Month: October 2020

While some designers understandably phoned it in this season, Jonathan Anderson did not went all in. His spring-summer collection for Loewe brings new meaning to gallery girls. Each piece looks as if it belongs in a museum, and the art world is one that Anderson is familiar with.

Since 2015, Anderson has worked with artist Anthea Hamilton, most notably in a 2018 installation for the Tate Museum in London, England. He once again tapped the surrealist to design wallpaper that accompanied this season’s invitation to give viewers a comprehensive experience. In lieu of an in-person runway, Loewe’s team sent out invitations that encouraged “attendees” to participate in the creativity, titling the collection “Show-in-a-Box”. That box being a package sent to “attendees” that consisting of scissors, powdered glue, a paintbrush, and rolls of Hamilton’s wallpaper. Gimmicky, yes, but in the way that high art tends to be, like placing a dot sticker down at a Yayoi Kusama exhibit. Expect these deliveries to crawl through your Instagram feeds shortly.

Courtesy of Loewe

Anderson approached this collection like a historian. “I liked this idea of how we were going to really delve into exploring the art of fashion,” he says in the brand’s collection video, a COVID-19 virtual substitute for a formal walk-though. “It makes us think of the past, the present, and future. How can you make these three things communicate without having to disregard for the other?”

And his research shows. Not only does he note American ceramicist George E. Ohr as inspiration behind new bag shapes, but it’s clear that Anderson is bridging gaps between epochs. The collection borrows from Victorian-era couture with his whimsical interpretation of boning and bustles mashed up with a whiff of Rei Kawakubo’s undulating forms in a playful game of exaggeration. Hamilton’s wallpaper ballooned into a two-piece. Latticework was sprinkled with floral appliqués, shoulders poofed, and knits were knotted.

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With time on his hands in isolation, Anderson emphasized, “This collection glorifies the hand embroidered, the hand woven, the handmade.” One structured basket cape made of woven leather is both avant-garde, yet reminiscent of an Ikea pendant lamp (we mean this as a compliment). He describes it more eloquently, approaching the silhouette as “this idea of leather craftsmanship that kind of controls silk or becomes more like poetic armor.” And protecting ourselves while embracing the morbid ridiculousness of life is astute. Somehow, Anderson struck a balance between our chaotic reality while designing in frivolity. It’s art for art’s sake, but escapism might be what we need right now. The collection is powerful yet quiet, not unlike Anderson himself, providing a balm to the chaos, ending his collection with a crisp white wedding dress.

Some brands designed for lockdown in the form of gauche sweatpants, while Anderson wants his wearer to break free from our quarantine shackles. We can’t leave our homes, so we might as well daydream in bulbous trousers. Despite creating this collection entirely remote, he wanted to transport viewers. It pulls directly from history books, acknowledges its own frivolity and fantasy in the middle of a chaotic year, but remains wearable art that looks to the future of fashion. Because Anderson is the future of fashion. “[The collection is] very confident it really makes the wearer become something. It takes them to another place. Sometimes it’s nice to kind of escape into clothing.”

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The pop-up runs for 30 days starting October 7.

According to a recent article in Artnet, female artists account for less than 2% of the art sold at auctions over the past decade. It’s an abysmal statistic but one that Toronto-based artist Nuria Madrenas wants to play a role in changing with MRKT Gallery, an online platform for female-made art.

As an illustrator herself, she realized early on in her career that there was a huge disparity between women and men in the art world. “On average, female-made art is usually sold at 40% less than what the male equivalent would be,” she says. “So not only is the sheer volume much less but also the actual value that people are placing on female-made art is much less as well. So overall there are several challenges and barriers for female artists.”

To create a space where women’s art could be represented with the aim of getting it sold, Madrenas launched MRKT Gallery in December 2019. The website now carries work by dozens of female-identifying artists in Canada, the United States, the UK, Malaysia and other countries around the world, and is partnering with the Art Gallery of Ontario on a virtual pop-up this month.

