Name: Madisyn Ritland

How long have you been modeling? I went to Paris on my 18th birthday with my family. On the last day of our short trip I met with an agency. By the end of that first week I had started the summer, begun my love affair with Paris, started my "legally" adult life, and entered the world of modeling as I now know it. It was a very complete moment and having my family close by all the while made it that much more personally significant.

First job?  My first job I can remember was for a local Chanel show. The Palm Beach Chanel store hosted fashion lunches for loyal customers. I can remember being so utterly and completely nervous for the casting. I spent all night before watching video of the real Chanel show as preparation and I remember thinking that this local show was the biggest deal ever, it never occurred to me that I would be walking in the Grand Palais after a few years.

Favorite job?  Is usually the one I'm currently on. If the whole crew is turned on by the concept any job can be exciting. However I'd have to say walking for Alexander McQueen and being invited to shoot Rodarte's art book with designers Kate and Laura and artist Catherine Opie are two days I'll never forget and truly special moments I continue to be inspired by.

What else have you done? Calvin Klein, Jil Sander, Chanel, Valentino, YSL and I've shot an Alberta Ferretti campaign with Steven Meisel and Alex White.

Favorite city? It’s not just one but rather how they complement each other; the inspiration that is Paris, the breath and life of New York, the adventure of Hong Kong, the history of London, and the natural balance of my home town in Colorado.

Favorite part of NYC? I love that anything you could ever want or need is within walking distance and open all day.

Good old Vaseline is celebrating its 140th year, and despite all of the new products in the market, the petroleum jelly’s popularity still reigns strong. We all know that it hydrates lips and your super dry spots, but it has many other surprising beauty uses.

Our Fave Five: 

The Lash Factor: Protect your eyelashes during a brow waxing by covering in Vaseline before the wax is applied.
A Whole New Shade: Mix a drop of Vaseline with powder blush or eye shadow to make it a creamy long-lasting version.
Lip-licking goodness: Sprinkle your favorite powdered drink into a little Vaseline to create a yummy flavored lip gloss.

Hue Knew? Apply Vaseline to your hairline before getting hair colored, to protect skin from the chemicals in the colorants.
Scrub a dub: Exfoliate lips by applying a thin layer of Vaseline and brush with a toothbrush. 
 


—Beth Cohen

When Tom Ford's "Cocktail Party" popped up on New York Fashion Week's official schedule, hearts sped up a bit. 

It's too late to celebrate his lipstick collection, and it sounds like it's too early to celebrate the release of his first nail color — aptly named Black Orchid and pictured at left, thanks to nail goddess Sophy Robson.  Which means there's really only one other option: a celebration of his hugely anticipated women's collection.

While it hasn't been confirmed, it does sound like he'll present a very edited selection of dresses (we assume?) at the "low-key" party. 

Meanwhile, Olivier Theyskens is definitely showing his forthcoming collection for Theory.  Though we're desperately impatient for Theyskens to produce his own collection, his presence in New York is welcome and the thought of actually wearing his clothes even more so.

Who: Zuzanna Krzatala

What: Offset earthy tones in your ensemble with a bright orange bag.

Wear: vintage shirt and shoes from Poland, Urban Outfitters shoes, Prada bag

Photo: Rachel Scroggins

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Who: Quinn Cooper

What: A sheer dress layered over a striped one creates a subtle pattern.

Wear: Zara striped dress, Clu sheer dress, vintage belt, Zara sandals, Alexander Wang bag

Photo: Kate Lord

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Congratulations to Jon Fitch and his new bride Michele Cao Fitch who just got married yesterday (September 4th).  Jon and Michele engaged on July 12, 2009, a day after UFC 100 in Las Vegas when Jon Fitch defeated Paulo Thiago via a unanimous decision.  Just before the wedding on August 13th Jon and Michele had a Jack and Jill Bachelor / Bachelorette Party at the Tabu Ultra Lounge at the MGM Grand. Check out some of the pics.

 

Today Kylie Minogue premiered the video of her second single from Aphrodite, “Get Outta My Way,” the rock-em-sock-em disco ode to sexual revolution (or, making your boyfriend jealous).

