If there is one thing that comes to mind when you think of The Toronto International Film Festival ®, it is celebrities. As the season has now come to an end and the city of Toronto slowly returns to everyday business, I am left smiling thinking back on this years #TIFF14 experiences with Julio & Catherine. Alas, this season Amanda had to skip with Lyric heading to school but next year I think we should make sure she is in town for all the festivities. Of all the celebrity gifting lounges that take place all over the city, one that we always look forward to is the NKPR It Lounge. Julio’s post has already gone live on FASHIONIGHTS here, but come and see why this year’s #NKPRIT14 Lounge was the most star studded yet in my #DoTheDaniel Behind The Scenes feature.
For those of you who remember, it seems like just yesterday that we were enjoying the #FestivalCountdown evening with our friends at NKPR & The always incredible Natasha Koifman. Before we knew it, the entire team was knee deep in events, booked appearances, interviews, lounges and screenings. I fell in love with the entire process of giving TIFF my all with the team this year and I am sure they feel the same. One of the most incredible lounges you can attend as a guest of TIFF is THE NKPR It Portrait Lounge. Not only does it entail some incredible brands, it also sees essentially every celebrity that comes to town at one point or another walk through the doors.
This year I unfortunately wasn’t able to join Julio & Catherine during their visit (make sure to check out their Twitter & Instagram accounts using the #NKPRIT14 hashtag) but was able to attend later on that day. One of my favourite candid moments of Catherine was captured by Julio in the following photo:
” The IT Lounge has also served as a sanctuary to media looking to recharge and relax during the hustle and bustle of the festival. Guests were prepped by Tweezerman with a brow and lash bar, and preview Brush iQ. Rudsak unveiled their 20th anniversary capsule collection, featuring their always edgy, rebel cool leather pieces. IT Lounge guests got to unwind in the iconic TD Green Chairs and were treated to Barilla Pasta by chiefs from Cibo Wine Bar. Goody showcased their 360-degree hairstyle glamcam. Christian Rex rocked and rolled, displaying their skull and crystal necklaces, bracelets and rings. Vancouver-based wellness company Saje Natural Wellness’ Pocket Pharmacy presented a film festival must-have with a suite of essential oils that calm nerves, relieves pain, boost immunity and more! Manhattan-trained, Yorkville-based cosmetic surgeon Dr. Ashlin Alexander shared details of procedures that make stars red carpet- and camera-ready. Media were the “stars” of a Cronenberg-style shoot in partnership with Photostar. Once the shoot wrapped, guests were treated to bottlegreen, Eat Nakd (see Catherine’s recent feature here), Yogen Fruz, Tequila Tromba, FIJI Water, DAVIDsTEA, Yo Sox and more. Décor dynamo Caspar Haydar from the NK Artist talent division once again transform NKPR headquarters while incorporating elements of the Portrait Studio era of cool theme.”
The experience from start to finish is one that leaves you pampered and prepared for a busy TIFF season. Be you Shemar Moore (see photo below. You’re welcome in advance.) or a lucky Lifestyle blogger like myself, the NKPR It Lounge Portrait Studio proved to be THE place to be throughout the festival season. I was even lucky enough to be attending at 1:11pm when the boyband (insert teenage girl screams here) Eleven Past One (notice the aptly timed performance time) took to an accoustic version of their hit song “The World is Ours” thanks to TD Canada #TDMusic. Those are some talented boys!
From seeing the familiar faces at Rudsak (a staple in the wardrobe of all three of us) to the Photo Star Photo Booth, this “The Era of Cool” themed NKPR It Lounge proved to be my favourite so far. I consider the NKPR team to be dear friends of ours and want to express a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of them for working so hard and making #NKPRIT14 so successful. You all truly set the bar high for what Canadian PR should be and for that we thank you.
For more behind the scenes from our visits and those of your favourite celebrities, make sure to follow the #NKPRIT14 hashtag on Twitter & Instagram.
