All posts tagged: Store Reviews

Mulberry is Now Open in Toronto

Mulberry opened their first two Canadian stores recently. The British company, founded in 1971, is known for their luxury leather craftsmanship. Rural English references in their designs results in an aesthetic they define as ‘Le Style Anglais. “Toronto is a key location in Mulberry’s North American expansion,” says Carl Barbato, President of Mulberry USA. “With the country’s expanding luxury market and consumer base, creating a strong presence in Canada is the next natural step for Mulberry.” Toronto is the lucky home for the stores found on Bloor Street West and the powerhouse Yorkdale Mall. Before opening in Toronto, I didn’t have much hands on experience with the brand. I’ve posted about their sweater craftmanship before and I’ve seen some of their bags in Holt Renfrew. Shortly after the opening, I was invited to check out the Bloor Street location to get to know the brand. The Mulberry store finishing is beautiful. Designed by British architects, Universal Design Studio they use timber, limestone and oak as features to complement Mulberry’s dedication to craftsmanship and luxury. Both …

Dolce & Gabbana is Now Open on Bloor Street

So, Dolce & Gabbana quietly opened on Bloor Street late last week. I happen to know the Assistant Manager and I dropped by to check out the new Designers on the block. Dolce & Gabbana took over the old Louis Vuitton space and structurally it hasn’t changed much. Womenswear, evening wear, jewellery, fragrances and accessories are downstairs. Upstairs is all for the guys with ready to wear, accessories and shoes on hand. There is even an $85,000 watch for sale! There were so many beautiful things in the store that I had to sneak in a little dress up action. First up is the classic Dolce & Gabbana bustier dress. Everyone who saw my photos on Instagram liked this one the best. It’s a great dress but bustiers don’t tend to fit me right. I managed to try on a couple gowns. I love this white and black lace one. It was about $7500. It was light as air and full of movement. Another beautiful dress was his black bustier gown. The bustier is hidden …

Zara.com Now Shipping to Canada or I’ll Never Step Foot into a Zara Store Again

It’s absolute genius at how Zara can make every single piece of clothing look desirable on their newly launched Canadian ecommerce site. I’m floored. Zara is my favourite of the fast fashion shops but nothing ever looks this good in the store. That’s right folks, you can get Zara shipped to your door anywhere in Canada starting March 6, 2013. To celebrate the launch Zara blanketed the city with $150 gift card according to all the tweets and Instagram post I saw last week. I too received this lovely gift which allowed the recipient to shop at Zara.com ahead of the national launch on March 6th. Zara does everything right when it comes to a great online experience. My key indicators are as follows: Easy to Navigate – Must have a simple, intuitive menu system No animation or auto playing music Simple, uncluttered interface with lots of white space Multiple large, high resolution photos of the item from many angles including a detail shot On figure and off figure images Fabric description and composition Item …

Miu Miu Comes to Toronto via Holt Renfrew Bloor Street

Everyone has been buzzing about the new Miu Miu mini boutique that opened up in Holt Renfrew’s Bloor Street location. This is Miu Miu’s first Canadian point of sale. Architect Roberto Baciocchi designed space that is dedicated to Miu Miu handbags and accessories collections. No clothing folks and shoes are still available in shoe department. The space is very Miu Miu with damask finish covered in crystal and studs, small display windows and polished brass backlit logos. Miu Miu can be found on the first floor of Holts in the handbag section. It occupies the space where all the Balenciaga bags were hanging about. It’s like walking into a gold box. I stopped by today. It’s not very big and I didn’t see much jewellery but there were a ton of handbags though. It was super busy too. The space looks pretty slick and makes the product so desirable looking. Miu Miu Toronto, Holt Renfrew 50 Bloor Street West Toronto images: courtesy of Prada

Stacey Zhang Toronto Boutique Launch Party

Montreal based designer, Stacey Zhang has opened a boutique in Toronto. She’s chosen a strip of Queen Street West that was independent boutique friendly until the corporations moved in many years ago. It’s a brave move to  complete for foot traffic with Zara, H&M and the Gap. Stacey Zhang aims to provide stylish women with affordable,ready-to-wear collections that are ethically produced and limited in quantity, maximizing the time and care spent in creating each garment. Known for highly detailed and structurally unique clothing, Stacey Zhang features styles ranging from fun, flirty dresses to sharp business attire to feminine, chic casual wear. With organic cottons, relaxed linens, luxurious silks, wool and sustainable bamboo as staples of past collections, the designer is also known for her impeccable selection of fabric. She is continually researching practical ways to replace fabrics with more ecologically sound and sustainable threads. Both Montreal and Toronto boutiques feature a wide variety of unique accessories handpicked by Stacey on her travels throughout Europe and Asia. Stacey plans to make the shopping experience at the Toronto …

