/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Style

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

By Jean Grant| Photography by Brittany Carmichael
Copy link

Zane Aburaneh started hawking accessories out of his apartment back in 2010, hosting pop-up events for up-and-coming designers and brands that weren’t available in Toronto yet. He opened his eponymous boutique on Queen Street a year later, and a Yorkville location followed in 2014. “I’ve always thought accessories were the fun stuff,” says Zane. “Jeans and T-shirts are everlasting, but accessories make our uniforms unique.” He was one of the first retailers to stock local jewellery brands like Biko and Jenny Bird, and still prides himself on carrying over 70 per cent Canadian-produced goods.

His Queen and Spadina loft, which he’s owned for about five years, is a retreat from his hectic life. He’s decorated it in a sultry bohemian fashion, with trinkets from travels, art from friends and a few statement discards from his stores (like a grandiose mirror and light installation made out of spare bulbs). Sartorially, he mostly adheres to a simple philosophy: “If it feels good, wear it.” It might be a silk shirt and tons of chunky silver rings in the summer, or a vintage three-piece suit layered over a knit turtleneck sweater in the winter. Though he’ll splurge on some staples, like a black Issey Miyake hoodie, he also loves to source dickies from the paint shop for $29. Every morning, he bundles up for his outdoor tai chi practice, and he always dresses for the weather—which he checks in an old-school fashion, by opening up a window and sticking out a hand. “I’m like a chameleon,” he says. “My aesthetic changes depending on my mood, the day and the energy of the air.”

One of his baby shoes is kept under a glass cylinder on his bedside table. It’s among his most cherished objects:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

“Jumpsuits are the best,” says Zane. “They make me feel so free.” This one is from Mama Loves You Vintage on Queen Street, a regular pit-stop on his walks home from his store:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

Advertisement

This vintage silk shirt is ripped up the side, but that doesn’t prevent Zane from wearing it regularly during warmer months. “It’s soft, man, and feels amazing.”

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

Right now, he’s into oversized vintage concert T-shirts. This one’s a triple-XL Garth Brooks T-shirt he picked up at Mama Loves You Vintage:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

And not just tees: he wears these Lionel Richie sweatpants for tai chi nearly every day:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

Advertisement

He found the green flannel in Korea. He loves bringing home items from places he’s visited:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

He picked up this tan 1920s double-breasted suit at Queen Street’s Flashback Vintage. “It’s very on trend, with a high waist and big collar,” he says. He’ll wear it with a beige sweater underneath:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

 

He keeps his silver rings tied around a piece of yellow cloth. He finds he wears them more in the warmer months, when he doesn’t have to worry about wearing gloves. They’re sitting atop a jewellery box his mother gave him, and next to a matchbook from Korea:

Inside the zany closet of accessories purveyor Zane Aburaneh, with Lionel Richie sweatpants, baby shoes and lots of vintage

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Edward the Conqueror: The unlikely ascent of Canada’s telecom king
Deep Dives

Edward the Conqueror: The unlikely ascent of Canada’s telecom king

Inside the Latest Issue

Inside the Latest Issue

The April issue of Toronto Life features the anatomy of a Bay Street fiasco at RBC. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.