Toronto Style & Design Guide

ARCHITECTURE | DESIGN | FASHION | SHOPPING

#SEETORONTONOW

STYLE & DESIGN

EXPLORE, SHOP AND DISCOVER IN CANADA’S DOWNTOWN

CONTENTS TOURISM TORONTO

EDITORIAL & ART

Chair of the Board Peter Doyle

Executive Editor Amanda Eaton

President & CEO Johanne R. Bélanger

Deputy Editor Yuki Hayashi Art Director Adam Cholewa

Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Weir Editorial Director: Director, Brand Content Paula Port Managing Editor: Content Manager Cathy Riches

Contributors Jamie Bradburn Samra Habib Jennifer Krissilas Javier Lovera Jamie Noguchi Helen Racanelli Corinna Vangerwen Janice Meredith Wismer Christy Wright

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NEIGHBOURHOODS

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Front-row events

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Galleries & museums

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Must-have gadgets

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Flea markets

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Meet the makers FEATURES

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Architecture for the arts

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Look + listen

ON THE COVER CF Toronto Eaton Centre

PHOTOGRAPH

BY JESSE MILNS

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Queen Street West

Kensington Market

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Bloor-Yorkville

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King Street East

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The Junction FASHION & DESIGN

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Mall hopping

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Labels to love

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Weekend getaway

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Hip souvenir shops LAST LOOK

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Graphic imagery

TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

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CONNECT WITH US

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FINN O’HARA

News

Published by Tourism Toronto Queen’s Quay Terminal, Suite 405, 207 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5J 1A7 Tel: 416-203-2600 Fax: 416-203-6753

WELCOME

Brookfield Place

VULCANO

LOVE DESIGN?

Have we got the city guide for you. Toronto is a style aficionado’s paradise. We host many of the country’s leading fashion, interior design and decorating events and festivals. Our city streets boast architectural gems from the Victorian era to of-the-moment contemporary design (and don’t forget our iconic city skyline!). Our neighbourhoods are home to second-to-none shopping districts, each with its own dynamic energy and character.

Whether you’re seeking creative inspiration or are on the hunt for standout fashion, décor or gifts, Canada’s Downtown has it all. Our guide will help you discover Toronto’s best local designers and artisans, fashion and home shows, shopping destinations and architectural attractions. (Oh, and we’ve got uptown covered, too!) @SeeTorontoNow

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STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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WHAT’S HOT NOW

NEWS

What’s new and exciting around town in 2018.

Omni King Edward Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom

BlueBlood Steakhouse

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW An injection of newness is breathing fresh life into some of Toronto’s buildings— while maintaining their beautiful heritage. v The Omni King Edward Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom is once again ready for royalty— or you. With an impressive $6.5-million reno, the stunning venue, untouched for the past 40 years, is now decked out with showstopping chandeliers and restored wood carvings,

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making for a resplendent space where one and all can party like a rock star. v Take a former art colony, the 104-year-old Guild Inn, add a new restaurant and hall—not to mention one stunner of a 4,000-squarefoot gazebo—and you’ve got one polished new event venue, with its handsome heritage maintained (look to the art from Guild artists and the original stained glass windows).

v You don’t have to be of aristocratic descent to dine at BlueBlood Steakhouse, which has taken over the Oak and Billiard Rooms in Casa Loma.

The castle’s architecture holds true while modern art and furnishings build on the space’s good looks—all of which complements the Wagyu, Kobe beef and some 2,500 bottles on the impressive wine menu. v The Royal Ontario Museum’s entrance update opens up its Weston Entrance on Queen’s Park—complete with glass doors offering a clear view into the Rotunda (replete with its brilliant mosaic ceiling composed of millions of squares of Venetian glass) and through to the Samuel Hall Currelly Gallery. v Occupying prime corner real estate at Saks Fifth Avenue’s art deco palace is Leña, Oliver & Bonacini’s newest restaurant. With four full floors to play with, the designers carved out unique spaces from the beautiful octagonal bar and splendid light fixture at street level to the lower lounge that’ll be hard to resist getting cozy in with an Old Fashioned in hand.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

GILLIAN JACKSON (KING EDWARD); PAULA WILSON (BLUEBLOOD); NIKOLAS KOENIG (LEÑA)

Leña

RETAIL THERAPY Just like the calories you consume when you travel, shopping when on vacation “doesn’t count.” Here are some new spots to exercise your credit card.

INFINITE ARTISTRY

DOMINIC DIBBS/ALAMY (YAYOI KUSAMA); LAZIZ HAMANI (CHRISTIAN DIOR); CLIFTON LI (CF EATON CENTRE)

Dive into the bright and whimsical world of renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama as her magical kaleidoscope of installations and largescale paintings drop into Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario—the only Canadian stop of the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit tour—from March 3 to May 27, 2018.

v Chanel has unveiled its to-die-for new flagship store in Yorkville. v Iconic American brand Woolrich has set up shop in a 2,800-square-foot space in Yorkdale Shopping Centre. v CF Sherway Gardens shoppers have a bounty of

new shops to explore, including a two-level Nordstrom filled with designer clothing and shoes, and a new south wing, where you’ll find stores like Saje, Nike, BonLook and MAC. v At Yorkville Village, style lovers have the newly opened TNT Concept and Belstaff to fill out their wardrobes with. v Tech geeks can trip out on the covetable, high-tech goods at the shiny new Samsung store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre.

MON DIOR! French fashion designer Christian Dior redefined fashion in the post– World War II era. With his revolutionary “New Look” A-line and H-line silhouettes, the House of Dior introduced iconic looks that resonate to this day. The Royal Ontario Museum’s Christian Dior exhibition, November 25, 2017 through March 18, 2018, pays homage to the legendary designer’s visionary aesthetic.

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CF Toronto Eaton Centre

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STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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WHAT’S HOT NOW

Front-row events

Fashion Art Toronto

Toronto’s style game is pro level. Here are 10 can’t-miss design, architecture and fashion events. Plan a trip around them or work them into your visit for stylistapproved satisfaction. BY JAMIE NOGUCHI DESIGN 1 INTERIOR SHOW (IDS)

January You don’t have to be an insider to join the biggest design event of the year. Explore cutting-edge new products, listen to talks from design superstars, and check out concepts from today’s brightest new talent at this celebration of innovative contemporary design.

DESIGN 2 TORONTO OFFSITE FESTIVAL (TO DO) January IDS’s more art-focused counter­part, TO DO has grown into Canada’s largest cultural celebration of design.

