The Spring 2011 Clothing Show is coming up – May 27-29, 2011 – and is the greatest spot to spend your cash on discounted designer clothing, heaps of vintage finds, unique jewellery and accessories and even sell-off, sample sale items.

There are hundreds of vendors, mostly local Toronto fashion designers and craftspeople, who are selling their hand-made merchandise at amazing prices!

There are dozens of awesome designers and shops – this is a minuscule percent of some of the things I am coveting – all available at the Clothing Show this weekend!

Lipgloss and Black is an independent online shop established in 2004 by Canadian sisters Sylvia and Samantha. Specializing in clothing reconstruction – the gals take gently used vintage or deadstock items that are unloved and creatively transform them into fashionable, wearable pieces that can be loved again.

Le Grana designer Grana Khan grew up in Dubai but received her fashion design education in Toronto at both Ryerson University and the International Academy of Design and Technology. She has interned for Romona Keveza and Maison/ Beatrice Holloway; volunteered with NADA and Greta Constantine during LG fashion week; and did a styling internship for Ahlan! magazine in Dubai. All of Le Grana garments are sourced and made locally in Grana’s Toronto studio.

More:
Ophelie Hats
Foxy Orginals Jewellery

Up until this fall, I was a hoody girl (now I’m just trying not to look like I’m going to school every time I leave the house). I love(d) my hoodies and especially loved acquiring the most stylish and unique…

I came across the Speckled Hoody on the Clothing Brand Experiment blog – a Toronto company, led by Elly Green who set out to make the absolute best hoody and keep production local. Now, she makes hoodies and tshirts and leads awesome collaborations in the city with urban artists who all create limited edition wares.

CBE will be at the Clothing Show in Toronto next weekend…

the art of the Speckled Hoody via CBE

Hoodies are laid out and spray painted with bleach and dye – taken to an industrial finisher to bleach,  stone wash and finish with a silky soft finishing wash – taken back to studio for more paint splats – back to finisher for final look!

by Tiff Ing

If there’s one event that Toronto shopping addicts look forward to, it’s the bi-annual Clothing Show. There’s always an opportunity to score deals and discounts, and to meet and chat up the (mostly local) faces behind the labels. Four years ago, when I first trekked down to the Exhibition grounds for the show, it opened my eyes to the wonderful creative talents of Toronto designers. Now, four years later, media pass in hand, I’ve compiled a list of my five favorite Toronto-centric booths through the years, in no particular order:

1. JOOL – Local designer Julie Phelps always has a beautifully set up booth with affordable, boldly printed reworked vintage blouses and lots of vintage shoes and trunks. Check out her wares in her Etsy shop.

2. I Miss You Vintage – Super mark downs on a well-edited, but abundant collection of vintage dresses and accessories–$15 dresses? $5 purses? I’m sold. Check out I Miss You’s shop at 63 Ossington Avenue or online.

3. Snoflake/Dagg & Stacey – Debbie Sutton, Stacey Paterson and Karen Dagg are a Clothing Show staple, with an extra large booth to sell samples and leftovers from past collections at discounted prices. Check out www.snoflakefashion.com and www.daggandstacey.com before the
show to find choice pieces, but be prepared to fight for your size!

4. Propaganda – Regina Shum likes to sell off pieces from past collections of Valerie Dumaine, Eve Gravel, and other Canadian designers at major discounts, and she’s totally open to bargaining with Clothing Show attendees for better prices. Check out her website at www.shopaganda.ca and her adorable 686 Yonge St shop for more fun stuff.

5. Model Citizen – For the boys, you just can’t beat Julian Finkel’s Model Citizen prints. Their Clothing Show booth usually has some serious deals—my boyfriend scored a devil’s pitchfork printed collared shirt for a mere 5 bucks this year! For more printed awesomeness, check out Model Citizen’s Kensington store at 279 Augusta.

The Clothing Show happens twice a year in Toronto offering a giant, trade centre space full of local designer clothing, vintage finds, accessories and other hand-made items.

Next show May 1-3, 2009 with runway shows, a fashion photography contest, fashion competition and over 350 booths!

Call for Designers, Models and Volunteers

Now seeking local designers, runway models, dressers, ushers and runway/backstage staff.
Volunteers will receive weekend access to the show in exchange for their time.

For more info, go to the site or E-mail: Alison McEvoy: alison@theclothingshow.co