V by 69 Vintage

V by 69 VINTAGE is a new shop brought to you by Toronto Vintage mogul, Kealan Sullivan.  Kealan’s empire includes 69 Vintage and 69 Vintage Collective/Buy The Pound.  V by 69 Vintage will feature all the prized vintage finds Kealan doesn’t sell in the other shops. Everything in the store is for sale and that includes fixtures, books and gardening supplies. This is a high-end vintage shop because of the rarity of the pieces and all clothing is restored and repaired. V by 69 VINTAGE is a new creative vintage retail space which will showcase a series of changing monthly thematic concepts. Through art direction and careful product selection, the space, contents and merchandise for sale will transform entirely each month to reflect a new theme, ultimately creating an exciting retail experience. This new store is an opportunity for us to share our love and appreciation of vintage and to present our treasures in an innovative way in the form of distinctive curated collections. Our first theme is titled “THE VICTORY GARDENS” and runs from …

Dandi Maestre New Retail Location, 386 Huron Street, Toronto

Canadian jewellery designer, Dandi Maestre has decided to keep the 386 Huron Street location as a permanent retail space. Based on the response received, my holiday pop-up store at 386 Huron St. (at Sussex Ave.) will be extended indefinitely. My unique pieces, made of organic materials such as antlers, bull horn, rough amber and emeralds, reclaimed wood, natural seeds and nuts will be available Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm; Saturday from 12 to 6pm. Other times by special appointment – please call 416-948-2040 or write to dandi@dandimaestre.com. Now you will also find beautiful recycled glass bubble terrariums (with or without plants) and unique home organic homewares. My designs have been seen in Vogue, Lucky, Hello!, Flare, Glamour, People Style Watch, Holts Style, The Toronto Star and The Globe & Mail and on Donna Karan, who features my line in her Urban Zen shop in New York. I visited the shop before the holidays, bought some earrings and took some pictures. It’s such a beautiful space and the gallery setup works perfectly for Dandi’s …

Comme des Garcons’ Seoul Flagship Store

I remember visiting the Comme des Garçons’ store in New York during fashion week. It was stark white and beautiful. They have opened a new flagship in Seoul, Korea.  I love the presentation with the hats and handbags being my favourite displays It might be celebrated for its guerilla stores that have been popping up since 2004, but Comme des Garçons has just unveiled a new permanent venture – an epic new flagship store in Seoul. Part futuristic rabbit warren, part conceptual shopping space, ‘Five Tunnels’ joins the brand’s clutch of permanent stores located in design hubs around the world. Led by the fashion label founder and designer, Rei Kawakubo, the project started with the ambitious redesign of an existing building. The resulting white-lacquer and glass space is, at 1600sq m, one of their biggest stores yet. Spanning seven mezzanine levels and stocking the entire Comme des Garçons collection, it’s a more than adequate answer to the brand’s growing South Korean fan base. There’s even a room dedicated to the popular ‘Beatles’ clothing collection that …

Seventy Seven by Kim Newport-Mimran

Seventy Seven is the flagship store for Pink Tartan by Kimberley Newport-Mimran. The shop featured the Pink Tartan collection and a selection of items that complement the line and represent the Pink Tartan lifestyle. The store is located in Yorkville and has taken over a historic Georgian building. The historic Georgian gem was built in 1837, and since 1926 it housed the antique treasure trove The Paisley Shop. The space has been redesigned by inter-nationally acclaimed designer Diego Burdi of Burdifilek (W hotels Atlanta, The Thompson residences presentation centre Toronto, the Club Monaco flagship in New York City). “It is beautiful and white, with light herringbone floors and modern panelling,” says Newport-Mimran, who wanted the shop to reflect the homes she shares in Toronto and New York with her husband, Joe Mimran, and family. “We have mixed modern classics with vintage pieces.” Context was the point for her first foray into retail under her own label, an opportunity to showcase the full Pink Tartan lifestyle. I went to the media preview a few days before …

Dr. Martens on Queen

There is a new Dr. Martens store on Queen Street. It’s taken over the old Neon Clothing space. The store’s décor is based around the furniture and fixtures you could expect to find in the raw and industrial Northamptonshire, England factory. Reflecting the sense of craft involved in Dr. Martens boots and shoes, all fittings used in the store are authentic and durable. In addition to Dr. Martens Originals that have become known around the globe, seasonal merchandising will support the contemporary expansion of the brand. As Dr. Martens continues to identify creative individuals around the world, limited edition collaborations will be released and featured in the new Queen Street location. This location has so many styles of Dr. Martens to choose from, it should satisfy most people’s needs. All the abstract colours are available like purple, yellow and the metallics. I love that there is a Dr. Martens store in Toronto now. I could see a major addiction for 20 hole boots developing if this store was open during my high school and university …

