Evolution of a Lookbook

This video is a cool new interpretation of a "lookbook". For those that are unfamiliar with a lookbook, these are traditionally used by fashion designers to display their latest and greatest designs. In this video the young and talented local fashion designer Tyler Kenny showcases his handmade pieces on two stunning models from B & M model management, Amanda and Shay. I was happy to have been a part of this production and created some wearable styles that took nothing away from the focal point of this video: jaw dropping fashion designs on two beautiful women. Enjoy!

The Friday Night Lights

Fringe Theatre.

The Kops Record Story.

So, what is a guy in the beauty biz doing blogging about a record store? Kops Records is the pretty much undisputed king of vinyl in Toronto , being its oldest record store and purveyor of quality music to people who appreciate that sort of thing. It also boasts the largest collection of 45's anywhere in Canada.

 The Kops Records story starts with Martin Koppel in 1976 on Queen street. Since then it has moved east and west before settling in its current location at 229 Queen street west. In 1976 Kops inception was strongly tied to Martin's love of "northern soul", a sub genre of music that descended from the mod scene of the 1960's and sounded something more akin to the motown-detroit  era of music that we became familiar with in a mainstream way. Northern Soul had become a hit in the dance clubs of northern England, but was virtually unheard of in Toronto, until Martin Koppel came along. 

Fast forward about 38 years and Kops Records is alive and well, thriving in a digital modern era where vinyl lovers and audiophiles still appreciate that raw unparalleled sound of a record spinning your favorite tune. Kops recently opened up a Bloor street location as well, to meet the demand of the most discerning music lovers. 

About one month ago, we were lucky enough to have been allowed to shoot a fashion editorial at Kops Records, thankfully to Andrew Koppel (son of Martin). We chose the location based on the history and story behind it. Seldom do you find a place in Toronto so entrenched in its past that you virtually feel the energy in the air. We had a vintage, rock type of theme, and the Kops setting was second to none. Our inspiration came from the deep history this store has and we envisioned what it would have been like to walk into that store in the 70's and 80's and browse the then latest and greatest of the music world. That it was we set out to do with our photos and I believe we achieved our objective. (Stay tuned for images).

To have had the privilege to shoot a fashion story in an independent record store with thousands of records, memorabilia and countless autographed pictures on the wall is really something. Listening to old 45's spin while we took shot after shot still resonates a month later. It is a testament to the Kops Records legacy and the fact that after 38 years they are still spinning records the same way they did when vinyl was the only way to go. This is one place I feel really is somewhat of a landmark in Toronto, and when walking down Queen street feel free to drop in and take it all in because Kops Records is in a class of its own. 

www.kopsrecords.ca

Friday Night Something...

Two images of a recent photo shoot I did at Violet Blonde Salon for the first day of spring. Wardrobe was inspired by the heady 80's, and a mix of past looks with hollywood hair. More looks to follow, check back shortly! 

Credits: 

Photography: Daniel Camer

Makeup: Gina Marie Oades

Wardrobe: Kathleen Eastwood

Hair: Guido Di Salle

Models: Sofiya and Dana.

A Toronto Fashion Photo Shoot in 60 seconds.

Recently I had the pleasure to work with a talented team and produce some stunning images. This 60 second teaser gives you a glimpse of what its like behind the scenes:

Top 3 Met Gala Hairstyles

The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and has been held since 1971. Since then the event has become known for it's status as the elite fashion event of the year and is attended by anyone who is anyone in the fashion and celebrity world. I looked at many photographs of some very stunning and eclectic mixes of hair and fashion, and after scrutinizing quite a bit, I narrowed it down to three impeccable looks that I believe stand out.

Marion Cottilard:

French actress, singer, songwriter, greenpeace activist, and Met Gala standout! What I love about Marion's look is how she worked with her short to medium tresses to create the illusion of a longer classic side swept look that is very fun, yet very French effortless as well. The deep side part with tightly pulled back side give the look a little asymmetry and interest. I love the low, face framing focus, and with a girl as pretty as Marion this is one look that I think people will be talking about for years to come.

Cara Delevingne:

Cara is an English model and socialite, and she can do no wrong! That goes for her hair as well. Another look with an exaggerated deep side part to add interest, and tightly pulled back on one side. Her choice of leaving her ends softer looking with some curl and height through the top are a nice take on some seriously 80's inspired hair. Cara can pull this look off effortlessly, and I would argue that this is a really simple way that most women can make a statement without much commitment.

Amber Heard:

Amber is an American actress who decided to put her hair completely up for the gala, and in my opinion an excellent way to offset her cute girl next door look. It has been awhile since I have seen someone wear their hair up completely, but Amber really left an impression on me with this take on a classic pull back. With tightly pulled back sides, she had some soft touchable height that really gave her a more serious, definitive look. If this looks sets the mood for the current generation of updo's, I am definitely in support!

The Box Blonde

The box blonde has been around for about as long as women have wanted to go from brunette to blonde. I recently read an article in a magazine which encouraged readers to go ahead and bleach their hair out at home because of how easy it was to achieve amazing results. I want to touch on that a little because it seems that for some reason,  something is lost in translation when it comes to truly understanding the art of lightening hair. 

