Hey vintage lovers, it’s about that time again.. The Chosen Ones’ second sale is about to hit The Waldorf Hotel!

We’ve got some familiar vendors and new names; favorites like F As In Frank, Stephi Chin-Salvo, Kerry Weinrauch and Erin Templeton are all back for another round.  Robson’s favorite underground vintage treasure trove True Value is taking part this go around, as is Dandi Wind (local musician with excellent stage costumes).  There are loads more; check out the flyer for a full list of vendors.

I’ll be doing a preview video again, so stay tuned the night before for my picks and pans!

WHEN: Saturday, December 18 from 11AM – 6PM (get there early!)
WHERE: The Waldorf Hotel [Googlemap]

Holy shazbot Batman, this is HUGE!! I’m very pleased to announce that demiCouture is giving away a pair of FASTER MARK FAST classic knit leggings and long gloves!!! Aside from being some of the most coveted statement items no matter what season you’re in, these are deadly pieces you need to have in your collection.

If you need a lowdown on Mark Fast, he’s one of the fastest rising stars in the London fashion scene though he’s actually a Canadian [Winnipeg] expat.  Fast has created luxury basics collections for Topshop, is loved by Anna Wintour and Faster (his official diffusion range) is one of the most coveted ranges available.

Check out the ASOS Marketplace stock for the Faster range and fan Mark Fast on Facebook – they’re getting revved up to start an amazing 2011.

TO ENTER: Tell us in a comment why you want to get FASTER with MARK FAST!! One entry only please (trust me, I’ll find out if you’re attempting to pull a fast one)

All entries must be submitted for moderation by January 2nd [update], 2010 at 11:59PM.  No later, kiddies! A random draw of entrants will determine the winner, and they will be contacted via email so make sure to comment with one you actually use.

May I suggest becoming a fan of demiCouture on Facebook, and following @demiCouture on Twitter – it’s not necessary to win, but you’ll hear loads of news there first, just like the designer featured within this contest.. it was said first on the FB page!

Vancouver doesn’t have a tonne of rocks to look under, so there aren’t always new and wonderful locations to find.   Just in case you aren’t as familiar with the Main Street row on and above 3rd, you’ve hit the jackpot – these are the places you’re going to want to swing through.  Hot tip: check out Vancouver restaurants reviews from Granville Online.. they’ve got the last word on the eats you’ll need during your shop-a-thon.

For your high street picks, Vincent Park is well worth the trip to 27th Ave. VP is home to the just launched Cheap Monday Cult Club, a host of brands as MinkPink, Super Sunglasses, Funktional, Fred Perry, Alkemie and Something Else by Natalie Wood. [Googlemap]

Burcu’s Angels is vintage fit for the ultimate selective shopper.  Burcu’s picks are romantic, eccentric and individualistic – these are detailed, often period pieces that are going to astound and spotlight those who choose them. [Googlemap]

When it comes to vintage, F As In Frank is one of the city’s favorites.  Frank’s style of vintage is much different than Burcu’s; where Burcu is classically eccentric, Frank is hipster friendly and far more urban.  This is the place where you can acquire everything from hip-hop inspired street wear to leathers and fatigues. [Googlemap]

Mandula may be Main Street’s newest addition after they recently took over grace-gallery‘s old space beside the Narrow Lounge (my favorite Mt. Pleasant hangout) but it is not a strange label to Vancouver’s observant style crew.  Mandula’s pieces are ethereal and will take your breath away; see the new space and take in the label’s works. For those outside of YVR, Mandula has a handful of items available within an online store.  [Googlemap]

It was bound to happen any day now, and here it is! Paris’ elite label Balmain has forced us back into Balmainia with The Outnet’s up to 80% off sale.  There are a few incredibly choice items for grabs; the distressed tailed leather moto jacket ($1,970, 75% off), studded leather shirt ($2,364, 70% off), metal insert military shirt ($1,935, 70% off), sequin camo skinnies ($943, 80% off) and the metallic racerback dress ($605; 80% off).

Bitch and moan if you will about the label still being outrageously out of reach for the average Joe, but hey, average isn’t what this label is going for.  In order to be elite, you have to be extravagant, even the majority thinks it’s a little asinine.  Instead of being green, I choose to admire the lifestyle from afar.  There are more items appearing as I type, now shop, elitists, shop!

