Mustard Seed

Plant a mustard seed and this is what you get. Trust us.

1.Yvonne Yvonne pour André, Small bag  | 2.Holga 120 N- Holgawood Collection - Sunset Blvd 
3.Topshop, Yellow Mustard Loafers  | 4. Archie Grand Notebook  | 5. Present & Correct,Homework Pencil case |  6.Earrings 

J'aime ma bicyclette

Straight from Nature

We love the  straight-to-the-point slogan and philosophy of  this all natural cosmetics line that offers natural products straight from nature. No artificial scents, colors or  preservative, a re-usable bottle made out of  biodegradable elements, that's what the german brand has in store for us; and we love it.

For more info on 'STOP THE WATER WHILE USING ME' go here.

Ink on Paper

Always on the lookout for the most original paper goods, we were delighted to discover Inky Co, an Australian brand that specializes in stationary, wrapping paper (and more). These multi-color stripes and polka-dots over brown paper notebooks are part of a limited edition collection available here.

Blue like Jazz

Check out this series of images by illustrator Oliver Barrett featuring Jazz icons Max Roach , Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Miles Davis (Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus).
Order these and more here.

Ozwald's Safari

With Ozwald Boateng, Spring / Summer 2012 is a Safari; a Safari that the designer and his family took in Kenya. As usual with Boateng's collections, we love the classic attention to details, the beautiful use of color and the unique elegance Boateng and his brand embody. And this lookbook shot by photographer Jimmy Hansen is perfect.

Meet Your Type

The FontShop has created the perfect educational guide. From the dos and donts to type selection this cheeky informative piece makes learning about typography playful.

Why settle for casual flirtation when looking for a long-lasting relationship? Finding the perfect match is easy if you know the rules. Meet Your Type will help you overcome common obstacles, and keep your heart thumping for your one true love: typography.

+ More typographie guides

Love Socks

Archiduchesse makes socks. Red ones, yellow ones, short ones and confortable ones. We urge you to visit their ultra-cool website where you  will inevitably get lost in this multi-hued sock paradise.

Your feet will thank us later.

A Sober Fall

Studio Sober's Autumn / Winter 2011-2012 collection is chic, elegant and... sober.
For this second collection, the young Dutch brand once again  offers a selection  of high quality clothes  made out of wool, cotton and silk,  with a nostalgic feel. And we're particularly fond of  the autumnal palette  that the designers have chosen.

More on Studio Sober here and there.

via dejeunesgensmodernes

Easy Conversation: Julia Vallelunga

Julia Vallelunga embodies the true spirit of a creative entrepreneur.  At  30 years old , this young  women is  not only one of Montreal top  bloggers with À la mode Montréal, but she’s also a talented jewelry maker and her latest collection of necklaces  for Anthropologie can only attest to that.

We had a chat with her and it went a little something like this.

Tell us a bit about yourself, who is Julia Vallelunga?
I’m a 30 years old jewellery designer / fashion blogger. I grow up in beautiful Montreal in an half Italian, half French-Canadian family. Beside designing jewelry, I love travelling and having my friends over for dinner.
 When did you start creating jewelry? When I was a kid, I used to create jewelry and expose it in my room but it was just for fun. I had no idea that I would become a jewelry designer! I started three years ago and I’ve been doing it full time for a year now.

Tell us about your creative process? Who / what inspires you?
I usually start sketching what I want my collection to look like. Then I start making the samples. At that point, my idea usually evolved and the entire collection starts making sense. My travels inspire me. I like looking at traditional costumes and old pictures.

Growing up what did you want to be / do? I wanted to be a diplomat! I studied in Economics and Politics at l’Université de Montréal. I didn’t end up being a diplomat but I worked as a lobbyist in Brussels and worked closely with them. I also worked as a business adviser for start-ups. It’s with working with entrepreneur that I realized I was one.

Who are some of the artists who've influenced your work? Everytimes I looked at Frida Kahlo work, I get inspired. I love the mix of colors.

