WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS

THE FOLLOWING LITTLE OUTFIT LANDED IN MY INBOX TODAY. AND WHAT BETTER TIMING? GREY WET DAYS MAKE ME CRAVE COMFIES--SWEET STEAMY TEA, TOASTY BAGUETTE, AND MY BLANKET. THE RAINCOAT IS REMINDS ME OF MY CHILDHOOD K-WAY. I LOVE THE BIASED-BUTTON DETAILING AND SOFT PALETTE OF THE DRESS, AND, WHEN PAIRED WITH 80s BOAT SHOES, I AM SUDDENLY OVERCOME BY A NEED TO RUN OUTSIDE AND SPLASH IN THE PUDDLES.
ALL ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE AT OFF THE HOOK: 1021 STE. CATHERINE O. 514-499-1021

BODY ART

MAYBE IT'S THE FRESHLY WARM WEATHER, AND GROWING PEEPS OF SUN-DEPRIVED SKIN. MAYBE IT'S SIMPLY THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF ALTERNATIVE TO MAINSTREAM. BUT I HAVE BEEN NOTICING TATTOOS QUIETLY CREEPING INTO FASHION. AT FIRST, I WAS SEEING IT COME FROM ASIAN AND EUROPEAN EDITORIALS. AS OF SPRING 09, THE TREND OFFICIALLY HIT NORTH AMERICAN MAINSTREAM SHORES.

THINK BOLD, GRAPHIC, EDGY, GRITTY, UNDERGROUND.

NOT SHAVEN BRITNEY. AND DEFINITELY NOT THE TRAMP STAMPS OF THE 90S.

ATTENTION ALL RECESSIONISTAS: LA BRADERIE DE MODE IS COMING SOON

IT'S OFFICIAL. LA BRADERIE DE MODE IS BACK FOR SPRING 2009, HELD ONCE AGAIN AT THE MARCHE BONSECOURS FROM APRIL 16th TO THE 19th. THIS SEASON'S PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE EVE GRAVEL, BODYBAG BY JUDE, MACKAGE, MARIE SAINT-PIERRE, STATION 8, RUDSAK, AND MANY MORE--ABOUT 50 OF QUEBEC'S DESIGNERS IN TOTAL. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP SAMPLES AND OVERSTOCK MERCHANDISE FROM ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL DESIGNERS AT GREAT PRICES. YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR SPRING WARDROBE--WOMENSWEAR, MEANSWEAR, KIDSWEAR, BAGS, HATS, JEWELLERY, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES ALL AT 50% TO 80% OFF.

BASK IN OUR WEALTH OF DESIGN TALENT AND TAKE SOME TIME DISCOVER SOMEONE NEW. BEST OF ALL, THE DESIGNERS THEMSELVES ARE OFTEN ON HAND DURING THE EVENT, ALWAYS WILLING TO CHAT WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS. BE PREPARED FOR LINEUPS AND CROWDS, THOUGH, AS THIS SHOPPING EVENT HAS GROWN ENORMOUSLY OVER THE YEARS AND NOW WELCOMES CLOSE TO 8,000 SHOPPERS OVER THE FOUR DAYS.

LIFETIME COLLECTIVE SPRING 09 HITS MONTREAL

GRANTED, LIFETIME COLLECTIVE IS A VANCOUVER BASED COMPANY. HOWEVER, THEIR DESIGNS, AND THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE BRAND, IS TOO GOOD TO PASS UP WRITING ON. LAST WEEK, THE BOYS BEHIND THE BRAND WERE AT OFF THE HOOK TO LAUNCH THEIR SPRING 09 COLLECTION, ALONG WITH THE NEW BOOK IN A CONCEPT ART INSTALLATION/POP-UP SHOP/MEET-AND-GREET PARTY.

CERTAINLY AN EYEFUL, AND PROBABLY IN NEED OF AN EXPLANATION. WHAT ONCE WAS A BASEMENT T-SHIRT PRINTING OPERATION IS NOW A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE INDIE FASHION SCENE. LIFETIME COLLECTIVE, IS JUST THAT, A DESIGN COLLECTIVE WHERE ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, SKATERS, AND OTHER INDIES COME TOGETHER TO CREATE. THEIR WORK IS THEN SHOWCASED THROUGHOUT THE COLLECTIONS ON COUNTLESS GRAPHIC TEES FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, THROUGH THESE TRAVELING ART SHOWS, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE PUBLICATIONS OF THEIR BOOKS.

IN THEIR EXPANSION ACROSS INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, LIFETIME HAS ALSO, OVER THE YEARS, EXPANDED THE COLLECTIONS FOR MEN’S AND WOMEN’S, NOW COMPRISING HOODIES, JERSEY-KNIT JUMPERS, JEANS, AND, OF COURSE, THE SUPERFLUOUS GRAPHIC TEE.

AVAILABLE EITHER ONLINE OR LOCALLY AT OFF THE HOOK AND BOUTIQUE FLY, WHERE I HAPPENED TO BE ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND SHOT THESE IMAGES.