TO DO’s 100-plus events and

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exhibitions make it the perfect partner to IDS, and both events run almost simultaneously. Why not plan a visit around Toronto’s midwinter design week?

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TORONTO CHRISTMAS MARKET

November to December A wonderland of twinkling lights, dazzling Christmas trees and holiday delicacies, this European-style market takes place in the cobblestone streets of the Victorian-era Distillery Historic District.

Stroll between 80-plus indie shops and boutiques, galleries, outdoor artisan stalls and restaurants, soaking in the winter magic.

Interior Design Show

TORONTO MEN’S FASHION 4WOMEN’S WEEK AND TORONTO FASHION WEEK March and September to October Early spring and fall bring on a high-fashion frenzy, with back-to-back men’s and women’s fashion weeks.

Runway shows from up-andcoming and established labels get style savants drooling, and crafting their wish lists.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

TORONTO 5 FASHION ART TORONTO 8 ELEVATE FESTIVAL April Art and fashion worlds collide—beautifully—at this annual celebration of contemporary style. With runway shows, performances, fashion flicks, art exhibits and installations, it’s a multi­disciplinary extravaganza, featuring 200-plus fashion designers and artists from Canada and around the world.

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TORONTO’S BRIDAL SHOW

April This blowout show is a shriekfest for excited brides and their support crews. Fairy-tale gowns, spectacular fashion shows, fabulous jewellery and lavish accessories—they’re all here, with free giveaways and a honeymoon draw, too.

September This three-day tech festival features 100-plus speakers at over 70 venues across the city.

With a focus on innovation, including design innovation, it’s a think-y confab for people who love to explore issues of disruption, globalization and transformation.

small-batch food, wine and spirits—it’s all here in one mammoth market that makes it a breeze to #meetthemakers and #shoplocal.

9 IIDEXCANADA @ THE BUILDINGS SHOW November Canada’s National Design + Architecture Exposition & Conference is a must for industry insiders and design aficionados. Innovative exhibitor booths, thoughtprovoking summits and keynote speakers like Karim Rashid converge annually.

PETER BREGG (FASHION ART); ARASH MOALLEMI (INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW); MARK BURST YN (ONE OF A KIND)

7 DOORS OPEN TORONTO 10 ONE OF A KIND SHOW & SALE May Once a year, you won’t need an inside connection to get a free sneak peek inside the city’s most unique and architecturally significant buildings, many not normally open to the public. Canada’s biggest Doors Open event is also among the three largest internationally.

Spring: March to April. Fall: November to December An early proponent of handmade, this biannual spring and Christmas market features artisan goods from across Canada. Artwork, fashion, jewellery, bath and beauty, furniture, housewares,

Toronto Design Offsite Festival

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its airy gallery. It’s also home to the Craft Ontario Shop and Inuit & Native Gallery.

6 AGA KHAN MUSEUM

Music and dance performances, plus theatre, lectures, workshops and film screenings, coincide with the permanent collection and special exhibitions at this museum dedicated to the history of Islamic civilizations.

7 MOCA

Relocating in spring 2018, the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada will occupy five floors of the iconic Tower Automotive Building in Toronto’s lower Junction neighbourhood. With a focus on Canadian and inter­national artists, the museum has featured works by multi­ disciplinary artist Luis Jacob, projection/text artist Jenny Holzer, painter/photographer/ video/performance artist Michael Morris and light insta­llation artist Dan Flavin.

10 niche galleries and museums you 8 will only find here

BY HELEN RACANELLI AND SAMRA HABIB

1 GARDINER MUSEUM

The ceramic arts are celebrated in the Gardiner’s permanent collection and intriguing exhibitions. Try a drop-in open-studio clay class.

MUSEUM 2 TEXTILE OF CANADA

Mirroring Toronto’s diversity, over 200 global regions are represented in this downtown museum’s more than 13,000-piece collection, which includes rare religious artifacts.

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YOUNGER THAN BEYONCÉ GALLERY

Marjan Verstappen and Humboldt Magnussen’s nomadic gallery showcases works by emerging artists often engaged with sociopolitical, economic and community issues. The

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gallery name merges an influential gallery show (New York City’s New Museum’s Younger Than Jesus exhibit) with pop culture’s reigning female deity, addressing a young, feminist, LGBTQ-positive audience.

4 BATA SHOE MUSEUM

Shoeaholics will delight in this staggering display of footwear, housed in a striking, shoebox-shaped building.

Ancient Egyptian sandals, chestnut-crushing clogs and 20th-century celebrity shoes are all here!

5 CRAFT ONTARIO

The province’s memberbased crafters’ organization hosts public exhibitions of artisan works, including furniture and textile sculptures, in

CBC MUSEUM

Take a #museumselfie with a microphone from 1910, on the main floor of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Toronto Broadcasting Centre, or tune in to interactive TV exhibits, plus cool archival materials from as far back as the 1930s.

POWER PLANT CON9 THE TEMPORARY ART GALLERY

Part of a working power plant until 1980, Harbourfront’s tall smokestack will lead you to this waterfront gallery. Enjoy sweeping lake views, along with thought-provoking exhibitions by leading Canadian and international contemporary artists.

10 SPADINA MUSEUM

If you love period shows like Downton Abbey, Spadina House captures Jazz Age Toronto as experienced by the Austin family, in a manse that’s now a museum. Discover period décor and artifacts, along with six acres of restored 1905 gardens. www.SeeTorontoNow.com

GARY OTTE

Aga Khan Museum

WHAT’S HOT NOW

Must-have gadgets

Toronto is a hotbed of design and innovation. Here are five locally made or designed finds that make life better—and a whole lot cooler, too. BY YUKI HAYASHI GARRISON BESPOKE’S BULLETPROOF SUIT

It looks like any other well-cut suit, but this nanotechnology menswear stops a bullet as effectively as Kevlar, with a fraction of the bulk. The suit’s lightweight, military-grade fabric is composed of carbon nanotubes that harden against force, preventing bullet penetration.

VANHAWKS’ VALOUR

This super-stylish bike brings next-gen innovation to your daily commute. With its Wi-Fi connectivity, built-in GPS navigation, ability to track cycling metrics, and integrated front and rear lights, it’s an evolutionary leap (er… breakaway?) in cycling. The classic leather saddle and vibrationdampening carbon-fibre frame?

Icing on the cake.

NANOLEAF’S AURORA

This modular LED light kit combines several bright ideas: it’s energy saving, multi-colour, endlessly customizable and responds to voice commands via a smartphone app. Mount the interlocking, nine-tile starter kit on the wall or ceiling, or add extra tiles for a more ambitious light motif.

