Hollace Cluny

There are few home and design stores that make people want to buy everything in stock as long as their credit card is accepted. Hollace Cluny is such a store.

Having been in business for over 10 years, Hollace Cluny understands that good design is based on inspiration, meticulous attention to detail, and perseverance.

Upon entering, nothing is out of place, yet everything is comfortable and non-threatening to touch and hold.

The store provides inspiring design solutions while offering service that goes above and beyond. Their sales associates are an integral part of the business, providing personalized and professional service. There is no attitude here. Everyone is both passionate and highly knowledgeable about design.

Hollace Cluny is an authorized dealer of Knoll, Canadian design icon, Martha Sturdy, Simon Pearce (glassware), and Georg Jensen (stainless/steel works) - to name a few.

Scattered throughout the store are beautifully-upholstered furniture pieces from interior designer and telebvision personality, Sarah Richardson. There is a selection of sofas, chairs, ottomans, etc. that will last the test of time (at least, style-wise).

Even though there are pricey items available, there are a lot of designer finds that won’t hurt someone’s credit card. Sometimes buying a letter opener is enough to make someone feel like a million bucks when slashing through a Visa envelope. Almost.

For more information, visit 1070 Yonge Street (Toronto, Ontario), or www.hollacecluny.ca.

Philip Sparks

Sometimes it takes an engaging idea to inspire a designer to conceive of a collection that will make wearers want to buy several pieces, if not all of them. For designer Philip Sparks, his concept of a chic petty thief is one that creates a lot of covetable items for Fall/Winter 2008.

Pieces can be interchanged and worn from morning to night. Whether it’s a cardigan or vest worn over a shirt with a collar with a twist, or a suit with sharp details, it’s all there.

Coats are luxurious in cashmere and wool. Both long and shorter styles were seen in greys and creams - perfect for any occasion, but ideal for those special nights out on the town.

Fabrics range from tweeds to leathers with a good dash of beaver fur mixed in to keep warm when the temperatures drop. Who doesn’t want a pair of fur gloves in winter?

With the tailoring leaning more towards the traditional, there are some contemporary frills seen in the cut of some of a tuxedo with braided trim, leaner jackets and fuller pants.

Overall, Sparks creates a style of a common criminal that a man won’t have to resort to robbing a bank in order to look just as good as the models on the catwalk.

For more information, visit www.philipsparks.com.

Arcoino coin bank

A penny saved is a penny earned. But, what do you do with all of those pennies? Put them in coin bank, of course!


The Arcoino coin bank from Umbra can make saving your pennies more stylish. Designed by Matt Carr, this polished aluminum seems to grow out of the surface on which it rests. A perfect addition to any office, the smooth and sleek design wouldn’t feel out of place on a desk of a business professional.

For more information, visit www.umbra.com.

Marlon Durrant

There’s nothing quite as luxurious as having something custom-made. It’s designed to the specifications of one person, and no one else.

From the initial consultation to the final fitting, a Marlon Durrant client is guaranteed a shirt that will fit their body type, and will appeal to their sense of style. They take great care with the details: cuffs, collars, and monogram styles are talked over with the owner to suit his personal needs.

There is an endless selection of colours, textures, and patterns to choose from. The fabrics range from two-ply cotton and linen, to silk and voile imported from Italy.

Every step of the way, the client is consulted in order to create something that is one-of-a-kind - that is true luxury.

For more information, visit http://www.marlondurrant.com/.

Mink Chocolates

Canada’s cold is nothing new, but when looking for a place to escape it, there is definitely a new player in town. Even in Vancouver, where the concept of “cold” is laughed at by the rest of nation, there is still a need to run into the closest shop to get in out of the rain. The new chocolate café, Mink, is a perfect gathering spot for downtown dwellers who aren’t interested in the multitude of coffee shops that populate every corner.

Mink offers up hand crafted chocolates that serve as canvasses for original works of art. There is also an eclectic collection of chocolate bars that include flavours such as pistachio, chai, peanut butter with a hint of “j”, and ginger, to name a few. Looking for something more substantial? Try their toasted Belgian waffles drizzled in chocolate and your choice of whip cream or fresh fruits. Then for dessert, order a round of their chocolate fondue. There’s even a mini hibachi so you can roast marshmallows!

Can Mink claim to have the best hot chocolate in the city? With “high cocoa content,” customers get a choice of either dark or milk chocolate to help warm up their tummies. For an extra treat, get one laced with “Peppermink,” their pet name for organic peppermint. Their hot chocolate is guaranteed to slide down one’s throat smoother than silk, while satisfying the chocoholic in all of us.

For more information, visit www.minkchocolates.com.

John Fluevog shoes

Shoes. Let’s get some shoes. John Fluevog shoes, that is. Freshly opened this month is John Fluevog’s world headquarters that popped up in his old stomping grounds of Gastown in Vancouver, BC.

Back in the 1970s, Fluevog set up shop along these cobblestone streets only to become one of the world’s most popular shoe designers, with fans ranging from Madonna and Marilyn Manson to Robert Altman and the Scissor Sisters.

Some have called his work “rebellious footwear” while others call the art-deco inspired styles “fashionable yet functional.” Either way, his shoes are a mainstay on the international footwear scene and with the new flagship store open, he’s making himself quite at home.

The store itself is a magnificent two-story parking lot turned cathedral with huge glass windows overlooking Vancouver’s railyards and the North Shore mountains as a backdrop.

With displays made from “reclaimed old growth wood, propped up by salvaged pipe from the Alaska pipeline,” the space is environmentally conscious as well as beautiful. Portuguese shoe leather adorns the back wall while a “Green Wall” is being planned where plants will grow up the side of the neighbouring building.

For more information, visit www.fluevog.com.

JP Purveyors Home

Asian influences have been a staple in design for more than a decade. But, there are few stores that manage to combine these elements in a modern context.

JP Purveyors Home sources fully-refurbished and rebuilt Chinese country furnishings and accessories, in addition to carrying a vast array of affordable non-antique gift items, accessories and home fashions from around the world.

Amongst the antiques are an edited selection of armoires, chests, cabinets, chairs, occasional tables, and sideboards. Each unique piece has been hand-selected and expertly finished by craftsmen in China before arriving in the store. Since they’re a direct importer, they’re able to offer pieces at lower prices - enabling shoppers to enjoy a piece or two in their homes.

JP Purveyors Home believes that creating a beautiful and comfortable home is important. Home is a place where you love, a place that will contain some pieces from this store.

For more information, visit 634 Queen Street West (Toronto, Ontario), or www.jppurveyors.com.