The city’s definitive best-dressed list: Toronto’s 12 most stylish people

The city’s definitive best-dressed list: Toronto’s 12 most stylish people

Toronto's Most Stylish

This year’s inductees, as chosen by Toronto Life’s jury of experts: Fashion editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra, The Bay’s Christopher Sherman, style blogger Anita Clarke and torontolife.com’s Kevin Naulls

See Toronto’s 12 most stylish people »

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

JANO BADOVINAC
– 34–

Stomping grounds
The Annex.

By day
Industrial designer; creative director of Fugitive Glue, a design consultancy; model.

Look
“Mountaineering rugged dude.”

Fashion staple
“I have a sailor hat that I like to rock. It’s sort of a Gilligan thing that fits in my pocket. It’s great for bike riding.”

Known for
Silent movie–villain moustache. “It began to take form four years ago and stuck. Every time I go to cut it, something stops me.”

Fall must-have
“A chunky sweater with interesting buttons.”

The Jano scent
Lavender essential oil. “I was never a fan of smelling like everyone else. The lavender mixed with my own natural scent seems to work.”

He’s wearing
Philip Sparks pants, American Apparel shirt, Swedish army jacket.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Ashleigh Dempster and Amanda Blakley
– 33–

(and both seven months pregnant in this photo)

Stomping grounds
Yorkville for Dempster (left), Summerhill for Blakley (right).

By day
Proprietors of The Society, which they describe as “a social club for the creative class.”

Look
Uptown polished.

Fall must-have
Dempster: A goat-hair vest. “Our friend Alana Ka’Kia recently launched a line, and I’m lusting after this vest that will go with everything from a cocktail dress to jeans.”

Style credo
Dempster: “Always dress to the beat of your own drum.”

Maternity look
Blakley: “I tend to dress up more now—more dresses!”

Dempster’s wearing
Azzedine Alaia dress, Zara jacket, Nicholas Kirkwood shoes, Jenny Bird rings.

Blakley’s wearing
Moschino jacket, Proenza Schouler dress, Louboutin shoes, Jenny Bird ring.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Tu Ly
– 45–

Stomping grounds
Av and Dav.

By day
Fashion designer; creative marketing director, Ports 1961.

Look
Eclectic luxe.

Closet staple
“I’ve never met a skirt I didn’t like. My first year at Ryerson in the ’80s, we had to design a skirt for a project. I made one for myself and wore it before any skirts were seen on men on the runways.”

Fall must-have
“Maison Martin Margiela leather tote in a murky army green–brown that goes with everything.”

Icons
The fashion mavericks of the ’70s—David Bowie and Mick Jagger.

Style credo
“Buy the best you can afford. Don’t break the bank, but get something of quality rather than a lot of fast-fashion pieces.”

He’s wearing
Dior Homme jacket, Prada shirt, Robert James tie, Comme des Garçons upside-down jacket skirt, Junya Watanabe pants, Prada studded shoes, Hermès rings, onyx rings from Santa Fe.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Maryam Keyhani
– 29–

Stomping grounds
Yorkville.

By day
Jewellery designer.

Look
Clean lines with a touch of the surreal.

Known for
“I started wearing hats after falling in love with Marlene Dietrich’s top hat in Morocco. I love the play between the masculine and feminine.”

Why make jewellery?
“My wardrobe was always simple, so I felt like it was lacking a way to express my over-the-topness. So I thought, why don’t I make these pieces myself?”

Style credo
“Everyone has that one thing that they feel comfortable in or that looks great on them, that one silhouette. It’s really about taking those elements and pushing them.”

She’s wearing
Vintage hat, Givenchy leopard jacket, Cos pants, Jil Sander for Uniqlo top, Fendi belt, Maryam Keyhani necklace.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Sarah Chavez
– 27–

Stomping grounds
Yorkville.

By day
Freelance stylist and girl about town.

Look
High-design free spirit.

Current obsession
“Right now I’m collecting tabi boots—they sort of look like little cat feet or ninja feet—by Maison Martin Margiela.”

Hunts for
Designer consignment. “I like finding moments in fashion. I remember the collection and then find it on consignment. It’s the thrill of the hunt.”

Style credo
“I always buy my clothes for living. I like to have things I’ll be able to wear when I’m 60.”

Bons mots
“Go against the grain. If you’re too trend-driven, you’ll ignore your own spirit and mood.”