From nightlight to party lights (set a light show to music!) to cheery, ambient illumi­nation for a dreary day, it’s the ultimate in mood lighting.

Oh yeah, it’s got designer cred, too: Aurora retailers include the MoMA Design Store.

PETBOT’S WI-FI PET MONITOR

DRINKBOX STUDIO’S SEVERED

This award-winning video game has racked up accolades for its distinctive art style and evocative original soundtrack (scored by Juno-winning band Yamantaka/Sonic Titan). Created by the same indie video game studio that created the cult hit Guacamelee.

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Miss your fur baby like crazy while you’re at work? PetBot’s Wi-Fi pet monitor lets you interact while you’re away.

Use your mobile device to talk, dispense treats or take video selfies of your pooch or kitty. This recently released product was the culmination of an uber-successful crowdfunding campaign.

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WHAT’S HOT NOW

Top 10: Flea markets

Dig for treasures or simply take in the eye candy. From quirky collectibles to one-of-a-kind vintage finds, you’ll find everything— at every price point—at these top 10 flea markets. BY YUKI HAYASHI This open-air market takes place monthly during the warmer season. Vendors are carefully selected to uphold the street cred of this most design conscious of neighbourhoods. You’ll find Instagram-ready vintage items, antiques and handcrafted pieces from local artisans.

2 MERCHANTS’ FLEA MARKET

OPEN EVERY WEEKEND

Over 250 booths vie to sell visitors everything

from tees and drapery to rugs and beauty products. This Scarborough market is also home to the 25-merchantstrong Jewellery Exchange, a nail salon and a pet store.

3 LESLIEVILLE FLEA

Much like its namesake east-end community, this monthly market is all about stylish sustainability. Expect confidently curated vintage, salvaged and upcycled goods, including furniture, collectibles and housewares.

FLEA’S FLEA 4 DR. MARKET

OPEN EVERY WEEKEND

The city’s mega “flea mall” with 400-plus vendors, Dr. Flea’s is chock full of bargain-priced jewellery, clothes, souvenirs and collectibles, including used books and rare coins. Bonus: On-site farmers’ market, juice bar and international food court.

SUNDAY ANTIQUE 5 THE MARKET

The St. Lawrence Market’s Sunday market is an Old Town

PHOTO: TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTTKTK

1 PARKDALE FLEA MARKET

The Bunz Flea

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www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Leslieville Flea fixture. Oodles of vendors bring the magic with antiquarian books, vintage jewellery, clothing from bygone eras and various household ephemera.

DOWNSVIEW 6MARKET PARK MERCHANTS

OPEN EVERY WEEKEND

The main draw of this North Toronto weekend market is its food. An on-site farmers’ market sells fresh, local produce while the international food court is a secret foodie gem—a chain-free zone with cuisine from countries ranging from Afghanistan to Vietnam.

JESSE MILNS (GLADSTONE FLEA)

TRINITY 7 THE BELLWOODS FLEA

This monthly West Queen Street West market features 40-plus local artisans and vendors hawking on-trend vintage and handmade items to dress yourself and your home in. The indoor market is dog friendly and known for its killer lineup of food vendors.

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TORONTO WESTON FLEA MARKET

OPEN EVERY WEEKEND

This west-end weekend market offers cheapand-cheerful new products, including clothing, electronics, @SeeTorontoNow

Gladstone Flea DVDs, video games, furniture, housewares and collectibles.

The food court includes Asian, Caribbean and Spanish options.

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GLADSTONE FLEA

This monthly artisan market on hip Queen Street West features locally crafted jewellery, housewares and gifts. Vintage clothing and accessories are carefully curated, so finding treasures takes no rummaging:

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it’s already artfully arranged for your browsing pleasure.

10 THE BUNZ FLEA

A millennial update on swap meets, this outsidethe-box flea market features local makers and artisans exchanging goods and services for cash or trades. Bring your gently used castoffs to the open trading area to see what you can get for them.

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WHAT’S HOT NOW

Meet the makers

Toronto may be a resolutely modern metropolis, but it’s also home to artisans and designers who work the old-fashioned way.

Here are five local makers who prove the secret to quality rests in mantras like one of a kind, small batch and custom.

BY CHRISTY WRIGHT AND JENNIFER KRISSILAS

Manzer Guitars A former folk singer, Linda Manzer is renowned for her one-of-a-kind guitars, the preferred choice of Carlos Santana, Pat Metheny and Bruce Cockburn. Manzer hand-constructs each instrument using the finest materials, including aged rosewood, curly maple and ebony.

Rekindle Rekindle design utilizes high-quality local materials—mostly wood, like walnut and maple—to produce heirlooms in the making.

MAKER’S REMARK “We’re passionate about domestic woods—each is so different and comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. We love that it supports the local economy and is harvested in a sustainable way.” –Devin Schaffner, co-founder

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NIGEL DICKSON (MANZER); MARK BURST YN (REKINDLE)

MAKER’S REMARK “After seeing Joni Mitchell play a dulcimer at the Mariposa folk festival on the Toronto Islands in 1968, I became interested in making musical instruments.

When I first strummed a dulcimer I’d assembled myself, I was shocked at the sublime joy I felt—it was like I’d given life to something inanimate.”

–Linda Manzer

GUILD Eyewear At GUILD, handcrafted comes with serious sartorial cred. Frames are designed by local artists and are milled, tumbled, polished and assembled by hand. Result: Fierce looks like the femme fatale Bardots or the Iris Apfel–worthy Royals.

MAKER’S REMARK “Being a small, local manufacturer enables us to have an undiluted design vision.

It’s just the designer and the person they are designing for.” –Rod Fitzsimmons Frey, founder

Abel Muñoz The darling of Vogue Italia, Muñoz’s shoe collections are designed here and handmade in Italy. His style footprint? Impeccable workmanship and attention to detail.

MAKER’S REMARK “What I love about designing shoes is the combination of both the creative and the technical. Turning a concept into a wearable, finished product is amazing.” –Abel Muñoz

Brothers Dressler

RICHARD MICHAEL L. GONZALES (BROTHERS DRESSLER)

Furniture makers (and twin brothers) Lars and Jason Dressler create sustainably bespoke pieces, including wooden chandeliers. Crafted with discarded extras from local mills and salvaged city trees, they are simultaneously rustic and upscale.

MAKER’S REMARK “Crafting by hand allows us to explore the creative potential of the wood, to take the time to bring out its beauty and usefulness.”