For the official ” IT Lounge Portrait Studio Gallery on W Magazine, featuring talent including Julianne Moore, David Cronenberg, John Cusack and more click here.”
This year’s IT Lounge Portrait Studio talent included (in alphabetical order):
Alex Russell, Abigail Spencer, Adam Driver, Aislinn Paul, Alba Rohrwacher, Allen Maldonado, Amanda Brugel, Ana Golja, Andrew MacWilliam, Andrew Scott, Anna Hopkins, Anthony Mackie, Arnold Oceng, Ben Lewis, Ben Schnitzer, Ben Schwartz, Benny Safdie, Bill Nighy, Bill Pohlad, Blake McGrath, Bobby Cannavale, Brendan Canning, Britt Marling, Caleb Landry Jones, Catherine Keener, Catherine St-Laurent, Chris Bukowski, Chris Evans, Christian Lloyd, Clara Pasika, Corey Stoll, Craig Arnold, Cristine Prosperi, Damien Chazelle, David Cronenberg, David Harbour, David Livingstone, David Oelhoffen, Dax Sheppard, Dean And Dan Caten, Denise Boutte Dorothy Atkinson, Douglas Booth, Drew Scott, Dwayne DeRosario, Eddie Redmayne, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Hampshire, Emmanuel Jal, Evan Bird, Felicity Jones, Gabrielle Miller, Gemma Arteron, Genesis Rodriguez, George Stroumboulopoulos, Georgina Reilly, Ger Duany, Gerard Johnson, Graham Bunn, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Hailee Steinfeld, Hal Hartley, Haley Joel Osment, Hera Hilmar, Hayden Christensen, Holliday Grainger, Holly Hunter, Isabel Coixet, J.K. Simmons, Jack O’Connell, Jake Abel, James Marsh, Jamie Thomas King, Jane Levy, Scott Haze, Jaclyn Genovese, Jason Burnett, Jena Malone, Jennifer Botterill, Jesse Labelle, Jessica Holmes, Jessica Mitchell, Jessica Tyler, Jill Godin, John Cusack, Jonathan Blake, Jonathan Keltz, Jonathan Scott, Josh Charles, Josh Lawson, Josh Safdie, Julia Sarah Stone, Julianne Moore, Justin Long, Justin Peroff, Kandle, Kardinal Offishall, Kreesha Turner, Kuoth Wiel, Lara Jean Chorostecki, Laura Dern, Lauren Collins, Lauren Holly, Liam Aiken, Lone Scherfig, Luke Hemsworth, Lynn Shelton, Lyriq Bent, Madeleine Stowe, Maika Monroe, Marion Bailey, Mark O’Brien, Marton Csokas, Matthew Myers, Max Irons, Melanie Scrofano, Melinda Shankar, Melissa Benoist, Melissa Leo, Michael Kostka, Miles Teller, Mishael Morgan, Monika Schnarre, Muna Otaru, Murray Lightburn, Natalia Yanchak, Natalie Brown, Nathaniel Motte, Neverest, Nick Kroll, Nikki Yanofsky, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Olivia Crocicchia, Olivia Williams Pascale Ferran, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Dano, Paul Haggis, Peter Ferdinando, Peter Mooney, Peyton Kennedy, Rachel Skartsen, Rezzi, Robert Graham, Robert Pattinson, Ruba Nadda, Sam Claflin, Sam Rockwell, Sarah Gadon, Scott Speedman, Sebell, Shannon Kook, Shawn Hook, Shemar Moore, Sian James, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sonja Bennett, Stacey Kay, Steven Morana, Susanne Bier, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Teresa Palmer, Tessa Virtue, Theo Thams, Thor Kristjansson, Timothy Spall, Tonya Williams, Viggo Mortensen, Wooden Sky, Xavier Dolan, Zack Kalter, Zhang Yimou.
Photos: NKPR, Caitlin Cronenberg, W Magazine & Photo Star
Cheers!