How did your collaboration with Anthropologie come about? Are you working on any other projects? I just sent them an email! I wasn’t really expecting an answer but I got an answer an 1 hour after I sent it. It was a great collaboration. I did 200 necklaces for them. I hope to have the chance to repeat the experience. I’m working on it!

 What's playing on your Ipod these days?
Devendra Banhart, love his song Shabop Shalom.

Julia Vallelunga elsewhere... 

La Raffinerie 

À la mode Montréal 

TWITTER 

FACEBOOK

Covergirl: Carine Roitfeld

Carine Roitfeld shot by Terry Richardson for i-D Magazine.

Tim Walker x Mulberry

Tim Walker shoots Mulberry

Tim Walker x Jo Malone

Easy Conversations: Pink Ribbons, Inc. + Ravida Din

We recently had the privilege of watching Pink Ribbons, Inc. a feature documentary which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2011. It is a clear-eyed look at the worldwide cause-marketing machine behind corporate fundraising for breast cancer research. This must-see film unveils “the pink myth" and encourages people to question their actions while calling for accountability.

Think Before You Pink
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people walk, run and shop for “the cure.” Millions of dollars are raised in the name of breast cancer, but where does all the money go, and what is actually achieved?  Pink Ribbons, Inc., examines what many have called the “dream cause” of cause-related marketing. This interview with the producer, Ravida Din, offers insight into film and her role and career at the National Film Board of Canada.


Brilliant and thought provoking. Check out the trailer below.



Tell us about the film Pink Ribbons, Inc. 
Pink Ribbons, Inc. is about the corporatization of breast cancer. It is about how our society has normalized breast cancer – and – by normalizing it, we have completely depoliticized it. The film raises moral and ethical questions about subsidized philanthropy that is based on citizen goodwill and volunteerism. We may ask “what’s wrong with raising money” but let’s also ask why we need to raise money and how are we doing it... And, are our governments abdicating responsibility? This “normalization” of the disease has been made possible as more and more corporations have become involved in attaching themselves to the breast cancer cause. They are packaging the disease and attaching pink to it... Barbara Ehrenreich refers to this as “relentless brightsiding” or as Samantha King so aptly puts it – there’s a “tyranny of cheerfulness”. Pink Ribbons, Inc. Is a feminist response to our contemporary breast cancer culture. It asks us to consider what kind of collective action will lead to meaningful change and the end of this disease.


 
Why are you funding, promoting, or developing this feature documentary? Or what makes you “get behind” a particular film?
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a unique public producer. We produce and distribute stories that reflect Canadians... to ourselves and to the world. We have a great obligation to bring to life the stories that matter to people and stories that create dialogue, participation and social impact. John Grierson (founder of NFB) spoke of using art of the documentary as a hammer to transform the world. This is at the heart of what we do. I have a strong commitment to social documentary film and to and in particular to bringing a feminist point of view to the screen. What that means is that we dig deep into an issue and look at the systemic nature of things and the underlying questions of how we build and transform society that privileges equality, social justice and peace. In the case of Pink Ribbons, Inc. not only did I want to deconstruct this breast cancer culture that we’ve created, I also wanted to pay respect to the remarkable women who have worked on this issue for many years and who have dedicated their lives to ending this disease.

Tell us about your creative process? What were the positive aspects or negative obstacles that you encountered while producing and filming Pink Ribbons, Inc.?
I was first inspired by an article “Welcome to Cancerland” by Barbara Ehrenreich.  It led me to other feminist writers...namely Samantha King and her book “Pink Ribbons, Inc – Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy”.
I was fascinated by King’s book and in particular her discussions about the rise of philanthropy and the corporatization of women’s health. I optioned her book and it gave me a solid theoretical framework from which to begin the research. I wouldn’t say that there negative obstacles. It was simply a lot of hard work and staying on course in terms of the focus of the film. It’s a huge subject and it was at times easy to get side tracked. Of course, I had a fabulous team and eventually worked with a very experienced and talented director – Léa Pool.