Alexander McQueen’s bike zip ankle booties; they’re like a really expensive phoenix that won’t stop rising.  It seems that after Lee McQueen’s untimely passing last spring that there have been a few of the best selling items seeing reincarnations on the market in the last six months.  One being the bike bootie, the box clutches (most notably the knuckle dusters) and the actual knuckle dusters themselves, sans bag attachment.

This isn’t to say re envisioning a design is what I’m poo-pooing; not at all.  It only seems that it has become increasingly obvious that someone (possibly house owner the Gucci Group, part of powerhouse PPR) has been pushing Sarah Burton and team to create new versions of highly sellable pieces.  We’ve all heard the rumblings prior to McQueen’s passing the label wasn’t as profitable as one would like (the McQueen label was profitable for the first time in 2007), and one can’t legitimately get on board with design recycling at this level.

I’ve never been one for a peep toe boot, and the design for this piece was always a bit sketchy to me; the open jacket-like zip on the front displaying the foot always freaked me in the wrong way.  It’s time for the McQueen bike bootie to lay to rest along with its original creator.

I yearn for new designs;  something truly original that we equate the McQueen label with.  We all know Sarah Burton is capable of cranking out the magic… ’till then!

It’s time to get glittery, and for a party shoe fit for a New Year’s or holiday party the new Senso Wilma is the new hit of the season.

Each new pair (there are three new glitter shades available) are perfect for your holiday or New Year’s Eve party extravaganzas, and at $160 per pair aren’t going to leave you for broke.  These new Wilmas are going to be on the demiCouture Holiday Heel countdown, so stay tuned and check it out.

It’s Christmas gifting season, which spells a threat to unique shoppers – acquiring a unique gift for your recipient that won’t break the bank, your retail sanity and is local.  The Gift Shop hits all the marks; you are supporting local designers, remaining on budget since all items in the shop are under $100, and will be utterly unique due to the collection of artists chosen to retail their wares at the shop.

This is no Portobello Market, folks.. this is the real thing and only available for a limited time.  Gift Shop is located at the former Mono Pop-Up shop location; 8 East Cordova in Gastown [Googlemap].  I suggest you check out pieces from Henderson Dry Goods; they are my personal favorites.

Positivity is a valued trait in modern society; we meditate to banish bad energies, look for the good in people and do our damndest to put a happy spin on most everything we do.  Our mothers and fathers schooled us in nice thinking, and urged us to keep our scorn and distaste to ourselves – if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t be saying anything at all.

demiCouture has always come under fire for being blunt.  As the writer of 100% of demiCouture’s content, I have always opted to have an unveiled opinion – I say what I mean, and mean what I say.  When I mention anything that may be taken to offense (that a runway show is not up to expectations, that I don’t care for a particular brand; the list of previous topics is lengthy), it’s not said so you can bop your head in blissful agreement.  demiCouture exists so that standards can be challenged; a fashion blog isn’t doing its job if a little discussion fervor isn’t felt now and again.

This blog exists to challenge your ideas (and mine) about style, fashion, design, talent, trends.. everything that as a the administrator of this website I deem worthy for discussion.  It has been mentioned that I’ll ‘say anything’; which is not at all cloth to the truth.  I’ll always say what’s on my mind, or this website would cease to have a function and reason for existence.  Reason and logic are used to substantiate any of my opinions, and while you may not be a fan of my line of reasoning, there is a reason why you have come here to digest demiCouture’s content.

Without criticism, there is no legitimacy to the fashion industry.  Without those who would stand up and say something is beautiful, hideous or halfway between both, even the Positive Patsies of this world would begin to bang their heads against the walls in boredom.  Whether a designer, label or group’s status on demiCouture is something you agree with is irrelevant; the fact the opinion is there and you can make a decision either way is what I am proud of.  If a discussion germinates from said opinion, that provides me with drive to continue to create content.

I always do my best to articulate said criticism and praise in a manner that will provoke discussion, argument and thought.  Nobody likes a bobblehead; the opinion equivalent of an O faced blow up doll.  A website that heralds discussion (be it positively or negatively based) is always worth existing, whether you happen to agree or not.

