Lileo is almost a spiritual destination in the city - for spendthrift shoppers,
artsy metropolitans and aristocratic fashion fiends who can easily ind love
and belonging in aisles piled high of exclusive labels, coveted literary
collectibles and the latest and greatest in stylish lifestyle finds for
men, women and kids.
Co-founded by Syd Beder, a Toronto fashion veteran (most
noted for bringing brands like Big Star, Indian Motorcycle and Lululemon
to Toronto) and yoga enthusiast, who brought life to Lileo after experiencing
his own personal spiritual discovery, Lileo derives from Galileo (astronomer/scientist)
and is inspired and fueled by similar notions of light and discovery.
After we grab a vit-packed smoothie from the in-house
juice bar, our explorative journey begins at the interactive light
fountain installation, a large black surface with three rocks orbited
in blue lights. Visitors are encouraged to touch and move the stones to
create light swirls and patterns - imagery that extends to the store's
hangtags and concepts. From there, we're completely distracted by the
greatest selection of fashion-related books and magazines, stacked in
several areas throughout the space including the 49th and 50th issues
of Visionaire:
the exclusive and limited New York fashion/art publication that publishes
in varying formats; 100 ways to Pimp your Kicks and Hugh
Hefner's Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds. Lileo is magnificently
full of fashion design, fashion photography and art and style spreads.
.
Amongst the books, music, collectibles, accessories and
toys are the hottest street wear and casual athletic brands around, including
many eco-conscious picks from Stewart+Brown and Gilded Age; exclusive
lines include NICE
Collective and Relwen
menswear and hot picks from Moncler.
Lileo boasts an impressive denim collection complete with pricey pieces
from Rag&Bone,
Sass&Bide
and signed Jean
Shop raw selvedge denim.
My wish list includes a leather hoodie from Mike&Chris
that would set me back about $700, but as Syd puts it, "sometimes nice
things are expensive!"
*NEW: LILEO launches
"FEED BAGS" in Canada
Feed Projects started in 2006, when model Lauren Bush
designed a bag to benefit the UN World Food Program's School Feeding Operations.
To help raise money, all profits from the sale of the Feed bag go directly
to FEED and educate the world's 350 million hungry children.
After a huge success in the USA, it finally gets to Canada, exclusively
at Lileo! Just launched in France at Colette!
Lileo, Distillery District, 55 Mill Street
Lileo
on Facebook
Rachel Schwab
Lileo,
55 Mill Street, Distillery District