Minimalist line drawings, fashion illustrations and female silhouettes feature prominently amongst the offerings on the site, which Madrenas says are the most popular pieces. So the artists she looks to add to her expanding roster are those whose aesthetic and style matches what the MRKT consumers are looking for.

“We want to make sure when we bring on a new artist that it’s going to be a viable platform for them to actually get their work sold. Because if their style doesn’t align with what our customers are looking for then we don’t want to prohibit them from selling on other platforms that may be a better fit for them.”

Artists carried by MRKT include Toronto-based Brazilian illustrator Luiza Albertini, London-based Japanese artist June Mineyama-Smithson, and Canadian artists like Chantal Walkes, whose art explores themes of culture and identity, and Rachel Joanis, a digital illustrator known for her use of bright, saturated colours.

MRKT Gallery’s aim is to “merge creativity and commerce” by offering not only a platform for emerging artists to share their work and develop a following but also by ensuring that 50% of the profits go straight to the artist.

“We manage all the printing, framing, packaging and shipping,” she explains. “Our artists provide us with the files or the original works of art that they choose to sell, and we manage everything from there. So all the leg work is taken off their plate. And after those costs associated with it, the profits are split 50-50.”

In an effort to garner more visibility for female artists, MRKT Gallery has teamed up with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) for a virtual pop-up. Starting October 7 and running for 30 days, a curated selection of 14 prints will be available to purchase on the museum’s website. The 9×12″ size prints, which typically run for $65 on the MRKT Gallery website, will be sold at an exclusive price of $50 at the AGO pop-up.

While the pandemic has decreased or entirely eliminated footfall in galleries and museums, Madrenas says people seem to be on the hunt for affordable art, considering how much time they’re now spending at home.

“People are looking around their homes and thinking ‘I need to fill this blank wall’ or ‘maybe I’ll finally get around to decorating my home office or guest room now that I’m using it more’ or whatever it may be. Also, many people are moving out of the city and into larger spaces on the outskirts of the city. With larger space comes more walls and more room for decoration.”

If artwork to brighten up your surroundings is something you’re on the lookout for, take a peek at some of the prints on offer at the MRKT Gallery x AGO pop-up in the gallery below.

HBC has teamed up with INLAND to highlight some of the country’s most exciting design talents.

If the focus of your new purchases of late has been on local and BIPOC designers, then the new partnership between Hudson’s Bay and INLAND is set to make that even easier. Launching today, the partnership will see the Canadian retailer offer a selection of apparel and accessory pieces from some of the country’s coolest up-and-coming brands through a dedicated shop online.

Beginning today and running until December 31, the INLAND online shop will house 44 local brands, almost 40 per cent of which are by BIPOC designers. Names include Omi Woods, Soft Focus (who recently spoke with FASHION about their newest drop of WFH essentials), Maguire, OKAYOK, Pretty Denim and more.

Speaking of the partnership in a release, Sarah Power, the founder and creative director of INLAND, said, “INLAND is a community where customers, designers and makers come together to celebrate the fabric of Canada through incredible design. We are committed to putting locally created pieces into every wardrobe and are very excited to be partnering with Hudson’s Bay to help make that a reality. By promoting sustainable collections, advocating for diverse representation and empowering local voices, we make it easy for Canadians to feel good about everyday wardrobe choices.”

Ready to shop local? Click here to get started.

Want more? We’ve rounded up some of the coolest local small businesses and Black-run fashion and beauty brands to support now (and always!).

Celeste Sloman

At 10 a.m., it’s already as hot as midday. Shaquilla “Shaq” Blake, a rising Black equestrian, finishes feeding the horses at a stable in Massachusetts as part of her student work in exchange for riding lessons. Wearing black breeches and a T-shirt that proclaims “Coffee” in AC/DC font, she squints at the rising sun.