This is why you will always see unveiled opinions on demiCouture, and I refuse to cease or be sorry for it.

Vancouver’s premiere menswear shopping destination Roden Gray is finally celebrating their opening of the Water Street location next Thursday night.  Their doors have been open for the last two weeks, but finally we have an excuse to hang about and be amongst the clothing without looking like creepsters.

The party will feature dranks supplied by Red Stripe and Ketel One Vodka, as well as food from neighbouring eatery The Diamond (which is great, if you’ve never been I suggest you do) and DJ spins by San Francisco’s Eug.  See you there!

WHEN: 4PM – late
WHERE: 8 Water Street [Googlemap]

When sales hit, it’s hard to discern what you actually need versus what you want (in most cases, everything!) and things can get a little overwhelming.  There are 5 must have items to get you through the season.. let’s take a look!

1.  A pair of flat leather boots.  With snow and rain underfoot, it’s a must to have a pair of water resistant boots that are flat enough to walk a few hours without flinching at the prospect.  Proenza Shouler’s open back boots and Maison Martin Margiela’s Chelseas are ideal options.

2.  A heavy coat.  Puffers and other jackets come and go with the trends, though a classic heavy coat (likely wool) is always in style.  Choose a dark hue, ideally black or navy and try to pick a style military in essence that is eternally acceptable.  Military styles are still ever so hot; Smythe’s double breasted and Rick Owens’ minimalist piece are excellent options to consider in the decorated and minimalistic ends of the design spectrum.

3.  A black leather cross body bag. A black cross body is perfect for numerous reasons; hands free bags are the best for busy bees, black leather is timeless and you’re going to be able to (and want to) wear it with nearly anything and everything you already own.  It’s the perfect chameleon piece! When it comes to bags, Alexander McQueen’s Faithful bag for the ladies or Want Les Essentiels De La Vie’s laptop ready bag are both excellent, practical options.

4.  Leather gloves.  Black is best, but really any leather is going to be a best bet for your hand’s protection during harsh winter conditions.  Hands require two things during the winter, the first being gloves and the second an intense moisturizer (Yes, that includes men as well!).  For the covering part, check out 3.1 Phillip Lim’s chain and Bottega Veneta’s gloves are picture perfect.

5. A lambswool sweater. Unless you’re allergic, lambswool is one of the warmest and most affordable options for you to keep warm this winter.  Remember to buy a thin sweater; it’s imperative to avoid looking like that kid from A Christmas Story.  Check out Peter Jensen’s chunky knit cardi or AllSaints’ Holmgard crew for inspiration.

I always like to work up to really big giveaway news, and this is a nice work up.  If you’re a fan of the fruity frags, then CK Beauty is right up your back alley.

All you’ve got to do is comment on the demiCouture Facebook contest image, and you’re entered.  You’ve got until Sunday December 5 at 11:59PM to enter.  Even if this scent isn’t up your alley, it would make a marvelous holiday gift for someone on your list so get commenting!

No pressure, but you should fan demiCouture on Facebook and follow @demiCouture on Twitter.

Can you tell I really wish I had some Super Mario 3 action right about now? AGHHH.

If you’ve ever dreamed of looking like a literal trash bag, Pyrenex has a coat to fulfill your yearning.  Check this beast out; it’s a guilted puffer; long enough to be a cut out bin bag and collarless so it evokes that true delelicte appearance.

For those that feel like a laugh, imagine spending just over $1,000 for this piece of shiny diarrhea! What a crime this bugger is.

For a look at a few much improved Pyrenex pieces, check out the fur lined and hooded piece.

The days of shiny throwback leather trousers have come to a close! Check out Notify’s version of the skinny cargo, only in variously hued soft suedes.

These cargo trousers are $785 each; a pretty penny, though an excellent vision of what one should be looking for on the high street.. it’s a sure bet Topshop, AllSaints or another heavy hitter will be releasing their own version in due time.

More fun than the twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days of Jeffrey – for twelve days Solestruck will be giving away one pair of Jeffrey Campbell shoes every day!

