Liel And Lentz
HIGH QUALITY JEWELLERY THAT’S DETAIL-DRIVEN Story by Reem Jazar Photos provided by Liel and Lentz Lifelong friends, Diandra Guglielmello and Maggie Coblentz, fused together shared business smarts, professional experience, and a passion for design to form their jewellery line, Liel and Lentz. The Oakville-based jewellery designers and entrepeneurs launched their business about a...
Base London
FOOTWEAR FOR FELLAS FROM CLASSIC TO CONTEMPORARY Story by Sarah Lennox Photos provided by Base London The perfect pair of heels can make an outfit, but what about for the guys? Base London is a U.K.-based company known for its quality men’s footwear. With everything from boots inspired by motorcycle culture to comfy...
Phaulet
VANCOUVER-BASED LINE EXPLORES THE LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES OF DESIGN Story by Abby Chow Photos provided by Phaulet Romantic and intriguing, Phaulet jewellery and textiles provide the medium in which graphic arts can be integrated with impeccable craftsmanship and the tradition of storytelling. Raised in Colombia, creator of Phaulet, Paula González, fuses unconventionality with familiarity in...
UNTTLD
EMERGING DESIGN DUO SPARK A FLAME WITH THEIR UNDEFINABLE LABEL Story by Amanda Stancati Photos by Leda & St. Jacques José Manuel St. Jacques and Simon Bélanger are the creative minds behind UNTTLD. The design duo hailing from Montréal were in Toronto last month to showcase their Spring/Summer 2013 collection on the closing...
Paria Shirvani
EMERGING DESIGNER EVOKES NATURAL MOVEMENT IN HER LATEST COLLECTION Story by Odessa Paloma Parker Photos by Jolie Adele Shortly before the “official” shows of fashion week began, Toronto-based designer Paria Shirvani held a preview of her Spring/Summer 2013 collection on the Ossington strip. Having interned for designers like Joeffer Caoc, Jeremy Scott and...
Chaos Theory
CASUAL ELEGANCE FOR THE MODERN MAN Story by Amanda Thomas Photos provided by Chaos Theory Stemming from the idea that small changes can make a big difference, Chaos Theory takes street wear to the next level. The recently launched brand, created by Alyssa Alikpala and Kevin Chao, provides a contemporary aesthetic that matures as...
Nowhereland
NEW RETAIL CONCEPT SOURCES UNIQUE FINDS THAT ARE BOTH BUDGET & TREND CONSCIOUS Story by Reem Jazar Photos by Arden Wray I first encountered Nowhereland while strolling down Queen Street West after a workout. I was inside Love of Mine Boutique when I was drawn to the back of the store where an...
Anu Raina
A LOVE AFFAIR WITH TORONTO & A STRONG SENSE OF SELF HELP THIS UP-AND-COMING DESIGNER ALONG Story by Mariam Magsi Photos by Mike Lewis Can clothes depict emotion? Anu Raina’s designs surely do. Filled with nostalgia (while still falling into the urban chic category), she is creating clothes that are artistically inspired and...
Adrian Wu
DESIGNER TALKS CONTRADICTIONS & CREDIBILITY AS HIS FASHION WEEK SHOW APPROACHES Story by Abby Chow Photos provided by Adrian Wu With Toronto Fashion Week approaching quickly, Plaid sat down with featured designer, Adrian Wu, and his assistant, Divya, to get to know him a bit better before his show. We talked about his...
Wes Misener
MENSWEAR DESIGNER FORGOES THE RUNWAY & GOES DIGITAL INSTEAD Story by Reem Jazar Toronto-based designer and former model Wes Misener says he was in Milan when he first made the decision to enter a new phase of his career. He views it an epiphany of sorts. “[The] recession hit, basically jobs were pretty...
Meg
MEGHAN KINNEY HAS STAYING POWER TO SPARE WITH HER COVETABLE, CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIONS Story by Sarah Lennox Photos provided by Sara Altobelli & Meghan Kinney As the daughter and granddaughter of boutique owners, Meghan Kinney knew she would one day find her place in the world of fashion. The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)...
Titania Inglis
THE NEW ARCHITECT OF ECO-FASHION MESHES FINE QUALITY WITH GRUNGE SENSIBILITIES Photographed by Eduardo Silva Designer/Stylist: Titania Inglis Makeup & hair: Jess Hwang Model: Karyna K. Photographer’s assistant: Tyler Nevitt (Milk Studios) Photographer’s assistant: Christian Robinson (Milk Studios) Stylist’s assistant: Adrian Fekete Story by Nichole Jankowski “I grew up in a hippie town...
Nuit Blanche Preview: Art of Fashion
10 DESIGN HOPEFULS FROM ACROSS CANADA COMPETE FOR RECOGNITION & FUNDING Story by Sara Harowitz Raw. It’s the theme of this year’s Art of Fashion (AOF) design competition, and it seems incredibly fitting for the fashion world right now. It’s no secret that niche industries are taking a financial hit, and we seem to...