Mornings at the big gray barn start with feedings and end with cleanings. It’s a picturesque scene: The horses—mostly quarters, and some Arabians, Shetlands, and Connemaras—are hosed down with cool water. Everyone gathers around back by the red picnic tables. There, Blake sits with five other barn workers—all of them white. Under the shade, the air thick with the scent of manure, they take a moment to catch their breath before the day’s trail rides begin. As Blake cools off, she feels a tug at her dreadlocks. “Can you feel that?” a giddy voice says from behind her. It belongs to a 13-year-old girl whose profile matches what Blake calls “your typical equestrian”—namely, wealthy and white. Can I feel that?? Of course I can! You just yanked the hell out of my dreads!

Celeste Sloman

This wasn’t the first time Blake felt unwelcome in the sport she loves. At that barn, where she no longer rides, she heard fellow riders use the n-word in front of her. Another time, “Some kids were talking, and one of them goes, ‘Do you smoke pot?’ ” she recalls. “And the other one was like, ‘No, I don’t smoke pot! You think I’m a poor Black person?’ ”

Once, these comments may not have ricocheted beyond the horse-world bubble. But like many elite, largely white institutions—prep schools, opera, theater—the equestrian world is facing its own reckoning with racism. A week after the murder of George Floyd, 17-year-old rider Sophie Gochman, who is white, penned an online essay for the horse-world magazine The Chronicle of the Horse. “We are an insular community with a gross amount of wealth and white privilege, and thus we choose the path of ignorance,” she wrote. A white trainer, Missy Clark, composed a rebuttal. “In our world, some choices are forced because they’re based on the cold hard fact most people can’t afford to do this. It doesn’t mean that it’s fair,” she wrote, “but it also doesn’t mean that it’s discrimination.” Their exchange prompted Lauryn Gray to submit her own story to the publication. The 17-year-old Canadian jumper, who is of mixed race, wrote that “my barn and the circuit I compete on have always been an extremely loving and accepting environment, but…I realize that the same can’t be said about our community as a whole.”

When people talk about the equestrian world in America, they’re usually referring to the one governed by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and tied to major national competitions—and Olympic dreams. The costs to get into the sport (and advance to higher levels), however, are steep, when it comes to both money and time. For example, buying an average amateur horse will set you back $5,000 to $20,000 and up. A top-rated competition like the 12-week-long Wellington horse shows (the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival) in Wellington, Florida, aka the winter equestrian capital of the world, could cost from $10,000 to $65,000 when you factor in the entry fee and the costs of stabling and care. If the dream includes competing at the upper-elite international level with a top horse, add upwards of another $500,000. The average USEF member owns four horses, has an annual income of $185,000, and has a net worth of $955,000. The median household income in America is a little over $60,000 (for Black families, it’s $41,511). Members of the elite club of top-level riders include the children of Michael Bloomberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Bruce Springsteen.

Finances aside, once you’ve ventured into the sport, it’s a whole other hurdle for Black people, especially women. “If you’re not one of them,” says Tayla Moreau of Pine Hill Farm, Blake’s adult amateur trainer, “it’s not like everyone welcomes you with open arms.” Black riders make up less than 1 percent of the USEF, and a Black equestrian has never competed for the U.S. in the Olympics.

Blake, who spends her days as the lead audio/visual technician at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston, found ways to make it on her own dime, like buying an off-track Thoroughbred horse. She’s also a working student at Pine Hill Farm in Taunton, Massachusetts, and recently joined USEF (where 89 percent of the members are white and make six figures a year on average) as a “fan member” for $25 annually.

When Blake was first looking into farms, she went on a group trail ride at one barn. Immediately afterward, someone from the barn texted her, saying, “After reviewing [our] lessons and horses available, we do not have the appropriate lesson program to accommodate what you are looking for.” Confused after what she thought was a pleasant riding experience, Blake had a white friend request lessons. And they immediately told her “Absolutely!” Asking around later, she heard that barn had a reputation for not wanting low-income people or people of color to train there.