She’s wearing
Vintage crop top, Dries Van Noten pants, Maison Martin Margiela jacket, Balenciaga shoes.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Tony Pham
– 27–

Stomping grounds
Yorkville.

By day
Stylist at Hair on the Avenue.

Look
Far East fashion vanguard.

Fall must-have
“Thigh-high leather boots and anything from Ezra.”

Icons
“I love the Milan-based stylist and designer Marcelo Burlon. His style is amazing. And, of course, Vogue Japan’s editor-at-large, Anna Dello Russo, for her fabulous use of colour.”

Designer insider
“My friend Thomas works at Antonioli in Milan and lets me know when all the new stuff comes in.”

Style credo
“I get dressed in five minutes. My thing is, whatever you wear, you should be comfortable and you shouldn’t worry about how other people perceive you.”

He’s wearing
Ezra Constantine top, Damir Doma jacket, Kokon to Zai hand piece, Alexander McQueen ring, glasses by Jeremy Scott for Linda Farrow.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Suzanne Timmins
– 55–

Stomping grounds
Roncesvalles.

By day
Fashion director of The Bay.

Look
Rock-chick glam.

The feel
“I like to get dressed based on my mood. When I travel, I bring dozens of options because I don’t know how I’m going to feel from one day to the next.”

Seeing double
“There are two Sues—the T-shirt-and-jeans person and the dressed-up fashion person. They’re both fashion people, I should say.”

Style credo
“When you see somebody and you like their style, it’s because they’re totally comfortable in their skin.”

She’s wearing
Arthur Mendonça gold dress.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Joe Amio
– 35–

Stomping grounds
King West.

By day
Production editor for Fashion Television; style blogger, joeisthenewblack.com.

Look
Military Canadiana.

Icons
Tyler Durden from Fight Club. “I like his mix of different styles: vintage, rocker, punk.”

Collects
GQ magazine. “I got my first issue in 1990, and I’ve been collecting ever since. It wasn’t until I moved to my current apartment that I realized, geez, I’ve got a lot of these.”

On the blog
“Every day I post a photo of my outfit on Joe Is the New Black. It forces me to use more of my closet and be more creative when I get dressed.”

He’s wearing
Club Monaco bow tie and shirt, Timex watch, vintage jacket, Nudie jeans, All Saints boots.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Gloria Sharp
– 67–

Stomping grounds
Lakeshore, west end.

By day
Marni sales specialist at Holt Renfrew.

Look
Timeless, with a little frivolity.

Fall must-have
“A colourful, edgy coat paired with the most fabulous boot.”

Closet staple
“This is very cliché, but I always feel that you can’t go wrong with a well-cut black dress in a beautiful fabric.”

For a night on the town
Oscar de la Renta. “He is the master of female fashion. He is so in tune with what a woman wants to look and feel like, and he never disappoints.”

Style credo
“Stay true to your own self-image, but at the same time, be brave enough to experiment.”

She’s wearing
Vintage Issey Miyake jacket and skirt, vintage Chanel jewellery.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Ryan Oakley
– 33–

Stomping grounds
Black Oak Triangle (near Bloor and Lansdowne).

By day
Restaurant server; first-time novelist (Technicolor Ultra Mall); blogger, thegrumpyowl.com.

Look
21st-century Beau Brummell. Icons Birds. “They have an amazing sense of colour.”

Known for
Bespoke suits. “My appreciation for bespoke began when I stopped spending all my money on drugs and drink and found I could afford vanity.”

Style credo
“I’ve always viewed dressing as an art. I like suits because they’re a standard form and you have to colour within the lines.

He’s wearing
Bespoke suit and shirt by his tailor of choice, Don Fabien Lee, shoes by Peter Feeney (both designers at Trend Custom Tailors), Ted Baker tie.

Toronto's Most Stylish
Toronto's Most Stylish

Martin James
– 38–

Stomping grounds
Parkdale.

By day
Manager and buyer, Uncle Otis.

Look
Guy Ritchie rogue hero.

The Brit ethos
“I was taught that you should be able to go into any store and pull anything that speaks to you and make it work with what you have. This is fashion, as opposed to someone dictating how you should dress.”

Style credo
“I like abusing the norm. Contemporary with a twist.”

Obsession
“I’m a shoe whore. I used to have about 600 pairs in my closet.” He now guesses it’s between 300 and 400. Icons “My mum and dad were mods. Mod-esque style feeds through my wardrobe.”

He’s wearing
Wings and Horns suit, vintage vest, Surface to Air shirt, The Generic Man shoes, Rag and Bone hat.