Pants, Slacks and Trousers - Atelier Gardeur Collection

THE BLOG: So. Let's talk about pants, slacks and trousers!

PK: Well let's keep it simple and just say pants, to cover them all, but I want talk about a particular brand - Atelier Gardeur.

THE BLOG: Why Gardeur?

PK: The first thing about Gardeur is the attention to detail and quality throughout the whole collection. Gardeur doesn't use middle-men to support their clothing line, Gardeur oversees the whole operation and controls the process from start to finish. And if you were going to ask... these pants are excellent for your posterior!

THE BLOG: What do you think works best with their new collection of pants?

PK: Great Question! If you're wearing a showy top then keep your pants simple. Take a look at this silhouette for example- Atelier Gardeur shifted the side seams forward. This visually extends the leg, thereby making for a slimmer silhouette.

THE BLOG: Ooo! Are there any new design secrets?

PK: If you want me to say "butt lift", I won't. But special attention to these two secret areas create a great look for your rear.

1st. Paying special attention to the position of the back pockets.

2nd. The Rise seem in the back is key to ensuring a great shape.

You didn't hear that from us though!

THE BLOG: So, what's the latest in store?

PK: We have new fabrics that make a huge difference. Hybrid fabrics - that offer an interplay of leather details mixed with a combination of different yarns, gauges and high performance and stretch properties.

THE BLOG: Really?!

PK: Yes really! Come by and try on some Atelier Gardeur pants and you will understand. In the end, Gardeur is great to wear all day, they fit well, look incredible, and you feel great too. The best thing too is that you won't be able to find this quality for such a great price other then at Petra Karthaus! You will love Gardeur!

25 YEARS PETRA KARTHAUS FASHION ANNIVERSARY

PK - Once Upon a Time

The Blog:  WHAT EXACTLY DOES HERITAGE MEAN?

PK: Heritage is not nostalgia - a bittersweet longing for the past - authentic heritage is something you can see, feel, and sense in a product.

The Blog:  WHAT ABOUT "NOW"?

PK: The fashion product has to be relevant to "now", of course. But heritage is built upon many years, sometimes a generation, of tradition and values, built upon experience, passion, and know - how.

The Blog:  WHAT ABOUT DESIGN AND HERITAGE?

PK: Sure, in design start from something, don't invent, but go back through the brand history and try to build up an idea for the new collection.

The Blog:  25 YEARS OF FASHION BUYING IN EUROPE. ADVICE?

PK: Well, it's not about what looks "now" or what looks like "heritage". You have to look at what's commercial, what works for the customer. So, when I'm in Paris or wherever, I often think about the customer - including the customer still to meet. And that's why we put together these images from the past 25 years for the blog - I hope they like it!

The Blog:  AND THE HORSE?

PK: The merry - go - round horse has been in the store from day 1. Children walk by and so the horse is really for them. A 3 year old girl pulled her father in last December. She was so thrilled to get on that horse! He's a little precious so the father had to hold her in the saddle

Once Upon a Time.....Harry and Petra had a great idea, and thus began Petra Karthaus Toronto...

1989 - 2000....

...turned into 2001 - 2014...

....the present!

PK Power Dressing!

When Patricia Sorbara, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations for Kathleen Wynne, entered the office this week looking smart in her yellow Schneiders jacket, there were quite a few people who took notice;  the first one was our Premier, who prompted this picture in her office!

Hat Trick

The different rules for women developed in the heady days when everyone wore hats. The hats worn by women were an integral part of their outfits and were never removed. Would you ever take off your dress in public? Women would be naked without their hats.

In any case removal of one’s best hat would be impracticable in most circumstances as the hat may have been fastened to the hair severely by a series of hat pins. This was certainly the case in Victorian and Edwardian times.

But how about nowadays?

- Women's hats are fashion accessories, therefore, ladies are not required to remove their hats when going indoors.

- Women may wear hats at formal teas, luncheons, and wedding ceremonies or receptions.