Heidi Bee Photography LLC

Scnobia Stewart, a jumper from North Carolina, experienced something similar when she participated in a two-day clinic with Olympian Lendon Gray at a private stable in North Carolina. The 26-year-old worked hard at her Orange County Animal Services day job to save around $800 to travel to the clinic and stable her Dutch Harness horse, Zima. One morning as she braided Zima’s mane, a middle-aged white woman (who Stewart says didn’t work there or attend the clinic) walked up to her and asked if she was there to braid all the horses’ manes. “She looked at me [like I’m] ‘the help,’ ” Stewart says. “It wasn’t the first time [this] had happened to me, and I didn’t want to cause a scene. I let her know that the horse was mine and I was one of the riders in the clinic.” The woman looked at her in disbelief. After sizing up Stewart a moment longer, she walked away.

Celeste Sloman

Philesha Chandler, a Black dressage competitor from Florida, learned the hard way how alone Black people can feel in the sport. When she was a working student at a Kansas riding-lesson and boarding stable, she wasn’t treated like her white fellow riders, and they never stood up for her. White students at the barn were assigned the typical duties associated with a horse barn: tacking, cleaning stalls, feeding and grooming horses, painting fences. Her trainer would ask Chandler to clean her house: sweep and mop the floors, clean the bathrooms, and wash the dishes.

“It was one of those ‘What?’ moments,” Chandler says. “For the trainer to feel I was the best choice for her house chores because of the color of my skin—I was hurt.” Still, she never spoke up, for fear of losing access to the barn and its horses. “There are so many times I experienced racial prejudice in this sport,” she says, that she eventually grew numb. Now a dressage trainer with her own business, she prioritizes mentoring Black kids interested in dressage. “I want them to know that we belong here, and they can do this.”

Veteran show jumper Donna M. Cheek remembers coming up in the ’70s, and microaggressions that were not so micro. “People didn’t want to recognize me because of my skin color,” she remembers. Competing as a hunter—scored at the judge’s discretion—Cheek would get very low marks compared to her white counterparts. “After races, people would tell me, ‘That wasn’t right,’” she says. As a young rider, Cheek often felt unwelcome in riding circles. A white rider she trained with once invited Cheek over to her home for a pool party. Moments after she arrived, her friend’s mom said, “You know how I feel about these people,” and pointed at Cheek. “I wasn’t part of their world, and they made it clear,” she says now.

Brittany Anzel App

Her parents received their share of discrimination on their daughter’s behalf. A top trainer from a private riding club in California was interested in working with Cheek. “The trainer was very forthright with my parents and told them, ‘She’s really good, but there’s no way she would be invited into the riding club to train or take a clinic.’ And my parents didn’t tell me about that until decades later.” She says if she could have trained there, that kind of access would have been a game changer.

Celeste Sloman

Despite the challenges, Cheek went on to become the first Black rider to represent the United States in the 1981 World Show Jumping Championships and the first equestrian inducted into the Women’s Sports Hall of Distinction in 1997. She’s now a trainer in Paso Robles, California, and she says there’s still so much work to be done to make the sport more welcoming toward Black people. Now she’s one of those asking the question, How can the future of the sport change so that Black girls who dream of riding can actually participate?

For the sport to truly enter a new chapter, Black riders say, it has to start from within: USEF needs to step up. Riders want to see themselves in magazines, on television screens, and in industry-wide promotions. Investing in inner cities with higher minority populations is also crucial. “If you can’t see people who look like you doing it, living it, how can you dream of becoming that thing?” Blake says.

TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

“People need to be exposed to stories like mine,” says top rider Jordan Allen. “That you can do this and not have all the money.” Allen started riding when she was 7; by 10, her talent caught the eye of well-known trainer Kim Carey. She recommended Allen for the prestigious training center Ashland Farms, where she became a working student. “[Riding at Ashland] exposed me to other barns and to other people giving me horses,” she adds. Without mentorship, scholarship, and access, getting to the top may not have been possible. Allen counts herself lucky: She won the Overall Grand Champion title (in the 3’6″ section) at the USEF Junior Hunter National Championship. But the 19-year-old is usually one of the few Black riders at horse shows and is the only Black athlete on her University of South Carolina equestrian team. Young Black girls reach out to her on Instagram to tell her she’s an inspiration. It’s important for them, she says, to “see me out there.”

