Stilettos are out. Taking their place, mercifully, are super-low, almost-like-you’re-wearing-flats heels. Here, ten ladylike pairs that you’ll be able to stroll in all summer. Read the rest of this entry »
All stories relating to womenswear
The Find: 10 pairs of low-heeled shoes that look as good as they feel
Store Guide: Annie Aime, a new Eurocentric boutique on Ossington from the owner of French Accents
Name: Annie Aime
Sells: Clothing, shoes, accessories and skincare for men and women
Contact info: 42 Ossington Ave., 416-840-5227, annieaime.com
Hours: M–Sa 11–7, Su 12–5
See it on a map »
The latest arrival to the Ossington strip’s burgeoning south end is a colourful, quirky departure from the owner of Yorkville personal shopping institution French Accents. At Annie Aime, Parisienne expat Annie Mesenge emphasizes clever, avant-garde clothing and accessories that cater to the artsy set: favourites include zippered shoes from Italy’s Veeshoo and collapsable leather bags from Dutch label Frrry.
Shop Talk: new stores and shopping websites from March 2013
Gerhard Supply, a menswear shop in the Junction, was one of several stores to launch last month (Image: Erin Seaman)
Opened
(Image: Kayla Rocca)
Target
After two years and more than a little controversy, the trendy mass-market giant finally arrived in Canada. Now open: locations in East York Town Centre, Centrepoint Mall, Shoppers World Danforth, Cloverdale Mall and Square One Shopping Centre.
For store addresses and hours, see target.ca
(Image: Erin Seaman)
Tiger of Sweden
The popular European maker of slim-cut suits and minimalist separates opened a spacious flagship on Ossington Avenue catering to young professionals of both sexes. Learn more »
56 Ossington Ave., 416-588-4437, tigerofsweden.com
Preppy Toronto label Pink Tartan launches its online store
(Image: Pink Tartan)
Pink Tartan, the upmarket womenswear brand by Kimberley Newport-Mimran, launched its e-commerce site today in Canada and the U.S. (It’s a busy week for Mimran, who will be showing at Toronto Fashion Week Monday night and likely also supporting hubby Joe Mimran at the Joe Fresh show on Wednesday.) The site offers free shipping across Canada (excluding some Northern locations) for purchases over $195. Conveniently, the cheapest item available right now is priced at exactly that.
Store Guide: Tiger of Sweden’s new Ossington outpost for hip professionals
Name: Tiger of Sweden
Sells: Clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women
Contact info: 56 Ossington Ave., 416-588-4437, TigerOfSweden.com
Hours: M–W and Sa 11–7, Th and F 11–8, Su 12–5
See it on a map »
Though Ossington remains a mecca for vintage hunters, the neighbourhood now has its share of more upscale boutiques. The latest to land: Tiger of Sweden, whose slim-cut suits and minimalist separates have made it extremely popular in Europe. The label’s hip Scandinavian spirit fits in on the Ossington strip, although with garments targeted to the office and high-mid-range prices (men’s suits run $700–$1,000 and women’s, $450–$650), it caters to the area’s professionals over its hipster faction.
Yorkdale Mall is getting 12 new stores in 2013, including AllSaints, John Varvatos and Zara Home
AllSaints is one of the international retailers coming to Yorkdale in 2013 (Image: Facebook)
Despite pricey renovations at Sherway Gardens, Vaughan Mills and Square One, Yorkdale Shopping Centre keeps strengthening its claim to the title of the GTA’s best mega-mall. In the wake of some high-profile store launches in 2012, six more global brands are opening their first Canadian location there in 2013. They include: American jeweller David Yurman; upscale menswear designer John Varvatos; British luxury brand Mulberry; U.S. womenswear giant White House Black Market; Zara Home, a home furnishings spinoff from the fast-fashion giant; and AllSaints, a fast-growing British retailer with mid-priced, sombre-coloured clothes for both sexes. Toronto’s first Ferragamo store is also slated to open at Yorkdale this year, as are new locations from Massimo Dutti, Honey and several others. See below for the full list of new and expanded retailers.
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Ports 1961 marks the closure of its Bloor Street store with a blow-out sale
Sadly, Ports 1961, the upscale ready-to-wear label owned by Toronto-founded fashion powerhouse Ports International, is shutting its Bloor Street womenswear store at the end of January. President Randy Federgreen told the Toronto Star that the company is now primarily focused on distributing to high-end departments stores like The Room at The Bay and specialty stores like Harry Rosen (though the majority of Ports 1961’s nearly two dozen global boutiques, including the Montreal location, are staying open). He added that the narrow shopfront on the Mink Mile was too small to accomodate the eight-year-old brand’s menswear collection—less of a problem for footwear label Stuart Weitzman, which is reportedly taking over the space. Shoppers who stop by to say goodbye will be rewarded: all pre-fall and fall stock is 70 per cent off, and the vintage collection is 85 per cent off. [Toronto Star]
Introducing: Gotstyle’s new Distillery District store, with clothes for men and women
Although Gotstyle’s new two-storey store in the Distillery District is still a work-in-progress, the stunning space—originally a stable building—already has the elements of a retail destination. Currently in soft launch mode, Gotstyle Distillery breaks from the menswear-only catalogue of the Bathurst and Wellington location with a range of fashion-forward women’s brands like Cuchara, Sashin and Babi and Rebecca Minkoff. The prices reflect the diversity of the wares, with some button-ups just clearing $100 and outerwear breaking the $1,000 mark.
