Fashion Bites: January 28 - February 4, 2008

Welcome to Fashion Bites, a weekly roundup of fashion news in Toronto.

Toronto bloggers Henna Singh of Canadian Beauty and Danielle Meder of Final Fashion will be hitting up the tents at Bryant Park next week for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC. I'm extremely jealous that I can't attend this season, but am looking forward to reading all about their adventures at what is one of the largest fashion week events in the world.

Two Toronto boys, Arthur Mendonça and Jeremy Laing, will be showing their Fall 2008 collections at this year's event. It will be Arthur's first time in NYC. Check Final Fashion for updates, as Danielle has invites to both shows. Good luck to both of Arthur and Jeremy -- I'm excited to see your latest collections.

Bargainsta interviews Ali de Bold of ChickAdvisor and Queen Street Shop Crawl fame. Ali and Alex de Bold were also featured on the Jan 26, 2008 episode CBC's Fortune Hunters.

Chrys Ioannau Designs has just opened an online Etsy shop. Her jewelry prices are equal or better to the ones found at her home sales. Inventory is updated daily.

Innovator Lida Baday created a brilliant all-season coat for the homeless. Newspapers can be stuffed into pockets in the jacket for insulation.

The Star catches up with Kendra Francis, designer and former Project Runway Canada contestant.

Cosmo TV is coming to Canada in February. We have Corus Entertainment to thank for it, though the channel is currently only available to Bell ExpressVu subscribers.

The TFI members' meeting will take place on Feb 4, 2008, at GOSSIP Restaurant (50 Prince Edward Island Cres., Exhibition Place). Members are required to RSVP via phone or email.

The 14th Toronto Fashion Bloggers Brunch took place on Jan 27, 2008 at Brassaii. 12 local bloggers and artists got together to gab about all things fashion.

On the trade show front, Mode Accessories is on till Jan 29, 2008, at the Doubletree International Plaza Hotel (655 Dixon Road) and Fashion North's, Menswear and Womenswear shows take place from Feb 3-5, 2008 at The International Center, Hall #5.

Dr. Sktechy's Anti-Art School sketch event is on today (Jan 28, 2008) at The Cameron House from 8-11pm. This event's feature model is none other than the fabulous Christabel. I wonder what he'll be wearing this time. Tickets are $10.

Natalia Nekrassova will be taking guests of the Textile Museum of Canada for a curator's tour of Between the Sea and Desert, a showcase of textiles from the Maghreb culture in North West Africa. Free with admission, Jan 30, 2008 at 6:30pm

Also at the Textile Museum of Canada, Allyson Mitchell and guest gather to talk about feminist installation art on February 2, 2008 at 1pm. Allyson currently has an exhibit on display entitled Hungry Purse: the Vagina Dentata in Late Capitalism. Tickets are $12-15.

You still have time to check out the The Charm of Rococo: Femininity and Footwear in the 18th century exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum. Take a look back at the world of shoes in the age of Louis the XV. Exhibit is free, but ends in February 2008, so see this one now.

Celebrate the Year of the Rat at the Bata Shoe Museum on Jan 30, 2008. Professor Wendy Wong of York University talks about symbolism in Chinese iconography and design, with a focus on rat motifs. The talk begins at 6pm and guests will be treated to Dim Sum and tea afterwards. Tickets are $10-15.

E-mail your fashion news tips to: fashion at blogto dot com, with the subject line "Tips for Fashion Bites"!