USEF says it’s doing the work needed to make the sport inclusive and fair. “The experiences recently shared with us by Black members of our community are heartbreaking and deeply troubling,” said CEO Bill Moroney in a statement to ELLE. “They were also a wake-up call, and we now see US Equestrian has not been a strong enough ally for Black equestrians—especially Black women.” The federation is pledging to provide a special performance-based grant for riders; enact financial support programs that give access and promote education within the industry; implement mandatory antiracist and unconscious bias training for USEF’s staffers and board; and include more Black women in marketing materials. “It’s important that people see themselves,” says Vicki Lowell, USEF’s chief marketing and content officer. “I’m happy that USEF is paying attention and trying to make changes,” Blake says. “I hope it’s lasting change and not just something for the moment.” Meanwhile, she’s raising awareness about the lack of diversity on her blog, theblackequestrian. “It’s going to take all of us staying strong and fighting for the sport we love,” she says.

But that morning outside the barn, she felt all the pressure of being one of the few. Used to double takes and dealing with discriminatory comments, she knew she could handle a little white girl—though she really wanted to scream. “Can you feel this?” the girl asked, pulling harder the second time, making Blake’s head jerk back. Her blood rising, Blake reminded herself where she was and who she was around. “I’ve learned to come off as nonthreatening as possible,” she says, “whitewashing myself in a way, so that people are comfortable around me.”

“Yes, I can feel that,” she calmly told her, smiling. “Now stop touching my hair.”

This article appears in the October 2020 issue of ELLE.

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The Holt Renfrew pop-up is the only place you can get your hands on this colour in the country.

If you’ve been pondering buying a Pouch bag from Bottega Veneta, might we suggest that now is the perfect time to do so, given that the brand has just released an exclusive colourway to celebrate its new pop-up in Vancouver?

Opening today, the pop-up is located in Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew, and will run until October 24. The store will house a wide selection of Fall 2020 womenswear pieces, including accessories, footwear and leather goods – specifically the brand’s cult-favourite Pouch handbag. In celebration of the pop-up, the brand has launched the Chain Pouch bag in a Porridge colour with a chunky gold chain detail ($5,040) and the pop-up is the only place to get your hands on the colour in Canada. The bag is already a wear-with-everything staple in the wardrobes of the fashion industry and Hollywood’s most stylish women, and this beautiful neutral is no exception.

And in case you need any more of a reason to make the bag yours, luxury handbag resale site Rebag just released the first report associated with Clair, its automated luxury appraisal index which launched last year. According to the report, the Pouch is a very safe bet for value retention. In fact, the Pouch has an 86 per cent value retention on average. Bottega Veneta handbags in general have increased in value retention by 10 per cent in 2020 versus 2019, too – the brand’s Jodie Hobo is another good investment option, with a 95 per cent average value retention.

With the holidays right around the corner, this little beauty has skyrocketed right to the top of our wishlists.

This is Texture Talk, a column that celebrates and deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to strands that are tucked away in a protective style.

The male grooming industry has blown up to become a multi-billion dollar trade, but through its soaring success, much of which is due to the beard movement, the industry has failed to recognize one particular customer with incredible buying power — Black men.

Whether located on their heads or face, the needs of Black men’s afro-textured hair is unique, yet product lines directed at them across mass and prestige markets are hugely underrepresented. It’s rare to find catered primping solutions on the shelves of major retailers, especially high-end, and whenever you do, the products are usually assigned to a separate, dingy section.

Aaron Wallace is on a mission to change that narrative. The British barber-turned-grooming-brand-founder has his own eponymous natural hair and beard care range for Black men, a line that was born out of his South East London barbershop. “How I came into the Aaron Wallace brand was simply through having conversations [with clients]. Cutting hair day in and day out, you become not only someone’s barber, but also like their hair doctor,” shares Wallace.