There will be different guidelines for every day of the giveaway; one day you may need to fan Solestruck, comment on a blog post.. just keep your peepers peeped on the Solestruck site every day for the next 12!

Today is the Mark Roks wedge.. get your entries in!

Scandanavian menswear designer Lars Stoten of Mjölk Homme has created a set of four posters modeled in fabric tags to brighten up a style lover’s space.  They are cheeky statements in bold colors ready to be put up in your favorite rooms.

Each retail for $99 at Hi, Hello, High Five gallery.

250 watches [per each 6 styles] for the whole world makes for quite the exclusivity, which is just what Missoni‘s collaboration with my personal favorite timekeeping brand Toywatch have done with their new collaborative collection.

The six model collection [three colors each] will be offered at select retail outlets worldwide; Vancouver’s Blubird being the only boutique in the city to have one set for purchase.   The Bay, Cupdio and Sophie Cosmetics & Accessories and Quebec’s Abe & Mary’s boutique each have sets available as well as Missoni’s boutiques.

Solestruck‘s Black Friday weekend sale is about to wind down, with Sunday and Monday marking the last two days of the sale.  The discounts have gotten gradually deeper, with these last few days the discounts have peaked to 50% off sale prices! For some shoes, that’s pretty incredible, especially when considering the brands and styles we’re talking about.

demiCouture’s favorites are the 6 following; Jeffrey Campbell’s Genius, canvas Just and epic Ministry for one group, Pour la Victoire’s Kesha, Minimarket’s lace up wedge and United Nude’s block heel bootie.  The Kesha are the best deal; they were originally $335!

The promo code you need to score the deal is “FP72HMPZF” and you’ve got to be logged in to score the deal.

I was lucky enough to snag a preview of the Dakota Group’s sample sale sale earlier this morning, so if there has been any remaining doubts about stopping by, allow me remove to them!

The sale features some fantastic designers at blowout prices; Mackage (outerwear and the new clothing range!), Pour la Victoire shoes, Kelsi Dagger shoes, Matt & Nat bags, Kaylee Tankus clothing (a label sold at Oak NYC if you aren’t familiar), Jenny Han (50% off wholesale!), Faryl Robin (an abundance of size 8 samples) and so much more. Check out the flyer for an entire list of brands, and get your arse down there (there is an ATM on site since they only accept cash)

There are tons of tees, leggings and sweaters (from FW10 and SS11); many starting at just $9 for a tee and $20 for a pullover.. trust me, there are pieces for every budget in this sale.

Let’s hope you have better luck than myself — I found a fecking brilliant grey Mackage puffer for $285, but with HST it came to just over my $300 [my budget for the sale], which was more than mildly devastating. Emo sigh.

My ‘hood’s Rio Theater is holding a midnight screening of The Royal Tenenbaums, which got me thinking about the character of Margot Tenenbaum.  She’s an icon of civilian misery with her furs as much as an aspect of her icon as her wooden finger and cigarette.  I’ve placed together a few bits and bites that remind me of Margot, pieces we can scatter within our own lives.

We can’t forget her marvelous furs; vintage cuts fit for a senior citizen, though with pieces as Diamond Vintage’s raccoon fur coat or Topshop’s oversized faux fur you aren’t going to be aging yourself but making a more intense style statement.

Of course a Superdry striped polo, Vivienne Westwood collar dress or Bodas Helium nude slip to go under would all work quite nicely.  Top off with a pair of black barrettes, Fossil vintage reissue satchel and Delfina Delettrez’s finger ring (perfect to mirror the wooden finger, wouldn’t you say!) and you’re channeling Margot completely.

If you love sweet, sweet vintage and are located within Vancouver, chances are you’ve been to F As In Frank on Main Street.  Frank is officially branching out from it’s previously all dude online eBay set into the domain of ladieswear with Errol Flynn.

Errol Flynn has a small selection to start, but the pieces are wins; a bodycon leather dress, sweater cardigan, cropped Mickey Mouse tee and partycrazy lace and mesh dress are all at $9.99!

Bookmark Errol Flynn; I’ve seen the stock at Frank and there’s nothing but gems in the bunker.. at least a handful of those wins will make their way to EF.