Samantha King (Author), Léa Pool (Director), Ravida Din (Producer)

Why is Pink Ribbons, Inc. an important film to see?
It’s important because far too many women are dying from this disease. We have all been complicit in creating a volunteer based “movement” largely funded by corporations and various foundations and we’ve been raising billions of dollars.  Where is the progress?  We need to completely re-think our approach to breast cancer and to women’s health in general. this film will start a conversation that move all these efforts to a place that starts with critical thinking on the subject.

What steps do you want the audience to take next?
Tell everyone they know to see the film.  We want to make sure that we get very large audiences for this film. This is how we can create a bigger social debate around the issue. I think that activists and organizations concerned with the issue will be able to use the film as a tool to spark that debate.  Audiences – especially those who are involved in fundraising for this cause – may want to ask more questions next time they hand over their hard earned dollars and their time to these causes.  We need to critically think about how we can become more effective as a society in addressing this epidemic of cancer.

How did you get started in filmmaking / producing?
I first worked in marketing and publicity at the NFB and fortunately had an opportunity to work with Studio D (feminist production studio) at the NFB.  There was a very strong focus on using films for social change. I then gained experience in several other areas such as theatrical and non-theatrical distribution and then management. I had an opportunity to train as an associate producer and that led to a strong interest in producing.  After working for about 5 years as the Assistant Director General for English Program Production (also a fantastic opportunity in that I was able to have a hand in all aspects of production, financial, administrative, creative, business...etc.) I was appointed as Executive Director for the Quebec Production Centre. A year ago, I was also asked to head the Atlantic Production Centre.  I now manage the two studios working with three producers and directly produce a handful of films as well. I love my job!

If there was the one project that you could see being made into a film what would that be? What else do you have in store for the future?

I have two projects that I would love to pursue but am not going to divulge..not yet. I am quite intuitive in the ways that I work and I need to let ideas percolate for a while. I would love to continue to bring stories (to the screen) that will radically transform our world to a more equitable one.

Sac du jour

 

We heart this Retro Crackled Satchel by Newlook. The bag comes in light brown and black; so tell us, which one do you like best?

Drink some Courrèges

Every year, evian® teams up with the most prestigious fashion houses for a series of limited edition bottles and this year it is the creative team at Courrèges that was chosen for the 2011 edition..

The design of the bottle, which is inpired by a flower, is fresh, simple and shows timeless elegance. In the words of Jerome Goure, VP Marketing, Danone Waters of America,  “evian® and Courrèges both share the idea that youth is a matter of attitude rather than age”.

Launched last week during Fashion's Night Out, the bottle is only available for now at Jeffrey in New York and Colette in Paris. If you can't make it to either boutiques, be patient, you will be able to cope it  at your favorite hotels and or restaurants as of November; or you can just pre-order your limited edition bottle here.

PS: Peep evian®'s 2009 collaboration with Paul Smith here.

Modern Bite

In the mood for something sweet and pretty, and by pretty, we mean the kind of  cookies with a design so intricate that you will think twice before devouring them, why not try these baked goods by  Los Angeles- based online bakery Modern Bite?

Founded by Montreal's own Daniel Shapiro and  designer Greg Roth, Modern Bite offers the most original and toothsome cookies, cakes, cupcakes and bites (...)

Order these and much more here. Bon Appétit!

Back to School

Check out autumn's new uniform courtesy of Net-a-Porter!

Autumn in Paris

Plad, polka dots, subtle hues; Autumn has a relaxed and yet very elegant feel with these Bérangère Claire Fall / Winter 2011/12 pieces.

Draw me a Chanel

AnOther Magazine commissioned London-based illustrator Ellie Tzoni for to interpret, Chanel's latest 'IT' bag, the Boy; and the result is classic and elegant. The illustrations are a mix of hand-drawn prints and cut-out shapes digitally transformed and crafted together.

More of Ellie Tzoni's work here