A look from Philp Sparks’ fall 2007 show during Toronto Fashion Week.
Value-priced vintage
Leslieville is really percolating these days, even in the grey damp transition into spring. Watch for new shops popping up next month.
This week, hit Queen Street East, right near Pape Avenue, to check out a couple of major sales.
June’s Vintage Clothing Bonanza is on now through until March 31, Wednesday to Sunday only, noon to 5 p.m. at 987 Queen St. E. (beside Forest & Company). Expect to find all kinds of retro fashion nuggets collected over the last 25 years, including swish cocktail dresses, winter coats, gloves, some hats and furs, unusual quality separates from various eras, lovely lingerie and quite a few designer vintage shoes.
More stock is added every few days, and prices will be lowered next week, but shop now to score something memorable. All sales are cash only and hours may vary slightly.
Across the street, Fabric Hound, 1028 Queen St. E., 416-465-0064, is hosting a closing sale. Skeeter, the quirky owner, has fallen in love and is soon heading off to Winnipeg to wed her new honey.
She’s feeling extra-generous and that means that her linens and collectibles are now going for a song. Comb through her carefully curated fabrics and linens (antique quilts, cotton chenille bedspreads, lace tablecloths, etc.), plus retro trinkets, sewing notions, aprons from the 1930s to 1950s, lovely vintage buttons and trims, some display items, hats, antique furniture, and oodles of ephemera you never knew you had to have.
Sweet suit sale
Don’t miss Smart Set’s $89 suit sale, which just launched yesterday. Choose from a wide range of styles and colours just in time for the seasonal shift. This is a fantastic buy, and, if you find a cut that celebrates your best assets, it’s definitely worth splurging on two sets.
Pair one of several jackets with the bottom of your choice (i.e. a skirt, trousers or cropped pants). Moreover, the buy-one-get-the-second-for-half sale continues on select items. Hoof it to your nearest location ASAP — with so many working gals hoping to update their closets on the cheap, this stellar sale may trigger a bit of a retail riot.
Sparks flying
Last week’s L’Oreal Fashion Week here in the T-dot marked the dramatic debut of a notable fresh talent: Philip Sparks, a young menswear designer who cut his teeth in Stratford creating elaborate costumes.
His collection of dramatic, highly tailored suitings gave a heavy nod to both Oscar Wilde and silverscreen legends like Clark Gable (à la Gone With The Wind) and was a hit with local stylistas. Visit www.philipsparks.com.