Introducing: British clothier Ted Baker London opens its first store in Canada at Yorkdale mall in Toronto
Ted Baker London is one of five reputed international brands to open its first Canadian store at the newly renovated Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto (the others are Loft, Kate Spade New York, Microsoft and Tesla Motors). The label started as a men’s shirt specialist in Glasgow in the late 80s, but has since expanded into accessories, shoes and women’s apparel. The collections for both genders—as well as the store’s Canadian-wilderness-meets-British-countryside decor—show a fondness for colour and pattern, subtle British-inspired details and a sharp sense of humour.
Introducing: Gravity Pope, a massive Toronto location from the popular Western Canadian shoe boutique
Gravity Pope, a trend-focused shoe store much beloved in Western Canada, opened its first Toronto location on Friday at Queen and Ossington. Although the soaring two-level space has good-sized clothing sections for men and women, the main draw is the rows upon rows of shoes dominating the main floor. With a wide-ranging portfolio of brands—including a reasonably priced house label as well as Converse, Repetto, Camper, Cacharel and Marni—the footwear selection caters to everyone from the hipster set to fashion-conscious moms and dads and glamour girls looking for night-out heels.
The Find: 10 winter coats that are every bit as stylish as they are warm
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There’s no way around it: winter is coming, which means it’s time to stop browsing and make a decision about which winter coat to invest in this year. Here are our picks for the season’s top cold-weather toppers for men and women, each of which will help you stay cozy without sacrificing style.
GALLERY: 30 Maison Martin Margiela for H&M looks going on sale November 15
The November 15 launch of Maison Martin Margiela’s collaboration with H&M is less than two days away, which means it’s time to prepare both a mental shopping list and a strategy for the long wait in line. Unusually, instead of newly designed looks, the collection consists entirely of re-editions of iconic pieces from the French design house’s 23-year history (tags will indicate when the piece was originally designed). The 104 garments and accessories, therefore, are completely true to the label’s experimental aesthetic, with oversized shapes, traditional tailoring, visual illusions and a palette of white, black, nude and silver. Our favourites for women are the oversized peacoat and the draped black dress (paired with a whimsical clutch with a strap made of a glove); for the fellas, we like the distressed-looking boots and glorious hipster Canadian tuxedo. The pieces range in price from $49.95 to $399 and will be on offer at the Eaton Centre, Yorkdale Mall and Yorkville locations.
Toronto Fashion Week: Arthur Mendonça shows gorgeous saturated hues for spring/summer 2013
Toronto Fashion Week runs from October 22 to 26, in a large—and stylishly appointed—tent at David Pecaut Square. We’re posting full galleries from the buzziest runways. It’s time to forget about the chilly weather and imagine what life (or at least fashion) will be like in spring/summer 2013.
DESIGNER
Arthur Mendonça
IN A SENTENCE
Mendonça, celebrating his tenth year at Toronto Fashion Week, is known for his luxurious, elegant womenswear—it’s the kind of clothing you could picture on Jerry Hall at Studio 54.
THE SCENE
Glen Baxter gave designer Philip Sparks a hearty hug before the show, while the Toronto Star’s Derrick Chetty coveted the free macarons (we stole an extra for him) and fashion week regulars Suzanne Rogers, Hilary Farr and Stacey McKenzie all nabbed front row seats.
Introducing: J.Crew’s new Eaton Centre store (which finally includes stuff for fellas)
Toronto’s male preppy set was dismayed when J.Crew opted to sell only womenswear at its Yorkdale Mall store, meaning they’d still have to to go online (or trek to Buffalo) for Cape Cod-style basics. Happily, the retailer’s second Toronto location, which opened yesterday in the Eaton Centre, has enough room for a substantial menswear section with a separate entrance. All told, the new store occupies nearly 9,000 square feet, compared to Yorkdale’s 5,000. (Don’t expect the controversial pricing to change, though—the Canadian prices are still marked up over their American counterparts.)
Gotstyle will carry womenswear at its new Distillery District location
Gotstyle, the popular Bathurst and Wellington menswear shop (and tailor and barbershop), will open a second location in the Distillery District in November, and the plans for the new digs sound pretty ambitious. Founder Melissa Austria posted this video tour of the cavernous space at 21 Trinity Street, which is currently under construction and will eventually include a children’s play area, a unisex salon and an upper level given over to made-to-measure suits and bridal party fittings. Austria will also use the new location to expand into women’s clothing and accessories, so style-conscious women can shop side by side with their Varvatos-loving male friends. [h/t Post City]
