The Best Fashion Interview I've ever read.

While browsing through Style.com today, I came across this interview by Dirk Standen, who interviewed Alber Elbaz, the current designer for French fashion house, Lanvin. 

"And I always say that doing a collection is almost like writing a book or making a movie, and I don’t know any other industry that can produce six movies a year by the same director. That’s the thing. You cannot write six books a year. You cannot produce six movies. You can’t do six collections a year. And I think this is actually what is making fashion be the way it is today. I know a lot of people complain that there is not enough change and that fashion in the past was much more creative than today, and I think a big part of this phenomenon is that we don’t have the time to think, we don’t have the time to project, we don’t have the time to digest. I’m not talking about, like, “Oh, we need to travel for inspiration,” because I do in fact believe that the best traveling you do is from your couch while you eat potato chips. But I think we just need the time to think and to look at it again and to have another perspective. " (Elbaz)

What a genius, his designs are breathtaking, his illustrations are whimsical and he proves a point.  The fashion world needs time to think and get inspired again.

Read the full article here 

Miss USA 2010

Last night, millions of viewers across North America tuned in to watch the 2010 Miss USA pageant.  The winner of the pageant would go on to represent the US at the Miss Universe pageant in August, so there is a lot at stake.  The 52 contestants came out on stage dancing to Ke$ha's Tik Tok in sparkly Sherri Hill dresses that were appropriate, considering the locale of the pageant.  The event was held in the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

The event was hosted by a "Marriage Ref" host (who was she???) and Curtis Stone.  Half the production consisted of former Apprentice contestants, which was expected because of the Donald Trump connection.  But seriously, when Trace Adkins came out to perform a song during the elegant evening gown competition, the soundtrack couldn't have been more out of place and inappropriate.  Miss USA is not a high school dance in Kentucky.

Joan Rivers and her daughter, Melissa offered commentary and humour between commercial breaks.  Joan even wore a sash that said "Miss Mayflower" and made quips about beauty and the pageant world.  She didn't hold back though, and even went so far as to describe one contestant's neon green evening gown as, "It looks like it was dripped in Gatorade."  Which to be honest, was the truth.

The fashion of the evening was questionable.  The host wore three heinous dresses, including a floor-length blue number that looked like it was $69.95 from Fairweather, and an olive prom dress that was reminiscent of a bad bridesmaid.  The only fashionable person there was judge, Johnny Weir who wore a dramatic multi-coloured feather jacket and even had an outfit change later in the show.  The girls wore the most repulsive pink and orange bikinis that had an awkward fit.  The tops made chesty girls look droopy, and small girls looked even smaller.  The print was a ghastly tye-die that didn't do justice for anyone's colouring.  Don't even get me started on the evening gowns...

The winner was Rima Fakih, who was the first Muslim to win Miss USA and the first Miss Michigan to win the crown.  It was a bit suprising that she won, considering her trip in the evening gown competition, and lower scores in the swimsuit competition...throughout the show, I was certain either Colorado (who placed 3rd) or Oklahoma (who was the runner-up) would win.  They embodied the grace and elegance of a Miss USA contestant that I felt Fakih lacked.

It was reported that Fakih was a winner of Stripper 101.  You heard that right.  The beauty queen won the competition in 2007 during which photos were taken... and if you're wondering... clothes did come off.  Her prizes included jewelery, adult toys, a stripper pole and some cash that was appropriately stashed down her bra).

So much for a wholesome "American Girl image"... It has me wondering whether her title is in danger, and to be perfectly honest, I think it should be.  This was not a topless lingerie photoshoot to help a struggling model make money, but a blatant display of trash.  It's one thing to take pole dance class as a means to exercise or treat your boyfriend, but to compete in public and expose yourself, when you intend to be a part of an esteemed organization is wrong.  This does not represent the ideal American girl, and shouldn't represent the United States on a world stage at Miss Universe.

The Miss USA organization came under a lot of fire the previous week, when they released their official photoshoot, shot by famed photographer, Fadil Berisha.  The public thought the photos were too racy, because the girls were shot in lingerie.  The photos were black and white, and to be perfectly honest, they were more covered up in men's dress shirts and corsets than if they were posing in bikinis on the beach.

Here are some of my favourite shots.

Miss Oregon, Kate Paul looks like a young Farrah Fawcett.

Miss Wyoming, Claire Schreiner, looks like a sultry mix of Catherine Deneuve, Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot.  I'm wondering... where was this beauty in the top 5?

