Your weekly guide to the city’s style scene, featuring news on The Gap factory store st Dufferin Mall, Queen West's C Squared, and Toronto designer Lea-Ann Belter’s bridal collection.
OPENING
■ Outlet shopping arrives in downtown Toronto this Friday, Sept. 16, with the opening of a Gap Factory Store at Dufferin Mall (900 Dufferin St., #BCT). On opening day, the store will offer 40 per cent off women’s, men’s and kid’s clothing. Gap’s factory locations carry merchandise specially designed for the outlets, and for about $100 you can put together a complete outfit. Look for skinny and super-skinny jeans ($30), print dresses ($60) and men’s herringbone blazers ($90).
DROP IN
■ The recently opened C Squared (693 Queen St. W., 416-595-5606, #QNW) distinguishes itself from its sister shop a few blocks east (365 Queen St. W., #QNW) with a couple of twists. The boutique carries only footwear and features shops within the shop, allowing brands like Camper and Lacoste to present their shoes as they would in their own stores. “It’s a concept more popular in Europe and some American cities,” says owner Andy To. The new shop will also carry the comfortable shoes its original store is best known for from the likes of Frye, El Naturalista, G-Star and Cydwoq, the premium handcrafted line from Burbank, California. There’s also a corner devoted to kids.
■ Until Sept. 18, you can grab a pair of redesigned Nike Mag shoes from eBay’s Fashion Vault online auction. Although the futuristic high tops were worn by Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II, they were only produced commercially this year. Each day, 150 pairs of the glowing kicks (complete with a rechargeable electroluminescent panel) will be released for purchase from a complement of 1,500 pairs donated by Nike. All proceeds are donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
JUST LANDED
■ Woodlawn (1491 Dundas St. W., 416-551-8000, #DNW) is now stocking Kai-aakmann, the womenswear line by Korean designer Soonjin Park that sold out at online retailer Shopstyle last season. It’s the third collection from the L.A.-based Park, whose modern, minimalist separates come in a palette of navy, black, grey and army green. A pair of high-waisted lined wool trousers ($220) with a fold-over front flap is a favourite of Woodlawn’s co-owner Ainez Maleko. The boutique’s stock of men’s Oxford shirts by Brooklyn’s General Assembly have been “selling like crazy.” The $118 button-up is modernized with a breast pocket in a contrasting colour.
BRIDAL BITS
■ Actor and director Sarah Polley wore a gown from Lea-Ann Belter’s bridal collection at her recent wedding. The Toronto designer’s strapless creation of dupioni silk features a wrap bodice with crystal detailing and a chapel-length train with tuxedo pleats. The gown, called Lucy, is available from Lea-Ann Belter (785 Queen St. E., 416-778-6868, #LES).
■ White (19 Hazelton Ave., 416-849-9196, #YRV) is hosting a trunk show of two bridal collections from designer Reem Acra: her haute couture spring 2012 gowns and the more elaborate Royal Collection (it will be the line’s Canadian launch). Acra is known for her exquisite fabrics, hand-beading and decorative touches. By appointment only on Sept. 16 and 17.