Red Canoe Brands Showroom

Red Canoe Brands now has a brick and mortar store in the West end of Toronto. I’ve been a fan of Red Canoe ever since I stumbled on their website many years ago. I really enjoy the aviation and outdoor influence in the line. It’s been great watching them grow from a purely online endeavor to products sold in The Drake General Store to a flagship store in Whistler and now their own showroom in Toronto. Red Canoe draws on these ideals to create unique quality apparel. Tough, comfortable outdoor clothing built to be worn. Dedicated to the promotion of historic and cultural icons, it is classic clothing that, like the symbols it honours, will stand the test of time. President and Founder Dax Wilkinson came by his adventurous spirit and love of the outdoors honestly. Growing up in Northern Ontario, his time was spent flying in the legendary DeHavilland Beaver into remote hunting and fishing camps. Aird Island, his family retreat on the North Channel of Georgian Bay, has been his source of inspiration …

Drake Hotel General Store x Shared

Drake Hotel General Store x Shared

It seemed like yesterday that the Drake Hotel General Store expanded to into Rosedale. Here they go expanding again with a new storefront at Bathurst and King. Well the storefront isn’t new, it’s an expanded version of the Shared storefront. Carlo Colacci and Joyce Lo decided it would be a good idea to combine the Drake General Store and their Shared location. An additional 200 square feet was added and it really makes the place feel a lot larger. This Drake General Store x Shared space focuses on clothing and home decor. For the first time all the antique fixtures that everyone drools over in the store will be available for sale. Carlo and Joyce are serious vintage hunters, you can expect their one of a kind finds to be top notch. Shared clothing is prominent in the shop with additional labels like Levis, Cheap Monday, Insight Swimwear, Happy Socks, Sessun, Kostym and Fortnight.  You can still expect to find kitschy items like fabric cacti and mini flasks that make great gifts.   Also check out …

Fawn Boutique Spring 2010 Arrivals

Fawn Boutique Spring 2010 Arrivals

I visited Fawn Boutique on the same day I visited Chasse Gardée. I went crazy with the Olympus E-PL1 and took a bunch of pictures of the spring 2010 new arrivals. I talked to Kasha about the new items. She pointed out great pieces from newly acquired label SHIN, the Line Knitwear leather jackets, the new Complex Geometries and [Blank] denim. I was drooling over pretty much everything in the store. It’s my favourite store in Toronto and I love Kasha’s buying. She is such a great curator of clothing. I was wandering the streets with my friend Jaime Woo who captured some photos of me in Fawn . Fawn 967 Queen St W Toronto (647)334-4703

Drake General Store Rosedale Preview

I got a sneak peek at the new Drake General Store location in Rosedale. It’s so damn adorable. It’s very similar to the Queen location in the fact that reclaimed materials are used for store fixtures and antiques are peppered throughout. The wood came from a barn that was built in the late 1800s. As soon as I found out, I had to rub my fingers over the wood. When I encounter an object that is old I always touch it (if possible). It’s like I’m trying to feel history or some residue memory of the lives the object has encountered. When I was visiting the Taj Mahal in India, I make sure I touched the marble and embedded gems. I still can’t get over that building, just wow, stunning. I think the location choice is a brilliant idea. It fits quite well with the neighbourhood. I dare say I like this location better. The Rosedale location also has some items that are exclusive and won’t be found on Queen West. Both locations share the …

Miori Boutique Opening

The Miori Boutique opening was in my stomping grounds, The Path so I decided to check it out. This new womenswear store opened up in the Exchange Tower. I talked to the owners and learned that they are long term retailers in the city. They even had a store that I was one of my rounds in Scotia Plaza before the reno and Brooks Brothers. The woman behind Miori Boutiques is Gita Kowsari, a Toronto-area entrepreneur who opened her first store in 1990 and has over 17 years of experience in the fashion industry. Gita Kowsari’s personal flair for fashion combined with her expertise as a buyer can be found at the core of Miori’s success. 60% of Miori’s merchandise is from Canadian designers. The others are mostly from Europe like 2026 clothing, Rinascimento, Soyaconcept and Sinéquanone. Miori carries Mackage for those path dwellers that don’t want to head to the Eaton Centre on lunch. I was surprised at the selection of casual items, it was much more than I expected. I thought it would …

