Thursday, March 31, 2011

Jet Korine & the perfect coat?

I abhor the title above, but moving on.
Between my siblings and I the total amount of outwear that currently jams our hall closet is astounding. We’ve managed to nearly cover every type of casing to ensure warmth against these mental temperatures. But despite this solid collection, I am still on the hunt for the ever so perfect blanket coat. And my goodness I think I have found it!

Icelandic designer Jet Korine‘s Life Coat collection is made up of organic materials and designed to be worn in a variety of way s- coat, wrap, blanket and hooded cape – which appeals to my need for pieces with the potential of increased longevity. The soft color palettes and print play I find the most appealing. There is an almost nostalgic quality about these pieces that seem to increase my want for them. Korine’s web-shop goes live this summer, and if you like what you see well then Kiwi Says Cop This!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

i see angels mickey….

the Cole Mohr lust-athon continoues,
and darling I am not AT ALL ashamed.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Friday Playlist #4: Canuck Pride edition

it’s Toronto Fashion Week, and it’s all about Canadiana. So I’ve complied a few of my fave Canuck artists for this weeks playlist.



honorable mention:

Joe Roth of Tezeta. His music is just so eery and dreamy, just so fucking perfect. I wish he would make more.

http://www.myspace.com/josephvaroth

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

pleasure pods

In the early days the Fathership would travel to Japan for work and come back with photos and stories of communal living no different than those of our African ancestors before us. Delicacies, delights and a well defined culture in synch with the steel and glass towers that kiss the sky and leaving the people below in their shadows. He also spoke of pod hotels, or businessmen half way houses – far more affordable than the mega hotel chain counterpart. Why money was an issue, I have no idea. You’d think working for an international oil company would come with some perks. But my Father, like I, had always been incredibly intrigued in compact metropolitan living. So with much zeal he’d crawl in to his “room” and hit the lights. “Beauty sleep.” He said. “I had Kabuki in the morning.”

Unfortunately the recent history of the capsule hotel is rife with negativity. Due to the recession and the global economic down turn these hotels now houses the Sarai. Japan’s “salaried businessmen” floating between jobs and with no home to call their own.  So these buildings sit empty and dark.  Once a symbol of prosperity, now like blemishes scattered across the city surface., where the weary and lonely try to rest their heads.

Hotelier Keisuke Yui is hoping to change all that.  Opening 9h- Nine hours ,a luxury capsule hotel in Kyoto meant to lure the luxe loving foreign traveler and locals alike. Yui promises excellent service, but what I can’t seem to get my head around is the hotel’s monochrome, minimalist and super slick design. Teaming up with designer Fumie Shibata, the duo have created a blissful retreat for the simplistic set.



 

and yes like you, I find Japan’s current situation incredibly disconcerting, but I think they need a little +ve vibes.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Whoops: it’s been a while

but I’m back!

Spent most of my trip to Orlando chasing two sweet baby boys (my nephews) and trying not to tackle any and all Disney characters that milled about. Don’t get me wrong, my first Disneyland experience was incredibly fun. Especially watching the oldest of the two boys, Lee, reaching for everything with such fascination. It’s amazing, watching such a little person. He was so incredibly wide eyed, I am almost desperate for that feeling.

As much fun as it was, as soon as the boys and their parents went to bed I was left to my own devices. And I really do not think there is any place lonelier than the magical and wonderful world of Disney.  I suppose this feeling was compounded x1000 while reading Nick Hornby’s latest ode ‘Juliet, Naked’. And one line in particular struck a cord so mightily I threw up, literally.
It was an illness, loneliness-it made you weak,gullible, feebleminded. She’d never have stood for an hour outside the Dickens Museum like that if she hadn’t just been coming down with it.

A sickness! A bad cold I’ve been trying to shake
that bouts of parties, wine and insomnia either aid or abate.
But this time,
this time I am determined to kick it in the ass.
I’ll raise Walt his cheer and multiply it by a million.

 

dress: Charlotte Ronson x Target
shoes: Beaten chucks
book: Loan from the lovely bestie, Metzti.

Monday, March 14, 2011

MYKTA Trunk Show:


SHOP THE COLLECTION //



Tuesday, March 22, 2011 + Thursday, March 24



Josephson Opticians



60 Bloor St. W. (on Bay), Toronto



11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.



MEET MYKITA’s FOUNDERS //In-store appearance and custom fitting with MYKITA founders, Philipp Haffmans and on Thursday, March 24 from 3:00 p.m. onwards



MORE INFO //josephson.ca


Come Step Lively: My Top 5 Wedges for S/S 2011

Over the last year and a bit, I think I’ve finally mastered the art of walking in heels. Unfortunately a crazy horrid accident has pretty much left my bird like ankles in shambles. And since I can no longer shimmy through the streets in ‘fuck me’ stilettos (not that I ever have), I thank the fashion heavens for the abundance of wedge wonders provided to me. Below are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of the current colored blocked babies I’ve got bookmarked. Aside from the Aldo Julian Louie’s my mind may/will change rapidly. But for now all of these are TOTAL WINS.

