Store Guide: Kit and Ace, a cozy new clothing store on Queen West from the former designer for Lululemon

Store Guide: Kit and Ace, a cozy new clothing store on Queen West from the former designer for Lululemon

(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)

Name: Kit and Ace
Sells: Casualwear for men and women
Contact Info: 779 Queen St. W., kitandace.com
Hours: M-Sa 11-7, Su 11-6

Kit and Ace, the Vancouver-based clothing company launched in July by Shannon Wilson (the former head designer for Lululemon and current wife of the company’s founder Chip Wilson), has just opened its first Toronto store. Instead of form-fitting yoga pants, Wilson’s new shop is devoted to casually luxurious streetwear. Almost every item in the store—from oversized t-shirts to warm shawls—is made from qemir, a proprietary blend of cashmere, viscose and elastane (also referred to as “technical cashmere”) that’s extraordinarily soft but totally machine-washable. (Unsurprisingly, luxury lounge wear comes at a price—basic t-shirts start around $80.)

Despite global ambitions for the brand, which will soon be launching two new flagships in the States, pains have been taken to give the new Toronto shop a warm community feel. The space is decorated with graffiti canvases by local artist Justin Broadbent, and future plans include launching a series of after-hours supper clubs in the store.