This Week in Fashion rounds up the week's style news, store openings and closings, pop-up shops, sales and upcoming fashion and design events in Toronto. Find it here every Wednesday morning.

NEWS

Vaughan Mills is taking a cue from Yorkdale Shopping Centre with plans to begin a game-changing 150,000 square foot expansion this spring. The outlet mall will grow to house 50 new retailers including a LegoLand Discovery Centre, an eye-catching entrance, and 450 new parking spaces. Renovations - like an upgraded food court plus new floors and ceilings - will also be made to the existing area, all-in-all costing Vaughan Mills $87 million.

In addition to a future expansion, a second hr2 location (the first being in Montreal) is set to open in place of Vaughan Mills' Holt Renfrew Last Call in April. Also a discount concept store, hr2 will be about 28,000 square feet and made to appeal to Holt Renfrew's younger customers. Last Call will be closing next Saturday (February 2nd) for the transformation.

Though it seems like Sears Canada is seriously dumbing down (especially with Nordstrom coming into the country to take over three locations), they've partnered up with Aldo and Buffalo Jeans to give a much-needed upgrade to their private label brands. Expect the collaboratively designed, revamped, and (hopefully) modernized footwear and clothing collections on the shelves this fall.

EVENTS/PARTIES

Tonight (January 23) at 7 pm, anyone and everyone who's interested in wearable anythings and everythings - including the obviously wearable fashion and textiles, but also the not-so-obviously wearable technology and electronics - is invited to the Toronto Wearables Meetup at OCADU (205 Richmond St, Room 7301). This edition of the monthly lecture series will bring in Jorge Silva and Dr. Keryn Lian - two highly knowledgeable presenters in the technology design field. Don't forget to register beforehand!

Pop into The Black Box Boutique (106 Yorkville Ave, 2nd floor) tomorrow (January 24) from 6 pm until 9 pm for Emily Woudenberg's Trunk Show. It's your chance to touch and feel the unique handmade accessories she creates with a generous amount of TLC - plus, select merchandise will be marked at up to 50% off, and all attendees will receive a $5 coupon!

The Trinity Bellwoods BIA is turning Dundas Street West (between Bathurst St and Grace St) into a glorious contemporary design experience for the third annual Do Design event; a slew of venues including boutiques, restaurants, and even a hardware store will be home to design installations from January 24 to 27. To see all of the participating venues and exhibitors, visit the Do West website.

Of course, Do Design isn't the only design event happening this week. The mother of them all, The Interior Design Show, starts this Thursday and continues through the weekend. There's also the ever popular Come Up to My Room (same dates as IDS) and Toronto Design Off Site just to name a few.

SAVVY Toronto is hosting A Night of Pomp & Pageantry this Saturday (January 26) at - you guessed it! - Pomp & Pageantry (112 Scollard St). The lavish party will run from 7 pm until midnight, and although tickets are $25, they're offering an open bar all night, makeovers, and hand massages - not to mention a chance to exclusively shop the boutique's latest designer collections!

Photo by Sylwia Bobryk courtesy of Woudenberg