KIWI SAYS COP THIS!

  1. Loeffler Randall x Suno: EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WEDGE IS A TOTAL WIN. $645 | Loeffler Randall

  2. ALDO x Julian Louie: A lush combination of suede and ikat makes for a super hot wedge. Available in a number of patterns, I will certainly be owning a pair of these when they hit Aldo stores nation wide.

  3. Eight Twenty: This feather wedge is a runner up to the Aldo pair, I’d probably fiddle a bit with the cork though. $145 | Solestruck.com

  4. Jeffery Campbell: Mixed medium wedge is incredibly slick, perfect for dirty deeds in dark corners. $149| Urbanoutfitters

  5. Messeca: Sliced wedge in nude. I just love the leather and wood mix, so gorgeously simplistic. $170 | NastyGal

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Iceland Two-Step

Creative agencies and tourism boards all over these planet.
This is how you sell your country to me!

Now let me dig out my mukluks and get the hell on outta here.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Friday Playlist #4: the Saturday Edition.

Clearly I slept on the playlist sitch, but it’s better late than never.
So these are the jams I’ve been bopping to as of late!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Lark & Hazel F/W 2011

With LG Fashion Week right round the corner, the number of off site presentations have been picking up over the last week. This miserable and wet Wednesday I found my self at the Brill Communications building greeted by the warmest smiles and a strong cup of coffee (THANK YOU!) for the Toronto based label Lark & Hazel F/W collection preview.



The soft-spoken and talented designer Sarah Kelpin’s debut collection is heavy with whimsy and sweet nostalgia. Pieces perfect for the dreamy young woman who collects antique postcards, listens to skipping vinyl records and sips on vanilla fragranced tea.  What initially drew me to the line was the texture and warmth of the individual pieces. So much silk cashmere, twill, organza and buttery soft leathers to make one’s heart melt. The neutral colour palette of camel, off-white and cream is accented with bursts of berries, pinks and deep blues creating depth and multiple coordinating options.

My favourite pieces included a delicious pair of indigo suede paper bag shorts, a crepe back satin silk skirt in the palest of sea foam green and a balloon sleeved silk satin dress featuring the labels signature print. And an honorable mention must go out to the slim fit stretch legging in cream. So soft! DAMN MY TIGHS!

If Klepin is the Lark, then jewelry designer Molly Buckel is her Hazel. The collection is complimented by Buckel’s incredibly detailed hand-made pieces that really set off the clothing, making Lark and Hazel a one stop shop for all the pretty girls with their curls in the clouds.











Once again I would like to thank the Brill Comm for the invite and wish the Lark&Hazel team the best of luck this season. xo

i am not a whole.

I am not a whole.
I am a sum of small parts,
shattered fragments,
cracked and scattered
across linoleum floors.

I will be loved in pieces,
strung together with twine.
Before my body bursts once more,
over flowing with warmth and ache.

You will love me for my pieces,
sharp edges, blisters,
drawing blood from your fingertips.
My heart a prism, catching light
rainbows tumble across
the very same linoleum floors.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

13 Q’s with Kiwi: featuring Sarah Nicole Prickett

When I decided to relaunch this blog, I knew that I wanted it to be more than a medium to shamelessly feed my narcissism.  I wanted a to create a space in the massive world of the interwebs to really connect, reach out and perhaps create a platform where like minded individuals could come together and chat. Kinda like coming over to my house and drinking chai tea. So I came up with a little segment called 13 Q’s with Kiwi, where I ask a variety of creatives in the biz thirteen random questions and hope to gain a little insight on what makes them tick.

And to kick things off, it is my pleasure to introduce the always-lovely and wickedly well-dressed Sarah Nicole Prickett. She’s a fierce fashion and culture journalist (most notably over at Eye Weekly and FASHION) whose words are laced with much verve and bon mot. Whenever we play the catch up game, her passion for her craft is evident and she certainly does not present her opinion to please. If prodded, Prickett will spit fire and perhaps that is what I heart most about her. She’s a lover, a fighter, a melancholy princess and most importantly my friend.

  1. Tea or Coffee? Coffee (better yet, cappuccinos) in the a.m., tea in the p.m.

  2. Favourite City? Berlin. Or Venice, because I haven’t been, so it exists only in my childhood daydreams.

  3. Favourite scent? This is different than smell, right? I like the smell of laundry wafting from dehumidifiers, but the scent of lilacs in rain. Or vanilla.