Britanny Bell, Miss Arizona is sensual, and proves that curls are beautiful.

photos from http://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/members/contestants

I think Miss USA needs to distinguish between sexy and skanky.  And personally, I think the winner represents the latter. 

Save the Sharks

Two years ago, I saw the film Sharkwater, which was written and produced by Rob Stewart, an alumnus of my highschool, Lawrence Park.  There was a free screening of his film at the ROM last night, and Stewart was there for a Q & A session afterwards.

The film completely revolutionized the way I felt about sharks.  I've spent many winters on the beaches of Florida, and have always been afraid of the monsters of the deep.  The film bashes those stereotypes and shows us the kind nature of these remarkable creatures.

Soda pop machines kill more humans than sharks annually.  So do toasters.

The film was intended to be a "pretty underwater movie about sharks".  While filming in Costa Rica, Stewart witnessed first-hand the slaughter of sharks.  His creative direction changed, and he became inclined to save the sharks.  We follow his journey, along with Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson in their attempt to end the atrocious mass-killing of sharks in protected sanctuaries.

The sharks are being slaughtered for their fins.  The film documents Central American fishermen killing sharks and cutting of their fins.  What makes this even more atrocious is that 90% of the animal is wasted, since fishermen literally throw the shark (often still alive and in serious pain) back into the water, where it will struggle and bleed without its fins until it dies.

There is a huge "shark fin mafia" based in Costa Rica.  They fish in their waters and dry the find on top of roofs.  When Stewart broke house arrest (he was arrested for "attempted murder" after the Sea Shepherd boat tried to stop a Costa Rican boat that was long-line fishing illegally), he broke into operations where they had millions of dollars worth in fins drying out on roofs.  When the workers realized Stewart was filming them, they desperately tried to hide the evidence from view.

In Costa Rica, the value of shark fin is about 80 cents per pound, but it is then resold in China for upwards of $200 a pound.  This is big business for Asian corporations, and the Costa Rican government (and other countries worldwide) turn a blind eye to this, as this corrupt industry helps build their infrastructure.

But why the obsession with shark fins?  In China, shark fin soup is a "food of the emperors".  A symbol of wealth, health and prosperity, the soup has grown in popularity in the past 20 years, and is a customary dish during wedding receptions.

Chinese people that eat this soup are deluded into the notion that by eating the shark fin (which is completely flavourless), you can cure arthritis and cancer.  They believe sharks have no disease, when in reality, sharks suffer from cancer and can have high levels of mercury due to pollution.

Stewart is working on getting the film into China, in hopes of persuading the public to change their culture and views on finning.  In Chinese, "shark-fin soup" is translated into "fish-fin soup", so it is likely that people do not comprehend the origins of what they are consuming.  The film was set to be released in China, and would air on a large TV network, but they had to pull the plug, since they found a picture of Paul Watson shaking hands with the Dalai Lama.

The film exposes the ugly truth of the industry and makes you reflect on the impact humans have on animals and our ecosystems.  Shark populations have gone down 90%, and some are close to extinction, thanks to the lucrative finning business.  Over 80 countries have banned finning, but there are no laws that prohibit the importation of finning.

We likely know of places that serve or sell shark fin soups in Toronto.    Even Loblaws came out with a President's Choice brand of shark fin soup, and thanks to Stewart and organizations, the product was removed from their lineup.  It is up to us to take action, and pressure the government into banning those products. Take the pledge to help save the sharks.

Sharks are never thought of as "endangered".  I have never seen a WWF advertisement promoting "save the sharks".  It's always save the tigers, polar bears or pandas.  People want to help animals that are cute and relatable, no one wants to help a man-killing monster.  Tigers and elephants killed 100 people last year, yet sharks only killed 5.  Who's the monster now?

Feed The Models.

here it is, my last assignment of the year.

Feed The Models
by Natalie Ast

Models are running around, sometimes barely clothed, as dressers help them get into creative and conceptual garments. The girls spend hours in the makeup chair while their hair is teased and hair sprayed into elaborate styles. They finally get their high-heel shoes on, and are sent onto the runway, where they must ignore the flashbulbs of photographers and present the clothing to potential buyers and critics. After their last pose, they must return backstage and repeat the process over again, sometimes numerous times a day. This is LG Fashion Week, and like any show, the atmosphere backstage is draining and demands a lot of energy. To function, we need food. This staple was overlooked at LG Fashion Week and prompted a petition to “Feed the Models”.