Through these chats, Wallace says that he noticed that many of his Black male clients were dealing with the same hair issues, like constant dryness and receding hairlines. Aware of the lack of products on the market that properly catered to their needs, and uncomfortable recommending most of what was out there, the hair pro decided to take action with a four-piece, paraben-free line (which is now officially available in Canada via international shipping) that easily fits into any grooming routine no matter how simple or extensive it is. “I just found that there was such a need for my customers – and for myself. [Being a barber], I thought I was in the best position to find a solution for this.”

Since launching the Aaron Wallace brand, the entrepreneur has closed up shop to focus solely on his hair and beard care range. “The goal has been to produce products that are multi-functional and of a quality premium feel,” he says.

We recently caught up with the ex-barber virtually to chat hero ingredients, building his brand and the grooming industry at large. Read on for what he shared.

On building his grooming brand and landing on the right hero ingredients and formula:

“The first thing I did was look into the key differences between afro hair and other hair types. By doing research into the fundamental makeup of afro-textured hair, I was able to find ingredients that were really good for addressing afro-hair needs. For example, with textured hair, one of the main issues we’re very prone to is dryness because of the curl patterns, especially when you’re living in cooler countries. So once I had the issues I wanted to tackle, it was all about hero ingredients. I found that mango butter [is great] for maintaining hydration in the hair and that black seed oil is one of those almost mythical ingredients: It has so many holistic health benefits in terms of cleansing the hair and [promoting] hair growth. Mango seed butter and black seed oil ended up being the two staples I wanted to work with.

After that, I became the guinea pig. I tested all other ingredient ideas on myself and tested different formulations until I got to a point where I liked it. I then took products to customers and other Black men and ran a few focus groups to get their thoughts and feelings on what they thought could be improved. From there, we started to do the manufacturing.”

On his full Aaron Wallace product line-up:

“Our focus has always been on the solutions to healthy afro hair. I found that in order to really grow and maintain afro hair, you need to cleanse and preferably with a natural cleanser that doesn’t strip the hair too much of its natural oils. Then you need to condition with, again, a natural conditioner that helps to strengthen and improve the actual condition of the hair strand. Then it’s about locking in moisture. So we started with our shampoo, conditioner and hair moisturizer, and the final step was my hair and beard oil, which helps to seal in all that moisture you added in plus adds extra nutrients.”

On what still needs to change in mainstream grooming to better serve Black men:

“One of the key things we’re big about is accessibility. When I started out, there were barely any products on the market that were made for Black men. In the UK, it was a big quest to go and find afro-hair shops to begin with, and when you did find one, most of the products were tailored to women. I just felt Black men were really underserved. When I go to a large supermarket to do my weekly shop and I see hair brands on the shelves, I should be able to find something catered to my hair texture as well.”

On the brand’s most popular markets worldwide:

“The UK is our top in terms of sales, and second is the US. Almost half of our Instagram followers are from the US. I’ve also found that the issue of being underserved that many Black men were facing in the UK [was also the experience of] many in other parts of the EU as well, so we have a lot of customers from countries like Germany and France. They say the same thing: There isn’t anything there formulated for their hair types.”

On his biggest grooming tip:

“When it comes to any haircare, it’s important to know that there are two sides to the coin: the internal and external. The internal is about making sure that you’re eating and sleeping well and avoiding as much stress as possible by keeping those cortisol levels down. With the external, it’s important to remember that it’s all about consistency and a routine. I always compare grooming to going to the gym. If you go and work out on Monday you’re not going to see real results on Tuesday. Working out is a thing you have to continually do, and if you maintain a routine and stay consistent, you’ll see results. It’s the same thing with haircare.”

Missed our last Texture Talk column? Click here.

