At this point in The Find’s coverage, it should come as no surprise that spring is a season of colour, and we recommend embracing it despite the somewhat bleak weather we’re having at the moment. We found this purple suede clutch by Ela at Narwhal Boutique, and not only did the colour take us out of our it-doesn’t-feel-like-springtime slump, we loved the asymmetric closure on what would otherwise be an everyday envelope clutch (this feature serves as the skeleton of the bag, but we just think it looks unique). Each of designer Ela Kowalewska’s bags are made in Toronto, which fulfills any local-only shopping interests we may have, and the clutch, named M.I.L.C.K (money, ID, lipstick, cellphone, keys), promises to comfortably fit a woman’s daily essentials. Frankly, we’re tired of seeing ubiquitous bags from Louis Vuitton and Chanel around Toronto, and if what it takes for those numbers to dwindle is to carry something that reminds us of grape soda, we say do it.
Narwhal Boutique, 8 Prince St., 647-351-5011, narwhalboutique.com
Henry Holland is known for dressing London’s 
Cheap, wasteful umbrellas are a dime a dozen in Toronto, and we can’t count how many times we’ve hastily purchased a $10 option when caught unexpectedly in a downpour. Then, like most people who frequent the PATH on their morning commute, we came across Raindrops, and we were dumbfounded by the selection of high-end umbrellas. Our favourite was a sturdy, stark black option with Swarovski crystal embellishments, by Italian umbrella maker Pasotti. This version of the ultimate spring essential tweaks some of the traditional aspects of umbrellas, with design details like an engraved steel handle and a fully lined canopy to ensure the umbrella won’t turn inside out or blow away, with or without a kung fu grip. $295.
A collaboration between high-profile designers is usually enough to send savvy shoppers into a frenzy, which is why we, like most shoppers, were excited to find Mark Fast’s rose gold pendant necklace at Swarovski’s Bloor Street West location. The pendant itself reminds us of a fingernail; Fast says he was inspired by “
In the absence of a real spring, we were excited to find this bright pop of colour in the muted palette of grey, black and white usually seen inside Yorkville’s UPC Boutique. NorBlack NorWhite, which is exclusively sold in Canada at UPC, is designed by former Torontonians Amrit Kumar and Mriga Kapadiyaa, who recently decamped to India with the hopes of finding inspiration for their collection. Instead of looking to the wild and over-embellished dresses seen in Mumbai, the duo were excited by the small villages where traditional manufacturing processes still thrive, including Bandhani, a tie-dye method native to the region of Kachchh, which was used to make this vibrant top. It is a versatile spring option that could be warn with an immodest pair of shorts, fitted skinny trousers, or nothing at all. It isn’t called 
Designer Roland Kreiter wants us to believe that his MySqueeze reamer is the tool people should use when life gives them lemons. We certainly would, and not just to make lemonade. The item, put out by Italian “design factory” Alessi, doubles as an object d’art (check out the video 
Toronto designer Andrea Dixon has made a name for herself around town and abroad turning classic 
We know there’s still snow on the ground, but spring, believe it or not, is upon us, and we can’t wait to test out this knee-length Philip Sparks trench, available at Delphic. From the front, it is as classic as The Bell Jar and a breakup, but the goods are in the back. We love how the pleated flounce fans out in a peekaboo fashion. One of the best aspects: Sparks’s tailor-made clothes are all Canadian. Burberry who? $650.
Doctors recommend sodium-free diets, but these Hatchet S and P shakers we found at Made warrant a second opinion. There is no veneer here, just good Canadian maple and some smart eco-design. The creation process is simple: Sheridan Furniture Studio students Tomas Rojcik, Mark Finnigan and Joseph Bauman throw hatchets (see what they did there?) into wood to create a split, and voila. The trio wanted to create modern objects that produced limited material and energy waste. We’re not sure the novel table toppers will de-thrown our mother’s silver, but for day-to-day use, the Hatchets will do more than 
When Sarah Stevenson, Toronto’s latest fashion sweetheart, debuted her first collection at last fall’s fashion week, we were smitten. Her floral prints and abstract patterns are like nothing we’ve ever seen, and her cuts are finer than those of many designers who have been showing for multiple seasons. We came across one of her jackets at Canopy Blue, and loved the art deco–inspired shape and the soft hand of the silk. It’s perfect to throw on over a tank top with skinny jeans by day or over an LBD in the evening. $350.
The last few years have seen so many different takes on the classic chandelier, from jet-black drops to 
Since the death of Alexander McQueen just over a year ago, the fashion world has strongly embraced the psychedelic printed garments he made famous, pulling the look from obscurity into the mainstream. But if you’ve been keeping up with Toronto designers, you would know that it’s been one of Zoran Dobric’s signatures since he began his line in 2005. Dobric has always played with pattern and print, but has really refined his line over the past few years by simplifying shapes and using finer materials. We love this simple shift dress made from 100 percent silk, sporting a techie take on traditional patterns. $345.
In the Chinese zodiac, 2010 was the year of the tiger, but you wouldn’t know it from last year’s collections. 2011 is the year of the rabbit, and all of a sudden bunnies are everywhere. This sober brass rabbit head is set on a classic silver graduation ring. Designed by Surface to Air—the French brand known for collaborating with the synth-pop group Chromeo and luxury labels like Louis Vuitton—the ring fits right in with the design world’s animal-everything obsession that’s showing no signs of going away. $250.
Peering at us from across a sea of lighting and countertop displays at the Interior Design Show 
