z_Naked Lunch

Bloor St. Entertains

Barbara Black works the sexy tuxedo look at the McKinsey & Co. dinner at Bloor St. Entertains.

Fashion editor Bernadette Morra and stylist Derick Chetty discuss Bloor St. Entertains, below. The fundraiser for the Canadian Foundation for Aids Research starts with intimate dinners at Bloor St.-area retail stores and winds up with a party at the Royal Ontario Museum. Read their chat and send your comments to nakedlunch@thestar.ca or click on the comments link below.

Can I just start by saying that Barbara Black wore the sexiest tuxedo ever to the McKinsey & Co. dinner on Charles St. W. Though I didn't see her in person, she looked amazing in the photo taken by Star photographer Tara Walton. The black and white layers seemed to include a sequinned jacket and tank over the sheer white top with little white collar. Instead of pants she wore a knee-length skirt to show off those fabulous legs. That's androgyny at it's most elegant. Did you see her at the after-party at the ROM> Bernadette

No, I didn't see Lady Black at the after-party at the ROM. I agree, she looked magnificent. And that's what a woman's tuxedo should look like! Fitted, high armholes and some sparkle. Since this was a black tie event, most men wore a tux and there is really very little variation in that style - they all looked the same. A few brave types added a dash of their personality with colourful patterned bow ties and cummerbunds. Derick

One gentleman at the Birks dinner was wearing a silk tie that looked like monarch butterfly. Very fun! But I agree there wasn't much variation in the men. Though tell me about Salah Bachir of Famour Players Media. He is always pretty daring. Bernadette

Caryn Lerner in a Missoni evening gown.

You can always pick Salah out in a crowded room. The first thing I noticed about him was the jewels - which are all real - a triple strand of pearls and a floor length frock coat. Dazzling! Another person you couldn't miss in the crowd was Sherry May Axton of May Models (never heard of it) and owner of Flow restaurant in Yorkville and The Capital Theatre. Now here is a woman who knows how to work an entrance. She was wearing a spectacular Roberto Cavalli gown. When I saw her entering she was holding the train of her gown and her clutch purse practically at earlobe height. Dramatic! Derick

What? No diamond earrings and brooch on Salah? Or were you too dazzled to notice? Can we talk a bit about the dinner environments in the stores? I loved what Cartier did. Amid the glass containers of feathery magenta orchids by Church St. Flowers, they put jeweled baubles for the guests to play with. Like a $68,000 yellow, pink and white diamond trinity ring, and a  5 carat yellow diamond ring worth $198,400. Now that's what I call a table setting. Bernadette

My first stop was Holts and I loved what they did to the cafe. It was red, pink and orange table settings. Very colourful but elegant - reminded me of vintage YSL. The floral arrangements - in those same colours - were placed in black which just added to the dramatic effect. This was all courtesy of Fiori Floral Designs.

But my favourite venue was the private residence at 155 Cumberland Avenue. This spectacular apartment was designed by Phillip Johnson in the 60s and he worked with Mies van der Roe on the TD tower in Toronto. It is currently unoccupied and was a treat to see this treasure because it's vertually intact - it was like stepping back in time to the 60s. It's a perfect setting for a swanky party. The patio overlooks Bloor Street and has full grown trees.

Sherry May Axton in Roberto Cavalli.

What was your favourite venue?  Derick

Hard to say...I liked the live music at Roots, they had a jazz group. And the food was fantastic. Lobby's chef did braised beef in anisette gravy. It was one of the best things I have ever eaten.

Back to fashion for a second, I know that black is in, but there was so much of it last night. It makes for very boring photos. By the way you looked amazing in your white dinner jacket. Was it velvet? Bernadette

Velour. And it was a bit nerve racking eating the lamb chops and drinking red wine at the Hugo Boss store. What were you wearing? Derick

A teal velvet dress with sheer black collar and hem trim by Toronto designer Joeffer Caoc. Good for you for getting through the evening with no wine stains! Bernadette

The Countess of Wessex

TOM SANDLER PHOTO

Sophie wore pink coat to Toronto General Hospital on Monday evening.

This week fashion editor Bernadette Morra and stylist Derick Chetty discussed Sophie, the Countess of Wessex's style. Send your comments to nakedlunch@thestar.ca or click on the comments link below.

