WOODLAWN 1491 Dundas West, 416-551-8000, woodlawnshop.com
If the Great Recession was good for anything retail-wise, it was the explosion of contemporary (that’s “mid-price” in style speak) fashion labels and the stores that sell them. This spring alone, Toronto has seen the arrival of Shop Bicyclette, Lost and Found and, with its official grand opening tonight (Thursday, June 9), Ainaz Maleko and Jennifer Kim’s Dundas and Dufferin spot, Woodlawn.
“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here with super-trendy stuff,” says Maleko (pictured), but the store is more than jeans-and-T staples. Currently hanging inside its chipboard wardrobes and on racks made from copper plumbing pipe are menswear buys like General Assembly oxford shirts and denim by Han. For women, YMC does great retro print shirt-dresses.
Accessories definitely stand out, including Wm. J. Mills & Co. canvas totes with nautical rope handles, WeWood watches, and multicoloured bi-fold wallets from Maxx & Unicorn.
Woodlawn picks: YMC and Gloverall collaborated on the perfect yellow rain slicker, available in men’s and women’s cuts, $305 on-site tailoring lets you tweak a pair of forest-green organic cotton Industry of All Nations jeans to your preferred denim fit, $169 Family Affair’s summer dress fastens with vintage glass buttons, $218.
Look for: New arrivals from Timberland and style blog favourite Edith A. Miller.
Hours: Sunday and Monday noon to 6 pm, Tuesday to Friday noon to 8 pm, Saturday noon to 7 pm.