An advantage of having your hair lightened in the salon, by a pro, is not only the knowledge that your stylist or colourist possesses, (17 years in my case, and Violet Blonde Salon which specializes in that sort of thing)  but also the plethora of tools and products at our disposal to help get your hair light. The box blonde is typically a formula which is not made specifically for you, or for anyone else for that matter. It is a colour or bleach which has been formulated for the masses and therefore cannot compete with an intricate colour formula calculated from years of know how, and hands on trial and error. When I mix a colour or lightener, I have at my fingertips dozens of options from which to choose and intermix to maximize lightening and toning ability. Each gram I add changes the intended purpose and outcome. 

Colour formulation is so specific, that every client has their own formula which is rarely used on other clients. Hair texture, ethnicity, hair elasticity, condition, prior colour, chemical and product build up, and lifestyle all play a very big part in deciding what route to take. These are aspects which get overlooked at home, and even if they are addressed rarely do people have the know how to navigate these kind of issues that we navigate everyday in a salon setting. I have in good conscience sent many clients home when I have felt that their hair could not handle the stresses of going lighter. 

I have heard many times that hairdressers make it "look so easy", and perhaps that is part of the problem. It is the opposite of easy, but after years and years you are able to discern very quickly what kind of hair you are dealing with, what product you need to use, if the formula needs any additives (yes we actually use "secret" ingredients), and the after colour products to help bring your hair back to an ideal state. The moral of the story is that next time you read that bleaching your hair out at home with products that are strong enough to sterilize infections is a good idea, take a step back and think about it. 

Makeover Video - Before and After

Our makeover model Erika,  is a student and photographer, and Erika was a great candidate because she is a naturally pretty girl who just needed an update. Guido Di Salle on hair and Gina Marie Oades on makeup..... Watch the short video below to see how it unfolds. 

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HAIR:

For the hair, I wanted to achieve a believable blonde. I call this particular blonde the "california" blonde because of its neutral tones which are neither too warm or too cool, and the approachable playful air associated with it. I have come to be known for my blondes and how healthy they look, and it is one of the reasons Violet Blonde Salon in Yorkville has become a major destination for discerning blonde's in Toronto. To achieve this colour I foiled 75% of the hair, and toned what was left out of the foils to harmonize the blonde and the colour that I was working with, which looked like a cover up of an ombre gone wrong. The hair is still super healthy, has great shine and emphasizes Erika's personality, which is friendly, down to earth, and full of energy.  The results speak for themselves, and Erika now has a hair colour which is better suited to her skin tone and her lifestyle. 

MAKEUP:

For Erika's makeup look I sought help from one of Toronto's top makeup talents, Gina Marie Oades. I work well with Gina because she shares the same passion that I do, and on top of that she is a true professional, knowledgeable and brings great positivity to all things she does. You can find out more about Gina at: 

www.ginamariemua.com

www.facebook.com/ginamariemua

Instagram: ginamariemua

Erika's make up inspiration in Gina's own words:

SKIN:

Erika already had great skin, so I used a small amount of foundation mixed with a bit of luminizing gel to create a youthful glow. To apply, I used a damp Beauty Blender which applies foundation evenly and almost gives an "airbrushed" effect. To add natural and healthy colour to her face, I used a cream blush from MAKE UP FOR EVER's new HD Blush collection and finished with a matte bronzer.

EYES:

A combination of neutral colours from Stila's  In the Know Eyeshadow palette were used to give Erika a classic look paired with lots of mascara.

LIPS:

Erika said she loves rocking a red lip, however, finds that lipsticks tend to fade quickly. I used a long wearing waterproof lip liner from MAKE UP FOR EVER'S Aqua collection (Aqua Lip 8C) before adding red lip stick and gloss.

The "Wob" Hair Trend

Move over bob, because here comes the "wob". Apparently the name stands for wet bob, and is true to its namesake in the sense that its exactly that, a wet looking bob. Its not the first time this trend has popped up either as versions of it became popular in the 80's, and the 90's. In fact, I remember the first photo shoot I ever did, and one of the looks was exactly the wob! 

The most recent resurrection has been made popular by celebrities such as Beyoncé at the Grammys  and more recently Malin Akerman (who's hair I have had the opportunity to do, and she's lovely! Another perk of being one of the best hairdressers in Toronto). Both pulled the look off spectacularly and really did the wob some justice. There are different versions of the wob, and the main recurring theme is that a product is used to make the hair look wet. One version concentrates product on the roots, another throughout the whole hairstyle, and there a few varieties in between. This isn't a look which abides by many rules, so experimentation is necessary, but keep in mind that serums, light hold styling products, and mousses might give you your best chance at re-creating the wob (I like saying wob). 

Do I think the look is for everybody? Absolutely not, and in fact I think if you are attempting to pull off this style, a little home experimentation is necessary. You know the routine, pick an evening where you don't have anywhere to go, grab some styling product  and lock yourself in your bathroom so your significant other doesn't see your new hobby! I think the real key at pulling this look off is your outfit. If you work in an office, or professional setting, and you rock the wob, you might raise some eyebrows, at least here in Toronto anyway. You will probably just look like you got caught in the rain.  On the other hand, if you are going out for an evening of dancing, dinner or drinks, or attending one of the many socialite functions around Toronto or other big cities, then the wob will work. It may very well be that the wob is not here to stay, but in the meantime I enjoy looking at updated versions of the lesser known cousin of the bob.