SUMMER SILKS

I'm wearing my clothing loose and minimal this Summer - a perfect excuse to use up some of the luxurious silk prints I've been hoarding in my collection. Two styles I'll be shipping off to Victoire this morning include the 'Molly' dress, a totally reversible style in 100% silk, and the 'Maggie' tank a semi-sheer silk/cotton blend with a metallic all-over print. I'm slowly building up my Summer uniform.

GOODNIGHT DAY, HELLO LEGGINGS

Beautiful Tara-Lynn of Goodnight, Day looking casual and chic in her Ursa Minor leather leggings. Check out more photos of her eclectic style over at Boots & Pine, Arden Wray's fantastic photographic love letter to Toronto's creative contributors.

MORE STYLES! MORE STYLES!

{Saturn Dress in Slate Green}

I've FINALLY had a chance to take photos of the Saturn Dress, Eshe Top and Victorine Blouse in other colourways with the help of my beautiful friend Yana who agreed to model for me this week. As of today these items will all be uploaded to the shop, both *big cartel* & *etsy*, but quantities are limited and once these styles are gone I will not be making more this season.

Thanks so much to Yana - I couldn't have done it without her. Make sure to check out her insanely cute clothing for kiddies and ladies *here* too - her line Supayana is adorable and so is she.

{Eshe Top in Black}

{Victorine Blouse in Cream}

{Eshe Top in Slate Green}

{Victorine Blouse in Black}

{Saturn Dress in Mauve Smoke}

{Bamboo Jersey Tabard in Black}

And coming soon to the shop, because you asked for it, more diamond clutches with an attached wrist-strap. 

BOUTIQUE UNICORN

Spied on my way to dinner with a friend last night: Ursa Minor 'Saturn' dress in mauve-smoke featured in this lovely window display at Boutique Unicorn. Other styles available at their Montreal shop include the Eshe Top in black, mauve-smoke and slate-green, and the Victorine blouse in both black & grey.

NEW TO THE SHOP

{Eshe Blouse in smoky mauve}

{Saturn Dress in Black}

The Eshe Blouse and Saturn Dress have officially been added to both the *shop* and *etsy*. In addition to being sold online, these styles are now available at Victoire in Ottawa, Robber in Toronto and Unicorn Boutique here in Montreal, with more shops to follow.

The fabric is a 55% Silk / 45% linen blend with a unique ribbed texture which wears beautifully. The Eshe blouse features vintage brass buttons while the Saturn dress is fully lined and has a sheer silk georgette panel at back bodice.

I will also be adding additional colours of these styles next week (just as soon as my model gets home from her trip to NY!) 

Questions? Send me an email!

COMING NEXT WEEK...

New Eshe Blouses and Saturn Dresses will be hitting the online shop next week. Both pieces are made of a gorgeous ribbed silk/linen blend of which I am much enamoured. The fabric has an amazing lightness/crispness/flow. Check back Tuesday for details and, in the meantime, enjoy your (Canadian) Thanksgiving this weekend!

VICTORINE WILL BE OURS

My favourite oxford with a twist, the Victorine Blouse will be available in both online shops starting tomorrow. Pictured here in a soft dove grey (though also available in black and cream), this top is made from a nubbly raw silk - lovely and breathable but naturally warm for the coming winter. Look for it tomorrow in the shop and on etsy....

HOP ON

I contributed some pieces (including leather leggings, skirt and scarves) to stylist Maude Bourcier a number of months ago. She's just unveiled the finished results and I'm loving the dark equestrian vibe.

Photography - Alexandre Hupperertz
Stylist - Maude Bourcier
Makeup - Isabelle Forget
Hair - Stefanie Barrette
Models - Kelly and Allison from Specs Models

ENDOR SKIRT

I've just added the 'Endor' Skirt to both *the shop* and *etsy*. New for Fall, this skirt is a curve-hugging mini made of organic cotton stretch twill, leather & suede. Personally I love this piece as at a glance it's such an easy basic, but deceptively complex on closer inspection. The fact that it has some stretch is nice too. I see myself wearing it a lot this winter with wool tights and just a white tee-shirt and black crew-neck sweater thrown on over top. Edgy, preppy, sexy, comfy - done.

Check it out online for more info. 

All photos by Francesca Tallone, www.patternclash.com

CONTEST WINNER!

Were you wondering who won the contest?

Shake-a, shake-a....

It's Shaya! Congrats and thanks to everyone for all the lovely words, I appreciate them more than you could know.

GOOD NIGHT, DAY

I was super excited when Tara-lynn from Good Night, Day contacted me earlier this summer to ask if she could borrow clothing for her Fall lookbook. For ages I've admired/coveted/lusted after her beautiful & unique hand-knit pieces so it was an honour indeed to be thought of. She just sent a couple sneak peek polaroids from the shoot my way and I'm happy to share them here. I can't wait to see her whole collection.

Gorgeous photography by Luis Mora, modeled by Anna from Elmer Olsens Model Management and featuring luxurious knits by Tara-lynn, all created in Hamilton Ontario (check out her website *here*.) Cora Dress, Vay Dress and leather leggings by Ursa Minor.

Also! Did you know that today is the two year anniversary of this blog?! I know, time flies when you work every second of every day, right? I feel like I should have a little celebration in honour of two years on the interwebs so how about this: CONTEST TIME! Leave a comment letting me know your favourite piece from the *Ursa Minor F/W 2012 collection* + *follow me on Twitter*, if you are not already doing so, and I will enter your name to win a fabulous prize. What fabulous prize, you ask? You get to choose between a diamond clutch of my choosing ~OR~ your own personal 20% discount code for anything in the shop which can be used as many times as you want for a whole year. It's up to you. I will randomly draw a name and announce it next Monday. Good luck!

IT'S A SALE!

Fall 2012 styles should be arriving in the shop in early/mid September which means it's that time - time to clear out old pieces to make room for new. Starting today all remaining styles from S/S 2012 are 40% off with the code: summerlove. This sale is available exclusively in the Online Shop, http://ursaminorstudio.bigcartel.com/, and only on S/S merchandise.

SETTING THE SCENE

I've been working with photographer Francesca Tallone for my past two collections (my only two collections, ha!) after meeting her at a party early into my time in Montreal. Right off the bat she suggested we collaborate on some shoots and, after viewing the ethereal, often ghostly photos on her website, I agreed that we'd be a very good fit. Francesca shoots all in film which seems almost a novelty as our lives become more and more digital. Her photos embrace a comfortable loneliness, private moments captured behind a blur of light and fog enhancing the intimate world of her subject.

Her ambiguous photography helps intensify the dualities I seek to create in my own work - a collection of garments for a multi-faceted woman, one who holds strength & vulnerability, darkness & light, boldness & modesty all in equal esteem.

These are the photos she took of the new Fall collection and I am incredibly pleased with them and how they frame the garments within. Thanks so much, Francesca, and thank you again to Vanessa who was the most perfect model for this project.
 


















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