Introducing: Lost and Found, the Dundas West boutique carrying Charlotte Ronson and (soon) Uniqlo

| January 31, 2011

UPDATE: Lost and Found has now moved to 44 Ossington Avenue.

The place: Lost and Found, a new clothing boutique and espresso bar, feels right at home in the mixed bag of vintage shops, hair salons and hip restaurants of Little Portugal. Plywood floors and exposed brick walls enclose a space furnished with vintage pieces. Co-owners Zai Rajkotwala and Jonathan Elias offer brands that aren’t available elsewhere in the city. Rajkotwala, a fashion school grad, chooses the women’s clothing and Elias, a former merchandiser for The Gap, buys for men. A third partner, Justin Veiga, handles the coffee side of the business.

The stuff: The prevailing aesthetic in both the men’s and women’s selections here is simple, clean lines. A grey velvet A-line skirt by Charlotte Ronson, (for which the store has exclusive distribution rights in Canada) is an example of the shop’s relaxed but on-trend apparel. At a lower price point are classic Levi’s and jewellery from Joomi Lim and Ax and Apple. A beautiful unisex canvas and leather rucksack by American leather goods company MAKR Carry Goods goes for $165. In the coming weeks, Lost and Found is bringing in clothing by Toronto designer Erin Kleinberg and the Japanese casual wear retailer Uniqlo. The espresso, meanwhile, comes from Chicago’s Metropolis Coffee Company.

The find: A Charlotte Ronson sheath dress ($490) with an asymmetrical lace overlay is an LBD that combines smart tailoring with just the right amount of drape.