Menswear: Toronto
Fashion! Something I invest my time and money in and I believe more-and-more men are starting to do the same. As much as I can, I try to support Canadian! However, the Canadian men's fashion market could use a boost until a greater percentage of men are shopping outside of big-box fast fashion stores. With the inception of my site, I wanted to inspire change in others by writing a feature on local Canadian menswear designers. I chose four designers that call Toronto home and styled one look from each of their FW16 collections. Check back throughout October, as I will be posting a look a week. Enjoy!
- No. 1 - OUTCLASS -
The first Toronto designer I'm featuring is OUTCLASS. I came to know of this menswear label while working at Entertainment Tonight Canada. My stylist, Alicia, pulled one of their jackets for a set visit shoot with Hedley. I've had my eye on the brand ever since. The co-owner and designer, Matteo Sgaramella, likes to boast that his label is designed and manufactured in Toronto, and this is something I too applaud. Once you've done your research on Outclass, you'll notice the strong emphasis placed on quality and durability. I can tell you first hand that the fabrics used and the construction of the garments is top quality - something you won't find in most menswear departments of those international fast fashion brands.
The look I styled features (top to bottom): the charcoal grey bomber jacket, the black and white houndstooth flannel shirt, the black crew neck sweater (tied around my waist) and the twill wool cargo pant . I should point out that I could easily wear this particular look on a cold Toronto winter day. The wool pants were very warm and the flannel shirt did a great job at trapping my body heat. I may or may not have been sweating throughout this portion of the shoot. Anyways, make sure to check out their brand new flagship store at 1122 College St.
- No. 2 - THE FERAL -
The inaugural FashionCAN is taking place October 17-18th, 2016 and is "a runway showing of the latest collections from leading and emerging Canadian designers." One of those designers is the incredibly talented Zakariah Milana, or simply, Zak, as known to me and many others! Milana is the founder and designer behind his new and improved label, The Feral, the second menswear brand to be featured this month. But please, Milana is not a newbie when it comes to menswear design, he was the man behind his previous menswear band, Sons of Odin. FashionCAN will be Milana's first time showcasing this particular label, The Feral, down a runway.
What I love about The Feral is its unapologetic design aesthetic. It challenges the way in which men wear clothes and Milana's designs break away from what many other menswear labels are putting out there. Some features that stand out to me are the ruggedness to the fabrics Milana uses and how he mixes them in his patterns and designs. I also appreciate the finishes he chooses - most of them are unpolished and raw - which gives the garments their "wild and non-conformist" style. The look that I put together from The Feral's FW'16 collection features (top to bottom): a white waffle shirt with extra long sleeves equipped with thumb holes, and a black chino pant that has a wool (front and back) panel sewn in to the waist seam. I love the detail of the hanging strings on both the shirt sleeves and the pants. Congrats Zak on yet another killer collection and label! If you want to see other incredible pieces, they are available for sale here.
- No. 3 - ANDREW COIMBRA -
As the days drag us into the depths of fall weather, the top musts for my wardrobe are warmth and comfort. Thanks to Toronto designer Andrew Coimbra and his eponymous menswear label, I've found the perfect FW16 pieces that check off both those boxes. Coimbra studied fashion at George Brown College and upon graduating in 2013 he went on to intern for Pink Tartan, Phillip Sparks, and Proenza Schouler. Now, this 20-something-year-old calls Toronto home, the place where he works a full-time job in addition to designing and creating his collections. On October 20th, Coimbra will be having a mini-presentation of his FW16 collection at EFS Toronto.
So what sets Coimbra apart from his contemporaries? I can easily say that his vast knowledge of art and culture translates into superb imagery and branding. His creative direction will make you want to join along with the cool kids of the 'Coimbra club'. The look I styled for this story consists of (top to bottom): the smoke grey wool overcoat, a white collard shirt with sleeves made with a thin knit for added comfort, and a white and grey oversized linen stripe pant (SS16).
- No. 4 - PHILIP SPARKS -
The final week of this story has arrived and I am thrilled to include Philip Sparks as the fourth Toronto-based menswear designer. I first met Sparks a number of years ago at the inaugural Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards gala. He looked extremely dapper and I remember asking around "who is that?" When I found out that it was THE Philip Sparks, I was star struck. I had been a huge fan of his work for a number of years before that, so it was lovely to put a face and person to his namesake label. I always frequented his Ossington stores, constantly admiring his tailoring and obsessing even more over his beautiful coats. So, when Sparks decided to move his business from the Ossington strip, I was naturally saddened; however, I recently visited his Junction studio and realized that his new digs is any designer's dream space.
As is evident by the look I pulled and styled for this story, Sparks' craftsmanship is unlike many other's in the business. His knowledge of fabrics and men's tailoring - and how the two work together to create a bespoke suit - is truly incomparable. I love the number of different shades, hues, and textures in the fabrics he used to create this one of a kind suit. It was photographed here with a Philip Sparks stripe shirt - also made phenomenally well - and, once again, everything is made in Toronto!