The Fashion Design Council of Canada oversees LG Fashion week in Toronto. Two weeks ago, starting on Mar. 28, Canada’s top talent in fashion design presented their collections at the Allstream Centre at the exhibition grounds. During the five day event, the organizers did not provide food for the models. Three models from different agencies, Oksana Orel, Leah Christ and Elyse Saunders collaborated and decided to bring this issue to the forefront in creating a petition that protests the lack of food. The petition was signed by over 400 people in the fashion industry, including fashion journalist, Jeanne Beker.

“Our goal is to get the FDCC to include feeding the models into their fashion week budget, and to be assured that every model will have food accessible to him or her during future fashion weeks,” says Orel, 20. Orel is a collaborator on the petition, and creator of the Facebook group, which currently has over 600 members.

For years, Fashion Week in Toronto hasn’t been catered. Food was provided for volunteers at Fashion Week, and the hair and makeup team from L’Oreal Paris had food as well. Certain designers like David Dixon, Comrags and Pink Tartan provided food for their models at Fashion Week. Stacey McKenzie, one of Canada’s most famous models, heard about the petition and donated food for the models as well. This was the eighth Toronto fashion week Orel has walked for, and she has been meaning to raise awareness on the issue for a while. Orel says, “I do not tolerate any mistreatment of models, as I have been in this industry long enough to experience some [bad treatment], and I know that it is both not right and not necessary.”

In response to the petition, the FDCC released a general statement on their blog, stating that they will look into the issue and will try to resolve it for the future. The president of the FDCC, Robin Kay has been the target of a lot of flak from the Canadian fashion industry. The statement on the FDCC blog was vague, and didn’t directly address the issue. Deirdre Buryk, 21, is a model and an intern for the FDCC during LG Fashion Week. She says, “It definitely wasn’t intentional. It was a new building and they were unaware of the fact that models weren’t getting any food because food wasn’t accessible.” The new venue was isolated from areas to grab a quick bite, and many models were stuck backstage for hours, day after day. Buryk says that many models brought their own food and water to the shows.

Public opinion tends to propagate the stereotype that “models don’t eat”; therefore, a shortage of food backstage does not seem to be a problem. “I think it’s a joke. Every single model I’ve met does eat. For myself, I’m a very healthy eater, but some models eat junk food like crazy,” adds Buryk.

Nutrition is important for everyone, including a fashion model. Beth Gould, 44 is a registered dietician and says, “The best way to keep energized throughout the day is to eat every three to four hours, three of the four food groups: milk products, meats and alternatives, fruits and vegetables, and grains at every meal, and healthy snacks between meals.”

Orel is active and likes to jog, swim and do Bikram yoga. She tries to maintain a healthy diet which includes Indian chickpea curry and lentil soup, but she does admit to indulging once in a while. “I also love watermelon and mangos. In junk food, I have a sweet tooth and love all sorts of cookies,” says Orel. There are rumours that supermodel, Chanel Iman is also into sweets and cookies, and is further proof that models do eat, and occasionally indulge.

The fashion industry has a negative stigma in which eating disorders seem to be promoted through images of size double zero girls. LG Fashion Week is the largest fashion event in Canada, and when a necessity like food is not readily available, it seems to promote the ideology that models are only hangers. Modelling is a turbulent career, and stress, over exhaustion and poor nutrition can contribute to illness, and might make a model wipe out on the runway. No one wants to be fashion road kill on the catwalk.

Breeyn McCarney, The Starving Artist in a Hard Boiled Wonderland

The Starving Artist café is located in the centre of Bloordale Village in Toronto.  The place was dark, and a large fish tank provided kitschy décor.  A bar is converted into a kitchen, and several round tables take up every available space for seating.  About five people work behind the bar, pouring batter into waffle makers and flipping pancakes while grilling bacon.  A barista pours a cappuccino into a glass cup and takes it over to a couple in their 20s.  Although it had a cliché name, the café is filled with a diverse crowd on this particular Saturday afternoon.  Most of them are in their mid to late 20s, and chatted with friends over coffee and waffles.  Although there was a lot of ambient noise, coming from the jazz music in the background, and several other conversations nearby, the atmosphere was cozy.  When Breeyn McCarney came into the shop, dressed in jeans and a grey sweater with her hair in disarray, she looked as if she had pulled a few all nighters.  This was definitely the case, as McCarney, 31, just presented her first solo show as a fashion designer only one night before.

