BIDDELL'S LAST SUPPER

Hot, young obstreperous designer Evan Biddell threw himself a 33^rd birthday party worthy of Warhol at his home/atelier, the incredible and exotic Dali-esque Darling Mansion which looks like the set of a Gloria Swanson movie if she were a hoochie-coochie dancer. It was THE place to be on Tuesday night, sweetie darlings. Where else would you find designers, models, artists, photographers, stylists, ballet dancers, taxidermy and a python snake under one roof? I could have done without the reptile. As far as I am concerned, the only good snake is a dead snake, preferably in a purse or pair of booties.

Evan Biddell and his dirty-dozen disciples, twelve of his fave femmes/muses, re-enacting The Last Supper. I am at the extreme left and feel privileged to have made the cut. When asked whether I wanted to portray (apostle) Paul in the lineup, I demurred. I wanted to be Ringo.

Evan putting on a game face while being entwined by the python in the mansion’s living room. Ick! Is all I can say.

Model Aluad Anei in a Biddell creation accessorized by the snake. Double ick! So much for modelling being a glam profession.

The willowy Johanne doing her best Elvira in another Biddell design. She is not a model, just genetically blessed, damn her. I felt like the fat girl in the circus being in a house full of slinky mannequins.

Me and the divine Micheline Wedderburn, who gets her killer body from being owner/instructor at Quad Spin, in selfie mode. 

How talented is Evan Biddell? He repurposed the blanket I gave him to pimp up his pad into this fabulous coat. Now seriously! Think what he could do with a duvet.

A fireplace in the Darling Mansion, a Victorian pile built in 1888. It came with the place when the lovely and talented Tanya Grossi bought it and transformed it into a cornucopia of divine decadence.

A fanciful fanny pack purchased in France by stylist /producer Sarah Jay, who is obsessed with fanny packs. This is one I could actually conceive of wearing. It doesn’t scream tourist on holiday wearing worldly goods around ones mid-section.

And just when you thought Biddell and company couldn’t top the drama, a ballet dancer performs in the mansion’s moonlit garden.

WAITING LIST, ETC.

This is the time of great bargoons in summer wear. Remember, I don’t get out of bed for less than 70-per-cent off. But you have to bide your time. If it is still overly pricey – our summer season is so limited and statistically we only wear 20 per cent of our wardrobe – you need to suck it up and wait for the last gasp. I mean, you can’t have everything. Where would you put it?

This fringed skirt has my name all over it. It is a hot Pucci number I found in The Room at Hudson’s Bay downtown. It was originally priced at $1,010 (yeah, I know) and was reduced to $403.99 and it would replace the Michael Kors fringed skirt I stupidly sold years ago. But there will be further reductions in August and if it is still there, I am meant to have it. Seriously, I could easily go through life without a go-go skirt.

I am addicted to all things camo and am pining over this clutch also at The Room. Its original price is $2,895 (why????) marked down to $1,157.99 but unless I get an inheritance from long-lost relatives in Lithuania or the bag is horrifically reduced, it will not be tucked under my arm any time soon. But I can still drool over it.

I am a big fan of distressed wear and of award-winning Canadian designer Evan Biddell, one of the best cutters in the biz. So this shredded tank top with Biddell’s face all over it is doubly delicious.

New York has some serious graffiti. I think they invented the stuff. But this wall in Queen Street West is no slouch. Gotta love the colour.

Utility boxes don’t have to be boring. This dramatic one on Parliament St. in the Distillery district could easily have been living in Stratford. 

Couples regularly pose in this heart-shaped structure in the Distillery district while doing the kissy-face thing. I was recently asked to snap such a couple and was happy to oblige. But I politely declined their offer to take a photo of me solo under the heart. It would have been too sad.

Giving and getting a helping hand and foot on a fence on Portland St.

FOR EVAN'S SAKE

FAT is where it’s at. Last week, Fashion Art Toronto, the alternate to Toronto Fashion Week, staged their outré shows in assorted venues. I always attend Evan Biddell’s -- they never fail to wow me because his vision and production values. Not for nothing his show, dedicated to David Bowie and Iman, was voted one of the “Most Outrageous Looks” by Blog TO. 

But outrageousness only goes so far. His exquisite tailoring is the real deal.

Furthermore, the outrageousness was not limited to the runway. Everywhere you looked in the fashion crowd, the most interesting ensembles were inevitably worn by the boys.

One of Evan Biddell’s looks, which I call Holly Golightly does Elvira.

Ruth Promislow, a partner in the Bustle line, wearing a red-hot Biddell number, and Marlene Schiff, whose photo was on the Industry pass, flank Evan Biddell after the show. He is clutching a bottle of tequila, my ritualistic contribution to his after party.

Just browsing: Anyone can have purple hair. All it takes is a trip to Shopper’s Drug Mart cosmetics department. This woman has accessorized hers with arresting blinged-out brows.

Bustle partner Shawn Hewison shows off the highly-coveted Jilly’s T-shirt, designed in commemoration of the closing of the infamous strip club.

