Japan Fashion Week Highlights

Clockwise from top left: support surface, everlasting sprout, matohu, tiny dinosaur. See NowPublic for additional photos and video.

Japan Fashion Week went down in Tokyo from September 1 – 5, and once again there were plenty of wacky designs to turn heads.

Some of the more colourful and ‘out there’ collections were embodied by the following labels:

  • mercibeaucoup brought plaid, frill and chunky accessories onto the runway. Plenty of layering and quirky adornments make this line very cutesy Japanese.
  • Fur Fur was very whimsical – models adopted mythical garden personas, as layers upon layers of dried branches and flowers filled in every possible layer and pocket available.
  • Aguri Sagimori paraded doll-headed models with voluminous hair out in sheer fabrics and heavy asymmetrical layers.

I was drawn to the following collections, you might spot a trend here:

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Published by Terri on September 9, 2008 in Fashion. 6 Comments

More Vancouver Thrift Store Scores

When a filmmaker friend of mine recently asked me to do the wardrobe for her upcoming short film, I recognized the opportunity to do some serious thrift store scouring and agreed immediately. Shi-Shi-Etko is a short film project for Kickstart, and deals with the Canadian residential school program for First Nations children between 1928 and 1984. My mission to find clothing from the 1950′s era in BC proved to be a little difficult, but I did manage to find some great items – plus a few for myself (how could I not?).

This fantastic petite blazer was $2 at an animal-charity thrift store in Richmond. I spied it in the back room and they let me have it – they even offered to let me go through the bags and boxes of clothes stored back there if I wanted to, but I don’t work for free.

This cropped plaid number is Osh Kosh, the children’s line. Luckily for me we need children’s clothing for the film, otherwise I never would have found myself in the tots department at Value Village eyeing this and thinking, “will that fit me??”

Another one from the Willage, this dress is from Port’s and fits quite snugly around the hips and knees but bags out a bit at the top. A skinny belt solves that problem.

I do live in Vancouver, and I do believe the rain is about to start up again. This cropped-sleeve water resistant coat is quite long, but with a snazzy pair of heels will be ideal for nights out when I don’t want to carry a bulky jacket.

There are more finds that I haven’t photographed yet as they’re in the wash, but I nabbed a great dress from the Wildlife thrift store, plus a long sweater/coat from Value Village. All for about $30 – gotta love it.

Published by Terri on September 6, 2008 in Fashion. 1 Comment

Vancouver Fringe Festival: Top Picks

After going through the entire show guide, I settled on the following shows to see during the Vancouver Fringe Festival:

  • Mr. Fox
  • Broad Comedy
  • Jem Rolls
  • Who’s Afraid of Tippi Seagram
  • Transcendental Masturbation (uh, how could you not..)

The opening gala was fun times, despite being filled with lots of (older) sponsors/parents (?).  But the organizers threw in some “natural” spray-on lube with the gift bag, so who’s complaining?  I also got a new cup, a pen, and some other treats, like a bookmark.  In other good news, the 3-minute shows which were showcased tonight tipped me off to some performances that I would have otherwise skipped.  Namely:

  • Totem Figures
  • Die Roten Punkte – Super Musikante
  • Flamenco! Flamenco!

During the two sample acts tonight, we got a taste of Mr. Fox, which was somewhat disappointing given the success of their Dishpig show last year at the Fringe.  Opened off decently with the hockey anthem and animated antics, but fizzled out shortly thereafter as our performer discussed the vile and sweaty scenarios of life as a radio mascot.

Die Roten Punkte got rave reviews in their write-up, but I was skeptical when I was first planning out my show schedule.  Not anymore – I howled.  They parody German Eurotrash rockers, and it’s hilar.  I honestly think they should tour outside of the theater circuit and open live music shows, I would totally go.

Totem Figures was quite funny, because TJ Dawe spews self-defamatory remarks re: life as an unsuccessful (right) comedian incredibly fast.  Watching him for his speed alone would be worth the ticket.

And finally, though there were lots of other pretty good performances at the gala, the other standout for me was Flamenco! Flamenco!, because this type of show never appeals to me in print.  But it was enthralling in person; guitar, drum, some clapping and the lady gets up and dances as well.  Incredible skill.

The Vancouver Fringe Festival runs September 4-14th, with lots additional of cool music/dj events happening at the Grolsch Fringe Bar on island so you can sauce it up after the shows.  Great little room.  And they have a foos table too!

Published by Terri on September 3, 2008 in Arts & Culture. 0 Comments
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