SHOPPING PARTY AT BOUTIQUE FLY

TOMORROW, MARCH 19TH FROM 10 am TO 9 pm, BOUTIQUE FLY IS HOLDING A SAMPLE SALE FOR LOCAL DESIGNERS EVE GRAVEL AND STATION 8. FIND GREAT DEALS ON THIS SEASON'S SAMPLES, AS WELL AS OVERSTOCK FROM F/W 2008. WHAT BETTER WAY TO JUMP START YOUR SPRING SHOPPING THAN WITH A SHOPPING PARTY? ON TOP OF FAB FINDS AT AMAZING PRICES, THERE WILL ALSO BE REFRESHMENTS AND COCKTAILS ALL SET TO GROOVY TUNES.

TAKE IT FROM ME, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, TASTY COCKTAILS MIXED WITH THEIR INCREDIBLY WARM STAFF AND GREAT DEALS CAN LEAD TO SOME SERIOUS LOOSENING OF PURSE STRINGS. RARELY, IF NOT EVER, HAVE I SUFFERED BUYER'S REMORSE WHEN GUIDED BY OWNER ARIANNA RABINOVITCH, BUT, ALL TOO OFTEN, HAVE I RECEIVED A SHOCK TO THE HEART WHEN OPENING MY CREDIT CARD BILL.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THESE LOCAL LABELS, THIS IS A PERFECT WAY TO DISCOVER THEM. EVE GRAVEL HAS BEEN DESIGNING HER NAMESAKE COLLECTION FOR 14 SEASONS. THE 29 YEAR OLD GRADUATE FROM THE RICHARD ROBINSON ACADEMY OF FASHION IN OTTAWA DESIGNED UNDER SOME OF THIS CITY'S GREATS, INCLUDING KEVIN ALWOOD OF NEVIK, BEFORE JETTING OFF TO EUROPE FOR A SHORT STINT. THERE, SHE ENVISIONED A LINE THAT WOULD BECOME EVE GRAVEL. HER SOMETIMES ECLECTIC MIX OF FEMININE FLIRTY DRESSES AND DRESSED-DOWN BOYISH LOOKS HAVE HAD FASHION INSIDERS CLAMORING EACH SEASON. STATION 8 IS EVE'S FORAY INTO MENSWEAR, TEAMING UP WITH FRIENDS AND PARTNERS MARIE-CLAUDE GUAY AND MARIE-NOELLE HAMELIN. THIS 3 YEAR OLD LABEL IS IS THE MALE URBANITE'S UNIFORM--A LITTLE DRESSED-UP MIXED WITH A GRUNGE FLAIR, AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO ATTRACT LOCAL GRAPHIC AND TATTOO ARTISTS TO CREATE IT'S ORIGINAL PRINTS.

BOUTIQUE FLY: 1970 STE CATHERINE O. AT DU FORT 514 846 6888 INFO@BOUTIQUEFLY.COM

VALERIE DUMAINE SPRING 09 IS HERE

ELSA TAFFETA TRENCH COAT IN SAND, $229

SPRING IS DEFINITELY ON ITS WAY--THE WIND COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN IS EVER SO SLIGHTLY WARMER, THE SNOW IS MELTING, THE SQUIRRELS ARE MAKING BRIEF APPEARANCES IN THE PARKS, AND LOCAL DESIGNERS ARE FINALLY SHOWING THEIR NEW COLLECTIONS. THE FIRST LADY OF INDEPENDENT MONTREAL DESIGNER'S, VALÉRIE DUMAINE, LAUNCHED HER NEW COLLECTION ONLINE THIS WEEK. AND WITH IT A NEW ECOMMERCE BOUTIQUE.

DUMAINE CAN STILL BE FOUND AROUND THE CITY AT SUCH LOCAL FAVORITES AS THREE MONKEYS.

SPRING AT DUMAINE IS SWEET PRINTED DRESSES IN VARYING SILHOUETTES, FROM THE FLOWING TRAPEZE TO THE ULTRA-TAILORED, SHORTS, AND SOME GREAT DENIM PIECES. THE COLLECTION HAS A NAUTICAL THEME, AND, AS ALWAYS, A STRONG 1940s VIBE. THIS SEASON, ANOTHER DOMINANT TREND, DUMAINE HAS UTILIZED MORE SUSTAINABLE FABRICS WITH BAMBOO AND LYOCELL APPEARING IN EVERY FORM FROM JERSEY KNITS TO SUITING.

THE HOTTEST PIECE FOR SPRING, THE JUMPSUIT IN ALL LENGTHS AND SHAPES, ALSO MAKES ITS APPEARANCE. BELOW ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES OF THE TREND WITH A DUMAINE TWIST:

ZOE JUMPER IN BLACK, $139

THE HALTERED ZOE IS A NICE TAKE ON THE TREND WITH THE BOW NECKTIE AND ELASTIC WAIST. A TROMPE L'OEIL, THIS SHORT JUMP SUIT IS AT FIRST GLANCE A DRESS.

AMIRA BAMBOO JUMPER, $135

ALEXA DENIM PANTS, $135

ALTHOUGH NOTHING NEW WITH ITS WIDER LEG AND PAPERBAG WAIST, THE ALEXA PANT IS A GREAT DENIM ALTERNATIVE. THIS SEASON, HOWEVER, THE LEG HAS NARROWED SLIGHTLY FOR MORE EASILY-WORN FIT.