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About Face director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders between models Beverly Johnson (left) and Cheryl Tiegs (right)

Her Sports Illustrated covers and editorial spreads flash across the screen and it’s as if supermodel Paulina Porizkova is finally seeing what the rest of the world has been looking at for the decades that she’s been a star in the fashion and beauty biz.  “I should have been naked all the time!” Porizkova, now 47, tells the camera, blue eyes wide and rapturous.

Porizkova’s epiphany comes courtesy of About Face: The Supermodels, Then and Now, a documentary screening this week as part of Toronto’s Hot Docs festival. The doc’s director is Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, the famed American photographer, who displays his adeptness at teasing out aha! moments about aging gracefully from some of the world’s most iconic faces.

And it turns out they have a lot to say. The doc’s subjects—from Carmen Dell’Orefice and China Machado to Beverly Johnson and Christy Turlington— are fiercely critical and hyper-aware of the modelling world and their fleeting place in it.

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Krystin Pellerin and Gregory Prest in You Can’t Take It With You, courtesy of Soulpepper Theatre Company.

“What is this strange feeling that I’m feeling?” says Canadian actor Gregory Prest, who’s trying to describe the foreign emotion that’s washed over him lately during rehearsals for Soulpepper Theatre Company’s production of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s You Can’t Take It With You. Then it hits him. “Oh, love!” he blurts out, laughing.

It’s not that Prest— a National Theatre School grad who hails from Pictou, Nova Scotia—is incapable of displaying emotion. In fact, he’s as affable and charming in person as he is tortured and conflicted on stage—well at least going by the menacing and dark roles he’s taken up in recent Soulpepper productions. “I never get to play this sort of thing, somebody other than a tortured or dying young artist,” he tells me one morning in the lobby of the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s Distillery District. “It’s wonderful.” Read the rest of this entry

Penelope Cruz, Paris, 2003.

Ellen von Unwerth, the rock star of fashion photography, is glancing around the Izzy Gallery in Yorkville, where life-sized photographs of her iconic shots cover the walls. She’s struggling to select her favourite snap. “They all have something I love in them,” she muses after a moment of hesitation. Then she points to a photograph of Italian actress Monica Bellucci, stripped down to a matching leopard-printed bra and panties. “This shot is from the first photo shoot I ever did with [Monica],” von Unwerth recalls with the sentimental attachment of a proud mother. “And she was actually just changing in the motor home. It was really its own moment. I’ve shot her so many times since but those pictures are still my favourite.”

That’s because von Unwerth— named one of TIME’s top 100 all-time fashion icons—prefers to capture “stolen moments” rather than posed portraits. For the first time since von Unwerth shot to fame in the ‘80s, the self-taught German photog is displaying a retrospective of her work in Toronto. A selection of the frisky, bombshell icons von Unwerth has snapped over the years, Caught! is a decadent visual walkthrough of old-school female glamour.

Rouilly le Bas, 2002.

A von Unwerth signature

The thing about a von Unwerth photo is that it’s instantly recognizable. Take the iconic Claudia Schiffer Guess campaign from 1989, a prime example of von Unwerth’s trademark moody, eroticized aesthetic—a gorgeous woman teasing the camera with a mix of innocence and cheeky come-hither sensuality. “I always go for glamorous,” says von Unwerth, a vision herself in a gold sequined blazer and side-swept, piecey blond bun. “I don’t like the girl-next-door look.”

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It’s the most wonderful time of year: HBO’s masterful Game of Thrones has finally returned to our TVs. Nerd alert: I experienced such intense withdrawal after season 1 ended that I read the entire “Song of Ice and Fire” series by George R.R. Martin on my iPad in one amazing five month period. I now consider myself ELLE Canada’s resident GoT expert. And friends, let me tell you, some crazy stuff is about to go down in Westeros. In honour of season 2′s return, we’ve decided to recap episode one, “The North Remembers.” Let’s consult our (brand new!) apocalypse index.

Winter is coming

1) Is it just me, or did Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) get extra dreamy over the break? Here’s a quick backgrounder: Jon Snow is the bastard son of recently beheaded hero Ned Stark (Sean Bean). Snow is a member of the Night’s Watch, who have the super un-fun job of guarding the realm against Wildlings and things that go bump in the night. Recently, the Night’s Watch discovered the White Walkers, mythical ghost zombie things that reanimate dead people into killing machines. The Night’s watch have ventured North to try and find information that could help stop an army of undead invaders from killing everyone.  Apocalypse potential: +1,000

2) The Night’s Watch decide to crash at their creepy acquaintance Craster’s house in the middle of the forest. Small detail: Craster (Robert Pugh) lives with a harem of daughter-wives. Yes, I said daughter-wives. Craster marries all his daughters. “What does he do with the sons?” Jon Snow wonders uneasily. We have a feeling that whatever it is, it’s not pleasant. +250

Read more…
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Image from Zoologist by Charlotte Linton collection courtesy of Anthropologie.

Jason Wu did it for Target; same for Marni with H&M. Now eleven established and upcoming designers will roll out capsule collections created exclusively for Made in Kind, Anthropologie’s new online platform for seeking out one-of-a-kind talent.

The hybrid shopping/gallery one-stop site launches today (April 5) and includes upcoming as well as some well-known New York Fashion Week faves (yes, there’s a Gregory Parkinson capsule line in there).

Here’s an intimate look at the 11 curated new and vintagey collections culled by around-the-globe designers available only at this online gallery of the best kind of art: the kind you live in.

