FASHION Magazine

Photography by Tobias Everke

For me, the month of February is best suffered with comfort food, chunky sweaters and, if at all possible, that perfect someone to curl up with on cold winter nights. With our busy lives, we sometimes take our partners for granted, but Valentine’s Day is the one holiday when we make an effort to rekindle the lusty romance that spawned a relationship. When I talk to my friends who are content with work and their lives, they usually share one thing in common: a supportive partner. So to commemorate this Valentine’s Day, I set out to find a designer who has balanced life, children, a successful career and a lasting relationship. Pina Ferlisi is that girl!

The designer behind New York label Generra, this Canadian expat from Toronto uses simple yet unconventional designs to create an ultrafeminine look. For spring, she focuses on loose, easy pieces with corals and blues that emulate the feel of sun-kissed Positano. For a woman whose resumé includes stints at Tommy Hilfiger and Gap, Ferlisi certainly knows how to make “simple” special. From stores like TNT Blu in Toronto to Tenth & Proper in Vancouver, Canadian women buy into her sweetly romantic sense of style. I had a chance to talk to Ferlisi recently about her success, her life—and, of course, love!

How did you meet your husband, Mario? “Oh, gosh! That’s a long story.”

I’ve got all afternoon. Maybe you can give us the Cliffs notes. “Well, it’s kind of awkward because I was dating one of his good friends. [laughs]”

Ahh, the truth comes out! How long have you been together? “Thirteen years.”

So what does he do to keep the romance alive? “He’s very romantic actually. But I can’t tell you what he does.”

We don’t have to get into the graphics. We can talk about the sweet things he does for you, which everybody will want to know.  “OK, I can tell you one thing. When he was living in Toronto and I was living in New York, he would call me two or three times a day. One day, he called me and said, ‘Can you go meet a friend of mine? He has to give you something, so you can bring it to me the next time you come to town.’ And so I walk into the restaurant, and guess who was sitting there?”

No! “Yup, Mario. I was in shock. I was just smiling, and I was like, ‘This is just so typical, so you.’”

Take us back to your first Valentine’s Day. “He bought me a pair of gloves, and they were red with dots, and I really didn’t like them. [laughs] That I remember—I’m a fashion girl.”

That’s a tough call for any man with a designer girlfriend. “But it was really sweet. He sent me flowers, and his note said something about my favourite things.”

What were they? “At the time, I think it was champagne, pancakes and sushi. Basically, the whole day had been planned and he was… It was a nice Valentine’s Day.”

Oh, I think I got an abbreviated version of that. So he bought you a beautiful pair of red gloves, which you didn’t like… “But I said I liked them.”

Did you have a romantic dinner together? “Yeah.”

Where? How? What? “I can’t tell you!”

Oh, come on. You can tell us a little bit. “OK, it was probably sushi in bed. I can’t go beyond that. And champagne.”

Was this in Toronto or Manhattan? “It was here in New York.”

Did you have a view? Tell me you had a view. “We had a view.”

You’re a lucky girl, Pina. So what did you get him for Valentine’s Day? “Oh, I don’t remember!”

Did it even matter at that point? “No, I’m sure he was happy.” n

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