                                                     McCarney taking a bow at her show.  

        McCarney’s signature line, Breeyn McCarney had its Fall/Winter 2010 show on Thursday, Mar. 18, at Courthouse.  The show was entitled “Hard Boiled Wonderland” and the club was at capacity.  McCarney is a Toronto-based designer, and this was her first solo showing of her eco-friendly line.  Her line’s commitment to the environment is also reflected in her attitude towards society.  Her process of establishing herself as a fashion designer is a unique one as well. 

“Apparently when I was an infant, I was always feeling people’s clothing, which is something I still do now.  My great grandmother, who died a couple weeks after I was born, was holding me and I was apparently feeling up her sleeve.  She was this old, Hungarian gypsy lady, who barely spoke any English, and she told my grandmother and my mom that ‘fabric, textiles, she’ll work with fabric,’” says McCarney.

McCarney, who was raised in Windsor (and hates to admit it), was always interested in fashion as a child.  She would create dresses for her dolls, and believed that Kermit the Frog was a girl that needed to be outfitted in frilly tutus.  She had a peculiar habit of dressing up in whacky costumes and doing everyday chores for neighbours.  Activities like these were part of the “Strange Club”, where McCarney was the founder and president. She studied oil painting as a kid, and started to get professional lessons from a tutor around the age of 12.  McCarney viewed University as a ticket to get out of Windsor, where she never felt like she belonged.

McCarney studied fine arts and oil painting at York University, but felt confined by the program.  She would stay home all day and make clothing, and it was her boyfriend who helped her come to the realization that she should pursue a career in design.  In her second year, McCarney had paint a still-life of fruit, and her boyfriend came up with a brilliant idea.  “I cut an orange in half, painted the canvas orange and glued the orange on, and I took it into class.  They thought it was genius, they talked about it for an hour.  They thought it was this huge social commentary.  And I was like “This is bullshit!”  I’m not doing this anymore, I’m not wasting my money on this.  I just realized I was there with a bunch of people trying to pretend we were something we weren’t.”

McCarney began to design full-time, and thanks to another boyfriend, she decided to follow her dream of studying at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London.  The school boasts alumni such as Alexander McQueen, who is McCarney’s idol.  “He kind of shaped my entire approach to fashion.  There’s so much craft in his work. Every piece is a beautiful piece of art, but you can also wear it,” says Breeyn as she reminisces on the late artist.  While at Saint-Martins, McCarney studied tailoring, which strengthened her skills as a designer.  “I knew the importance of having a solid background in construction, even if you’re not making suits,” adds McCarney. 

                                           Illustration by Breeyn McCarney

While in England, McCarney worked for accessory designer, Shirley Geek and would spend eight hours a day beading.  She says it was one of her favourite jobs ever, and was lucky to be there at a formative time, which gave her the opportunity to grow with the company.  McCarney applied for immigration, but was denied.  She says, “It was a severe roadblock to my career to have come back here, but I’m recovering.”

McCarney explains that it’s hard to be a designer in Toronto because the industry is a small, tight-knit community which makes it harder to break into.  There is a concentration of talent, which is the only real benefit for her, since the high cost of living in Toronto makes it more difficult to get by, even though she does not buy into consumerism.

“I think a lot about the collapse of society, and I think it’s really imminent.  We need to start to think how we’re going to survive that as a race,” says McCarney.  She is a firm disbeliever in “fast-fashion” which includes mass retailers like H&M who churn out garments of poor quality that hurt the environment and support sweatshops overseas.  McCarney believes that clothing and food are the two most undervalued things in society, and that mass production is a major problem with society.  She believes that being green is a second nature to her, and is not capitalizing on the green trend.  

McCarney’s mission as a designer is to create clothing that will be cherished by its owner for years to come.  “I want my pieces to be something you give your granddaughter,” says McCarney.  Her line is custom made so that every piece fits its owner perfectly.  “A lot of body image issues come from us not fitting into clothing.  One size does not fit all,” says McCarney.  She likes to think of her line as "accessible couture", and hopes that the fashion conscious set will start to support local designers by choosing to get a dress that is unique, instead of one that has been mass-produced by a large retailer. 

