Montreal - FASHION & SHOPPING
September 28th, 2010
More than a Store
Running from work to yoga to evening soirees, our quick-change artistry puts Wonder Woman to shame.
We’re getting our flexible fashion fix at Atelier Lolë, a new store for ladies on the go. We came for the bunny-soft white Snug jacket ($150), the go-anywhere Noble dress ($100) and sleek Evolution capris ($80). We stayed for the free tea, fitness classes and to update our Facebook status on one of the 15 iPads. After refreshing in one of the in-store showers, we were ready to get back out there and save the world. If only we could remember where we parked our invisible jet.
4075 St-Denis Street, Montreal, 514-507-3907, www.lolewomen.com
September 21st, 2010
The Devil Wears Cotton
Everyone knows bad girls have all the fun and we’ve cast our evil eye on a series of cheeky T-shirts ($49) from Comme Marc.
The Parisian line by young designer Marc Delattre features hand-drawn portraits of our favorite ne’er-do-wells like Bernie Madoff holding a bag of cash, Paris Hilton with rosary beads and Michael Jackson in a white hat and robes. But our favorite diva of them all is a blonde-bobbed Anna Wintour sporting an impressive pair of devil’s horns.Get them while they last (which won’t be long) at 514-376-5783 or www.iddko.com
September 14th, 2010
5 Fall Looks We Love
With the first falling leaf in mid-air, we went in search of warmer wear. Herewith, our top fall fashion picks, from steal to splurge:
A-ten-hut! We nearly saluted when spotting this handsome military jacket in comfy cotton-spandex. $39.90 at Dynamite, Montreal Eaton Centre, 705 St. Catherine St. W., 514-285-1722, www.dynamite.ca
Autumn can be dark and gloomy but we were instantly lifted by a doll-faced West End Girl sweater dress from Japanese brand Yumi. $124.99 at www.boutiqueonze.ca
We adore the versatility of Filippa K.’s khaki A-line flaunted skirt. We’ll pair ours with boots and thick tights or sky-high platform heels. $159 at Billie, 141 Laurier Ave. W., Outremont, 514-270-5415, www.billieboutique.com
We’re channeling the ladies of Mad Men in a '60s-style blue lambswool cape from Montreal coat-makers Furi Design. Martini anyone? $530 at Simons, 77 Ste-Catherine St. W., Montreal, 514-282-1840, www.simons.ca
For a truly awesome autumn, we might just cash in a GIC for a pair of tony tobacco platform runway boots from Haider Ackermann. Drool. $1,365 at Mona Moore, 1446 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, 514-842-0662, www.monamoore.comSeptember 7th, 2010
Where the Wild Things Are
Babies are the very definition of cute but must that mean uniforms of duck-print onesies?
For the enfants terrible in our life we’re gifting affordably cool duds by Montreal clothiers MiniMe. Its new all-cotton Sookie Baby line features screen-printed skull with rattle bone bibs ($5.99), flying guitar booties ($5.99), hot pink drum kit hats ($5.99) and, if you really must, black duck onesies ($9.99) that scream fashion-forward baby.Cootchie coo.
August 31st, 2010
What Joe Knows
We love re-stocking our fridge while re-vamping our wardrobe, but sometimes we need some fashion focus.
Joe Fresh's new 14,500 square-foot freestanding Studio is a jewel to behold. Housed in the stately Jean-Talon train station, it carries women’s, men’s and kid’s togs that had us feeling decidedly single-minded. We spotted a grey silk blouse ($39), matching mom-and-daughter motorcycle jackets ($49/$29), black stretch capris ($16), and a delicate pink lace bra ($16).Put them all together and we’ll be multi-tasking in style.
Joe Fresh Studio, 395 Jean Talon St. W., Montreal, www.joe.ca
See photos from the store opening today on our Editors' Diary.August 17th, 2010
My One and Only
After a season of stripping down we’re pretty excited to cover up those tan lines.
For fall we’re filling our closet with military-inspired pieces from Only’s first downtown boutique at Place Montreal Trust. The Danish brand carries comfy stylish clothes that are fabulously affordable. We’ll pair the caviar Sergent Wool Campaign coat ($119) with slouchy grey Lala chinos ($45). Or, an eggplant Tower PU bomber jacket ($85) with blue-wash stretch jeans ($49) and kick-ass army boots.March on.
Place Montreal Trust, Metro Level, 1500 McGill College Ave., Montreal, 514-289-5391, www.only.com
July 20th, 2010
Purse Partnership
J.P. Gaultier and La Perla, McCartney and Gap: we love a good design collaboration.
Now non-profits S.W.A.P. and Montreal Couture have joined forces with Quebec designers to create Style & Conscience, a web boutique that produces locally made fashion items four times a year. Its first creation is a pair of suave satin-lined handbags made from upcycled leather coats. The versatile 007 ($262) has multiple zips, pockets and key chain while the Mini-Me companion clutch ($194) has removable straps and optional tony tassel ($40). We love that each one is made by special order (so no excess inventory) and all profits are re-invested into future fashion collaborations. Two is always better than one.
Available by pre-order until July 31 at www.styleandconscience.com
July 14th, 2010
French Foot Forward
Nicolas Sarkozy may have scrapped his annual Bastille Day garden party but that doesn’t mean we can’t still honour the day.
We’ll be kicking up our heels à la française in a pair of Lyon-made Palladium boots (from $70). Constructed from re-engineered rubber and stonewashed canvas, the Baggy Canvas model comes in preppy colors like grape, pale pink and sky blue. In 1947 the French Foreign Legion stomped through the desert in high-top Pampas, but we’ll be storming the Cinema du Parc for its Truffaut retrospective.Bonne Bastille!
At Influence U, 476 Ste-Catherine Street W., Montreal, 514-931-3283, www.influence-u.com
July 13th, 2010
Trusst Us
The owners of Trusst call their new space “a platform for creative evolution.”
The room itself is a De Stijl-inspired work of art with concrete walls, metal piping and black floating staircase. More fashion gallery than clothing boutique, it showcases emerging talent like recent Central St. Martin’s grad Derek Lawlor, whose cashmere cord dress ($5,000) would look apropos on Lady Gaga, or hanging on a wall. We also loved co-owner Melissa Matos’ gold Powerhaus necklace with magnifying glass and Dane Richard’s outrageous frock fringed with real human hair.Is that creative? Trusst us it is.
Trusst, 6341 St-Laurent Blvd., Montreal, 514-805-0755, www.trusstclub.com
June 29th, 2010
Pearl of Wisdom
In an era of throwaway fashion it’s good to have something solid to hold on to.
Pearls Before Swine is handcrafted jewellery that creator Himo Martin calls “heirloom pieces.” For his custom collection of black heart pendants and rings cast from wisdom teeth, Martin buys bricks of gold and silver that he melts down and hand-casts into mini link necklaces ($549), clutching wing pendants ($1399) and cluster chains ($499) that can be manipulated at whim. Add imperfect Akoya pearls and you’ve got soulful pieces you’ll want to pass down to the grandkids.In the meantime, wear your weight well.
At Reborn, 231 St. Paul Street W., Suite 100, Montreal, 514-499-8549, www.reborn.ws



