Oh, Canada! As the creative crowd arrives in Toronto this week for its famous film festival, the city’s revamped retail meccas and of-the-moment boutiques offer a cache of fabulous finds. Karen von Hahn samples the crème de la crème of not-to-be-missed shops.
TNT
87 Avenue Road
TNT stands for “the new trend,” and this 18,000-square-foot temple offers the latest from some 350 designers on its two levels. Athleisure is the dominant leitmotif here, with style-savvy looks from the likes of Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant and Equipment, plus a fab shoe and boot selection. Imagine a Canadian version of LA ’s Fred Segal — without the waiting paparazzi — and you get the picture.
Holt Renfrew
50 Bloor St. W.
If Holt’s (as locals call it) seems like a Canadian cousin of London’s Selfridges, it’s because the 178-year-old luxury destination is owned by the same retail family. But its flagship, which also boasts personal shopping, a spa and a chic eatery over three levels, isn’t content to rest on any laurels. HR recently welcomed 50 new designers to its already-impressive lineup, including Loewe, Haider Ackermann, Thom Browne and Derek Lam.
Ewanika
1083 Bathurst St.
Designer Trish Ewanika has built an enthusiastic fan base for her simple-with-a-twist women’s clothes. Now she’s imported a globetrotting mix of elegant pieces to her gallery-like storefront: fine tailoring from Barena Venezia (Italy), clever separates from Hope (Stockholm) and Samuji (Helsinki), Antonello Tedde (Sardinia) bags, and Coqui Coqui (Mexico) scents.
Gaspard
913 Queen St. W.
Richard Lyle and Jennifer Halchuk’s much-loved women’s line, Mercy, has always demonstrated an insider, oh-so-arty sensibility. Little wonder, then,
that their Victorian storefront (above) offers — alongside their own collection — textile-forward finds like digi-print silks from Antoni & Alison, modernist knits from Roberto Collina, sparkling collars from Iosselliani, and the latest from Indress.
119 Corbo
119 Yorkville Ave.
Thanks to a razor-sharp reno of its Victorian-era digs, 119 Corbo is a futurist-fashionista’s dream closet. This is where Toronto’s art-and-fashion set flock to get kitted out for the new season, and it’s no wonder: With austere chrome-and-glass racks sporting the latest from Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen — plus high-level personal service, shoes and accessories — getting from so-last-year to fab-right-now is a breeze.
The Room at Hudson’s Bay
176 Yonge St.
Back in the day, the ladies who lunched came here for their fix of Dior and de la Renta. Thanks to a glam rethink of Canada’s most venerable style HQ, The Room (above) is Grandma’s go-to no longer. Think Altuzarra, Christopher Kane, Erdem, Mary Katrantzou and Jil Sander — along with a section called the White Space, featuring cheaper chic lines, like Horses Atelier, Filippa K and Opening Ceremony. Toss in a new Saks Fifth Avenue flagship, Canada’s largest shoe boutique on the main level and Kleinfeld Bridal on the seventh floor, and you’ve got Department Store 2.0.
Augustina
138 Cumberland St.
Christina Burgess’ tiny, perfect Augustina is tucked away in a vintage row house on a Yorkville lane. The boutique offers clever sweaters with a nod to Canada’s favorite sport; a curated collection of White + Warren knits; lacy Eberjey underthings; statement clutches and totes from Loeffler Randall and Clare Vivier; and killer jewelry from the likes of Anita Ko, Me&Ro and Zacasha.