Drawings by Florence Balducci
An artisan of all trades creative—illustration, fabric design and acting—Parisian designer Florence Balducci is naturally an Anthropologie vet. Her hand-sketched printed scarves and silhouette-engraved chinaware have been available at the fashion-forward retailer for years. Now Balducci releases a collection of vintage-inspired military jackets (approx. $300)—the kind her dad wore—only embellished with ornate floral detailing and whimsical animal sketches.

Gregory by Gregory Parkinson
A British expat, Parkinson understands the colourful prints and air-light fabrics of his adopted L.A. homeland—in fact, he designed most of them. For his capsule collection created exclusively for Anthropologie (from approx. $214 to $464), he departed from the all-white, minimalist dresses that defined his Spring/Summer 2012 for a kaleidoscopic smattering of tie-dyed fabrics.

Image from O by Organic collection courtesy of Anthropologie.

Hi There! From Karen Walker
Rarely does a designer perfectly embody both of her polar style opposites: feminine and downtown edge, demure and eye-catchingly bold. Yet such is the trademark of New Zealand-based designer Karen Walker, whose collection, only available at Anthropologie, is a New York Fashion Week staple. Hi There! From Karen Walker (from approx. $140 to $160) is made up of six classic, paisley-patterned frocks with a distinct, vintage wallpapery twist. Read the rest of this entry

Could you ever put a price on owning a piece of fashion history? Of course you can! And your best shot at snapping up iconic celebrity garb – think a Marilyn Monroe cocktail dress or Madge’s bustier -  is at exclusive auctions hosted by world-renowned houses.

Today, the luminous ivory lace gown Audrey Hepburn wore in the 1953 film, Roman Holiday – and then to Academy Awards that following year where she won for “Best Actress” – goes under the hammer by Kerry Taylor Auctions. The famous frock, designed by legendary Hollywood costume designer Edith Head, is expected to fetch anywhere from £40,000 – £60,000 ($64,330-$96,495).

In that spirit, we take a look back at some of the more illustrious celebrity auctions and what the infamous pieces eventually sold for. Although we may never be able to actually afford the purchase of a Liz Taylor jewel, what’s the harm in a bit of fun bidding?

Audrey Hepburn’s Hubert de Givenchy dress, Christie’s, London.

The satiny LBD Hepburn wore as Holly Golightly in the opening scene of the 1961 film, Breakfast At Tiffany’s, fetched £467,200 ($923,187) in 2006. Its original cost was estimated between £50,000 – £70,000 ($98,800 – $138,320).

Kate Middleton’s sheer dress, Kerry Taylor Auctions, London.

In April, the see-through number that the Duchess of Cambridge wore to the university fashion show in 2002 (and allegedly caught Prince William’s eye) sold for £78,000 ($125,443) – 10 times its expected worth.

Princess Diana’s Victor Edelstein dress, Waddingston’s, Toronto.

Speaking of princesses, Princess Diana’s midnight-blue silk-velvet dress by Victor Edelstein  – worn to the White House state dinner in 1985 during a dance with John Travolta – sold in Toronto for $800,000 in June. It was auctioned as part of collection that included 14 of the Princess of Wales’ dresses.

Elizabeth Taylor’s luxe jewelry collection- Christie’s, New York.

The New York-based auction house just added a special online-only sale of 950 pieces from Elizabeth Taylor’s regal closet. With four categories – fine jewelry, fashion and accessories, costume jewelry and decorative arts and memorabilia – the online sale, which includes 22 handbags by Dior and Valentino, takes place on Christie’s website from Dec. 3-17th.

La Liz’s most iconic pieces -  including the 33.19-carat diamond ring Richard Burton gave her in 1968 – have been journeying on a three-month international tour since September and are available through a live auction on Dec. 13 at Christie’s. The collection of 269 fine jewels up for bid is estimated to be worth more than US$30 million.

If money were no object, which item above would you want to personally own?

Start your Holiday Shopping Spree now!

My friend just informed me that she’s bought all her Christmas gifts. Say what!? I’m more of a Dec 23 shopper myself. Deadline drama queen, that’s me. But after flipping through our December issue again, the  $25,000 Holiday Giveaway,has inspired me to start early. Okay, it’s just given me ideas for what I’d like on my list. Hint to hubbie: The Gc watch on page 289. (The contest is open until Dec 2, so sign up now.)

For a complete list of prizes check out our slideshow.

Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian have tweeted their support for sister Kim following the announcement of her split from husband of 72 days Kris Humphries.

It seems a little early to be chatting about our December holiday issue when some of you are still putting the finishing touches on your Gaga tribute outfit for Halloween, but we couldn’t resist. For this year’s $25,000-plus Holiday Giveaway, you have a chance to win one of 45 gifts—from a $1,650 diamond dotted Longines Dolce Vita watch, to a $1,000 gift certificate from HMV to beauty packages from CK, Prada, Nina Ricci and L’Occitane en Provence to name a few. Read the rest of this entry

Continuing on my travels through the Cote D’Azur, I have come to realize many things about the French way of life:

Mornings must begin languidly with a croissant and double espresso while taking in the azure waters of the Mediterranean (especially if you have the luxury of seeing the views from Hotel Martinez).

It becomes quickly apparent (after viewing stunning French women at every corner) that owning one Hermès silk scarf is clearly not enough.

Wine should never (ever) be turned down, regardless of day, time or how little you may have slept the night before.

In keeping with these new found philosophies, I visited the island of  Île Saint-Honorat, home to the Cistercian monks of the Abbaye de Lérins to learn the basics of French wine tasting. This tranquil 15th century monastery has been producing its own Pinot Noirs as of late and I had the pleasure of tasting (and tasting) the many varieties of this exceptional grape. Although I consider myself a bit of a connaisseur, I enjoyed a refresher on training my palette to distinguish the varietals of a vin rouges. Read the rest of this entry