Identity

Depop, Gen Z’s favourite clothing resale app, is being acquired by e-commerce site Etsy for $1.6 billion USD. The purchase, which was announced on June 2, is indicative of just how much the secondhand fashion industry has boomed in recent years. Here’s what to know about the purchase and what it means for the fashion resale industry.

What is Depop?

Depop is a U.K.-based clothing resale app that allows users to buy and sell pre-loved clothing through its online marketplace. Founded in 2011, the e-commerce site has become a hotspot for mostly Gen Z consumers who want to find special pieces without breaking the bank. Depop — which has about 30 million registered users — allows shoppers to experiment with their personal styles while accessing secondhand designer clothes at often discounted prices. It is a popular alternative to fast-fashion and luxury fashion, and has experienced a surge in usage over … Read the rest

Skinfluencer Hyram Yarbro is best known for his YouTube and TikTok videos providing honest skincare product reviews for his Gen Z audience (he’s got almost 11.5 million followers across both platforms). He’s built his massive online presence by simplifying the often complex and confusing ingredients found in our (often also complex and confusing) skincare routines. And on any given video, he receives tons of comments from his adoring young fans asking when he’ll be launching a skincare line of his own. Luckily for them, that day is today. Well, okay not today, but Yarbro did just announce his new beauty brand today, and promised more info soon! Colour us intrigued…

Selfless by Hyram was created in collaboration with The Inkey List, the U.K.-based skincare brand founded by Colette Laxton and Mark Curry that’s focused on sharing skincare knowledge and producing affordable products with simple ingredients. Appropriately named Selfless, the … Read the rest

Luna Li is inspired by nature, and is particularly drawn to the moon. “The moon is so powerful, and it has a feminine energy which resonates with me,” she says. “I think the imagery of the light shining through the dark is also just really beautiful.”  Hannah Bussiere, the Korean-Canadian musician behind Luna Li, says she wanted a stage name she could “step into” to take on an unapologetic, confident presence when performing. Bussiere feels grounded when she’s in the presence of the moon (or “luna” in Italian and Spanish) — her dreamy melodies and self-imposed nickname “moon fairy” come from this source of creativity — and so the name Luna Li was born.

In March 2020, after COVID-19 first hit, Bussiere started posting “jam videos” to her social media — clips of her in her bedroom playing different instruments, which she then cuts and layers to create pop melodies. … Read the rest

Happily, this week’s fashion news is bursting with #shoplocal love. House of Harlow 1960, the label founded by Nicole Richie, partnered with Etsy on a collection that features two Toronto-based brands. Plus, Fashion Art Toronto is back — as is the design collaboration between Sasha Exeter and Ela Aldorsson. Read on to find out more…

Toronto jewellery brand Omi Woods is part of Nicole Richie’s exclusive House of Harlow 1960 Etsy Edit

A limited-edition collection of home décor and accessories co-created by Nicole Richie in collaboration with Etsy sellers hit the web this week; included in the mix are two Toronto-based brands – jewellery line Omi Woods, helmed by Ashley Alexis McFarlane, and Kyung-Soon Chun’s body care and décor label Sooworks. They and the other entrepreneurs involved in the edit designed the items with Richie in order to infuse them with her preferred Cali-chic sensibility.

“I’m … Read the rest

Local brand butter.Silk is available at Hudson’s Bay

 

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Earlier this year, Toronto-based hairstylist and salon owner Ceilidh Costello launched butter.Silk, a line of silk beauty essentials like pillowcases, scrunchies and face masks. (A wet brush will be added to the brand’s list of product offerings on June 1.) The full assortment of products, which come in chic, classic shades like pink, white, black and grey, will be available at Hudson’s Bay in the coming weeks, but for now, the brand’s best-selling pillowcases are available to shop at the Canadian retailer.

The latest addition to Glow Recipe’s watermelon lineup is here

 

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Ready for the latest addition to the Glow Recipe watermelon skincare family? Meet Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore-Tight Facial, … Read the rest

For Hannah Kim, Joanna Lee and Rebekah Ma, staying connected during COVID-19 wasn’t just crucial for typical familial reasons like catching up and sending good vibes. The three siblings also helm ai Toronto Seoul, a sustainably-minded vegan handbag and accessory brand that’s based in Toronto and produces its wares on a small scale in Seoul, South Korea. Kim and Lee are located in Canada, while Ma has lived in Seoul for the last two years and lends a hands-on approach to how their products are made.

The trio collaborates on the brand’s designs with their mother, Hun Young Lee, who in addition to being an award-winning fine artist, helped her daughters to develop their passion for fashion. “Our mom, who was an immigrant in Toronto in the 1970s when she was in her early twenties, felt fashion was something she could connect with when she came to Canada because it’s … Read the rest

When managing director of Yorkville’s WDLT177 boutique, Jason Morikawa, opened its doors in the summer of 2019, the space — curated, cool and full of names not typically seen in the Canadian shopping scene — was poised to become a must-visit for fashion lovers searching for the lines they typically only interacted with digitally. Or in some cases, that they didn’t know they needed to know.

Kolor, A.W.A.K.E Mode, Y/Project, Both and Bode were just a few of the labels one could find in an eclectic array housed in the grand two-level shop. “Our store is all about the experience,” Morikawa says. “People could come in and see new brands that they hadn’t seen before, or been able to touch before. So many emerging brands are online-focused, so we wanted to give them a home in Toronto.”

After a year of offering up a unique mix of men’s and women’s … Read the rest

The award-winning Canadian television series Schitt’s Creek is getting a book from the show’s stars and co-creators Dan and Eugene Levy. It was announced on May 25 that Black Dog & Leventhal acquired the coffee table book, titled Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt’s Creek.

In case you haven’t watched yet (and if so, what are you waiting for?), Schitt’s Creek is a quirky comedy that follows a formerly affluent family who, after being bankrupted by a business manager, have no choice but to move to a small, run-down town that they once bought as a joke. The beloved show released its sixth and final season on CBC and streaming platforms last year, and the announcement of this book feels like the perfect parting gift for fans.

Camila Coelho is a household name — at least if you’re immersed in the sprawling world of fashion and beauty content creators. One of the OG influencers, Brazilian-born Coelho started her channel over a decade ago (a century in social media time) with a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing beauty tips and tricks. A makeup artist by trade, today Coelho has 8.9 million followers on Instagram and 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube. She also has a mega-successful swimwear collection and collabs with some of the biggest brands around the world.

But why stop there? Last year, in the midst of a global pandemic, Camila Coelho launched Elaluz, a cross-category beauty brand with hair, skin and makeup product offerings. It turns out that Elaluz is more than just a side hustle for the successful influencer and content creator. In fact, it’s been part of the plan all along.

We caught up … Read the rest

It is officially Gemini season, and we’ve got you covered with gifts for every ~multi-faceted~ Gemini on your list. The zodiac sign represented by twins — not The Row’s Olsen twins, though they do happen to be Geminis — has a reputation for being irrational, but the sometimes impulsive air sign has many strengths, too. Intellectually curious, playful and passionate, a Gemini is a wonderful leader. Honour that skill by gifting your fave Gemini a standout piece for their next big Zoom meeting, like a retro floral blazer.

True chameleons, Geminis can easily master the ebb and flow of multiple social scenes, effortlessly merging with any friendship circle. After a loooooong year of distance from friends, this social butterfly will appreciate goodies to elevate summer park hangs — think a bluetooth speaker for blasting tunes, a breezy puff-sleeve sundress from Wilfred or a punchy eyeshadow duo that’ll look cute peeking … Read the rest