- Women do not take fashion hats off during the National Anthem, however they must take off men's style baseball caps, trucker hats, etc.

- Women are allowed to take off their hats, if they wish, in any of these circumstances, but again, they are not required to.

Special Rules

Theaters: At a theater, women should remove large hats. It is common courtesy to remove hats when they might block another patron's view.

Work: Women should remove their hats when at work in an office.

Church: Women are not required to remove large hats in churches.

Petra Karthaus has a whole new collection of summer hats directly from Europe waiting at the store for you!

Pin It Down to Perfection!

You know what Antoine de Saint-Exupéry says: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

We know Monsieur Saint-Exupéry wasn't talking about clothes (and certainly not that perfection is good), but we find this a perfect way to explain the importance of a good fit!

Recently, the Duchess of Cambridge was featured in a quite interesting article in The Telegraph. The Secret of the Duchess' elegantly tailored style? Alterations!

Sometimes even the most quintessential piece isn't perfect enough; everyone is built differently and not even the exquisite Duchess can wear anything off a hanger. An outfit can change from good to extraordinary with just a few pins in the right place, and this is why we pride ourselves in working with the best dressmakers in the city just so we're sure that our clients always have the most elegant and perfect fit.

It's a wrap!

Actually, it's a scarf! Lots of them!

What better to compliment any look than a beautiful scarf? At Petra Karthaus we have a great variety, from beautiful silk designs from Italy to chic prints from Austria, Germany and France, we're sure to have the perfect one for your outfit.

DID YOU KNOW?

One of the first origins of the scarf is in Ancient Rome, where it was used to keep clean rather than warm. It was called the sudarium, which translates from Latin to English as "sweat cloth", and was used to wipe the sweat from the neck and face in hot weather. They were originally worn by men around their neck or tied to their belt.
Soon women started using the scarves, which were made of cloth and not made of wool, pashmina, or silk, and ever since the scarf has been fashionable among women. And, by the middle of the 20th century scarves became one of the most essential and versatile clothing accessories for both men and women.

Happy Wool Week!

 At Petra Karthaus we have, from the alluring and unique boiled wool Geiger jackets, to the colourful and vibrant wool tops from Aldo Martins, and the chic designs from Garella and Bogner. Whichever you choose, you are sure to look elegant and make a smart decision!

WHY WOOL?

NATURAL: Wool is a protein fibre formed in the skin of sheep, and is thus one hundred percent natural, not man-made. Since the Stone Age, it has been appreciated as one of the most effective forms of all-weather protection known to man, and science has yet to produce a fibre which matches its unique properties.

RENEWABLE: As long as there is grass to graze on, every year sheep will produce a new fleece; making wool a renewable fibre source. Woolgrowers actively work to safeguard the environment and improve efficiency, endeavouring to make the wool industry sustainable for future generations.

BIODEGRADABLE: At the end of its useful life, wool can be returned to the soil, where it decomposes, releasing valuable nutrients into the ground. When a natural wool fibre is disposed of in soil, it takes a very short time to break down, whereas most synthetics are extremely slow to degrade.

Falling For It!

The weather is getting cooler, and our inspiration for this week's look is in the colours of the beautiful falling leaves.

This silk Caroline Biss tunic is perfect for this season: the tones of orange, brown and yellow will make you look dashing!

The Cool Chic Aftermath

The evening was full of fun, cool jazz music, delicious food and drinks and lots of fashion.

Clients and the Petra Karthaus team gathered together for a night to remember.

While trying on our new collection, clients enjoyed the lovely party atmosphere.

We thank everybody who had the chance to attend and hope to see those who couldn't the next time around.

Autumn Daybreak

Come journey with us through our AW13 collections.

Awash with luxurious fabrics, elaborate embroidery, colourful prints and intricate embellishment for timeless style, our new collections from Bogner, Caroline Biss, Garella, Gardeur, Gloriette, Devernois and Aldo Martins are waiting for you.