to add all-natural products to your daily routine can often leave us frustrated, as they’re either hard to find, or more money than we’re willing to spend. Thankfully now we have Live Clean, a Canadian brand that has just released a line of body lotions that are non-greasy, completely vegan with 98 percent plant-based ingredients, smell yummy and are good for sensitive skin. $6.99, available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix.

Famed Toronto paparazzo Louis D., of Central Image Agency, will be displaying iconic rock photos at Opus on Prince Arthur Avenue in Yorkville during the upcoming film festival.

Plastichic watches: Made from Italian silicone, Plastichic watches comes in 19 different colours (our favourite? The deep purple) and are a cheap and chic way to add a pop to any wardrobe. $25, available at The Bay, Boathouse and select boutiques.

CAMEL COUTURE

Camel toppers are everywhere for Fall 2010: think 3.1 Philip Lim, Chloé and Michael Kors. But thankfully you don’t have to spend too much to add this trend to your wardrobe. While we’ve been drooling over this Michael Kors canvas and fur coat, we’re thinking this camel cape courtesy of Edit by Jeanne Beker, a new line launched this fall at The Bay, will be the perfect addition to our outwear wardrobe without breaking the bank. For good sartorial measure, we also scouted these wedge boots from the Gap, this Danier cross-body bag, and an Old Navy blazer, as other ways to add this hue into your everyday look.

1. Edit by Jeanne Beker camel cape, $195, The Bay across Canada, thebay.com

2. Michael Kors fur and canvas parka, $4,995, michaelkors.com

3. Old Navy camel blazer, $39.50, oldnavy.com

4. Danier cross body bag, $99, danier.com

5. Gap khaki wedge boots, $69.50, gap.com

PRESS PLAY

Justin Timberlake, Canadian model Noot Sear and the city of Paris steal a night together for the latest Givenchy fragrance.

Back in the summer of 2008, smoldering and sexy ads for Givenchy’s men’s cologne Play featuring singer Justin Timberlake began to surface. To end the summer of 2010, comes Play for Her, with Timberlake back in the pitch-man role with Vancouver beauty, and Twilight star, Noot Sear as his equally alluring counterpart. With two fragrances in the series, Play Intense, with notes of orange blossom, orchid and sandalwood, feels sophisticated and certainly worthy of the Bonnie and Clyde through the streets of Paris-type story that takes places between Timberlake and Sear in the .

Givenchy Play Intense eau de parfum, 50ml, $85, across Canada on September 15th at The Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora.

WARHOL & FRIENDS

BoobyBall 2010 gets fashionable with Halston, Jagger
and Minnelli

In order to bring the upcoming Booby Ball fundraiser the right sartorial feel, the team behind the October 16th event, happening this year at Toronto’s Kool Haus, recently leaned on some of the cities best photographers, as well as friends, to volunteer their time and recreate the vibe of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager’s legendary New York City night club, Studio 54. “The energy on set was just right,” said lensman Jalani Morgan. “It didn’t feel like a set, it felt like a party and that is what created a nice sense of authenticity for me—it was great!”

The shoot, meant to bring awareness for this year’s Booby Ball theme, as well as the cause itself, Rethink Breast Cancer, took place at the soon-to-be opened, newly renovated downstairs club at Marben restaurant. Among the five photographers, whose art will be displayed inside the venue for Booby Ball, were Caitlin Cronenberg, Steve Carty, Babar Khan and Javier Lovera, who each had a short time frame to complete one spot on Studio 54-inspired portrait. “The theme is fantastic,” Khan said. “Aside from the excitement and freedom of Studio 54, visually it was just an extraordinary place. The era represents a more carefree, creative and open-minded time, both in terms of fashion and mindset.”

Having raised close to a millions dollars, Booby Ball, in it’s 8th year, hopes to break more records with this year’s event. It’s all for a good cause and, as photog Steve Carty puts it; “I don’t think that there is anyone out there that hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way.”

Tickets for the event, often seen as one of the best events in Toronto, are on sale now at BoobyBall.com.

**Photography by Steve Carty

Toronto fashion watchers: The Stuart Weitzman store is officially open at the Eaton Centre.

Shoe designer Brian Atwood is entering the low-priced market after penning a deal with Jones
Apparel Group.

Marchesa design Georgina Chapman gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday night.

Kate Moss connections update: Ms Moss’ next collaboration with TopShop will be her last and insiders are saying the split is less than amicable.  And legendary fashion photographer Corrine Day, who took some of the most memorable early pics of a young KM, died this past weekend.

HEEL THERAPY

A QUICK FIX FOR CRACKED FEET

As we try to squeeze out the last few days of summer, we may not have the time to upkeep our feet while we’re running around in our soon-to-be-stored sandals. Slathering on Upper Canada Soap’s All About Feet Cracked Heal Treatment (120ml, $6) will help keep feet smooth while wearing flip flops at the beach or when slipping on a pair of strappy heels at night. The non-greasy formula is loaded with shea butter, beeswax and peppermint oil and absorbs quickly to disguise cracked heels and dry feet if time is too tight to fit in a full blown pedicure. An added bonus? As a “pink” product, Upper Canada Soap donates 25 cents of every purchase to the Susan G. Koman Foundation.

Available at specialty gift shops and select department stores across North America. uppercanadasoap.com