Thursday, November 12, 2009

TFI Press and Buyer's Breakfast





A little late. The Toronto Fashion Incubator hosts an annual Press and Buyer's Breakfast (this year on Oct. 16th) to showcase local designers to press and retailers. All the major media outlets - Elle, LouLou, National Post, CBC, Fashion Television - are there.

Last year I attended for my go go mama line (gogomamadesign.com), this year for House of Groves (houseofgrovesdesign.com). Great event, even though it means lack of sleep and a mad panic getting everything together and still remembering to feed my children.

This year, the event was a little bizarre for me. My worlds collided!
I worked for Microsoft for 10 years (still consult for them) as a professional speaker, marketer and partner account manager. Colleen, the former president of my largest account, was there. She has become a Friend of TFI. It was all I could do in executive reviews to keep focused on the numbers and not on what she was wearing. She always had the most fabulous pieces.

In the pictures above, Nina from TFI in a go go mama design(!), Toronto Mayor David Miller and the beautiful Caitlin in the House of Groves "Lola" Dress.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Linda Radlett

Growing up, my crushes were always fiction based. My very first was Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice (prior to the steamy Colin Firth). My crush was based on his personality and a sketch of him that came in the version of the book my parents had.

I've always sort of lived in fantasy land. I am not realistic, I am optimistic. My husband is a realist. He lives a much more even keel existence.

I can't sleep right now because I am up all night dreaming of Fall/Winter 2010 and Linda Radlett. Linda Radlett is the main character in Nancy Mitford's novel The Pursuit of Love. She is eternally optimistic, refuses reality and lives a short, doomed life. I loved her character from the minute I met her 15 years ago. She understands that she is part of the Lost Generation, feels the undercurrent of a looming war and a forever changed way of life, yet she pushes it down and instead focuses on finding true love.

I feel like we are living like Linda Radlett right now. As politics and the environment come closer together in a looming global crisis, we are ignoring the aftermath of bailouts and global warming as we renovate our houses, buy our lattes and obsess over Lindsay Lohan.

A pretty gloomy start but here is the thing - I think we need the optimists and the realists. The realists will move us forward and the optimists will lift us up.

For the House of Groves, Fall/Winter 2010 is inspired by Linda Radlett, light, gorgeous, optimistic with an undercurrent of realism.

If you haven't read The Pursuit of Love, it is a lovely read.