Elevations Profiles: Sean Jones - What Good Music is Supposed To Be!

June 3rd, 2015

Those of you who have been following the exciting movements of Elevations recently, obviously have noticed the mysterious young gentleman who keeps photo-bombing all of our pictures! To a number of you, there's nothing mysterious about Sean (with the exception of you growing number of ladies, who keep telling me how they are mystified by his "alluring eyes", "infectious smile", and "silky voice"!).  I gotta tell you, ladies... I just don't see it.  But I will admit... that I hear it!

Sean hates when I do this, but... some of you may remember Sean from Toronto's finest R'n'B group from the 90s into the 2000s, In Essence!  And Sean... just for you, I've added a link below to one of your most infectious tracks from back in the day... I.E.!  Enjoy this throwback, ladies!

  
Sean!  Remember the corn rows!  Wow.  Everyone knows that you can pull any look off!  But, let's admit it... it takes a keen eye from a skilled company like Elevations to find you the right look for the right moment!

The more Sean and I talked about his new sound, and I got a sneak preview of the carefully calculated, yet seemingly effortless sounds of what promises to be a soulful and heartfelt musical experience, I started to imagine what I thought that sound should look and feel like.  I went to work on my pitch for the album art concept.

Sean and I talked about what the music meant to him and his plans for world domination.  I listened.  I learned who the man was, and how he and his team wanted to portray him. Sean and his team saw the vision I was focused on communicating.  Elevations was retained to conceptualize, style, and direct the album art shoot, and that's when the magic started.  I set out to Hugo Boss and began painting the picture. 

We had a lot of fun on that shoot last summer and with the help of renowned photographer Matt Barnes we managed to capture the following great shots which I have FINALLY gotten my hands on for a exclusive Elevations Premier!

The new album, called Waiting For Midnight, was released yesterday, and Sean continues to lay down new tracks in the studio on a regular basis.  Some of you may have caught him on Canada AM yesterday as well, if not, here it is.  He's also currently working with Nordstrom's as they expand into the Canadian market by rocking the grand opening parties!  Heard these parties are turnt up!  Can't wait for the Eaton Centre opening.

As my boy Chase Washington of XpoZae would say... the below is what happens when genius meets opportunity...  Sean and I constantly argue about which one of us is the "genius" in that statement.  Have a look at these amazing pics... you be the judge!

Black tuxedo, tuxedo shirt bow tie courtesy of Hugo Boss | Jewelry courtesy of Mark Lash | Black Rose courtesy of Elevations | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Late for call time!  On set @ Mankind Grooming Studio

Director's Note:  I set the first shot in Mankind Studios because I wanted the story to have a beginning, middle, and end.  I wanted you to see the casual Sean... a man focused on a dream, and is calmly and effortlessly preparing for battle.  I went with a simple low cut v-neck white T, as I know that Sean's physique would be the story for this shot.  This is everyday Sean... the one who writes the music.

 

White v-neck t-shirt, jeans courtesy of Hugo Boss | necklace, bracelets, rings courtesy of Mark Lash | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Double-breasted blazer, shirt, pants, tie, pocket square, lapel pin courtesy of Hugo Boss | photography courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Director's Note:  Sean is taking a moment and you can see in these shots, that he is focused and optimistic as he moves closer and closer to what he is called to do.  For this look, I wanted to show that there is passion in what he does, but there is also a sophisticated, experienced professionalism to his craft that sets him apart from the crowd, but not so far apart that he doesn't know these streets.  I believe we captured this with these shots.

Behind-the-scenes: photograph courtesy of Elevations

Behind-the-scenes: photograph courtesy of Elevations

Director's note:  Sean's team was able to find us a great location that offered some great staging areas to allow you to get deeper into the story. In this series, we see Sean having a peaceful moment.  In his reflectiveness, we've captured a man who is grateful of his journey so far, and most importantly, he's comfortable in his skin.  I went with a lighter suit with a slim cut.  This shade of dusty blue was a great contrast with the ever-ready crisp white shirt.  Sean was about to take us to chuuuch!