Earlier this week, we witnessed the first presidential debate between President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden, which sent one very clear and obvious message: we really need to vote. It’s a message that has reverberated through TV commercials, social media posts, newspapers, magazines, and, thanks to organizations like When We All Vote, clothing and accessories. With a little over a month left until the elections, When We All Vote is ramping up its efforts to secure more young voters by dropping its second and final merch collection.

Following the first best-selling collection, which sold out in its first week, the When We All Vote team recruited a new batch of diverse designers that represent Black, Asian-American, Persian, Indian and woman-owned businesses. Designers include Melody Ehsani, Supervsn, The Hundreds, Stella & Haas, Levi’s, Girlfriend Collective, Shiffon, General Admission, and Wild One, which is When We All Vote’s first-ever merch for pets. Bright Black and Franca NYC were featured in the first merch collection but will return for the second drop in limited quantities, as each brands’ products sold out within hours of the first drop.

Supervsn x When We All Vote

Supervsn
supervsn.com

$148.00

When We All Vote Sweatpant – Mocha

Melody Ehsani
melodyehsani.com

$90.00

Limited Edition: 3″ Gold HOOPS

Shiffon
shiffonco.com

$215.00

When We All Vote x Girlfriend Collective Crew Sock

Girlfriend Collective
girlfriend.com

“It’s critical that we continue to engage voters in creative ways to encourage them to get registered and vote early. In our mission to change the culture around voting, this project helps inspire new conversations around voting and making your voice heard, especially among young people. My hope is that people are inspired and motivated to vote this year—and that the Vote 4EVER Merch line can help everyone feel connected to something bigger than themselves,” Michelle Obama said in a statement.

The second Vote 4Ever merch collection is available now on vote4evermerch.com. Select items will be available on revolve.com.

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Limited-time bundles, brightening creams and beyond.

Whilst none of us are entirely sure how it’s October, we can indeed confirm today is October 1. And as we mark our eighth month of our “new” normal, what better time to treat yourself to a little pick-me-up? There’s plenty of new beauty launches hitting shelves in October that you’ll want to add to cart – from skincare to makeup, haircare and more.

Below, discover eight of the new best new launches in October:

Fancy Face ‘La Vie En Rosé’ Limited Edition Anniversary Bundle

What you need to know: October marks 15 years since Canadian beauty brand Fancy Face launched and opened its first storefront called The Rosé Room. And to celebrate, the brand is releasing a limited edition lip bundle. The bundle includes an all-new shade of creamy lipstick in a shade called Angel and a sheer, creamy lip glaze with a soft shimmer in a shade called Whisper. As with all of the brand’s products, both the lipstick and the lip glaze are made in Canada and are fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and paraben-free. “It’s incredible to be celebrating our one year anniversary of the Rosé Room storefront and 15 years in business with these two new products,” Brittany Gray, the founder and CEO, said in a release. “We’ve been working on these offerings for months and thought no better reason to release them in conjunction with such a great milestone. I feel we can all use something to celebrate, to make ourselves feel good and what better than throwing on that perfect shade of lipstick.”

Price: $75

Where to get it: The bundle is available exclusively at fancyface.ca.

Olay Regenerist Max Retinol24 Night Collection

What you need to know: Following the success of its original Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Face Moisturizer (two jars are sold every minute), Olay is releasing the new Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Collection. The collection consists of a moisturizer, serum and eye cream and the products contain 20 per cent more of the brand’s Retinol24 Hydrating Complex, which uses amino-peptide, vitamin B3, retinyl propionate and retinol to deliver 24-hour hydration and smoother, brighter skin. The line is free from frargance, phthalates, mineral oil and synthetic dyes, too.

Price: $32.99 each.

Where to get it: Available nationwide on Olay shelves from October 1.

Lululemon Super Fine Face Mist

What you need to know: If you’re going hard in your at-home workouts these days, then having Lululemon’s new Super Fine Face Mist on hand isn’t a bad idea. The ultra-fine spray works to replenish skin of moisture post-workout, as well as mattify (using activated charcoal) and protect (plant-based ingredients such as Irish moss help to protect against blue light damage and other environmental aggressors) the skin. Spray it on before or after you apply your makeup or your moisturizer – think of it as hydration on the go.