Abel Muñoz
CANADA’S MASTER OF ACCESSORIES SHARES HIS STORY Story by Lauren Chan Photos provided by Abel Muñoz Abel Muñoz is one of Canada’s most profitable shoe designers—and that’s no easy feat. (Pun intended.) Since his launch in 2007, Muñoz’s fashion forward shoes have appeared in prestigious publications around the world including Vogue Italia, Women’s...
Leilanni
THIS UP-AND-COMING LABEL IS MADE IN TORONTO & MEANT TO FLATTER Story by Kate Gadiyeva Photos provided by Leilanni Todd Leilanni Todd is the designer behind Leilanni, a label that is designed and hand-crafted in Toronto. Her most recent collection consists of beautiful lace dresses, tanks, and shorts that are wearable and flattering on...
The Pidgin
TORONTO NATIVE & OCAD STUDENT TAKES HIS ARTISTIC PASSION TO THE NEXT LEVEL Story by Lauren Cooper Photos provided by Alexander Browne Alex Mathers is a student at the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD), who has found his passion and separated himself from all of the other incredible and talented students...
Larissa Hadjio
TECHNIQUE & WONDER COMBINE IN HER QUIRKY BAG DESIGNS Story by Marissa Spada Photos provided by Larissa Hadjio Larissa Hadjio’s latest creations are geometrically-inspired works, to be swung over the shoulder or clutched in the palm of the hand. For the London-based designer, the term “sculpture bags” has been used to describe the...
Ora Bags
A CHIC TAKE ON THE ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICE OF REUSING MATERIALS Ora Bags Fall 2012 from Ora Bags on Vimeo. Story by Rebecca Poynton-Murray One of the greatest fashion fixes available is finding the perfect bag that not only goes with everything, but carries everything too. Whether you are throwing on a cotton dress...
Fieldguided
FROM AN IDEA TO AN ENTIRE COLLECTION OF GOODS, THIS DYNAMIC DUO MAKES THEIR MARK Story by Lauren Cooper Photos provided by Anabela Carneiro Anabela Carneiro and Geoff Piersol are the creative minds behind Fieldguided – a line of hand-made and artistic goods. Drawing on personal inspirations from their various interests in art,...
One Heart Design
TRAVEL, CULTURE & COLOUR COME TOGETHER IN THESE BOHEMIAN PIECES Story by Rebecca Poynton-Murray Photos provided by One Heart Design If you have ever taken a stroll through Kensington Market in Toronto, you will note the eclectic mix of vibrant vintage, farmers markets and boutique bars. Sitting humbly on the main road is...
Rachel Sin
DESIGNER MERGES THE LINES OF ARCHITECTURE WITH A MODERN FASHION SILHOUETTE Story by Reem Jazar Photos provided by Rachel Sin Many designers enjoy the privilege of watching their creations walk the runway during fashion week; almost none get to say they helped design the very building that houses the event. This, however, was...
Woudenberg
DESIGNER EXPLORES THE EGO IN HER LATEST COLLECTION Story by Erin Ryley Photos by Christine Kwan Emily Woudenberg, the creative mind behind the Toronto-based jewellery and apparel line WOUDENBERG, is taking the fashion circuit by storm. Since displaying an impressive collection at Fashion Art Toronto (|FAT|), this young designer is showing no signs...
Moonrox
MATERIALS & METALWORK SETS THIS JEWELLERY LINE APART Story by Reem Jazar Photos provided by Moonrox Take some out-of-this-world style, gorgeous colour combinations, a background in fine arts and a degree from Parsons The New School of Design, and you get some of the informing elements behind Moonrox. The Toronto-based jewellery line puts...
Cuchara
JEWELLERY THAT PUTS THE BRIGHT IN YOUR LIFE Story by Kate Gadiyeva Photos provided by Cuchara Edilou Canedo started her Cuchara jewellery line in Victoria, British Columbia. Two years ago she decided to pack up her bags and move to Toronto to expand her business, and to attend George Brown College’s Fashion program....
Life of Manek
A STYLIST’S EYE SEEKS THE GORGEOUS GOODS FOR THIS DUNDAS WEST BOUTIQUE Story by Jacqueline Flaggiello Photos by Ashley Capp What started out as Nicole Manek’s quest to find a boutique that encompassed both an eclectic selection of quality brands and an array of vintage gems, turned out to be her own personal...
Eikcam Ceramics
GET FIRED UP FOR HAND-MADE JEWELLERY & HOME ACCESSORIES FROM VANCOUVER Story by Rebecca Poynton-Murray Photos provided by Grace Lee If you’re looking for something different to accentuate your wardrobe (or your home décor), Vancouver-based design line Eikcam Ceramics boasts a delicate range of hand-made jewellery and home accessories. Designer Grace Lee shares with...
Derek Cardigan
EYEWEAR DESIGNER TAKES A STROLL ON THE SUNNIER SIDE Story by Amanda Stancati Photo provided by Derek Cardigan As we soak up the sun’s warm rays this summer, a cool pair of shades are needed not only for protection but as an essential summertime accessory. Vancouver designer, Derek Desierto, is the eyewear designer...