Two-button suit, white shirt, pocket square courtesy of Hugo Boss | ring courtesy of Mark Lash | socks and shoes courtesy of Elevations | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Two-button suit, white shirt, pocket square courtesy of Hugo Boss | socks and shoes courtesy of Elevations | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Two-button suit, white shirt, pocket square courtesy of Hugo Boss | ring courtesy of Mark Lash | socks and shoes courtesy of Elevations | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Behind-the-scenes: photograph courtesy of Elevations

Two-button suit, white shirt, pocket square courtesy of Hugo Boss | ring courtesy of Mark Lash | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Two-button suit, white shirt, pocket square courtesy of Hugo Boss | socks and shoes courtesy of Elevations | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Two-button suit, white shirt, pocket square courtesy of Hugo Boss | ring courtesy of Mark Lash | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Midnight blue tuxedo, tuxedo shirt, bow tie courtesy of Hugo Boss | black rose, scarf courtesy of Elevations | jewelry courtesy of Mark Lash | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Director's Note:  Matt came up with some great shots here.  Performance time!  We wanted to show that this is where Sean feels like home.  He commands the stage.  It was about clean lines, class, and respect for the stage as well as the audience.  The look was intended to be a precursor to the sounds you are about to hear... clean, polished, and with purpose.  Elevations' signature black rose brought dimension to the look.

Midnight blue tuxedo, tuxedo shirt, bow tie courtesy of Hugo Boss | black rose courtesy of Elevations | jewelry courtesy of Mark Lash | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Tuxedo shirt, pants, bow tie, shoes courtesy of Hugo Boss | jewelry courtesy of Mark Lash | photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Director's Note:  After the encore:  Sean's rehearsal is done, and that smile says it all...  He's ready.  The look here is weathered, but unencumbered.  He left it all on the stage. 

Behind-the-scenes; photograph courtesy of Elevations

Behind-the-scenes; photograph courtesy of Elevations

Tuxedo shirt, pants, bow tie, shoes courtesy of Hugo Boss; jewelry courtesy of Mark Lash; photograph courtesy of Matt Barnes Photography

Behind-the-scenes:  photograph courtesy of Elevations

Behind-the-scenes:  photograph courtesy of Elevations

Sean entertaining the crew after we wrapped for the day.

Nordstrom is giving it's opening night guests copies of Sean's single.  Nordstrom has always known what's hot!

Special thanks to Hugo Boss for helping me elevate Sean to match the high performance quality of his music.

And as an extra special gift for all of Mr. Jones' new fans... here's that very impressive sound that exudes from this very impressive young artist.  These two particular songs were featured, along with Sean's cameo, on the hit VH-1 TV show, Single Ladies.  Clean...

"One In A Million" - Previously shared with you last summer @ELEVATIONSstyle on twitter.

 

Now that I've spent so much time and energy gassing this guy who clearly doesn't need it... without further adieu... Ladies and Gentleman... allow me to introduce you to one of the near future's brightest new stars in... well, in JUST GOOD MUSIC PERIOD...  Mr... Sean... Jones....

 

FINALLY, now that you are thoroughly impressed, and obviously want to experience this phenomenon in real life, I can help you with your next fix!  Sean will be appearing on a weekly basis at Casa Loma for their Soul in the City series, beginning June 8th!  Me and my team will be there to enjoy the beautiful acoustics of the castle.  We hope to see you there too!  Get@me if you need details.  (*Guys!... Perfect date night for your ladies... I'm just sayin'!  You can thank me later!)

 

Can't make the above June 8th launch?  Check out Sean's performance on Breafast Television around 8:40am on City TV on June 9th and then come see him live on July 6th and every Monday in July!

Most of the pics and vids above are courtesy of seanjones.tv.  Please check it out and if you join his fan club, make sure you get me a t-shirt too!  Sean keeps forgetting to give me mine!

Stay tuned!  Big things are coming from this rising star and Elevations!

Is It Time To Elevate Your Game?...

“You’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression” – Will Rogers

Do you ever have trouble making yourself seen, or heard, or get the impression that you can’t connect the way you’d like with certain people?  We’ve all felt this from time to time… trying to figure out if others just don’t “get” you or if there may be something off-putting about ourselves.  There’s times when we all want to be impactful, whether you’re in the boardroom or at the bar, everyone wants to leave a positive impression.  Before you resort to drastic measures, take a look in the mirror and ask, “could it be something I’m saying or not saying?  Could it be the way I’m saying it or not saying it?  Or… could it be, no… it couldn’t be… how I… look?... Nahhhhh!  Wait… Could it?”

“Image is perception and perception is everything!” – 

Wendy Keller, Secrets of Successful Negotiating for Women

 

There are 3 main factors associated with someone else’s first impression of you:

·         What you say

·         How you say it

·        Visual Presentation

Some of you may be shocked to learn the weighting significance of the 3 factors mentioned above.  The pie chart below illustrates how important your presentation of your personal image impacts someone’s first impression of you.

Wow!  55% of someone’s first impression of you comes down to things like:

·         Did you bother to iron your shirt today?

·         Should your belt match your shoes?