–Lars Dressler, co-founder

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ARCHITECTURE FOR THE ARTS

PHOTO: TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTTKTK

How the cultural renaissance fed Toronto’s star-building boom. BY JAMIE BRADBURN

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TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

PHOTO: TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTTKTK

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Sharp Centre for Design @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

f you were a visiting architecture buff two decades ago, chances were your tour concentrated on the city’s commercial and financial landmarks. While structures like Mies van der Rohe’s Toronto-Dominion Centre were studied around the world, many of our cultural institutions lacked panache. Buildings like the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum were fine places to exhibit art and artifacts, but few would have gone out of their way solely to appreciate their built form.

That changed with the arrival of the new century. Funding from the provincial government and private donors created a cultural building renaissance, lifting Toronto’s international architectural profile. According to Toronto International Film Festival CEO and director Piers Handling, these groups “realized the city needed a facelift.

It needed some excitement; it needed to be regenerated. Toronto was a vibrant, alive city, but the cultural institutions that existed were a bit long in the tooth in terms of their physical clout. Yet there were new cultural institutions, like TIFF, the Canadian Opera Company, The National Ballet of Canada, the Gardiner Museum, who were just bursting at the seams and wanted to do some new things and to create an impact on the city.”

These structures combine works from es­ tablished local firms like Diamond Schmitt Architects and KPMB Architects with globally renowned starchitects Will Alsop, Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind.

The harbingers had been around since the early 1990s. Commercial projects like the Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place reintroduced, according to architects Margaret and Phil Goodfellow, “the inspirational qualities of design excellence to Toronto.” New institutions like the Bata Shoe Museum foreshadowed increased philanthropic investment in the city’s cultural institutions. Extensive renovations to Roy Thomson Hall in 2002 upgraded the rounded landmark’s acoustics and noise controls to produce a richer listening experience for patrons of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Overseen by KPMB and Artec Consultants, the remodelling utilized wood to bring warmth to its original concrete design.

For Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume, the ball really got rolling with OCAD University’s Sharp Centre for Design, which opened in 2004. “It’s so outlandish and yet so practical,” says Hume. Rising 26 metres (85 feet) above the ground on colourful stilts, Will Alsop’s tabletop in the sky allowed the school to expand vertically while maintaining neighbouring residents’ view of Grange Park. Its unusual, multi-hued design, which is bathed in blue light at night, reflects the creativity stirring in the students working within its classrooms and studios.

Nearby, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) trans­ formation was spurred by media tycoon Ken Thomson, who donated his extensive collections of Canadian and European art and his model ships. The gallery hired Toronto native Frank STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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Gehry, architect of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, to produce additions and renovations that, according to Hume, show him “at his most masterful and most restrained.”

The main entrance was shifted back to its app­roximate 1970s location to provide a view from the front doors through to the historic Grange building in the back. More natural light flows through the building, providing fresh perspectives on works in galleries such as the Thomson Collection of Canadian Paintings Koerner Hall

and First Nations Objects. A curving staircase stands as both a sculpture and a structure that energetic children love. Above the sidewalk, the Galleria Italia offers space to rest, enjoy a drink or snack and watch the vibrant parade of street life pass by. A decade after the additions opened, the AGO is still learning new ways to take advantage of the galleries’ new configurations.

W

e imagine similar discoveries lurk within Daniel Libeskind’s controversial design for the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

If you want to argue with a Torontonian, mention the glass-and-aluminumclad Crystal. Legend has it Libeskind conceived the design on a cocktail napkin, though he was also reputedly inspired by the museum’s gem and mineral collection. The Crystal welcomes visitors off Bloor Street to catch the latest exhibits and mainstays at the ROM, like the Bat Cave, dinosaurs and Ming Tomb.

Luck was finally on the Canadian Opera Company’s side when the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts opened in 2006, after a decades-long quest for an opera house. The current building is a tribute to the persistence of the late COC general director Richard Bradshaw’s pursuit of an appropriate home (Bradshaw is honoured with an amphitheatre that doubles as the glass-enclosed staircase and is used for weekly free performances). The curved shape of the main auditorium is designed so that most seats are within 30 metres (100 feet) of centre stage.

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PREVIOUS PAGE: INTERIORIMAGES.CA (OCAD); THIS PAGE: CLIFTON LI (FOUR SEASONS)

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

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Legend has it Daniel Libeskind conceived the design on a cocktail napkin, though he was also reputedly inspired by the museum’s gem and mineral collection.

DANIELLE PETTI (ROM); BEN FLOCK (TIFF)

Royal Ontario Museum The venue’s flexibility has allowed the COC to perform challenging operas like Richard Wagner’s complete Ring cycle. The block-length glass building on University Avenue creates a sense of transparency for people on either side of the panes to watch one another. At night, the lobby glows like a jewel box.

Those aspiring to perform ballet in the Four Seasons Centre may train in Canada’s National Ballet School on Jarvis Street. KPMB’s design incorporates two heritage buildings into a modern glass structure filled with dance studios and offices. The site includes The Shoe Room, where you can fulfill your ballerina dreams by being fitted for pointe shoes.

On King Street, the heart of the annual Toronto International Film Festival, condos rise above the TIFF Bell Lightbox. Opened in 2010, the structure integrates residential living, cinemas and galleries and is surrounded by bars and restaurants. Hume sees these numerous activities as an important factor in making the cultural ren­ a issance buildings work, especially in the Lightbox’s case: “Everything is connected, and there’s enough density down there that you can support all these activities all at once.” Beyond the film fest, the Lightbox offers a full slate of movies, and @SeeTorontoNow

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TIFF Bell Lightbox

attractions like the free exhibitions in the CIBC Canadian Film Gallery.

The Lightbox’s architects, KPMB, also worked on Koerner Hall as part of The Royal Conservatory of Music’s revitalization. Mervon Mehta, the RCM’s executive director of performing arts, found that patrons’ appreciation of perfor­mances changed after the mid-sized venue opened in 2009. “What I find most remarkable is audiences listen to music differently than before,” he says.

“When we first opened, there were people who thought there was something wrong with the sound. They were hearing sound purely, and they’d always heard sound impurely before.”

Beyond the sound, visitors will be impressed by the curving wood interior.

On the former site of Bata’s modernist headquarters in Don Mills, the Aga Khan Museum features artifacts, artwork and other objects reflecting the history of Islamic civilization. The permanent gallery displays items donated by the institution’s namesake, the family of philanthropist and Ismaili spiritual leader the Aga Khan. Designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, the museum is connected, via extensive landscaping, with the Ismaili Centre, designed

by Charles Correa Associates and Moriyama & Teshima Architects. Hume notes that this project adds a new dimension to Toronto’s cultural life and represents “an unprecedented vote of confidence” from the international community.