Shared now has a Storefront

Shared is a Toronto based fashion company that makes incredible locally made basics. They decided to open their first storefront and I went to the opening launch. All their clothing produced in Toronto and is made from organic cotton. I learned that they weave their own fabric in Toronto. The yarn is sourced from many different places but basically the shirts are made from scratch in Toronto. To top this off, they donate 50% of their profits to charity. The store is one of the cutest I’ve seen in Toronto. The designers are big collectors of antiques and they have cleverly decorated the space with their finds. The store isn’t big, only 350 sq ft but the layout is very well done. I’m a fan of Shared. I own a black cardigan that I got at The Drake Hotel General Store. I really am enamored with these two tshirts though. They both have a story. I suggest you goto the store and find out about it. The running shoes are very cute and affordable ($99). …

Magnolia

I finally visited Magnolia store at Avenue and Eglinton. The store itself is beautiful. Super high ceilings, great window, large mirrors, eye catching store displays and the best changerooms in the city. Magnolia carries Izzy Camilleri, Lucian Matis, Hoss Intropia, Designers Remix Collection, Love Moschino handbags and Tara Jarmon. Owner Juan Carlos does a wonderful job of curating the clothing in the store. Magnolia 333 Eglinton Ave W, Unit 2B info@magnoliaonline.ca 416-488-9893

i got: Jeffrey Campbell Biz Belted Bootie

I wanted the Jeffrey Campbell Biz Belted Bootie. I figured nowhere in Toronto would carry this style but I was wrong. It figures a new store I’ve been hearing wonderful things about is carrying them, Chasse Gardee. Chasse Gardee has been on my shops to visit list since I heard a friend gushing over this great new store in the West end; Queen and Dovercourt to be exact. I finally got that chance. Lining the exposed brick wall was shoes. The selection was unique and eclectic. You probably won’t find any of the shoes here in any other stores in the city. They also carry handbags and jewellery. Some of the brands you can find are Slow and Steady Wins the Race, Hyde S.K, Jeffrey Campbell and Karen Walker Eyewear. I didn’t make note of any of the other shoe brands. Chasse Gardee 1084 Queen Street West Toronto, Ontario 416-901-9613 You can find the < Jeffrey Campbell Biz boots online at Canadian retailer Ssense.com

Montreal 2008 – u&i

Another great shop in Montreal is u&i. It’s located on St Laurent but I didn’t manage to get any pictures. They weren’t as friendly as Thomas from Reborn so I didn’t bother to ask. From the Brand list you can imagine that it’s pretty cool.

Montreal 2008 – Reborn

One of the coolest shops in Montreal is Reborn. Adrian from Fashion Verbatim recommended that I check it out. It’s in old Montreal and I visited it after my stop at the Notre-Dame Basilica. I had forgotten the address that Adrian had given me and I was wandering around looking and then I saw the window and I knew I found the place. Thomas (I think that is his name according to Adrian) was in the shop and he was so friendly and helpful. We talked fashion a bit and I mentioned that I was from T.O. and a blogger. Turns out he knows Tommy Ton from jakandjil.com. We are both eagerly awaiting Tommy’s photos from his travels during the fashion weeks. He’s even seen my blog before and that totally blew my mind. It still to this day surprises me when I meet people that have read this site. He showed me a lot of the great pieces in the shop like the my new obsession, the Denis Gagnon leather hoodie; it’s absolutely to …

Coach is now open in the Eaton Centre

I visited the new Coach store with a co-worker last week. That store offends all my sensibilities. I was bombarded with the horrible CC monogram those horrible patchwork bags were all over the place. I can’t remember the last time I saw so many fugly bags in one place. Actually, I don’t think I’ve every seen so many fugly bags in one place. The store is accessories only, no clothing. I didn’t see any shoes, but I could be wrong. Look at this hideous thing, who finds this appealing. I want to know. They did have the only thing I could find on the website that I liked. images: coach.com

What was I thinking

I’m really new to the services a shoe repairman offers as I’ve never really used them. I didn’t realize their power until I decided to sell these beautiful Nine West platforms I own. Aren’t they awesome? You could imagine how heart wrenching the decision to sell them was. They were just too damn tight in the toe area. I have a high tolerance for pain and I couldn’t fight through wearing them. Brand freaking new, I had worn them twice. TWICE!!! I was so disappointed. Thank god for MJ. He asked me why I was selling those beautiful heels. This statement was like salt on the wounds. When MJ likes something, I know without a doubt that it’s hot. Hot as term has forever been tainted because of that damn Paris Hilton. It’s such an accurate description. Damn Paris Hilton and those shoes, they were slipping through my fingers. I was getting angry again when MJ says, “Are they too short or is it just tight in the toe area? You can get them stretched …