Shop watch: Bag specialist A2zane is packed with local and international finds

We have a bit of a crush on Zane Aburaneh, otherwise known as the Zane in A2zane (a2zane.com), the online store he started back in April. It’s also the name of a Queen Street pop-up shop (1040 Queen St. W., 416-803-7754) that opened its doors last month and that will run until March 2011. The affable and charming Aburaneh stocks a selection of chic handbags from hard-to-find French and UK, as well as Canadian, labels, along with a selection of wallets, watches and scarves. It’s no surprise that the styles he gravitates to are those that seem to be missing from other stores each season: Aburaneh spent a good portion of his decade in the fashion industry as a handbag specialist at Holt Renfrew, hearing just what customers were always looking for.

We asked Aburaneh a few questions about his shop, sourcing international finds and supporting Canadian talent.

Tells us about the mix of items you carry. “Although the main focus is always handbags, A2zane carries a host of accessories—watches, umbrellas, rings, scarves, headphones and bow ties, you name it. When doing my buying I look to offer Canadians luxury products at great prices by brands that you might not be able to find anywhere else in the city, even the country.”

You have some hard-to-find international labels such as Great by Sandie, Modalu and Tila March. How did you discover these collections? “I am always looking for new collections from all over the world. I went to one of the largest handbag and accessories trade shows in Paris to source different collections. I was instantly drawn to a very clean aesthetic and bags without obvious branding. Quality, styling, leather, hardware and functionality are more important to me.”

You carry Canadian brands such as Jenny Bird, Hoi Bo, Juma, and Amanda Lew Kee. Is supporting Canadian talent important to you? “All the brands available at A2zane are carefully selected for their quality, design and style. I truly believe that the Canadian lines I carry are not only some of the best Canada has to offer, but the world.”

Why did you decide to open a pop-up shop? “The shop gives people the opportunity to come and see the products for themselves, to try them on and to feel the quality of the leathers before making their purchase. It also gives my clients the chance to come in and meet me and to see that I stand behind all the products that I carry online.”

Is everything offered in the store available online? “Yes, however, new arrivals are always available first in-store. Products might sell out before I get the opportunity to post them online, so if you want the best selection you need to stop by the store regularly.”

With the holidays coming up, what from your shop would make some great gifts? “O’Clock produces these amazing minimalist watches ($40), made of a single silicone piece, that come in 14 different colours. Velvetine is a Paris-based handbag collection by Anne Cecile Couetil. She designs these beautiful Italian-leather bags inspired with a rock, folk, glam-feel. Matt & Nat’s Pheonix laptop bag ($265) in a beautiful pebbled faux-leather finish is the perfect gift. It’s not only students you see lugging around their laptops anymore.”

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