FASHION Magazine

By Randi Bergman and Jordan Porter

Introducing the first in our new weekly feature, where we combine our love for pretty pictures and talent for delivering ultimate shopping picks. Each Tuesday, we’ll be gathering deliciously buyable products based on a common theme. First up: Toronto fashion week essentials! With the shows just around the corner and some shows already underway, now is the perfect time to indulge in some homegrown retail therapy. From household names like Roots to accessory artisans like Maryam Keyhani, here’s our list of Canadian can’t-live-withouts.

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Philip Sparks kicked off the fall 2011 season in Toronto last night with the latest in a line of consistently refined collections. Stage strewn with antique toboggans, rackets and boxes with a backdrop of oversized woven deer quilts by artist Grant Heap, it’s no surprise that the designer drew yet again from the idyllic Canadian winter, a setting that has become his inspiration of choice.

Playing on his signature of mix-and-match prep, the combo line—including his sophomore outing for the ladies—was made up of his classic wool and tweed suits, Melton duffle coats and canvas parkas and nipped-waisted tailored dresses featured oversized checks and were adorned with curly shearing. A warm and watery maple leaf print made its way onto a shirtdress, pleated skirt and a capped sleeve blouse, bringing a bit of an artful quality to the mix. Close to the end of the collection, a Janelle Monae lookalike appeared in a cropped black tux with purple lapels and spectator oxfords to boot. Always the first out of the fashion week gate, Sparks’s is a collection so full of delicious details it requires multiple sets of fresh eyes. Here’s to enjoying the rest of the season with peepers similarly peeled.

View the Phillip Sparks photo gallery »

View the Phillip Sparks runway video »

The post Video: Philip Sparks talks toboggans and curly shearling for fall 2011 appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Last October, a breath of fresh air breezed through the grounds at Heritage Court⎯the home to “official” Toronto fashion week⎯in the form of an über hip group of young fashionites called The Fashion Collective. A sort of mélange of hype-making and style setting, PR maven Kate Mullin, stylist Dwayne Kennedy and producer Brian A. Richards brought the likes of Rita Liefhebber, Thomas, Amanda Lew Kee and Chloé Comme Parris to the official schedule. Whereas the edgy designers such as these would have previously stayed as far away from the official schedule as possible, the group bridged the gap between the established and the upstarts making the official week a hub for all. For the fall 2011 season starting on March 28^th, the Collective’s got a whole new bag of tricks up their sleeve, introducing LABEL, Heather Lawton, Sid Neigum, and diepo into the Toronto fashion week womenswear stratosphere. Here’s our sneak peek of what these hot young things have got in store: