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Christian Dior's recently opened flagship store on Toronto's Mink Mile.Kristen Pelou

Toronto’s Bloor Street West shopping district has welcomed a new name into its luxurious fold. French fashion house Dior recently opened a boutique here, marking the debut of its first stand-alone store in Eastern Canada. Alongside tony neighbours including Prada, Cartier and Moncler, it’s located in the base of the Colonnade, a 1960s landmark that’s an early example of a mixed-use architecture in Toronto. The boutique is the first Dior shop in North America to stock ready-to-wear from both the men’s and women’s collections under the one roof.

Decorated in a clean and modern, yet traditionally elegant style, the interior of the multilevel space looks to the original salon of Christian Dior for inspiration and features fabric and leather wall coverings in the brand’s signature toile de jouy print. A commissioned piece by British artist Ian Davenport incorporates paint cascading down the walls and onto the floor in a multicoloured puddle. Accessories and fragrances are on display in glass cases, and a selection of fine jewellery is available on the second floor.

Fittingly for this Canadian debut, Dior’s current women’s collection features a bold buffalo check motif on everything from bucket hats to canvas tote bags. For the men’s collection, artistic director Kim Jones pays tribute to Christian Dior’s early career as a gallery owner through a collaboration with American artist Raymond Pettibon.

Dior, 131 Bloor St. W., Toronto, 647-362-6536, dior.com.

Style news

This month sees a new line of men’s ready-to-wear clothes launching from Louis Vuitton. Dubbed Louis Vuitton 2054, it’s a new performance-inspired line created by men’s artistic director Virgil Abloh. Pieces are made using water-repellent technical fabrications such as treated calf skin and knitwear. Its name is a portmanteau of this century with the year 1854, which is the date in which the house of Louis Vuitton was founded. Prices in the 14-piece collection range from $5,000 for the Monogram Nylon Raincoat that transforms into a tent down to $800 for a pair of sunglasses. For more information, visit louisvuitton.com.

California skate brand Vans is holding its inaugural Vans Checkerboard Day on Nov. 21. The goal of this annual event is to inspire creative expression across the globe. As part of this initiative, Vans will donate US$1-million of the global sales made at their retail locations and through Vans.com to imagination.org, a non-profit organization that tells inspiring stories of creative children and communities. For more information on the events leading up to Vans Checkerboard Day, visit vans.ca/checkerboardday.

Vintage luxury handbag retailer LXRandCo is making new strides toward a circular luxury economy. The Montreal-based company has launched Reluxury Restart, a program that allows their customers to sell back their handbags in exchange for credit or cash toward their next purchase. Customers can keep an LXR handbag, including authenticated selections from brands such as Gucci and Prada, for up to six months. When it’s returned, you will receive up to 75 per cent of the purchase price in credit or 60 per cent back in cash to use towards their next handbag. For more information, visit lxrco.com.

Hudson’s Bay has partnered with New York blogger and designer Courtney Quinn of Color Me Courtney on a new stripes collaboration. Available now, HBC Stripes + Color Me Courtney will feature 28 pieces of women’s fashion, outerwear and accessories as well as coordinating pieces for dogs featuring colourful pompoms. The collection includes pieces with the heritage department store’s classic stripes as well as playful new interpretations, such as stars and polka dots, in signature green, red, yellow and navy colours. HBC Stripes + Color Me Courtney is available online at thebay.com and at select Hudson’s Bay stores.

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