McCarney’s Fall/Winter collection has a colour palette of subdued pastels and neutrals.  McCarney primarily makes dresses, but experimented with knitwear, which was received well by the audience.  Her dresses played with texture, yet were light and airy. A strapless dove gray dress was embellished with strands of black beads, which cascaded down the front of the dress. Other pieces were accented by repurposed fur, feathers and prints that were painted onto the fabric.  Fur in fashion is looked down upon, but McCarney tries to use ethical fur from trappers, or recycles fur from vintage finds.  Models wore their hair in large and tousled Victorian styles that were accented by dried flowers.  One accessory that stood out from the show were the brass knuckle rings made of delicate, small pink roses.  McCarney applies her skills in knitting, oil painting and beadwork to each unique piece.  The looks have an aesthetic that is organic and slightly dishevelled, while still retaining innocence. 

                                              Models wearing McCarney's designs.

The “Hard-Boiled Wonderland Collection” was inspired by the bleakness of society’s future, and the fight to survive.  McCarney lived in Beauval, a small town five hours north of Saskatoon, Sask. while designing this collection.  She lived in the middle of the woods and felt very isolated but was inspired by the bleakness of the environment.  She came across a collection of images entitled “The Ruins of Detroit” by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre.  The photos depicted abandoned buildings in Detroit which were architecturally stunning, but have been neglected by society. 

     Downtown Detroit by Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre

      Whitney Building by Yves Rochand & Romain Meffre

The title for her collection is unusual, but McCarney put a lot of thought into choosing one.  She originally wanted to entitle it, “The End of the World” but thought that it was too heavy.  McCarney was inspired by Japanese novelist, Haruki Murakami who wrote a dystopic novel: Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.  McCarney took the first part of the title of the dreamy and bizarre book to name her collection.  The novel and McCarney share a similar ideology of being able to find the positive when affronted with hopelessness.  “In order to get through life, people really need beauty.  And that’s the artist’s role in society; to find beauty in pain.  All of these things might have combined and made me found beauty in despair.”

                                      From her Lookbook...
www.breeyn.com
Follow Breeyn McCarney on Twitter
Hype Breeyn McCarney on Lookbook

Annie Clark - Profile

Here's an example of what I've been doing as a slave to my keyboard.  I got to interview Annie Clark for my profile assignment, she was a pleasure to interview and write about! I hope you enjoy...

She was wearing a cobalt blue peacoat that brought out her stunning blue eyes, and a pair of leggings that were neatly tucked into a pair of sand-coloured Uggs. Annie Clark looks like your typical teenager, and in this casual outfit, paired with her genuine and friendly personality, it’s hard to believe that she plays the part of snobby and elite Fiona Coyne on the hit Canadian television show, Degrassi.

Clark, who only turns 18 in June, was added to the ensemble cast of Degrassi in its ninth season. A Toronto native from the Lawrence Park area, Clark is getting experience on numerous Canadian TV series. She starts filming for the 10th season of Degrassi in the last week of March. The Degrassi movie, set in New York City debuts July 16, on Much Music. Degrassi fans will be seeing a lot more of Fiona in season 10, and with the show’s move to Much Music, Canada will be seeing more of Clark at events, like the MMVA’s in June.

“She was the one who sent me to that audition for Roxy Hunter, and I ended up getting the part. And from then on, that first day on set, I knew that this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life,” says Clark, taking a sip from her Starbucks cup.

Clark always knew she was going to become an actress. She would ask her parents everyday to get an agent to help her break into the business. Her friend’s mother was a casting director, who sent her to audition for Roxy Hunter, a small TV movie. She got the part, which launched her career. Clark took acting classes at Dean Armstrong Acting studios, where she honed her skills and was recommended to her agent, Norbert Abrams, who she’s been with for two years.

She lives at home with her parents, and likes to think of herself as an only child, since her brother and sister are a lot older. Acting unexpectedly runs in the family though, Clark says, “My aunt was an actress when she was a lot younger though. She did commercials and this CBC show called The Littlest Hobo, but the funny thing is my parents never told me that until I started acting, I’d never even heard of that. But other than that, my dad’s a judge and my mom’s a teacher.”

The filming schedule for season nine of Degrassi took Clark in and out of school for a six month period, but in season 10, they will be filming for nine months. Clark has a tutor on set because she is still underage, but has decided to put off university and concentrate on her career and travel.

Clark definitely exhibits a New York state of mind. “I mean, it makes more sense for me to live in LA, because that’s where all the film stuff happens, and New York’s more for theatre, but I’m just drawn to New York, I just love the city. I went there to film the Degrassi movie in November, and I completely fell in love with it. It was my first time there and I could just see myself living there someday. I’m hoping that after my contract is up with Degrassi, I might apply to some theatre schools down there, so I could live there, but still be pursuing acting,” says Clark.

