Listen! Austra

I first saw Katie Stelmanis open for one of my favourite artists, Tuneyards about a year ago at Il Mortore in Montreal. I remember her really standing out as an opener and I definitely followed up and listened to some of her tracks after the show. Now, a year later, my friend Tanya invited me to go see a band called Austra play at Il Motore. Turns out Austra is Katie Stelmanis' new band, and they seem to be getting all kinds of buzz lately. I opened up my new issue of Nylon Magazine, and none other than Austra has a big page feature, and they even managed to make it on Vogue's summer playlist...not too shabby for a trio from Toronto (represent!). I have to say I was completely exhausted when I got to the show,and the band went on pretty late. But as soon as they started, I was completely mesmerized by their performance. Stelmanis' vocals were flawless and the whole show had this sort of dark trance-like hold over the audience. I got the album right after and have been listening non-stop since.

Because one blog just isn't enough...

image - Melanie Cheung (me!) "Disarray"


I mentioned on here that I'm a fashion designer, but I also have drawn and painted for my whole life, and am now taking it a little more seriously. I currently have one of my paintings up for sale in my hometown, Toronto at The Elaine Fleck Gallery, and am planning on painting a lot more this summer. What better way to document my artistic endeavors than a blog solely devoted to my art and illustration? I will focus mostly on painting, fashion illustration and portraiture on this blog, but I'll also throw in any inspiring images and videos that i stumble upon. This blog is very much inspired by Danny Roberts (of Igor + Andre), who is one of my favourite fashion illustrators. Don't get me wrong, mode.mange.musique is still my first born child named inspiration, which i will continue to update on a very regular basis, but it was time for mmm to get a lovely little sister. If you like what you see, please become a follower there as well! So here she is, introducing:


sign of the seahorse



why the name? read here

Frilly Little Shorts

(Photo - Chictopia)

Free People

(photo: ly.st)

Lace Trimmed Lingerie shorts by Lover available at: Netaporter

From Crochet, to Lace trimmed...I'm obsessed with pretty delicate looking shorts for summer. I want them all!
Also here's a  gorgeous video by Lover:

A Dance For One. from LOVER® on Vimeo.

Inspired by: Barbara Cole Photography

(All Photos - Barbara Cole)

All Choked Up

 {photo - 5 inch and up}

 {photo - StylebyKling}

 {photo - Katrina's mode}

Elin Kling x H&M

{Photo -  a fashion affair-}

I remember when I was about six, my mum made me a little black velvet choker with a cameo button at the front that fastened together with velcro. I would wear it with my favourite floral dress and definitely thought i was on the cutting edge of fashion. Nine years later and my old look sounds pretty current again....Chokers are back in a big way, but this time they are more sleek, modern and industrial looking than my velvet number (although i definitely would still sport it if i had it). Elin Kling recently offered her signature look metal choker as part of her Elin Kling x H&M line this past year  - unfortunately the line wasn't out in Canada :( . Elin and Style bloggers alike have been getting all choked up lately.

Listen! Generationals

So many good tracks on the album "Trust" by Generationals.
Check out more here.
and play the video below for the title track, a perfect summer song!
( I also highly recommend the song "Faces in the Dark")

Danny Roberts Illustrations

I've been obsessing over Danny Roberts' Illustration style lately. I've been following his blog Igor + Andre for a while now, and i love the honesty in all of his posts. Through his drawings and anecdotes, you can tell that illustrstion and fashion are things that he's truly passionate about, and that the fame and success that have come with it are just side notes and not his reason for starting the blog. I also can't believe the incredible progression of his illustration style since he first started. It shows that hours and hours of practice truly does pay off.


I love this little illustration, especially the song lyric added in (from the song "Look Up" by Stars)




From his series on Love:







His blogger portrait series: can you spot your favourite bloggers?



All images: Igor + Andre

Fresh

Moon River

An absolutely gorgeous cover of one of my alltime favourite songs:


via Danny Roberts' blog - Insidemybrain

Smorgasbord

I haven't been posting much about food lately...that's because I've been too busy eating it. I thought I'd just serve up some random food pictures all at once to make you hungry. Bon Apetit!




Beautiful and delicious little pastries from a patisserie on Bernard St. E. (Sadly I don't remember the name)




Yes this is a dog cake!





On the left a brick hen from Toronto's Parts and Labour - I highly recommend this restaurant if you're ever in TO. On the right, a tea bento from my beloved Red Tea Box (also in Toronto).





I made a salad of lettuce, apples, red endive, brie, blue cheese and pumpkin seeds. Please note - never buy "light brie," it may be 46% less fat, but it is 100% less good. There is a reason they make double cream brie. Also I made a strawberry banana smoothie, and there's a pretty pomegranate (pretty but annoying to eat).




These are some pizzas that I made. I've been experimenting with pizza dough lately, in a quest to make a non-cardboard texture dough. I found that my best attempt so far was when i merged a recipe for naan bread and pizza dough. The quest still continues though, as I haven't perfected it. The first pizza has bocconcini cheese, portobello mushrooms, rosmary and olive oil. The second has mozerella, portobello mushrooms and tomato sauce.

On The Street! Soya Bean

This is my friend Viet AKA Soya Bean. He always looks so effortlessly cool, but one day last week I just had to take a picture of his Wangtastic look.
Wearing:
Back Pack and Shoes: Alexander Wang
Jacket - Viet's own design (oh yeah he's a very talented fashion designer)








Viet is also a fellow blogger, check out his fashion blog The Soya Bean , and his photo blog Lapin Noir.

Once upon a time...

I designed and made a Spring and Fall Collection under my label m a d g e . The Fall Collection was my final graduating collection for University. I've never posted any of my own designs here before, so I thought I'd share them. I'm also ready to put these collections to bed, as some new ones are in the works.

All of the Photos were shot by Melinda Dahl of Dahlhouse Productions
Modeling all of my designs is my lovely friend Paige McGreevy


spring
















fall