The Toronto cultural-architecture boom is far from over. Projects like the Massey Hall renovations, the new home of the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada and proposed galleries and theatres along King Street demonstrate that the architectural creativity of the cultural renaissance will continue to flow.

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LOOK + LISTEN

Our curated fashion playlists combine the best of two fave passions.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAVIER LOVERA STYLING BY JANICE MEREDITH WISMER

URBAN CASUAL

Keep your cool in hot athleisure looks set to a hip-hop or pop-rock beat.

SHOP THE LOOK Find your favourite brands at the city’s best destination malls. Yorkdale Shopping Centre power players include Drake’s flagship October’s Very Own shop, AllSaints, and House of Hoops by Foot Locker for special edition kicks. CF Sherway Gardens boasts Sporting Life, French Connection and Abercrombie & Fitch. Just west of the city, Mississauga’s Square One Shopping Centre is home to 320-plus shops and services, including top brands like Ben Sherman, Topshop/Topman and Urban Outfitters, while Brampton’s Bramalea City Centre includes Ecko Unltd., Forever 21 and Soul Underground. Head north of the city to top outlet mall Vaughan Mills, where you’ll find steals on Adidas, Armani Exchange, Champs Sports and more.

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CITY PLAYLIST Drake The Weeknd Alessia Cara Maestro Fresh Wes

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

HAIR AND MAKE-UP: OLIVIA COLACCI; MODELS: CAMILA, JOEY, MARCUS (PLUTINO MODELS)

FRIDAY NIGHT

Get creative with workwear that goes from Monday meetings to Friday night jazz.

SHOP THE LOOK Punch up your wardrobe with unique finds and splurges.

Holt Renfrew carries designer fashion, accessories and shoes from the likes of Paul Smith, Theory, Thomas Mason, Pink Tartan, Etro, Brunello Cucinelli and more. CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre both feature career-oriented retailers like Banana Republic and Club Monaco. The Financial District’s Garrison Bespoke is the place to go for handtailored suits, shirts and formal­ wear. Head to The Distillery Historic District to shop night-out looks at Gotstyle.

CITY PLAYLIST Oscar Peterson Allison Au Rich Brown BadBadNotGood

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BLACK TIE

Suit up for an elegant night at the opera or symphony.

SHOP THE LOOK For the best in designer and luxury brands, hit BloorYorkville, home to Holt Renfrew, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Prada and Tiffany & Co. Tony indoor mall Yorkville Village has Cop. Copine, Belstaff and Italian heritage shop Eleventy.

For no-holds-barred gala dressing, head down to CF Toronto Eaton Centre at Queen and Yonge for Hudson’s Bay’s fabled The Room for Balmain, Lanvin, Erdem, Proenza Schouler and more, plus a shoe studio boasting the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood, Sophia Webster and Gianvito Rossi. The shopping centre also features a Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and upscale men’s clothier Harry Rosen.

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TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

CITY PLAYLIST Isabel Bayrakdarian Glenn Gould J.J. Bui Emily D’Angelo

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

STREET STYLE

Hip festival looks are for every season, whether or not your fave indie bands are on tour.

SHOP THE LOOK Get a one-of-a-kind look for guys and gals at the city’s best vintage and independent shops. Kensington Market is Toronto’s vintage HQ, with mainstays like Courage My Love and Exile. Another vintage hot spot is the Queen Street West strip, for Pearls and Pockets and Philistine.

Keep browsing westward on Queen, until you hit the Vogue-approved West Queen West strip near Ossington Avenue, where you’ll find #streetstyle faves at gravitypope and Tiger of Sweden.

CITY PLAYLIST Metric Rush Neil Young Feist

@SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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NEIGHBOURHOODS

WEST

ZONE

IN THE

QUEEN STREET

UUU

Queen West is synonymous with Toronto street style.

Tapped by Vogue magazine as one of the world’s coolest ’hoods, the main drag is home to design shops, indie boutiques and galleries.

Grab a cold-pressed juice from a local café, and take in the sidewalk parade.

As you head farther west, Queen West becomes West Queen West and the scene gets more indie, more edgy and more design forward.

Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue Iconic Canadian and U.S. department stores share a flagship space, with magical holiday window displays Lavish&Squalor Indie fashion/lifestyle/antiques/ coffee purveyor known for its shambolically chic style

Kol Kid Tastefully curated toys and togs for discerning boho tots Jonathan+Olivia Casual wear and shoes that channel an “I rolled out of bed this cool” vibe Studio Brillantine Artful housewares and tchotchkes from Alessi, Iittala, Georg Jensen et al.

Love great design and unique fashion finds? Here are five fab districts where you can indulge in the thrill of the chase.

BY YUKI HAYASHI 22

TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

Toronto Designers Market Fashion, accessories and housewares from 30-plus local designers, artisans and makers Queen West Antique Centre A mid-century mod mainstay in hipster Parkdale

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DANIELLE PETTI (QUEEN STREET WEST); HENRY LEE (HUDSON’S BAY)

DesignRepublic Retro, vintage and mid-century mod pieces (many designed in-house), next door to CB2

Kol Kid

Queen West Antique Centre

Queen Street West

SHOP TALK

Type Books Joanne Saul, co-owner

PHOTO: TKTKTKTKTKTKTKTTKTK

“Our neighbourhood is absolutely integral to our success. We’re in the art and design district and definitely feed off that energy. People from other parts of the city flock to West Queen West to soak in the vibe.

The best place to savour a good book is Trinity Bellwoods Park. It’s the best park in the city! In colder months, any of the delicious local coffee shops are a great bet.”

Hudson’s Bay @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

Queen Street West in three words: “Lively.

Creative. Fun.”

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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NEIGHBOURHOODS

KENSINGTON

MARKET Bohemian Toronto’s central HQ, Kensington Market’s narrow streets and bustling sidewalks hum with activity. From international food markets, green­g rocers, fishmongers and restaurants to specialty clothing, furniture and gift boutiques, it’s one of the city’s most eclectic shopping districts (and a short walk to the Art Gallery of Ontario).

Whether you’re looking for vintage clothing, retro furniture or, say, 1950s-motel-style keychains featuring Toronto neighbourhoods (to be specific!), you’ll find it here.