  4. Love or Lust? Love, still.

  5. Your favourite living designer? Olivier Theyskens.

  6. What is your greatest extravagance? Magazines and taxicabs.

  7. What quality do you admire most in a man? Stamina.

  8. One quality you loathe most in humanity? Stupidity and disinterestedness. Wait, that was two. Now who’s stupid?!

  9. The natural talent you would like to be gifted with? Singing.

  10. When and where are you happiest? In the unexpected sunshine.

  11. Who are you greatest novel heroines? Emily of New Moon, Jane Eyre.

  12. Who is your biggest living girl crush? Sofia Coppola.

  13. Could you describe yourself in three words? Difficult, not hard.

Monday, March 7, 2011

this heart of a broken dreamer: a moment written

Step back!
I will bite,
leave teeth marks on your thighs.
Leave scars on your back.
Step back!
For if you say my love is dangerous
then you are right.

I will smash my lips against yours
scream out your name
slash and rip at you so hard
leaving your heart shredded barely threaded.
You are scared by my obsession, possession,
and momentary mental fragmentation of what is and what will be of us.
You must understand that I am a lover,
not a fighter,
I believe in unicorns and self-preservation.
I heart far too much, left to wither in the dust far too often.

It is because of you,
I am terrified to live, and lust again,
to spread my wings, to arch my back.
To hear the crack of my ribs
as they separate to allow your
thoughts and feelings in.
What if I was to love again?

Could my fragile heart bare the joy?
So long I’ve sat melancholy.
I forget what real happiness feels like, tastes of.
So terrified! But I wouldn’t/couldn’t have it any other way.
For terror is real.  Terror is human.
And what more can a girl ask for than to feel human?

Sunday, March 6, 2011

For Women Who Are ‘Difficult’ To Love : Warsan Shire a poet.

My people are a nomadic people.
The camels roam, our lives strapped to their backs.
Mile after mile,
red dust lick about our feet.
Sun beating down our backs.
When night falls, we sit close and gather.
Sing songs of love and war.
Of heroes lost, and the beginnings of tribal brotherhoods.
That is how our legacy is passed and protected.
Generation through generation, across nations.

I may not be the most cultural individual, but I do value what the poets before me have cultivated. I would listen to my Father, sipping his tea, sharing the same story that his Mother had whispered to him underneath the star flecked East African skies. As I age I find myself listening to Somali love songs, smiling wryly. Their innocence is nothing I can relate too.  Much too saccharine. It is for this reason that I am thankful I’ve stumbled upon Warsan Shire’s poetry. Her words bite. As they should! Her words move you, and I find her boldness so refreshing in a society so desperate to mute modern movements. This Kenyan born Somali poet has been my blessing this morning! Below I’ve posted one of my favourite works. A must read for any woman that has loved with all of her heart and fiery soul.

For Women Who Are ‘Difficult’ To Love

You are a horse running alone
and he tries to tame you
compares you to an impossible highway
to a burning house
says you are blinding him
that he could never leave you
forget you
want anything but you
you dizzy him, you are unbearable
every woman before or after you
is doused in your name
you fill his mouth
his teeth ache with memory of taste
his body just a long shadow seeking yours
but you are always too intense
frightening in the way you want him
unashamed and sacrificial
he tells you that no man can live up to the one who
lives in your head
and you tried to change didn’t you?

closed your mouth more
tried to be softer
prettier
less volatile, less awake
but even when sleeping you could feel
him travelling away from you in his dreams
so what did you want to do love
split his head open?
you can’t make homes out of human beings
someone should have already told you that
and if he wants to leave
then let him leave
you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Friday Playlist #3 – Cottage Bound

This little African girl is about to embark on her first proper cottaging adventure! I know that this may  not seem like a big deal for a number of you…but you must understand that I was raised in the desert amongst glass towers, where our idea of “cottaging” was pitching up the family in villas on top of a glorified mountain. So now flannel packed, I dance about to this weeks playlist.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

POP: Spring/Summer 2011 CYMK brights for less.

The Inspiration: The Jil Sander Spring/Summer womenswear collection.
February has been the darkest and coldest by far, so what better way to celebrate the first of a new month and possibly some warm sunshine by kick starting your wardrobe with a punch of color. To spread a little cheer, I’ve scoured the internet and have pulled together a couple of great pieces to pump up the CMYK voltage in your wardrobe for great pieces for as low as $25!

KIWI SAYS COP THIS. And sing brightly for me while you’re at it. xo

  1. O’Clock Watch : In Magenta $40 |  A2Zzane

  2. Equipment: Sleeveless blouse $178 | Singer22

  3. H&M: Fashion Against Aids | To hit stores April 26th Check out more details here.

  4. ZARA: A-line skirt $49.50 | Zara.com

  5. UrbanOutfitters: High rise Cigarette Jean $58 | Urbanoutfitters.com

  6. PixieMarket: Sherbert PVC detachable collar $44 | Pixiemarket.com

  7. Aritzia: Wilfred Emmanulle Dress 4175 | Atritzia.com

  8. Lomography: Diana F+ CMYK $105 | Available at the Lomography Store, 536 Queen St. West, Toronto.

  9. M.A.C Cosmetics: Lipstick in Loud-Mouth Orange. (Morange) $25 | Any M.A.C spot