Keith Cole is an Artist, Performer, and Madonna-loving bon-vivant. He’ll be performing in Three Bad Words until August 13th in Toronto. Don’t worry: all the information about when and where is below! For now, let’s take the chance to know Mr.Cole just a little bit better, shall we?

JUST THE FACTS

I’m a: Pieces.
I’m: 46 years old.
I was born: Thunder Bay, Ontario.
I’m an: Artist.
My fave colour: Royal Blue.
Passion: Art and Artists.
Fantasy entourage: David Bowie / Madonna / Leigh Bowery.
Turn-ons: feet, asses, legs, forearms, kissing.
Irresistible in a mate: humour and an open mind.
Phrase I most overuse: “Enough already.”
Most people would be surprised to know I: quit smoking!
Fictional best friend: John Waters.
Talent I wish I had: Singing.
When I order a cocktail I ask for: cranberry vodka (very simple).

GUILTY PLEASURES

TV: TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies.
Song: “Lucky Star” by Madonna.
Greatest extravagance: doing an MFA at OCAD U (current).

WEAR APPARENT

Jeans: Levi’s.
Footwear: Blundstone.
Watch: Timex.
Casual: Ben Sherman.
Formal: Vintage.
Perfume / Cologne: JLO Glow – Jennifer Lopez.

BEAUTY DUTY

Shampoo: Down Under Natural.
Face wash: water – just water.
Moisturizer: Down Under Natural.
Body Lotion: Down Under Natural.
Indulgence: 4 times a year pedicure at Holt [Renfrew]’s.
GOTTA GETTA GADGET

Gadgets: New Turntable / New Speakers / New Needle.
On my music player now:  The Hidden Cameras – “Origin: Orphan.”

CULTURE VULTURE

Last book read: Social Acupuncture by Darren O’Donnell.
Last movie seen: Interiors (Woody Allen).
Last concert: Hugh Jackman.
Last play: The Situationists by Sky Gilbert.

OBSESSIONS

Current obsession: 27 year-old Latin boy.
Past obsession: 25 year-old American boy.
Future obsession: A man my own age.

CRYSTAL BALL

The next big thing will be: Anything North – above the tree line.

AND FINALLY …

Words of wisdom: Get out of town as often as you can.

You can catch Keith in Three Bad Words : an investigation into the cross-dressing rapist / murderer Colonel Russell Williams until August 13^th, 2011. Showtimes: Wednesdays – Saturdays 12:00 PM – 5:00 pm. The show is on at Paul Petro Contemporary Art – 980 Queen Street West – www.paulpetro.com / 416-979-7874.

FGI Toronto Chapter - Fashion/Next presented by Rowenta

With LG Fashion Week starting in the less than a week, October 18-23, Toronto will be a buzz with stylish excitement. For those of you who can’t wait and aren’t on the list for the pre LG Fashion Week shows like: Evan Biddell, Philip Sparks and Greta Constantine don’t despair Fashion Group International Toronto’s Chapter comes to the rescue. On Tuesday, October 12th at 6 p.m. at Toronto’s Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West presents a Fashion/Next presented by Rowenta. This panel will comprise some of Toronto’s leading industry insiders. Fashion/Next is for students, industry insiders and anyone who loves fashion and to find out what could be going down the runways of the world including at LG Fashion Week.

The panelists will include:

Host: Sarah Taylor, MuchMusic
The Visionary | Fashion Designer: Marika Brose, BROSE
The Powerhouse | The Retailer: Natalie Lecomte, Holt Renfrew
The Influencer | Media: Liv Judd, LOULOU Magazine
The Tastemaker | Stylist: Rita Leifhebber, Designer / Stylist / Fashion Editor
The Strategist | Marketer: Karen Cleveland, FASHION / Toronto Life

TICKETS:
$10 Students
$15 FGI Members
$25 Industry

To purchase tickets for this event click here!

Hurry and grab your tickets soon. These go faster than front row seats at LG Fashion Week!!

After the rumours, whispering and gossips had their way LG Fashion Week (http://www.lgfashionweek.ca) finally illuminated the runway in their new home the Allstream Centre on the CNE Grounds. Wearing John Galliano (after a muchly debated post of what I should wear on Facebook) I clicked into the Allstream Centre ready synical as all hell. Like many of the fashion press, my patience with the FDCC  was wearing thin overthe constantly changing locations. If you haven’t heard here is the list, yes you read that right list, of attempted locations: the Travelodge demolition site at King/Bathurst, Liberty Village, the former location of the Chrysler dealership on King West and now the Allstream Centre.  Robin Kay, President of the FDCC, once justified the constant change of locations as being “fashion nomads”.  However I question if the word “nomand” is covering up for other shortcomings which are not being made public?

