What's new from Matt & Nat, stunning jewellery, our hit list and more.
By Shauna Hardy
Fashion Notes: Globetrotter
While it’s true that Patricia Pinkney adores soaking up the atmosphere at her Mont-Tremblant chalet, she equally adores travelling the world and discovering local treasures. Pinkney recently launched pangea-collection.com, a site devoted to carrying some of the most original and beautiful jewellery (bracelet shown, $105) she’s discovered while soaking up the culture in Thailand, Brazil, Chile—and right here in Canada.
Photography by Carlo Mendoza.
Fashion Notes: Mix it up
Yes, you can have it all, with just one little stop at Boutique Intermix (4928B Sherbrooke St., Westmount, 514-313-6555, intermix.ca). From casual to dressy, this petite space covers all of your wardrobe needs, carrying everything from Whitley dresses to True Religion jeans. Make sure to check out the sterling silver pendants from Karen Rosenfeld—they do double duty as eye-catching rings.
Photography by Jane Heller.
Fashion Notes: Perfect pickings
The challenge with Matt & Nat’s spring collection (mattandnat.com) isn’t finding the perfect bag; it’s limiting yourself to just one (or two!). Designer Inder Bedi, who won the BDC’s 2007 Young Entrepreneur Award, has created eight distinct sublines for this season, featuring architectural lines, bold shapes and electric shades of green, blue and fuchsia (shown, $160). At Adam & Eve (5432 St-Laurent Blvd., 514-274-9939).
Fashion Notes: Everything but the kitchen sink
When you drop by the newly opened Abe & Mary’s (4175 Jean-Talon St. W., 514-448-6223), be prepared to stay awhile. The 7,000-square-foot space carries almost every designer on your wish list, including Matthew Williamson, Jet and Christopher Deane. Take a break at the in-house café before trolling through the vintage pieces, the shoe section (Marc Jacobs fans will be pleased) and the apothecary corner, which carries plenty of girlie delights.
Photography by Jane Heller.
The Hit List
_________________________________Nothing cures a case of the winter blues like retail therapy. Watch your mood spike at Zilli’s inaugural North American boutique (1472 Sherbrooke St. W., 514-935-3777, zilli.fr). Based in Lyon, the line embodies French luxury—check out the fab croc handbag, priced at a cool $15,000.
Congratulations to Rooney! Fans of the Old Montreal shop will be very pleased to note that the owners have just opened a second location (Westmount Village, 4926 Sherbrooke St. W., 514-303-9365). Alex Danino, Michelle Golfman and Barbara Segal are stocking the new boutique with plenty of cutting-edge lines, including Rag & Bone, Dream Society and Anlo Jeans.
Sporting eco-friendly fashions used to mean you were looking a little more boho than chic. But thanks to advances in new materials and savvy designers like Eric Wazana, you can now go green and stay on-trend. From form-fitting jackets to high-waisted flared jeans, Second’s earth-friendly spring collection (secondclothing.com) is a showstopper. At Rocco (4321 St-Denis St., 514-845-0021).
Another first: Esprit (esprit.com) recently launched its inaugural free-standing Canadian megastore downtown (900 Ste-Catherine St. W., 514-861-7070). The store will be carrying five fresh lines, including the women’s collection, as well as the dialed-down casual line.
As I embark on an exciting new adventure in Japan, I want to say how much I’ve enjoyed being Montreal editor for the past year and a half. As the new editor will find, there are always more discoveries to make in this city.
Shown: Montreal editor Shauna Hardy. Photography by Valerie Simmons.