Audiences first discovered Lauren Lee Smith when she was cast as a series regular on the hit Showtime drama series The L Word, which was filmed in her hometown of Vancouver. Her work received much praise and attention when she played an outgoing and very sexual woman in the independent award-winning film directed by Clement Virgo, Lie With Me, in which she had the leading role.

Things have yet to slow down as Lauren Lee Smith is quickly establishing herself as one of Hollywood’s newest rising stars. In 2009, Smith worked aside Laurence Fishburne as ‘CSI Riley Adams’ on Season 9 of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. 2009 also saw Smith at Sundance appearing in Sandra Nettlebeck’s Helen starring Ashley Judd – for which Smith won a Leo Award. To stir things up a little, the end of 2009 had Smith spending three months in Germany filming Philip Kadelbeck’s epic period piece, Hindenburg.

In 2010, Smith started the year filming Terry Miles’ independent feature, A Night for Dying Tigers, reuniting her with L Word co-star Jennifer Beals and co-starring with fellow Canadians Gil Bellows and Kathleen Robertson as well as Tygh Runyan. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Smith also starred in the first season of Ken Finkleman’s comedy series Good Dog, which premiered on HBO Canada in spring 2011. She spent the following year living in Toronto while working on season three of The Listener for CTV and Fox International Channels.

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Born in Italy and educated all over Europe and South America, Ines Di Santo has been designing gowns since the age of fifteen and is recognized as a leading designer of evening and bridal couture.

She is best known for her work with bridal design but her love of glamour and high fashion prompted her to extend her reach into the evening wear market. Her collection is sold at luxury retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, as well as at high-end boutiques around the world.

Despite leading an ever-expanding, international business, Ines personally overseas the production of every gown, ensuring the highest standard of quality. Gowns are manufactured in Canada, at her atelier in Toronto.

The Second Generation: VERONICA DI SANTO

Veronica Di Santo has been working with her mother, Ines Di Santo, since the age of five. Growing up in the atelier and coming to oversee all aspects of creating a gown – from inception to construction – Veronica has naturally developed her own stream of silhouettes, adding a contemporary freshness to her mother’s luxe classics.

Much of Veronica’s passion is traveling the globe to trunk shows and special events, experiencing the latest in the world of bridal couture. With an intrinsic eye for relaxed, youthful elegance, Veronica Di Santo has established her own atelier just north of the city, in Woodbridge, featuring among select lines, a wide array of Ines Di Santo bridal and evening gowns.

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In 2012, The Heart Truth® marks a decade of commitment to women's heart health. Starting with February's American Heart Month and throughout the year, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reaffirms its commitment to increasing awareness about heart disease among women and helping women take steps to reduce their own personal risk of developing heart disease.

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Photography by Jason Hargrove

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