Kensington Market

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TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

Courage My Love

Kid Icarus Good Egg Gear, gadgets and gifts for foodies, some locally designed

Cocktail Emporium

ARPAD BENEDEK /ISTOCK (KENSINGTON); J. DESCHAMPS (GOOD EGG)

Blue Banana Market A modern bazaar of fashion, décor and gifts Kid Icarus A screen-print studio and gift shop with artistic, locally made finds Cocktail Emporium This mixologist mecca sells everything from artisan shrubs and mixers to esoteric bar tools and unique glassware Exile The second-hand retailer’s trove of vintage denim and leather has kept thrifty locals rockin’ for over 30 years Bungalow Danish modern furniture, retro housewares and vintage clothing, all under one hip roof

@SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

Good Egg

SHOP TALK

Courage My Love Felice Scriver, co-owner and manager

“My parents moved Courage to the market in 1979. Aside from my brothers, my whole family lives here: I grew up here and so did my daughter, nieces and nephew. Kensington is a tiny village inside a large city. It’s an ever-changing place with a side of chaos. We don’t want anyone coming in and scrubbing off our graffiti—we like the rough edges—it keeps Kensington fresh and real. It also keeps out some companies who wouldn’t fit in here. If people think the market is cool, then that’s cool.

We work hard to protect it—Kensington has an undefined weirdness that we like.”

Kensington Market in five words: “Heart and soul of Toronto.”

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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NEIGHBOURHOODS

BLOOR-

Teatro Verde

YORKVILLE Toronto’s swankiest shopping district includes Mink Mile, the stretch of Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Yonge Street, where you’ll find Chanel, Hermès, Prada and other luxury retailers.

Designer boutiques, tony art galleries and upscale spas and restaurants give Bloor-Yorkville its rarified vibe. The nearby Royal Ontario Museum’s Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles & Costume, Samuel European Galleries and Gallery of Chinese Architecture will intrigue fashion and design buffs.

Holt Renfrew The luxury department store’s flagship is a temple to fashion, beauty and indulgence Divine Decadence Originals Authentic vintage couture, circa 1920s to 1970s Chanel The ne plus ultra of luxury labels has a bigger, chicer boutique space TNT The season’s most ’grammable designer athleisure and streetwear for men and women Uncle Otis Urbane essentials for dapper gents Over the Rainbow A wonderland of premium denim and on-point athleisure wear

Over the Rainbow

Teatro Verde Foremost a floral studio; also purveyors of objets for the kitchen, bath and garden

SHOP TALK

“I opened my gallery in 1969, on the periphery of Yorkville. At the time, Yorkville was very hippie. Then it lost that artsy face and became very fashionable. As more businesses moved in, we had fewer galleries. Yet Hazelton, Yorkville and Cumberland still have a few established, solid, not overly commercial galleries. The scene has changed, but Yorkville still is a wonderful place to walk around.”

Bloor Street

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TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

Bloor-Yorkville in three words: “Chi-chi.

Beautiful. Character.”

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

PAIGE LINDSAY (BLOOR); LODOE LAURA (DISTILLERY)

Odon Wagner Gallery / Odon Wagner Contemporary Odon Wagner, owner

KING

The Distillery Historic District

STREET EAST

Located in the heart of Old Town, the King East Design District (KEDD) hosts many of the city’s finest interior design shops and showrooms.

While the focus is on contemporary luxury furniture and fixtures, you’ll find plenty of antiques and art galleries here, too. A stone’s throw away is the architecturally significant Distillery Historic District, North America’s most intact Victorian-era industrial site, revitalized with shops, galleries, arts venues, restaurants and— in winter—the dazzlingly lit, outdoor Toronto Christmas Market and Toronto Light Festival.

Suite22 Interiors Its modular kitchens may not fit in your suitcase, but quirky Kartell tableware? Sure!

Sunday Antique Market Trawl for treasures at this weekly St. Lawrence Market mainstay Trianon Local design firm’s store full of exquisite antiques and accessories

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MaZone

David Mitchell Beautifully utilitarian fashion and beauty, with an in-house salon D & E Lake An emporium of antique maps and prints, plus books on art and architecture EQ3 Canadian-designed, condo-sleek furniture and housewares, including tabletop and bed linens

David Mitchell @SeeTorontoNow

MaZone Fresh and fun designer housewares and gifts

@SeeTorontoNow

SHOP TALK

Distill Gallery Allison Skinner, owner “I opened Distill 15 years ago. At that time, this was an abandoned historic district, but the potential was so obvious. The developers were adamant about it becoming a pedestrian village and centre for arts and culture—which dovetailed nicely with my concept for Distill.

Our mandate is to showcase all-Canadian design, including local craftspeople and designers. The district is phenomenally gorgeous, with a curated selection of independent business. In 15 years, it’s become a crucial part of the city.”

The Distillery Historic District/KEDD in three words: “Dynamic, historic and independent.”

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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NEIGHBOURHOODS

THE JUNCTION

The Beau & Bauble

This up-and-coming west-end neighbourhood has a spunky indie vibe. You’ll see it in the décor shops, which skew toward a reclaimed industrial/salvaged vintage aesthetic, and in the fashion boutiques, which trade heavily in homegrown and Canadian labels. Besides fair-trade cafés and used-book shops, The Junction neighbourhood is home to a burgeoning gallery scene, the crown jewel of which will be the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA), set to reopen in spring 2018.

Gerhard Supply

Smash Salvaged and vintage furniture and accessories, curated with a killer eye for style Mjölk Minimalist housewares from Scandinavia, Japan and local collaborations The Art of Demolition Antiques, custom furniture, vintage collectibles and posters

The Art of Demolition

The Beau & Bauble Gifts, knickknacks and jewellery that straddle “cute” and “edgy” with élan Coal Miner’s Daughter Local and Canadian labels—for work and play—shine at this indie darling Gerhard Supply Workweek-to-weekend wear for men on the move, much of it locally made

ARTiculations

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Philip Sparks Tailored Goods Bespoke suits and select sophisticated ready-to-wear for gents, all tailored in-house

TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

SHOP TALK

ARTiculations Heather Phillips, co-owner “My business partner, Miki Rubin, and I are both artists and we lived in The Junction before we opened Articulations.

The plan was never to be just a retail store.

We’re pretty invested in the neighbourhood, so developing a studio space with classes, and an exhibition space, was close to us. We wanted to create a creative hub in the neighbourhood.”

The Junction in three words: “Laid back, friendly and creative.”

