Best of Toronto
The Best New Fashion Stores in Toronto, 2012
The best new fashion stores in Toronto in 2012 reflect a wide variety of tastes, styles, and budgets, with reworked vintage seeing a spike in popularity. There are shops with a tight focus on local, hard-to-find brands, while others cast their net far and wide to source international lines.
Shoe addicts will be pleased to see their vice of choice well represented, while those with an appreciation for the past will find haute labels and no-name brands alike nipped, snipped and otherwise updated into modern silhouettes. And although fashion's long been considered a woman's game, most of the entries below have a generous helping of menswear.
Here's the list of the best new fashion stores in Toronto in 2012.
See also:
The best new fashion stores in Toronto, 2011
The best new fashion stores in Toronto, 2010
The best new fashion stores in Toronto, 2009
V by 69 Vintage
V by 69 Vintage has been reborn on Queen West (following its closing on Walnut Ave.) in a larger space better suited to showcasing its wide range of carefully curated, top-drawer vintage goods. You'll find fur stoles, a wall of surprisingly modern-looking shoes, sleek black bags, and even a house line from designer (and in-house tailor) Evan Biddell. More »
Bridge + Bardot
Popular pop-up shop Bridge + Bardot settled down on Dundas West earlier this year, giving its line of vintage clothing and hyper-local designers a permanent home in a small, minimalist shop. From colourful Cuchara chokers, to the scholarly style of Varsity Brown, new designs are well-paired with Bridge + Bardot's tailored and re-worked vintage pieces. More »
Canon Blanc
Canon Blanc on Queen West is dedicated to the creme de la creme of wearable fashion, direct from Paris. The interior is styled with sconces and other European accents, while the stock consists of up-and-coming men and women's fashion brands handmade in France (think Charlotte Sometime and Florian Wernert), all expressing a general aura of understated elegance and, well, je ne sais quoi. More »
Philip Sparks
Philip Sparks, long a favourite of the Toronto pop-up circuit, finally set down roots on Ossington, with a two-level shop that showcases his line of well-tailored, colourful, and beautifully designed coats, dresses and accessories for men and women on the ground level, while also offering a spacious layout for his collection of shoes and bags downstairs. More »
Contraband
Contraband's name is a tongue-in-cheek allusion to Yorkville's storied past, but the stock is definitely of the moment. Modern streetwear, sportswear, and high fashion menswear brands such as Brooklyn Circus, Thom Browne and Nike clamour for attention in the barebones space that also sports a flat-screen and video game console (for bored female companions). You'll find everything from coats, to pants, to shoes; and even an accessory or two for the ladies in your life. More »
Untitled and Co.
Walking into Untitled and Co. is like walking into some fabulous eccentric's closet. Now boasting two locations (on Bathurst and Queen West, respectively), the shop is decorated in vintage finds (some culled from the owner's apartment), and displays re-worked vintage, newly-established local and international brands, as well as the owner's own line. Sunglasses, jewellery, bags and shoes round out the stock of impressive brand names with a club-kid aesthetic. More »
Sauvage
Sauvage began as a pop-up in the Burroughes Building, but recently opened up a minimally-decorated permanent spot on Queen West, flaunting women's clothing and accessories from across the globe, with a special focus on unique shoes. Expect far-flung brands such as Senso and Miista, all upholding the shop's style thesis of mixing hard and soft looks. More »
Gravitypope
Gravitypope might be best-known for its shoes, but its large new two-floor location at the foot of Ossington on West Queen West houses men's and women's footwear, accessories and clothing, all available at a variety of price points. Shoes run the gamut from Comme de Garcons to Vans, to its eponymous and affordable house brand, and you'll also find fragrances and an array of upper-tier (i.e. pricey) label pieces. More »
Life of Manek
Life of Manek is helmed by a legitimate veteran of the fashion industry, and owner Nicole Manek's experienced eye is evident in each of the hand-picked vintage pieces. From recognizable brands, to pieces with current trend appeal, the shop's stock includes some Yorkville-appropriate lines such as J-Brand and GLish, alongside timeless, never-been-worn pieces from Versace and Dior. More »
Discussion
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JayRock: When I shop I'm not looking for a friend to say whats up to me. I just want what I want in my size and then get the hell out because I hate shopping unless its online. RC has never impressed me much, Wings + Horns had one nice jacket a very long time ago and that's about it. Homespun (homespunknitwear.com) is a great Canadian brand you can find at Lost and Found shop on Dundas. Rooney is a very nice shop in Montreal that offers free shipping in Canada. And yes I totally agree with the overpriced Japanese clothes. Better start making friends in Japan that can ship for you. for real, or you can try Rakuten which now ships to Canada. SSENSE does not have the brands I'm looking for, its a bit too high-end fashion for me.
#thecoolestguyoverhere