Derick, I am quite torn about Sophie. On the one hand I think she exudes a certain "realness" which I like. I like that she isn't supermodel tall and starlet skinny. But she is a royal and she is serving a public role. On her visit to Toronto this week, she brought awareness to some very important charities. So I do wish for more glamour from her. I wish she had looked a bit more "royal." Bernadette

I think she is playing it very safe. After the controversy over her role as a royal and her job as a publicist, she's perhaps taking a very safe stance on all matters from her appearance to her role as public figure. Unfortunately it has crossed over to boredom. Does anyone know she is here? Does anyone care? A little glamour sure goes a long way in not only getting her noticed but her causes. She might want to consider turning up the glamour quotient. Derick

But how does she do that without looking cheap or ridiculous? If she goes too trendy, she is going to look like a fashion victim. Bernadette

She is quite pretty so I don't think she would have to do very much. Gloves, hats, jewellery, all lend an air of elegance. For instance, that pink coat she wore on Monday night was quite severe and all buttoned up to the neck. A coat with a three-quarter length sleeve or bell sleeve with gloves could have been quite glam. But then again, this is Canada. Were there any black-tie events in her honour that warranted an all-out glam look? Derick

Exactly - a three-quarter sleeve coat and long gloves would have been wonderful. And can't The Queen lend her some jewelry? Perhaps she should take a cue from Princess Diana, who turned to the editor of British Vogue for help. Her shoes are quite great, though - black pencil-heeled pumps with tiny bows. Bernadette

I also thought she looked quite chic on Tuesday night in the simple black cocktail dress at the Windsor Arms. I wonder if she has a tiara? That little accessory would have certainly pumped it up to royal status, wouldn't it? Yes, she looked chic but did she stand out in her LBD in that crowd? Even though Hilary Weston was also in black, she grabbed a bit of the limelight with her plunging neckline and her diamond panther brooch. Derick

Maybe this is royalty trying to be more relevant and connect to the people, hence no tiara. But her official title is  Her Royal Highness The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex. I should add, however, that her hair is perfect - a flattering shade of blonde and an elegant cut. Bernadette

And I must say, she looked very comfortable with herself and her role in all her Toronto appearances. Perhaps this is who she truly is. Why try to be the image of what people think a royal should be? Also, she did not come from a royal background. She was a working girl with her own successful business and she is staying true to her self. Derick

Yes, Derick, but imagine if it were us with the royal titles and budget! Bernadette

Leopard vs. plaid

Fashion editor Bernadette Morra and stylist Derick Chetty discussed leopard and plaid, two fashion classics that are back with a vengeance for fall 2006. Read their chat and send your comments to nakedlunch@thestar.ca or click on the comments link below.

Derick, your story today mentions that the leopard lover enjoys anarchy and the tartan girl worships the establishment. I'm not drawn to leopard or plaid. What does that say about me? Bernadette

Like any trend, you either love it, hate it or decide it's not for you. Those who consider themselves minimalists are probably not attracted to either prints. Derick

For those maximalists out there, is it possible to wear tartan and plaid together? Bernadette

Only the very brave! But they can certainly mix with other prints. Leopard and menswear pinstripes are a Dolce and Gabbana signature. Derick

So which camp are you in? Leopard or plaid? Bernadette

If I had to pick one, I would have to go with leopard. I'm having a leopard moment since I recently purchased a pair of YSL leopard print shoes. But I wouldn't say I'm loyal or a fervent fan of this trend. Ask me same time next year and I would probably find it too loud and tacky. Derick

This morning at my dentist's office, one of the women who works there had a pair of leopard mules on with her black trousers and a deep green, chiffony bow-tied blouse from Femme de Carriere. She looked fierce. But leopard shoes are quite out there for a guy. I can't recall - have you worn them to the office? Bernadette

I wore them once to the office - to mixed results. Again, people either loved it or hated it. Yes they are a bit much for a guy but the trend might catch on.  I first saw them at Yves Saint Laurent last season and they repeated them for fall. (Perhaps they were popular?) And by the way, Lenny Karvitz bought the same leopard print in a boot style from YSL in Milan. If anyone can wear those, it will be him! And in Milan I saw leopard print shoes for men at several other stores. So maybe, next year here in Toronto, we might just see them. But the trick is to dress them down - with jeans. And I should note: shoes are the only thing I would indulge in with this trend. Men should not wear anything else in leopard, even though Prada was selling a leopard coat this season. Okay, maybe Lenny can pull that off.  Derick