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

ANDREW WILLIAMSON (GERHARD SUPPLY); TITUS CHAN (MJÖLK)

Black Daffodil Retro silhouettes and lady­ like style, with a made-inCanada focus

Mjรถlk @SeeTorontoNow

@SeeTorontoNow

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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FASHION & DESIGN

CF Toronto Eaton Centre

Mall hopping INCREDIBLE OUTLETS

What’s better than finding the season’s hottest bag? Finding it at half off retail, obvi! Toronto’s budget shopping scene includes fabulous outlet and premiumdiscount malls, all offering the top names in retail, plus a few homegrown faves you’ll be glad you discovered.

Just a 20-minute drive from downtown, Dixie Outlet Mall features 120-plus retailers, including clearance outlets and factory stores from Nike,

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GUESS, Nine West Shoe Studio, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Sirens.

Toronto’s premier outlet mall north of the city, Vaughan Mills is geared toward fashion diehards who want the hottest styles from on-trend brands, at crazy-good prices. Besides fast-fashion labels like H&M and Forever 21, you’ll find Armani Exchange, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Ben Sherman, Michael Kors and J. Crew Factory. Top Canadian fashion

TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

boutiques Harry Rosen, Holt Renfrew and Rudsak have outlets here, too. (TIP: A free mall shuttle runs seasonally from Union Station.)

West of the city, Toronto Premium Outlets offers more than 85 upscale fashion retailers at unbeatable prices (how does 25 percent to 65 percent off retail sound?).

Check off your wish list—again and again!—as you snag choice finds from the likes of Burberry, Kate Spade New www.SeeTorontoNow.com

HENRY LEE

Why wander, when you can find all your favourite stores in one place? Toronto’s malls offer something for everyone, whether you’re eager to save or dying to splurge. BY JAMIE NOGUCHI

York, Ted Baker London and Jimmy Choo. Rudsak, Lolë and Aldo contribute Canadian content. A daily shuttle gets you from Union Station to shopping nirvana in under an hour.

BOB GUNDU (YORKDALE)

UPSCALE SHOPPING ENVIRONMENTS

Located in the heart of the city centre, CF Toronto Eaton Centre is arguably the city’s most iconic mall (north enders will dispute that and nominate Yorkdale for the honour). With its mix of can’t-miss, trend-driven chains, department stores Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, plus classic Canadian retailers like Roots, Lululemon Athletica and Aritzia, there’s something for everyone—over 250 shops, restaurants and services in all.

Toronto’s other iconic mall is Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

The uptown fashion destination is known for its bold mix of mass and prestige, anchored

by Holt Renfrew, Canada’s leading luxury department store. Fashion hounds rally here for the likes of Versace, Prada, Cartier, John Varvatos and Bulgari. Yorkdale’s collection of hot Canadiana includes Drake’s October’s Very Own flagship and luxury parka purveyors Canada Goose and Moose Knuckles.

Also uptown, you’ll find CF Shops at Don Mills, a quaint, open-air shopping promenade designed around a central square. Retailers include the best of on-trend lifestyle and athleisure, such as Anthropologie, Frank & Oak and New Balance.

Midtown’s Yorkville Village is one of Toronto’s tinier, tonier malls. The chic lifestyle centre is home to Whole Foods Market, plus SoulCycle (in case you want to work out before giving your credit card a workout). Discerning shoppers are lured by European brands at Jacadi, Cop. Copine and Pellini Milano Paris.

In the west end, CF Sherway Gardens recently unveiled a swanky new south wing @SeeTorontoNow

anchored by a 140,000-squarefoot Nordstrom. The mall contains over 190 retailers, running the gamut from Abercrombie & Fitch to Zara, plus department stores Saks Fifth Avenue and Hudson’s Bay. In Toronto’s western neighbour, Mississauga, Square One Shopping Centre is also in expansion mode. The mall’s new

south wing focuses exclusively on aspirational fashion and lifestyle, with Holt Renfrew, Kate Spade New York, Stuart Weitzman, Rolex and upmarket menswear chain Harry Rosen.

Square One is home to one of the few non-Quebec locations of Simons, the department store darling of fashion types and other savvy shoppers.

Yorkville Village

Yorkdale Shopping Centre

@SeeTorontoNow

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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FASHION & DESIGN

Labels to love LUCIAN MATIS

The Romanian-born, Toronto-educated and -based fashion designer hit the international stage when Sophie Grégoire Trudeau wore his creations during official visits to Washington and Tokyo.

Find your own Matis showstopper at Holt Renfrew.

Wear the North Five covetable Canadian labels to discover

BEAUFILLE

Sisters Chloé and Parris Gordon’s line of readyto-wear and jewellery captures a modern, effortless style with a tomboy vibe.

The iconic Canadian brand is renowned for its leather goods, cottage country-cool casual wear and a damn fine selection of flannel, to boot.

SID NEIGUM

With plenty of buzz in the press, Neigum offers a collection that fuses experimental silhouettes with strong architectural lines.

MAISON MATTHEW GALLAGHER

Since winning the TFI New Labels 2015 competition, all eyes have been on Gallagher’s beautifully crafted feminine line.

JOSEPH MIMRAN

When it comes to Canada’s fashion landscape, Joseph Mimran is one of our style patriarchs—high and low.

He founded the budget-friendly Joe Fresh label, sold in standalone stores and select Loblaws and Real Canadian Superstore locations. (Loading up on quinoa? Why not toss a shift dress into your grocery cart, too?) On the luxe end, he con­tributes to Pink Tartan, womenswear designed by his wife, Kimberley Newport-Mimran. Pink Tartan exudes a chic elegance, with fans such as Kim Cattrall, and can be found at its tony Yorkville boutique and in upscale department stores Holt Renfrew and Hudson’s Bay.

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MIKHAEL KALE CANADA GOOSE

A Canadian heritage label proven in some of the coldest places on earth— from Antarctica to Mount Everest— Canada Goose keeps Canucks toasty throughout winter.

Score your own at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre shopping mall (Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom both carry the label), where you can take a gander at artist Michael Snow’s permanent installation Flight Stop, a collection of soaring Canada geese.

TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

Counting celebrities like Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez as fans, Kale’s line subscribes to plenty of high-watt finishes like leather and sequins, or cutout features.

HAYLEY ELSAESSER

When it comes to popart-inspired prints, a slew of neon colours and a playful sense of style, Elsaesser’s collection is where it’s at.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

MIREYA ACIERTO/GETT Y IMAGES (MIMRAM); RICHARD LAUTENS/GETT Y IMAGES (CANADA GOOSE); ZUMA PRESS, INC./ALAMY (LUCIAN MATIS)

ROOTS

Holt Renfrew

Weekend getaway

Here with your bestie or boyfriend, or simply catching up with pals? You can’t go wrong with the Toronto trifecta: shopping, spa-ing and dining.

