Photo by Max Abadian
Toronto power-chic, meet Los Angeles electro-grunge: Early on the first morning of Toronto Mastercard Fashion Week, Maybelline dispatched a press release announcing that its latest face would be walking for, who else, Pink Tartan. Fashion editors city-wide took up speculating how the 5’7″ punk anti-princess would carry the country’s most ladylike looks. Meanwhile, in Toronto’s East End, we were busy shooting the 19-year-old in the latest spring trend: denim—treated as a multitasking fabric rather than a blue-jean synonym.
And while the international runway circuit where Free’s been living has a way of making ingénues prematurely grown-up, she arrived on-set in her pyjamas, requesting french fries for breakfast. Flying in late the previous night from her native L.A., she had employed her best pre-show beauty routine: “To just sleep until the latest I can sleep.” (And can we blame her?) But once photographer Max Abadian started snapping, the It model emerged: Free transformed into the camera-seducing professional we recognized from the Forever21 ads and P’trique’s #TopChicret viral video. We weren’t surprised—this girl’s on a hot-pink streak. — Julia LeConte
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Charlotte Free is wearing a Comme des Garçons jacket, an Equipment top, Genetic jeans, a Jennifer Fisher ring and Louis Vuitton shoes. For where to buy, see Stylesource. Photography, Max Abadian; hair, Vittorio Masecchia; makeup, Grace Lee, Maybelline New York—Canada; nails, Nicole LeBlanc, Taupe Salon and Spa, all, Plutino Group; fashion editor, Fiona Green.
See all content from the March 2013 issue here!
Editor’s Letter: Miranda Purves on her latest fashion role model
On-Set with Charlotte: Behind-the-scenes of our cover shoot with Charlotte Free
Fashion: Life’s a picnic in concisely pretty new grids
Fashion: Heat up your basics with a hit of South American vibrancy
Fashion: How to wear the short suit for day and night
Style-Setter: Sisters and models Poppy and Cara Delevingne
She’s Got FLARE: DJ Hannah Bronfman
Fashion: All-season dressing
Fashion: Leather jackets
Fashion: How to wear spring’s modern ruffles
Atelier: Welcome to the workshop of milliner Lori-Anne Krausewitz
Emily’s Style Notes: Designer & Icon Diane von Furstenberg
Fashion: The neo-grunge movement, plus Grunge fashion picks to update your spring wardrobe
Fashion: Japanese influence crashes into the fashion scape
Fashion: Get the look of cover star Charlotte Free
Deep Style: In conversation with Spring Breakers director, Harmony Korine
Moment: The best Golden Globes dresses offered surprise final reveals
Beauty: Glam rising: David Bowie-inspired beauty
Beauty: Picks in honour of Kate Middleton
Beauty Decoder: Hannah Johnson tests the bold brow trend
Behind-The-Scenes: Inside FLARE‘s March beauty shoot, Japanic Organic
Beauty: Spring statement lips for every skin tone
Beauty Crush: Twiggy-inspired lashes make a comeback
Beauty Star: Newly minted L’Oréal spokesperson Julianne Moore
Beauty: Do new-age treatments such as acupuncture, reiki and energy-cleansing facials really work?
Fashion: Dolce & Gabbana come to Canada
Fashion: Cover girl, Charlotte Free rocks rule-breaking denim for spring
Feature: New Canadian erotica writer reveals her secret identity
Health: Poop psychology
Scene: New novelist Taiye Selasi invents a whole new language
Scene: Our new food columnist discusses the doughnut
Scene: Why this is the year to visit the world’s biggest city, Tokyo