If you do tire of the leopard trend, what will you do with those shoes? And how much did they cost? Bernadette

Maybe I'll save them for the next time the trend comes around. The price I paid is irrelevant. Derick

That's the spirit! One of our readers asked for tips on how kids can wear the trend. Looking at www.lasenzagirl.com , their fashion trends section shows a young model in a leopard top and a checked skirt. This sort of mixes the two trends. Doesn't that contradict our advice not to mix? Bernadette

It works in that outfit because the leopard print is not the traditional colour but more a muted gray and the plaid skirt is a subtle pattern and is also in the gray tones. That's just the thing I hate about rules in fashion - someone always finds a way to bend the rule and make it work. Derick

Viktor & Rolf for H & M

The Viktor & Rolf limited edition collection for H & M hits stores on Nov. 9. Fashion editor Bernadette Morra and stylist Derick Chetty had a sneak peek at the collection and shared their thoughts below. Click on the comments link at the end of their exchange to submit your own comments.

I think this is H & M's best designer collaboration yet. Of course it was great to have access to the designs of Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld at H & M prices. But there were only a couple of pieces in each collection that I felt strongly enough to spend money on. But there was so much in this Viktor & Rolf collection that I wanted to buy! Bernadette

It was great to see menswear! And I agree, this collection is definitely more fashion-y. And there's shoes - a first in these designer collaborations. Derick

I thought the collection was full of wonderful classics laced with Viktor & Rolf wit, like the pea coat with heart buttons ($149) and the men's argyle sweater with cupid's arrows replacing the straight lines ($69.90). Essentially, everything is centred on the concept of love - hence the bridal gown ($398). It was very sweet with a large bow-shaped bodice, and frilled hem. The fabric was a bit crunchy so I think it might be a hard sell. Except to collectors and Viktor & Rolf fanatics. But I think this collection has many winners. Bernadette

We should note that the bridal gown is even more limited edition - only 1,000 are made for sale at select H&M's around the world - Canada will received 10 - and each is numbered and comes in a special box. Also this collection includes lingerie and underwear. Some very cute romantic lace trimmed pieces decorated with bows - a V&R signature. And for men, undershirts with trompe l'oeil bow tie and tuxedo shirt-like pleating. Derick

Yes, the lingerie was very sweet but pretty flimsy. Not for outside the boudoir. However, I want that black kimono wrap robe ($59.90). I love the grosgrain bows at the wrists, and the lace heart inset at the back.

We have a comment from a reader who asks how Viktor & Rolf have taken their almost baroque technique and applied it to ready-to-wear. I am not sure what she means by baroque technique. But I do think their sensibility comes through very strongly in the collection. Their own collections are witty but I find them a bit too extreme for my taste. The H & M versions are sort of like "Viktor & Rolf Lite" - which I personally find much more appealing.

What are you interested in getting? You tried on quite a few things. Bernadette

I'm thinking about the dark denim tuxedo jacket and the trench coat. I think the trench at $199 is a great buy. A faded eggplant colour, very fitted and with a removable lining. A fun item I noticed was the square framed eyewear much like what the two designers themselves wear. Now you too can look like Viktor or Rolf! Derick

Readers can see the Viktor & Rolf collection at www.hm.com. It will be carried at only two stores in Toronto - Eaton Centre and Bloor St. just west of Yonge St. It will be interesting to see what the public response is. People started lining up at 6 a.m. when the Karl Lagerfeld for H & M collection hit the stores. Line-ups for Stella McCartney started at 8 a.m. The stores open at 10. Bernadette

Yes, it will be interesting to see the public's reaction. Viktor & Rolf is not a household name like Karl Lagerfeld but anyone would find these pieces appealing and wearable regardless of if they are familiar with the work of these two Dutch designers. But you can bet the city's fashionistas will be picking over those racks come next Thursday! Derick

We heard some funny stories at H & M's corporate offices today. They told us that when the Lagerfeld collection hit the Eaton Centre store, two women were fighting over a blouse and actually tore it in half! They also said that people were climbing into the display windows to remove clothes from the mannequins.

Derick, have you decided where you will be lining up? Bernadette

No one cares where I'm going to be going. Derick.

Don't be so sure! Bernadette