The opening night itself was pretty much  standard with usual fashion pack in attendance: Suzanne Boyd from Zoomer Magazine, David Livingstone Fashion Journalist extraordinaire, Andrew Sardine from NOW, the fabulous Bernadette Mora Acting Editor-in-Chief of Fashion Magazine,  Jeanne Beker  designers: Farley Chatto, Marty Rotman (of North Bound Leather) and Joesph Mimran (of Joe Fresh) .The returning sponsors Shick, L’Oreal, Rowentta, Woolite and Holt Renfrew all had respected booths and such. However the feature of the night was the IZMA collection from Izzy Camilleri and Adrian Mainella. Camilleri and Mainella (who you may remember as former host of Fashion File) collborated on the line of furs under IZMA.

As the lights went up the collection has Izzy signature all over it with very little of Mainella’s style blended in. Camilleri over the years as developed a style for sleek, elegant and drool inducing women’s clothes which are, no word of a lie, traffic stopping. However, I was straining to see where Mainella’s, who is now billing himself as an Image Consultant, influence was. Though there were some menswear, it was token and as I found not very practical. For women’s clothes this collection had some awesome pieces and if you can sift through some of the mesh pieces for Fall 10, it would be worth it.

Here are some pictures from opening night:

The Shick Razor Girls at LG Fashion Week

FDCC President, Robin Kay Opening Night of LG Fashion Week

Designer Farley Chatto at Opening Night

My seat at the IZMA Show

So imagine being surrounded by $800 Jimmy Choo (http://www.jimmychoo.com) shoes, giggling preteen girls, gaggles of gay men and adoring women. The one thing they all have in common is they are primping and touching up for an audience with Miss J. Alexander from America’s Next Top Model. That’s exactly what happened to at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 14th at Holt Renfrew(http://www.holtrenfrew.com). iMaxFashion was there exclusively for GayGuideToronto.com. Two men and four women including the Host of Breakfast Television, ET Canada’s host, our own Sofonda Cox plus Hello! Canada’s Ciara Hunt (usually wears Alexander McQueen but didn’t for the walk off) all took to the runway. Though the competition was tough and Canadian model king Elmer Olsenwas a judge, the winner hands down was Ciara Hunt who strutted to much to audience cheers and Miss J.’s astonishment took the crown and sash clicking in Manolos. Hunt stated she did it for her two daughters. After the merriment died down Miss J. got 10 of the audience for a walk off which proved to be more cut-throat than an actually episode of ANTM! Miss J. took it in stride and did not have a bad word for anyone.

Miss J. Alexander

Sofanda on the Runway At Holt's Celebrity Walk Off...

Hello! Canada's Ciara Hunt - Queen of the Holt's Catwalk!!!

Me With Miss J. Alexander. Two fabulous dark-skinned gay men!!

Holt Renfrew (http://www.holtrenfrew.com), Canada’s leading specialty retailer, will welcome runway coach extraordinaire, Miss J. Alexander to Bloor Street this Saturday, March 13 for a celebrity “walk-off” event and book signing. The famed television personality will guide brave celebrity contestants, beginning at 2:00 p.m., as they “strut their stuff” on the custom-made runway in women’s shoes. Following the catwalk extravaganza J. will sign copies of his recently published book, Follow the Model, Alexander’s guide to “unleashing presence, poise and power.”

Miss J. Alexander’s appearance will help Holt Renfrew kick off Wholelottaholts – a week of designer personal appearance and events that celebrate fun and fashion at Holt Renfrew stores across the country.

WHO: Miss J. Alexander

WHAT: Celebrity “walk-off” and book signing

WHERE:Holt Renfrew Bloor Street. Saturday, March 13, 2010. Mezzanine level

WHEN: Celebrity walk-off begins at 2:00p.m.

Miss J. Alexander

Make room for the Italian invasion! DSquared duo Dean and Dan Caten will be back in Canada. However they will not be gracing Toronto with their fabulousness. The two who were born in Canada and made it big in Italy have been fixtures in the Canadian and Toronto scene since the mid-80. To give you an idea I used to party with both Dean and Dan at 80s gay bar extravaganza Komrads and attended their very first fashion show at the Diamond club right after their first appearance on Fashion Television.

Though Dean and Dan will be holding an exclusive meet and greet at Holt Renfrew’s Vancouver store signing their new limited-edition sweatshirt. You can almost be part of the action by grabbing one of their sweatshirts before they are all gone here in Toronto. The shirt features a large red maple leaf and for all you label queens has a large DSquared name which will spread across your chest. But hurry, like the designer’s visit to Canada these shirts will be around for a short time only ($350).

Shopping Tip!

Holt Renfrew attacks Toronto’s King Street West with a flood of their signature pink bags as the Fashion House condo showroom, located at 560 King Street W., becomes the surprise “pop-up” location for Holt Renfrew (http://www.holtrenfrew.com).

“The newness and fleeting nature of the pop-up shop is exciting to us as a way to reach out to a new neighbourhood and a new customer,” says Barbara Atkin, Vice President of Fashion Direction at Holt Renfrew.

The “pop-up shop will run from Wednesday, December 2nd to Sunday, December 6th for those of you too hip for Bloor.

The hours are:

Wednesday, December 2               11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 3                    2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday, December 4                       12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 5                  11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 6                     12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.