·         Is your shirt tucked in?  Should it be?

·         Do these colours match this season?

·         Do you think anyone will notice that my suit jacket doesn’t EXACTLY match my suit pants?

·         Are these red pumps too much with this skirt?

·         Is this skirt too short for the office?

·         Did I comb my hair today?

And just how long exactly do you have to address any of these nagging questions from the time you’re about to meet someone for the first time to the time that they have completed their analysis of you and have set their first impression?  7 seconds max!

Within 3-7 seconds, a person’s mind judge and jury has completed thousands of computations to determine:

·         Are you someone to approach or to avoid?

·         Are you a friend or foe?

·         Do you have status or authority?

·         Are you trustworthy, competent, likeable, and/or confident?

This is why you should have all of the above questions about your appearance answered confidently before you even leave your home in the morning.  You never know who you’re going to meet on your way into work.

So what happens if you haven’t made the best first impression?  Studies show that it takes around 20 subsequent encounters for someone to revise their first impression of you.  Needless to say, only time and future positive interactions can help change someone’s mind about you.  Visual perception can be reversed much sooner than that, especially with Elevations’ help!

If you struggle with defining your image, or have an idea of what image you’d like to put forward, but don’t know the details or where to find them to complete the “ideal you”, don’t worry.  Elevations is here to help you map out and bridge the gaps between the you of today and the “elevated” you who makes that killer first impression everytime!

We’ll take care of the 55%... We’ll leave the rest to you.

Please contact us @ elevationsinstyle@gmail.com to enquire about our services or book your free consultation today.  When you contact us, please sight the promo code “IMPACTFUL IMAGE” to receive a 30% discount on your first session.

We're also available for corporate presentations to help guide your workforce to that next level!

Contact us for further details on our corporate program.

Elevated Adventures - World MasterCard Fashion Week F/W 2015

As Toronto seems to be locked in a strangle hold with winter, it seems only fitting that this cold spring we got a look at what pieces will be trending after our brief reprieve, called summer. For those of you who don't know, last week was World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto.  Some of Toronto's best designers put their interpretations of our near future on display.  Elevations is very busy, but we found the time to enjoy, celebrate, and support the industry.


Before we get into the fashion events of our wonderful city, let's touch on what the rest of the world is forecasting for F/W 2015!

From the Runways to Your Closet

So you want to know what's trending for fall/winter?  Let's get into it:

1.  Bling is the thing! 

From big earrings to the return of brooches, to necklaces that could extend all the way down to your wrists (see Rita Tesolin's pieces which were featured [and some would say stole the show] in the David Dixon show... See below), this coming F/W season will be illuminated with smaller stones, but bigger statement pieces.

2.  Fur/Faux fur

Yes, you've heard it all before!  Fur returns every winter... but this time, it's back where you wouldn't necessarily expect!  Fur on footware of all shapes and sizes will be big this season!  From fur-flavoured pumps to exaggerated fur accents on winter boots. But not just on your feet, fur cuffs on winter coats will make a triumphant reappearance.

Courtesy of Elle Magazine

3.  A Grey in Shades of 50 or more...

As we do every annual decent into the cooler darker days, we, like nature move away from brilliant colours of summer.  As expected, greys will again invade your wardrobe.  Grey, only outdone by black in it's versatility, is even more silently interesting when you mix and match patterns and shades.

4.  Pull up your pants! 

You've already witnessed the resurgence of the high-waisted shorts in the summer (Dear Summer: Thanks!) and although the pants were around last F/W, this time they'll be more prevalent as more and more women are getting used to the shapely "never-ending" leg lines.

Courtesy of Elle Magazine

5.  Pattern of the Season: Plaid

Long range weather forecasts are calling for a resurgence of plaid this season.  More specifically, that traditional red plaid.  It will re-appear in new and creative variations and give you a fantastic option with the rest of the black pieces you'll be wearing this season.

Meanwhile... in the bustling metropolis in the north... I set out with the usual suspect, Sean Jones, and was fortunate to attend the 20th Anniversary David Dixon show on Tuesday night.  This year, Mr. Dixon was inspired by the great original heroine, Joan of Arc.

His pieces stood militant in the form of leather corsets designed for movement and a flare for the ferocity, juxtaposed with the delicateness of silks, and sheer long-flowing skirts, capes and trains.  Here's a look at the final walk of the show:

A great piece from David Dixon's F/W 2015 collection; accessorized by Rita Tesolin's imagination.
Courtesy of gettyimages

That night, Sean and I ran into some old friends.  Here are some pics of the pre-show and the after-party, where Melanie Durrant performed her funky new hit "By Your Side".