Surrounded, as she always is, by half-naked men, Kylie writhes on a dance floor lit with interactive system designer Frieder Weiss's motion sensor projections and grabs the spotlight with a pair of custom leather gloves fitted with LEDs. She also sports a gold chain dress by New York power-fashion duo The Blonds (see their Fall 2010 runway collection here, and ELLE’s exclusive photos here), heels by Christian Louboutin, and one mean looking set of The Blonds' spiked knuckle dusters.

Just in case you don't take her seriously when she sings, "Get outta my way!"

—Nojan Aminosharei

Simon Doonan's leaving The Observer for Slate.  As long as we can read his missives somewhere! {BusinessInsider}

If you're still looking for the perfect watch for fall — the more menswear like the better — get thee to Henri Bendel for their limited Timex run. {FashionStyleBeauty}

Mickey Drexler seriously beat Karl Lagerfeld on Vanity Fair's list of the 100 Most Influential People.  But does he have a lego bear in his likeness?   {VanityFair}

There's royalty in Francisco Costa's future.  {Fashionista}

If you're iffy on the red lip, here's your chance to test it out. {Sephora}

The fashion industry's interest in the environment has grown exponentially in the past few years, along with the rest of the world's, and the best way to get them, and everyone else, to pay attention to yet another problem is with something pretty -- it doesn't hurt if it's particularly clever, too.

So when Michael Ian Kaye, the graphic designer behind now iconic images like Kate Spade's bubbly logo and the cover of Chuck Palahnuk's Fight Club, learned about "fracking" he got to work.

What's fracking? Technically it's called Hydraulic Fracturing and it's the process of extracting natural gas from underground rocks using chemicals that contain toxins like carcinogens and heavy metals. The short story is it's horrible for both the environment and a person's health. When Kaye saw Josh Fox's Gasland at Sundance (in particular a scene in which a man lights the water streaming from his kitchen faucet on fire with a match), he felt compelled to do something, and Frack Off Now was born.

The non-profit's aiming to bring attention to the alarmingly common practice with things like safety matches, pictured above, and short films, seen here.  Check out their site for more information — and for your own safety matches!

Who: Arianna Ward

What: Style a simple tank dress with a patterned belt.

Wear: Arianna Ward dress and bag, vintage belt, Kelsi Dagger shoes, Banana Republic sunglasses

Photo: Edward Le Poulin

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MUSIC | Toronto Kickball Fundraiser
The best part of gym class was always the days when you didn't have to play real sports and instead got to play the ones made up by schools like soccer-baseball (a.k.a kickball). So why stop after you graduate high school? Toronto Kickball has stared a league of kickball enthusiasts who get together every Sunday at Alexandra Park to kick around the big red ball. They need a little financial support though (for pinnies perhaps?), so they're hosting a show at The Press Club with musical guests Ghost Bees and Bitter City. No kickball in the bar, that would break things - save it for the field.
The Press Club, 850 Dundas St W, $5, 9pm

More...

Photo by brilliantboy08 in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Name: Sofie Schwensen
Age: 19
Home: Denmark
Agency: Union Models
How long have you been modeling? Six months.
First job? Working for Danish designer Gudrun & Gudrun.
Favorite job? Shooting American ELLE!
What are you excited to buy for fall? The highest heels I can find!
Favorite city? Tokyo
Best part of NYC? I've only been once, but I can't wait to go back!
Favorite TV show? American Idol
What was the last concert you went to? It was a Danish singer named Medina.

Rem D. Koolhaas, the Pritzker Prize winning architect, is also  half of the brains behind United Nude shoes (the other half is Galahad Clark, yeah, of those Clark's). When we got a sneak peek of their new Ultra Loop bootie, made entirely from carbon fiber, we had to ask Rem a few questions.

ELLE: Do you start with the design or the materials first?
In this case, we knew what shape we wanted to make and knew that we could only use carbon fiber, as no other material would be strong enough. We used ultra strong carbon fiber to enable an extreme heel construction. Mostly our design and shape come first and then we list our options and choose. The design is based on a simple concept of penetration: a floating foot-bed slips through a sexy loop, functioning as both heel and upper.

ELLE: How do you approach combining the two?
We figure out the benefits and limitations of each material first. Sometimes we choose the material first and then make a design guided by the material and its behavior. United Nude products are about clear concept, elegance and innovation.

