Live artwork, a colourful dress code and a bounty of beauty painted the perfect picture to celebrate the launch of the ‘FASHION’ Summer 2024 issue and the start of Pride month.
Sorry Ben Stiller but a night at the museum has nothing on an evening at an art gallery, especially when FASHION is involved.
To celebrate the start of Pride month and the Summer 2024 issue starring Paris Hilton, FASHION hosted its third annual Cake Mix party on June 1 at the Peter Triantos Art Gallery. In support of The 519 — a non-profit organization based in Toronto that supports the 2SLGBTQ+ community — the event brought together hundreds of the city’s most fabulous allies to toast the town, check out award-winning beauty products and enjoy some delectable delights. And as per usual, all of the stylish attendees could be considered fine works of art themselves.
The dress code of the evening was “Monochrome Fantasy or Bougie Colour Blocking” (that’s fashion speak for wearing one colour head to toe or pairing unconventional colours together), and there were no blank canvases here. Sky blue, bright red and neon green were some of the most popular palettes, with many even matching their eyeshadows to their ensembles. Or in Myles Sexton’s case, their headpiece. The style expert, podcaster and AIDS advocate wore a beautiful butterfly headband they made themselves and a Jean Paul Gaultier dress, and might just be our pick for best dressed guest of the night.
When they weren’t slaying the red, er, tie dyed carpet, Sexton was hosting the Beauty Awards Pop-Up. Designed by interior designer firm Nivek Remas, the dreamy space brought the epic collaboration between Chatelaine, Châtelaine, FASHION and HELLO! Canada to life. The result was an immersive cloudscape (with literal clouds on the ceiling) that allowed guests to interact with award-winning products by Shark®, Clairol, Jean Paul Gaultier, OPI, VASANTI and more.
Just a brush stroke away was the Shark® Dream House hosted by Viktor Peters as Veruschka. When she wasn’t doing her own impression of Marilyn Monroe using the Shark® FlexBreeze fan (#slay), the drag and makeup superstar introduced guests to the brand’s hair tools, air purifiers and vacuums. Plus, the first 200 guests could scan a QR code and receive the product of their choice!
And if you thought that was it for entertainment at the FASHION Cake Mix 2024 party, think again. The artist himself, Peter Triantos, worked on a live painting to be auctioned off for The 519. Fashion Art Toronto’s Vanja Vasic curated a Canadian designer exhibit including Suburban Deviant, Mayer, Tristan Réhel, Ali Haider, Zedes, Nova Chiu, and OAMA. And New York royalty DJ Lina Bradford slayed the house down, not just for her outfit (which, of course was beyond gorg) but for getting the real party started with a soundtrack that moved everyone onto the dance floor.
Add in some on-theme drinks from World Class Canada like the Peach Paloma which was inspired by Pantone’s colour of the year (Peach Fuzz) and a much-needed sugar rush from Fiorella Bakeshop, and the FASHION Cake Mix 2024 party was an artistic masterpiece, indeed.
See the gallery below where we’ve rounded up all the most memorable looks from FASHION Cake Mix 2024 and other highlights of the night.
Special thanks to the following:
The 519, Absolut Berry Vodkarita, Belif, Blue Lizard, Candy Can, Cereal Box Cafe, Clairol, DJ Lina Bradford, Fashion Art Toronto, Fiorella Bakeshop, Flexitol, Flow, Jean Paul Gaultier, Nivek Remas, OPI, Panoxyl, Peter Triantos Art Gallery, Real Techniques, Roots, Shark®, Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc, VASANTI, World Class Canada