Hermes Exhibition: Festival des Metiers

Hermes brought its artistic exhibition, Festival des Metiers (Festival of Crafts) to Toronto and I attended its opening the other evening. Held at the Design Exchange, the exhibit provides an insightful look at what goes on behind the scenes in making the renowned Hermes goods. I got to see firsthand the amazing precision, detail and work of the craftsmanship that has defined Hermes as having an unprecedented level of quality in their products.

Festival des Metiers is an ongoing exhibit that travels around the world and features various artisans from France, each with their own intimate workstations where they demonstrate and explain how particular products are made. Seeing them work their magic was astounding to say the least. Everything is made by hand using traditional techniques and methods that have been used for years. I love how committed they are to their craft and their passion is evident.

Artisans include a leather maker constructing the iconic Kelly bag, a saddler, glove maker, tie maker, silk printer, watchmaker, porcelain painter, and gem setter. One of the best parts of the exhibit is that you can engage with and talk directly to the craftspeople (so you can find out all their little secrets of course). Here are some things I learned:

•  Crocodile bags are made inside out.
• The saddle was Hermes’ first craft. It takes about 25 hours to make one.
• There are around 60 glove makers, each with a specific job. A hydraulic press is used to cut the gloves, then it is stitched, and a silk or cashmere lining is put inside. A specialized iron is then used to smooth the leather.
• Silk printers dye their colours from darkest to lightest, smallest to biggest motifs. It takes approximately two years to produce one scarf, from the initial design stage to the finished product. To penetrate the colour, a dry steam is used to set the dye, and then the scarf is washed to take out the gum.
• All watches are Swiss made, and the leather is imported from Paris.
• They make the most adorable mini sample designs that look like baby clothes. I wonder if I could squeeze into one of them.

The exhibit is FREE and is open until this Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 11am-7pm. Be sure to check it out before it’s too late! 

Homemade Pumpkin Butter

As of yesterday, fall is officially upon us. And that means cooking and baking with my favourite fall ingredient: pumpkin. As soon as I saw this recipe for homemade pumpkin butter, I knew it’d be the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of the fall season. Thick, creamy and full of delicious pumpkin flavour, this pumpkin butter is nothing short of amazing. It is so deliriously good that I could eat this by the spoonful (which I did). It’s also delicious slathered on toast, on top of pancakes, as a dip for apple slices, and swirled into yogurt. Expect to see lots of pumpkin related recipes as the season progresses.

Fall Trend: Fashion Sweatshirts

When I think of sweatshirts, stylish certainly isn’t the first thing that comes to my mind. This fall, however, that’s all about to change as fashion sweatshirts are majorly trending. I was a bit weary of the trend at first; however, after perusing online I discovered many luxe sweatshirts that I adore. Sweatshirts are no longer frumpy and causal; they’re glammed up with embellishments like sequins and jewels, leather and quilted textures, and colourful prints and patterns. I love that you get the comfort and looseness from a sweatshirt, while being chic and modern. It’s also extremely versatile as you can wear it with pretty much anything. For a causal look, pair it with jeans or pants, or dress it up with a flouncy or pencil skirt.

1. All Saints Scratch Sweat  2. J.Crew Painted Jewel Sweatshirt  3. Topshop Knitted Quilted Sweat  4. R13 Leather Panel Sweatshirt  5. Kenzo Reptile-Jacquard Jersey Sweatshirt  6. Splendid Leopard Print Sweatshirt

London Love

Can't go to London without having some fish and chips

I’ve been documenting my London trip for the past little while and looking back through my many photos, it puts a smile on my face and makes me reminisce the adventures I had there. Although it is long over and went by way too quickly, it has created memories that I will never forget. Here are some of my favourite random photos from my trip.

I think everyone could benefit from having a mad hatters chair in their place

Beautiful view of Westminster Abbey

Gorgeous flowers in the College Gardens of Westminster Abbey

On my way to Hogwarts (I'm a Harry Potter nerd)

Amazing blueberry mojitos that I need to learn how to recreate 

Love the buildings there, especially when set behind a bed of flowers

Laduree macarons from Paris

The closest I'll probably ever get to David Beckham

TIFF 2013: Swarovski Fashion Suite

Last week I attended a preview of the exclusive Swarovski Fashion Suite at the Trump Hotel before it opened its doors for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Fashion Suite glittered and glistened with jewelry and accessories that were absolutely stunning and luxurious. Some of the sparkling collections on display included: Catwalk (first shown during Paris Fashion Week), Red Carpet, Romeo and Juliet (inspired by the upcoming movie), Nirvana, Secret Treasures, and the Atelier Swarovski collaboration with designers such as Christopher Kane and Zaldy. 

Since TIFF began on September 5, the Fashion Suite is on hand to style celebrities and media personalities. Celebs are also gifted with Swarovski goodies from the Nirvana Collection, including the classic Nirvana ring which a giant replica was flown in from Cannes and stands proudly on display. There are way too many to be shown, but here's a look at some of the gorgeous pieces from the suite.