ELLE:  What’s the most challenging part of building a shoe?
It's funny that you say it like that and for us it's the right way to say it. A shoemaker or shoe designer wouldn't say to construct a shoe, but to make a shoe. The most challenging is to build something that is original, elegant, and comfortable and to be able to produce it for a fair price. Like everything else in life, it's all about balance. United Nude wants to operate as a design company in this way, with specific projects and collaborations as opposed to seasonal ranges with a fashion direction.

ELLE:  Have you ever walked around in your heels to make sure they’re comfortable?
I tried a size 43 Sharpei boots that we made especially for a friend. I think without any high heel experience anyone suffers. To ensure the comfort of our shoes we have a series of size 38 fitting models, including my wife.

ELLE:  Would you be surprised to hear of people buying your shoes as a piece of artwork?
I'm always flattered when this happens as it sometimes does.

The finalists for the fourth annual Toronto Urban Film Festival were announced today at a conference at The Drake Hotel.

Over 350 silent, urban-themed one-minute films were submitted, and some of the best will be showcased on TTC platforms from September 10 - 19.

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Today is 'Ask a Curator Day,' where you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home to pick the brains of gallery and museum curators from across the world. Ah, isolation.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is participating to take your questions from Toronto. Use the hashtag #askacurator to follow the feed, and direct your questions to @agotoronto.

You can ask about whatever you want: funding for shows, details about new collections, or just be plain annoying.

The Art Nouveau movement began in Europe at the end of the 19th century and remained in favor until around 1910; it represented a radical point of departure from the sobriety and technical formality that had come to define earlier European jewelry.

This new era in design popularized “organic” style, meaning it referred to accurate renderings of objects found in nature. It also marked the beginning of the use of the natural female form in jewelry. The pendant at left is a perfect example of classic, immediately identifiable Art Nouveau work.

It betrays all of the classic Art Nouveau leitmotifs: floral accents, delicate enamel work, and a central focus on the female form. The idea of woman physically intertwined with nature is perfectly executed in this late 19th century piece.

For more on this Art Noveau pin, visit the CIRCA blog.

—Kate Davidson Hudson

The controversy over Toronto's exclusive deal with Tuggs Incorporated has taken another exasperating turn. Owner George Foulidis confirmed today that he is suing Ward 32 council candidate Bruce Baker for libel.

Tuggs Inc. holds exclusive rights to food and beverage sales in the Beaches through a 20-year deal with the city. As negotiations were being made last spring, it seemed as though Tuggs was getting a $1 million break in rent from the city.

More...

Exactly one year ago, Jillian B. submitted a makeup tutorial to ELLE Video Star on how to get Siouxsie Sioux’s iconic look—and good thing she did! Her clip wound up being the most popular video of the year (it has 2,421,032 views to date), winning her the ultimate ELLE Video Star title and $3000 worth of luxury cosmetics. Want to win big too? Here’s how.

1. Take part in our monthly CoverGirl Beauty Guru Challenge. Each month, one winner receives $100 worth of CoverGirl products and will be featured in the pages of ELLE! Three runners-up get similarly fab freebies, at a retail value of $40. (This month’s beauty dare? Create a flattering New Year’s look that highlights your best facial feature.)

Bonus: At the end of the year, one grand prize winner will receive an additional $100 worth of CoverGirl beauty products, a trip to Los Angeles or New York City for two, and a day with ELLE Beauty/Fitness Director Emily Dougherty and CoverGirl celebrity makeup artist Molly Stern.

2. Add your video(s) to our revamped ELLE Video Star database. Though there will no longer be weekly winners, if your how-to’s get chosen as Editors’ Picks, they’ll score prime placement on the ELLE Video Star site—meaning serious traffic to your blog and YouTube page, plus bragging rights.

So what are you waiting for? Upload your beauty videos now!

—Emily Hebert

Photo: Jillian B.

Apparently, the downtown core is a hub of biological diversity. Yes, there are more than just pigeons and bed bugs.

York University researcher Jason Gibbs discovered a new species of bee in downtown Toronto, which he has named Lasioglossum Ephialtum. Gibbs has identified 19 new species of sweat bees across Canada.

Sweat bees are named for their attraction to perspiration (bad news in this heat?) and can be tough to identify. But Gibbs says it's important to identify species, "because if we don't know what bees we have, we can't know what bees we're losing."