The Toronto Designers Market you have to visit this summer

Toronto’s local designers are pretty impressive, but unfortunately they’re not always easy to find. High rents in many formerly hip neighbourhoods have lined our streets with H&M stores and Starbucks outposts rather than indie joints. As a result, creatives tend to either open up shop in rather far flung, inconvenient locales or lose up to a 50 per cent consignment charge on items sold in others’ storefronts.

Toronto Designers Market (1065 Queen West,  torontodesignersmarket.com) sets itself apart because it doesn’t charge consignment and allows vendors to control their own pricing. The market’s fair policies have attracted over 30 artisans to sell under one roof this summer, and you can shop them all free of charge Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 am to 6 pm.

Vendors include Lord of Ties, Always Bearded, Il Cek, Parkdale Butter Co., Vivid Streetwear, Krane, Iccha Jewelry and more.

sabrinam@nowtoronto.com | @sabrinamaddeaux