Culture Club'n

If you're like us, you love to travel. The richness in the world's cultures is awe inspiring and when you can experience it translate into food, art, and fashion - well the world seems to be a pretty darn cool place to be. We whole heartedly embrace the contrasting styles, colours and textures of fashion around the world and that is why we fell in love with Tea. A baby/kids clothing line that is inspired by the cultures of the world.

Based in San Francisco, one of the most amazing, culturally diverse cities in the world, Tea tailors clothes that are simple and clean yet heavily influenced by their travels. Lovely patterns and textures combined with unique cuts from local fashions make this brand endearing for the traveler at heart. Teaching kids to embrace cultural diversity rather than merely 'tolerating' it, is one lesson we will champion right alongside Tea!

On top of great design, Tea donates part of their profits to The Global Fund for Children (http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/). Supporting such a mindful and responsible company never looked so good and HUGE karma points to boot!

Tea is available at more than 400 stores including Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Takashimaya, and fine shops around the world. You can also check them out online at http://www.teacollection.com/

What's in the Nose?

Finger in the Nose! An amazing line for the mini rock-star! The esthetic of this line is unmistakeable. Influenced heavily by rock n' roll culture, many of the pieces are reminiscent of 80's punk and glam, yet have a updated, tailored look. Not only does Finger in the Nose have the look down, it's made with high quality materials so they outlast your little one.

Its refreshing to find a brand that gets the design and look right and not just offer a pale rendition of 'trendy' fashions. It just feels authentic! Based in Paris, their items are available online at http://www.fingerinthenose.com/

Stella!!!

We're huge fans of Stella McCartney, especially when she collaborates with other great brands that deliver her unique designs for kids! Her LeSport Sac kids bags were amazing and now she has teamed up with Gap Kids and Baby Gap to offer a line she feels fills the void between the high end and low end. “Some expensive labels are too conservative and twee, and the cheaper stuff is a little less classy and tasteful.” We identify with her assessment whole heartedly!

Ranging from cashmere blankets for newborns to punk rock inspired tee's for toddlers, her line is unmistakably the handy work of a designer with a unique point of view and mod style.

Available in Canada, US, UK, France and Japan.

http://www.gap.com/browse/info.do?cid=51415

Average? Not This Joe.

We usually don’t like to play favourites, but when it comes to style and affordability, Joe Fresh Style without question takes the cake. This comes as no surprise when the man behind it all, Joseph Mimran, is also responsible for the very successful (and might we add, Canadian) retailers Alfred Sung, Club Monaco, and Caban. The line features everything from faux fur coats and scarves to sweatpants (is that you, Alexander Wang?) along with a whole slew of fantastic accessories. To make matters simple we will just say this: we love Joe Fresh. And you should too!

http://www.joe.ca/

Knits and Sheer...or is it Sheer and Knit?

Up and comer Angela Chen did not disappoint! Orange NYC's show was simply amazing. Oversized knits combined with sheer neutrals made for great texturing and gave the collection that 'feel my fabric' quality everyone yearns for. We're fans because of her minimalist approach to design. The simple lines and wearability of Angela's style is beyond appealing. The mini, mini is a bold statement for fall (We'll assume she's designing for her fellow Vancouverites) Orange NYC is understated yet has a young and progressive feel. Young moms who still want a bit of edge yet desire a sense of refinement and sophistication look no further!

Lundström Collection Debut - Camel is the New Black

For many, the upcoming (nevermind the not-yet-over) winter is the last thing they want to think about. We are ready to shed our winter skin just as much as you, but Lundström has been quick to remind us that we don’t have to curse all our coats. Lundström Collection’s debut in Toronto from the already established and acclaimed Lundström brand echoed many of the predominate trends already seen in New York and Paris. A few camel coloured pieces, including a beautiful collarless coat, were among some of the highlights - and anyone who’s anyone knows that camel has triumphantly been deemed the new black. Velvet has also seen a great surge of popularity this fashion season, in Lundström’s case, this comes in the form of velvet pants and frock shaped dresses. From outerwear to classic pantsuits and patterned a-line skirts, Lundström has decorated the entire fall spectrum with effortless and extremely wearable designs.

That Old School Love

One of our favourite shows from the first full day of LG fashion week had to be Preloved! If you're into vintage, this is your bag!

Preloved is just that - pre loved. Reclaimed vintage fabrics come together to create slightly quirky yet functional pieces, from reworked flannel to the seemingly endless knits. Especially appealing were the staple items - a beautiful darted leather skirt to name one. There was a healthy balance between fall inspired colours with more vibrant and playful tones, including a tiered fuschia skirt whose pattern and colour is vaguely reminiscent of something you would see on the runways for spring. Nevertheless, we must never swear off colour, no matter what the season! Along with Creative Director, Peter Friesen, Founder Julia Grieve has provided us with a few very solid pieces to take into the (hopefully not too) upcoming fall and winter season.

We can see this quirky style working for moms on the go managing work, play and style!

For more lovin', http://preloved.ca/