Canada is Golden

Montreal Fashion Minds has to give a BIG shout out to all our Canadian Olympic Athletes!!

At 13 golds, Canada broke the record of gold medals won by a host country at the Winter Olympics. After last nights amazing hockey game, where Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in overtime, beating the United States 3-2 and winning Canada’s 14th gold medal; Canada not only became the first host nation to win men's hockey gold in 30 years, but had subsequently broken the record for the most golds earned by a single country, EVER!! Holla!!

Click here to see highlights of Canada's gold medal moments.

We couldn’t be more proud to be Canadian!!

On a fashion related note.... Montreal's own ALDO Shoes provided some fierce custom-made footwear for the ladies handing out the medals at the award ceremonies. The ALDO boots were specially requested and designed for the Olympics by Vancouver clothing brand Aritzia. SO FAB! Check out the pics below!

Aldo Continues to Fight Aids...

As we've previously mentioned on Montreal Fashion Minds at the beginning of September....to launch its 2009 ALDO Fights AIDS (AFA) campaign, ALDO's amazing designers have created a series of tote bags to benefit YouthAIDS.There are three collectible, limited-run reusable AFA Tote Bags that sell for only $10 each, and 100% of the net proceeds support AIDS education and prevention programs in South Africa. By purchasing these limited edition tote-bags, you can help raise money in support of YouthAIDS and become apart of a global fight against this pandemic.

Just to remind you... The first of the 3 bags, "Getting Lost" was launched on the 1st of September, and is currently available in Aldo stores, as well as online.

This month, the fight against Aids continues, and the latest tote-bag, "In the City" will be available tomorrow, October 1st, at all ALDO, ALDO ACCESSORIES and ALDO Outlet stores, as well as online atwww.aldoshoes.com/afa .

Be sure to check back in November for the final version of this super fab tote collection!

As we always say, Montreal Fashion Minds is a big supporter of fashion for a cause campaigns, and we hope you are too! There's no better feeling then shopping and giving back all at the same time! So please head to your local Aldo store and pick up a bag today!

ALDO Fights AIDS... one fab bag at a time

Listen up all you fabulous do gooders… ALDO has done it once again.

To launch its 2009 ALDO Fights AIDS (AFA) campaign, ALDO’s awesome designers have created a series of tote bags to benefit YouthAIDS. You have a choice of three collectible, super cute, limited-run reusable AFA Tote Bags. For a mere $10 you will help raise money in support of YouthAIDS’ and become a part of a global fight against this pandemic. Oh… and did I mention 100% of the net proceeds support AIDS education and prevention programs in South Africa. How could you resist?


“For every tote bag sold, ALDO and YouthAIDS will be able to provide one young person with the information and tools they need to protect themselves from HIV for up to 1 year,” affirms YouthAIDS Founder Kate Roberts. “This is the fourth consecutive year that we have teamed up with ALDO and we are incredibly proud and grateful for their ongoing commitment to this cause.”

The tote bag designs will be released one at a time over the next three months, so you'll have to be patient… but I’ve seen them… and trust me when I say… they are mos def worth the wait! Even their names are irresitable.

September 1st - “Getting Lost”
October 1st - “In the City”
November 1st - “Jukebox”

“Getting Lost” will be available September 1. It’s super cute for back to school in royal blue, featuring a swirling sketch of people holding hands in the sun. These tote bags will be available at all ALDO, ALDO ACCESSORIES and ALDO Outlet stores, as well as online at www.aldoshoes.com/afa. Check back in October and November for the other two super fab totes!

This isn’t the first, and I’m sure not the last time ALDO has stepped in to make a change. ALDO has generated millions of dollars with their public awareness campaigns and helped educate and protect young lives from infection in more than 60 countries; the influence of the ALDO Fights AIDS campaign has been immense. Since it launched in fall 2005, ALDO has raised over $3.2 million for YouthAIDS, impacting the lives of millions of young people around the world. ALDO hopes to build on this success by continuing to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS as well as raise funds for the fight against this pandemic.

In 2005 ALDO launched the “Hear No Evil? See No Evil? Speak No Evil?" campaign that featured black and white images of stars like Christina Aguilera, Salma Hayek, LL Cool J and many more as they either covered their ears or have their mouth or eyes covered by duct tape, with the intent to get people to stop and notice. The campaign was also supported by empowerment tags, which were a three dog-tag set that, were individually engraved with the words, "Hear," "See" and "Speak." I remember wearing mine… how about you?

In December 2008, for World AIDS Day, they gave life to their limited edition Love for Life bracelets which were inscribed with drawings created by the children of The Rebero Orphanage Center in Rwanda, many who have lost either one or both of their parents in the genocide or to HIV/AIDS.

“At ALDO, we regard ourselves as part of a larger global community. In other words, we believe that it is everyone’s ethical responsibility to get involved and make a difference,” affirms Aldo Bensadoun, Founder and CEO of ALDO. “Since 1985 we have been committed to the fight against AIDS – an initiative that reflects the principles upon which our company was founded: love, integrity, and respect.”

You have to put your hands together and give props when needed, and I applaud big time. It’s not everyday you hear about a company of this enormity doing so much good. It makes you proud to know a Montreal based company (which I also happen to work for), is trying so hard to make a difference and succeeding at it. This is great campaign and I am most confident it will do just as successfully as the others while its rewards go to those that really need it.

Montreal Fashion Minds is a big supporter of Fashion for a cause campaigns. There is no better feeling then buying a cute new item to add to your closet while giving back all at the same time. As if the first part isn't fun enough, knowing that you're actually helping someone in need while you shop just makes the experience that much more meaningful. So go ahead and give, because we have to look out for each other!

Bravo Aldo & YouthAIDS!

Check out the ALDO Fights AIDS site to find out more about the initiative, the story behind this campagin and more about what you can do to help.

YouthAIDS is an education and prevention program of PSI, uses media, pop culture, music, theatre and sports to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and reach 600 million young people in more than 60 countries with life-saving messages, products, services and care. Please visit YouthAIDS website to learn more.

Images courtesy of: Aldo PR Dept, blog.aldoshoes.com, http://www.youthaids.org/