Toronto: 5 minutes with designer Dennis Merotto

After 25 years in the Canadian fashion industry (including a nine-year stint as senior designer for Lida Baday), Dennis Merotto has added another layer to his already impressive resumé: his own label.

Why did you decide to launch the Dennis Merotto collection?
“It seemed to be a natural move. After so many years of working for companies and designing with and for others, I wanted to discover just what exactly I have to say.”

What’s your design aesthetic?
“Minimal, thoughtful, subtle detail.”

What’s been your biggest challenge yet?
“Believing in myself. When your own name is on the label, so much of your reputation is on the line.”

Complete this sentence: Canadian designers are…
“Undervalued. It seems sad that so many great Canadian talents are given the opportunity to make headlines elsewhere before there is any validity to what they can do here.”

What can we expect in your debut spring collection?
“A neutral palette of white, oatmeal and black, simplicity in cut and silhouette, lace, empire-cut lines and the white shirt.”

What’s the new piece to invest in?
“The cotton re-embroidered lace T-shirt, dressed up or down, or the leather-trimmed blended-linen topper. These pieces are so quietly sophisticated yet say so much.”

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