Toronto Magazine - Premier 2008 - (Page 52) Hosting FASHION TELEVISION for the past 23 years has enabled me to travel the world and live what I would call a rarefied existence. I get a firsthand look at the creative offerings of the world’s most brilliant designers, meet them face to face, and run with the international fashion pack as I scour the style capitals. But even more importantly, I have the profound luxury of always coming home to Toronto, a city emblematic of the urban sophistication, eclecticism and ethnic inspiration that make the fashion world go ’round. in the ’60s, a time when this city was still coming of age. Options then were rather limited — a handful of custom couturiers, a few stylish boutiques, three traditional department stores, a couple of upscale style emporiums. Because my father worked in the Spadina garment district — now officially known as Toronto’s “Fashion District” — I was lucky enough to shop wholesale at several showrooms. And with my dad’s connections to various furriers, my mother, sister and I had the privilege of acquiring fabulous Canadian fur coats to keep us cozy and stylish. But when it came to hunting for the latest trends and cutting-edge accessories, we were compelled to take a long drive Stateside to Buffalo or, better yet, New York City. How things have changed! Throughout the ’80s and into the ’90s, Toronto blossomed and, soon, local designers began making their presence felt — Pat McDonagh, Wayne Clarke, Linda Lundstrom, Lida Baday, D Squared duo Dean and Dan Caten, Joeffer Caoc, Franco Mirabelli and scores of other homegrown talents began creating a scene. Aspiring young designers were nurtured through the Fashion Incubator, a launching pad for local creativity, and new labels started springing up in offbeat little shops on Queen West, giving hipsters a fresh, patriotic style voice. Canadian brands grew, with Roots in the forefront. What Canadian can resist this iconic lifestyle label that has single-handedly given us a no-nonsense national style identity? Roots stores have sprung up across Toronto, with the Bloor West location one of the most popular. And when it comes to Bloor Street West, a longtime chic strip, we’re talking la crème de la crème in fashion. high-end international boutiques surfaced along this swish street — Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hermès and Gucci, with Holt Renfrew setting the tone for a whole new style sensibility in Toronto. So did Harry Rosen, eventually becoming a legendary menswear destination, the ultimate shop for gentlemen with great taste — and hefty wallets. 52 toronto | 2008 first fell in love with fashion In the early ’90s,
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.