Clark loves to work on Degrassi, she describes it as a very welcoming cast and team that is supportive and inclusive. “And it’s such a reputable Canadian show too to be on, and I’m so glad to be associated with that. It’s such a good launching pad for a lot of people, even if you’re staying in Canada or going to the States. Believe it or not, it’s actually more popular in the States than it is in Canada! When we went to New York to film the movie, we had to have bodyguards because there were kids just swarming us,” adds Clark with a laugh. In America, the TV station Teen Nick’s main program is Degrassi, and they run Degrassi marathons on the weekends. Degrassi alumni have gone on to become very successful south of the border, like Shenae Grimes, who is now on CBS’s teen drama, 90210.

In season 10 of Degrassi, viewers finally get to see more of Fiona’s character. Clark couldn’t reveal everything, but Fiona has the A-plot in the first four episodes of the new season. Her character goes through many changes, and some of her attention-seeking habits begin to come out. Clark says, “That’s when you get to see her true colours, her inner bitchiness comes out.”

Clark admits to be similar to her character on Degrassi. She believes that Fiona is sort of an exaggerated version of herself. She participates in the Drama Department at her high school, Lawrence Park. This year, she finds her character in the school play to be very similar to her character on Degrassi. “The past few characters I’ve played on these different shows have been that mean girl. It’s fun to play, but I just hope I’m not like that in real life,” says Clark. Fiona is known as the fashion plate on the show, and at the end of the season, Clark gets to go through her “Fiona closet” to pick out pieces she’d like. Although she describes her everyday style as being more casual, she still enjoys dressing up. Clark says, “Now I find myself going into stores and thinking, ‘Oh, that’s so Fiona.!’”

Clark’s favourite movie is Titanic, which coincidentally has her two favourite actors in it; Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. She also admires Canadian actress, Rachel McAdams. Clark says that she would love to have a career similar to Winslet’s and admires the way both actresses stay out of the media, but still manage to produce great work. She adds, “I’d love to get into movies. I think that that’s what every actress kind of wants to get into.”

Trained in numerous styles of dance, Clark jokingly says that she could be a “double threat” but would eventually like to take singing lessons one day, because she is obsessed with musicals. “I definitely wouldn’t say no to Broadway!” says Clark.

In the meantime, she hopes to gain more experience in the Canadian TV industry and guest-star on shows like Flashpoint and Being Erica, if the opportunity would arise. “I’d like to conquer the Canadian industry, work a bit more here, and then eventually go to the States when I’m ready. I want to make sure I’m ready for that competition. And hopefully be in a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio one day, even if he is playing my dad.”

My Death by Detox

This isn't my actual obituary. I'm still alive and kicking...For reporting class, we had to write our OWN obituaries. I took this assignment with a grain of salt and decided to have fun with it. I hope to see you all at my afterparty tonight!

Natalie Svetlana Ast, 18, a journalism student and aspiring model died yesterday from drinking too much water. Ms. Ast died of water intoxication, at 11 p.m. last night after going on a detox diet.

Despite her young age, Ms. Ast was known in her community as a vibrant personality and an avid dancer and artist. She started ballet lessons at the age of four and grew into a multi-disciplinary dancer studying flamenco, tango and jazz. She was a Rising Star semi-finalist two years in a row and had the opportunity to dance at the Canadian National Exhibition. As an artist, Ms. Ast would paint and draw, influenced by her late grandfather who was a painter. She formed her high school’s art council and two of her original murals hang on the school walls.

She displayed a love of life and volunteered at many charities, such as the Santa Clause Parade and numerous animal charities. She wanted to develop her humanitarian efforts by being part of the Miss Universe Canada pageant. She was a GTA and Central Ontario finalist, and competed in a pageant in late November 2009 amongst 43 other girls.

Throughout her life, Ms. Ast grew up surrounded by animals. She cared for many pets, while also volunteering at shelters and animal hospitals. It was a dream of hers to own an alpaca farm, and her parents are converting their cottage in the Kawarthas into a hobby farm in memory of their daughter.

Ms. Ast loved to travel and experience different cultures, and aspired to become a fashion journalist. She was a first year journalism student at Ryerson University while juggling a modeling career and dance classes.

Ms. Ast’s funeral will take place on Friday Feb. 12, at York Cemetery. Since life was one huge party for her, an after party will take place in her honour at Wetbar on Richmond Street later that evening.