Quad Spin queen Micheline Wedderburn and I model the other must-have T-shirt, one with Evan Biddell’s shiny little face printed on it.

Just when I thought I’d escaped the ubiquitous selfie moment, there was this cool artwork calling my name.

ARTY PARTY HEARTIES

Art is everywhere in T.O., from AGO to graffiti in alleyways. I sampled it recently both on the TTC and in an opening reception in the boardroom of Ireland + Hall Communications at 266 Adelaide St. West for Art Nurture, a collection of the work of indefatigable Micheline Wedderburn, spinning instructor extraordinaire and owner/founder of Quad Spin by day and artist at night. The exhibit is still at Ireland + Hall and can been seen daily during working hours from 9 to 5.

This woman on the subway complimented me on my eyewear and I gushed over her floral hair accessory.  She then proceeded to show me a photo of her mom, who routinely wears a full garland in her hair. You rock, ladies.

I took this selfie in a Queen West alleyway only because the graffiti perfectly set off the oversized camo pattern of my coat.

Nobody puts Chanel in the corner. Two examples of Micheline Wedderburn’s  art, which includes cool painted furniture, toys and artwork in mixed media, primarily acrylic on canvas and coated with clear lacquer.

Hair ye, hair ye: Micheline Wedderburn goes head to head with her niece Wren.

Lowell Hall, cofounder of Ireland + Hall rocking a vintage black leather Versace vest. It is from the ‘90s and still fits!

Frazer Mac in a denim jacket which he has blinged up, inspired by the work of designer Evan Biddell, whose buffalo-plaid pants are seen at left.

Ride ‘em Miche:  The artist astride one of her creations, a winning rocking horse.

Naked mannequins on Queen Street West -- an example of window undressing. 

THE NEW VINTAGE

Sandy Powell has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her wardrobing on Carol. And she is a shoe-in; Powell might as well start making room for it on her mantle. She had me at the lead character’s iconic huge mink coat with shawl collar that represents Carol’s sophistication, wealth and social status. And it was very vintage.

“The mink was old and it kept falling apart,” Cate Blanchett, who plays Carol, told W magazine. “Between takes, Sandy Powell, the costume designer, would sew it back together by hand. I considered changing coats, but when you find the right thing, you know immediately. That coat was the one to tell Carol’s story. It was perfect.”

You won’t experience deteriorating clothing at 69 Vintage at 921 Queen St. W. Not only does the celebrated shop, owned by irrepressible Kealan Sullivan, only carry items in pristine condition, it even has designer Evan Biddell, winner of the first season of Project Runway Canada, on site tweaking and expert-tailoring.

And there is no telltale stinky old-clothing smell. It once took a bottle of white vinegar and three days of hanging outside to get rid of the fusty smell in a Mongolian fur jacket I’d bought in Kensington Market. Phew.

Bye-bye Magwood and Cabaret. Vintage stores are dropping like hemlines on Queen Street. Biddell says they need to get current to survive.  He is customizing vintage garments into on-trend pieces like removing the sleeves from coats and remaking them into outer vests.

He is also considering repurposing fur stoles into vests.

“Vintage is about service,” Biddell explains. “Without size runs it is hard to shop vintage so we offer custom tailoring for a piece you fall in love with but doesn’t fit right. It’s not about dressing head-to-toe vintage but having a balance of old and new so we are adding new pieces to the mix. We are also recutting existing vintage to update silhouettes.”

Kealan Sullivan and Evan Biddell give good face in the window area of 69 Vintage on Queen West, arguably the best vintage shop in town.

Anybody can stock vintage London Fog raincoats but who else has one in mauve? C’mon. Beside it hangs a mauve fur vest. I can’t stand it. What great entrance makers!

Here I am modelling a cool fur vest customized by Evan Biddell from a frumpy old coat. Thereby proving that repurposing vintage into new pieces doesn’t have to look icky “Preloved” crafty.

Evan Biddell with an ensemble that screams David Bowie. Biddell can even make you a Union Jack jacket.

   

MICHE'S DARLING BIRTHDAY BASH

Micheline Wedderburn, owner/founder of Quad Spin celebrated her 50^th with a brilliant bash at Darling Mansion on Dovercourt. Who knew it even existed? The space was Addams Family meets Salvador Dali meets early bordello. There was an oyster station, a sprawling charcuterie table, a jazz trio and two floors of roaming funsters.

Miche has a rockin’ body, the best advert for her gym, a guerilla spinning workout that makes SoulCyclers look like poseurs. She is responsible for my regaining a waistline, which every post-menopausal woman can relate to. 

Above, she does her best Bettie Page cheesecake pose.

Here Miche and I are toasting each other. Apparently some party hearties continued to get toasted well into the whee! hours.

Miche and I do an Evan Biddell sandwich. Biddell is a beyond-cool fashion designer and good buddy who won the first session of Project Runway, before it jumped the shark and moved to Ottawa, thereby killing the franchise.

A pile-on of party animals in one of the Darling guest rooms. No one was harmed during the shooting of this photo op.