Mr. Jones and an adoring fan!

Myself and the fellow style icon, Amanda Brugel, one of the stars of the hit show, Seed.

Sean Jones, Myself, Amanda Brugel, Tenika Davis formerly of Canada's Next Top Model (as I'm sure you can tell by her haut fyah pose), Amanda's husband, Rachael Ancheril of the hit show Rookie Blue and her husband.

Tenika and Sean

Melanie Durrant's new CD, Anticipation, has got some great tracks, including the bangin' single, By Your Side.

Katie Tsuyuki, 2014 Olympic Snowboarder and Sean

As you can see, Tuesday night was a blast!  We had a great time at the after party at Wahlburgers!  Thursday was a little more laid back.  Hudson's Bay has moved all of it's men's clothes to the 5th floor and hosted an event called Guys' Night Out to spread the word.

 

 We had a few drinks, watched DeMar sit awkwardly while people took pictures around him, then did some shmoozing of our own, reconnecting with some industry favourites.

DeMar DeRozan, looking sharp, posing for the paparazzi.

Sean Jones, Patricia Jaggernauth, and myself.

Party goers getting their best celeb-party pose on!

Sean, Amanda, Myself, and Reena

That's it for World MasterCard Fashion Week!  Here's Sean and Chris, signing off!  Now it's time for some chicken & waffles!  Pleezebelieveit!

Style Makeover - Before & After! (Episode 2)

Featured Elevated Client - Ethan W.

Meet Ethan.

A jack of all trades on a journey to pack as much life into his moment on this tiny blue speck as possible.  This wanderer has always been a bit of a conundrum.  He'll admit it.  He walks to the beat of a different drum, and I've always respected him for it.  Ethan was always aware of the lanes that he was supposed to travel in, but like me, he never cared much for keeping to the status quo.

However, there came a time when Ethan wanted to explore who he was image-wise. Just who did he want the man in the mirror to look like?  Elevations just seemed like a great jumping off point for him.  He knew he had the confidence to be anything, so with the help of Elevations, he explored several looks, all of which he pulled off gracefully.  That is, until the day we found a look that a man could stand on.

Elevations taught Ethan that sometimes, a name is just that...a name.  Brand names are not the secret to developing your style.  Style is born out of creativity.  Looking at the frame that you have to work with and picking combinations of looks that all work for you without having to rely on flashy logos or monograms or big price tags to let people know that you've arrived.  Ethan loves the way the guy in the mirror looks (and so do his friends) and loves getting up in the morning and raiding his closet.  He has the look down, he knows that that's the 55%.  One less thing to worry about when he wows the world with the other 45%.  He's a downtown guy, who now has a downtown look.

See for yourself...Check out Ethan before...

And now, meet the Elevated Ethan...

Elevations Style Review: Join The Rebellion!

Hello Fashion Fanatics,

If you're anything like us here at Elevations, you know the importance of staying in the mainstream lane of current trends, but also understand that true style comes from experimentation and the fusion of what the market tells you is hot and your own individual personality.  This is how you make fashion distinctly your own.

If you know this, you also know that fashion and style does not descend from the houses of the fashion gods, but originates on the streets and gravitates upwards until those same houses adopt them and transcend them for presentation to the world.  This is why I wanted to bring your attention to a home-grown jewelry company that has caught my eye.

Born Rebellion has redesigned a classic piece of jewelry that has had great popularity throughout the years, the identity bracelet, most recently trending in the 80s.  The designers at Born Rebellion, have modernized the look.  This is not the bracelet for your little neice or nephew.  This is a chunky, bold, game changer that is a true "Rebel" compared to it's previous contemporaries.  Although, this piece is big and at home with that casual urban look, it still has the class to be dressed up, and looks good under any man's suit, or on any girl's wrist coupled with her boyfriend-styled watch.

With 3 colour options (silver, gold, and black), with two additional variations to those colours (matte or shiny finish), there is a bracelet style for everyone.  Beautiful in its simplicity, this throwback piece is a welcome addition to anyone who is looking to add a little edge to their wrist game.

I got mine!  Here's a couple shots to show you what I'm dealing with.  Check out their collection and pick the right one for you.  Don't be afraid to break the mold, fashion fanatics!  You can always rage against the machine, just remember to do it in style!

Love the packaging!

The Original "Rebel" Bracelet Black Colour Shiny Finish

Love the size and weight

Secure lock clasp to ensure that item won't easily drop off your wrist if it opens.

All black errrythang!

What's that?  You want to see how the gold looks for her?  OK!