Price: $28

Where to get it: Available in select stores and online at lululemon.com.

Pacifica Skincare

What you need to know: This month, US-based vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand Pacifica is available in Canada for the first time at Shopper’s Drug Mart. The brand was founded in 1996 by Brook Harvey-Taylor based on her belief that “non-toxic beauty should be available to all at an accessible price point”. In the year’s since its launch, the brand has continuously delivered a full range of beauty products including cosmetics, skincare, haircare and bodycare. The brand’s best-selling items – including its Sea Foam Complete Face Wash, Dreamy Youth Day & Night Cream, Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream and Supernova Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mineral Mascara – are among the items now available for Canadians to try.

Price: Prices start from $5.99.

Where to get it: The Pacifica line is available in 780 Shopper’s Drug Mart stores across the country, as well online.

Clinique Even Better All-Over Concealer + Eraser

What you need to know: Looking for a multi-tasking makeup product that will make getting ready for your morning Zoom calls a cinch? The new Even Better All-Over Concealer + Eraser from Clinique is your answer. The lightweight, oil-free and longwear formula provides instant hydration to skin (and continues to do so for 24 hours), immediately smoothes the appearance of lines, blurs the appearance of imperfections and, over time, visibly reduces under-eye puffiness and dark circles. It’s also sweat- and humidity-resistant and won’t crease, streak or oxidize (plus, there’s no nasties in the formula). It’s available in 30 shades, and can be worn alone or with foundation (either under or over) – simply swipe the doe-foot applicator over the areas you wish to conceal, and use the blurring sponge (which can be washed with mild soap and water) with a stippling motion to blend.

Price: $33

Where to get it: Available from this month at Clinique counters and at clinique.ca.

Dior Backstage Glow Palettes

What you need to know: The newest additions to Dior’s Backstage line were used in the brand’s Spring 2021 show in Paris this week to bring a little springtime glow to the models’ cheeks – and from next week, you’ll be able to easily replicate the look at home. The new palettes are available in a range of gold shades inspired by the brand’s couture collections – Pure Gold 003 (a classic yellow gold), Rose Gold 004 (a rosy gold) and Copper Gold 005 (a warm copper-gold). They can be mixed and matched, and used on any skin tone. Speaking of his newest creations, image and creative director Peter Philips said, “These palettes are multi-faceted products that warm the complexion and deposit a spot of highlight to catch the light on the face. They add a touch of gold to contouring and warmer shades can produce a bronzing effect. They can also be used to highlight an eye look, and of course, applied to the chest and shoulders to create a shimmering halo for the holidays.”

Price: $55 each.

Where to get it: Available at Sephora from October 9.

Bioderma Pigmentbio

What you need to know: This month, Bioderma launches its new Pigmentbio range which works to actively restore skin’s brightness by lessening the appearance of dark spots. The line includes the Foaming Cleanser (which gently exfoliates the skin for immediate brightening), the C-Concentrate (a powerful vitamin C serum to help with pigmentation) and Daily Care 50 (an illuminating moisturizer which provides instant hydration). Three steps to brighter skin? Sign us up.

Price: The Foaming Cleanser is $19.90, the C-Concentrate is $44.90 and the Daily Care 50 is $39.90.

Where to get it: Available this month at Shopper’s Drug Mart and amazon.ca.

Omorovicza Acid Solution

What you need to know: The newest addition to the Omorovicza line comes after the success of the brand’s Acid Fix Serum which was launched in 2018. The new solution helps to resurface, brighten and plump the skin via a potent combination of acids, including glycolic, lactic and salicylic. The formula also contains caviar lime extract which helps to boost luminosity in the skin. It can be used both morning and night, though the brand advises not to use it and the Acid Fix Serum on the same day. And as with any acid product, don’t forget your SPF, too!

Price: $150

Where to get it: Available from today at Omorovicza stockists and online.