FINN O’HARA (BLOOR); CLIFTON LI (HOLT RENFREW); CINDY LA (CANOE)

SHOP

For a long list of coveted brands (more than 270 shops and services), visit Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Downtown’s CF Toronto Eaton Centre is City Centre’s largest mall, with 250-plus shops, services and restaurants. It’s also next door to fashionista fave Saks Fifth Avenue, and the Hudson’s Bay department store’s flagship, the exclusive home of Canada’s only Kleinfeld Bridal, where brides and bridesmaids can “say yes to the dress” in a 20,000-squarefoot luxury atelier. If you’re looking to browse boutiques, hit the Queen West Fashion District or The Beaches.

Gentlemen, take note: Harry Rosen, Holt Renfrew Men, Gotstyle and the Queen West area all deliver the goods, with both international and local labels. @SeeTorontoNow

UNWIND

Work out the kinks after a power-shopping session.

Depending on your preferred massage style, consider these two options: a short walk or subway ride from the city core.

For those who like invigorating massage therapy, hit Urban Nirvana Thai Massage & Yoga Spa, where a practitioner kneads, pummels, pushes and stretches you into a state of unknotted-ness. (Yes, you will get walked on.) Seeking something a bit more gentle?

The Elmwood Spa’s signature Lava Shell Massage consists of a full-body polish, followed by a massage with heated seashells, using a muscle- and skin-pampering seaweedinfused oil. Afterwards, enjoy a three-course lunch in your spa robe on the Elmwood’s private patio. Or luxuriate in the saltwater pool at the Spa at

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Canoe Windsor Arms, preferably after indulging in one of the establishment’s many treatments. The Chocolate and Coffee Body Wrap is truly a treat for the whole body: cocoa is a natural antioxidant, and caffeine helps tone and firm skin, especially when combined with the full-body exfoliation.

DINE

In the Entertainment District, Canoe is considered one of the country’s best for its eclectic regional-inflected menu. Or share piles of antipasto plates over a great bottle (or two) at Cibo Wine Bar. But first (or after): cocktails. Try Queen Street West’s BarChef for innovative mixologist creations, or Cold Tea, in funky Kensington Market, for drinks and dim sum. For a sophisticated place to toast your best friends—and enjoy DJ beats on the weekend— visit the swellegant Stirling Room, an opulent lounge where trendsetters sip designer cocktails in The Distillery Historic District.

STYLE & DESIGN TORONTO

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FASHION & DESIGN

Hip souvenir shops

Tuck Shop Trading Co.

Check out these local boutiques that rock when it comes to city-centric swag. BY CORINNA VANGERWEN

Jays Shop

MUST-BUYS Handmade pieces from Harbourfront Centre’s artists-in-residence

CN TOWER GIFT SHOP

Canadiana and local souvenirs, at the base of one of the tallest towers in the world.

MUST-BUYS CN Tower Architecture Series mugs and shirts

SPACING STORE

Crywolf

A spinoff of urbanist magazine Spacing, with city-themed books, clothing and more.

MUST-BUYS Prints of vintagestyle transit posters; Toronto tote bag

JAYS SHOP

Home of official merchandise from Canada’s only Major League Baseball team—and former World Series champs— the Toronto Blue Jays.

MUST-BUYS Vintage T-shirts; retro-style caps

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A marketplace packed to the rafters, featuring many local brands and artisans.

MUST-BUYS Toronto map necklace, earrings and cufflinks

CRYWOLF

DRAKE GENERAL STORE

Trendy and quirky, with house lines of apparel, beauty products and artisanal foods made in Toronto.

MUST-BUYS YYZ Tyvek setof-three luggage tags; Toronto Eats tea towel

BLUE BANANA MARKET

REAL SPORTS APPAREL (AIR CANADA CENTRE*)

Authentic merch from Toronto’s big teams: the Maple Leafs, Raptors, TFC and Marlies.

MUST-BUYS Raptors’ We the North tees, caps and water bottle

HARBOURFRONT CENTRE SHOP Artful accessories, ceramics, glassware, jewellery and more by local and Canadian artists.

TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

A whimsical indie shop, with locally designed and made goods, including limitededition silkscreened T-shirts.

MUST-BUYS Enamel lapel pins, like chubby blue jay and “trash panda” (a local term of endearment for the humble raccoon)

TUCK SHOP TRADING CO.

Rustic cottage-meets-city vibe, with clothing and accessories designed in Canada.

MUST-BUYS City of Neighbourhoods T-shirts, toques and banners •TO BE RENAMED SCOTIABANK ARENA IN JULY 2018.

www.SeeTorontoNow.com

K AYLA ROCCA (DRAKE); DAVID CYR (TUCK SHOP TRADING CO.)

Drake General Store

LAST LOOK

GRAPHIC IMAGERY COURTESY OF TOUR GUYS TORONTO; BACK PAGE: KHRISTEL STECHER

Toronto’s street-art scene offers bright ideas and urban inspiration.

As global interest in street art spikes, Toronto’s graffiti scene has become an attraction in its own right. Chris Godfrey, managing coordinator of Tour Guys Toronto (which offers a downtown Graffiti Tour), shares his intel on Graffiti Alley, the city’s biggest street-art destination.

WHERE TO ENJOY THE VIEW

“Graffiti Alley is the best place to see graffiti. It’s the one place in the city where vandalism bylaws are not enforced, which means local and international artists have the opportunity to work unrestrained. It’s not uncommon to walk through the alley once a week and find a number @SeeTorontoNow

of new pieces. Street art should never be stagnant, and in a space like this, we see rapid change on an almost daily basis.”

INSTAGRAM PIC

“I’m a huge fan of the murals in Chinatown—not just the handwork and great styling that have gone into them, but also the detail and care that have been taken to represent various aspects of Chinese culture. My favourite is the one that sits in the alleyway next to the Lucky Moose Food Mart.

It includes influences from the First Nations of the West Coast of Canada—a fantastic fusion of traditions.”

@SeeTorontoNow

ALT GRAFFITI

“Paste-ups are stickers that people put up in various places.

Check out the Neighbourhood Watch signs around Kensington Market for that—the usual logo has been covered up by various superheroes looking out for the neighbourhood.

“The most iconic piece of street art is probably Elicser’s ‘Hug Me Tree,’ located at Queen and Peter streets. HUG (History Unleashes Genius) was actually the name of the graffiti crew he worked with, but people mistook the acronym for a command, and every time he’s painted over the tree, he’s included that ‘hug me’ message.”

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TORONTO STYLE & DESIGN

www.SeeTorontoNow.com