Once again, the menswear scene in Toronto came together to celebrate Canadian talent this past weekend, and once again, I was so humbled to have an opportunity to partake in all the fashion goodness that TOM* Toronto Men's Fashion Week has to offer! This season, we decided to treat ourselves with a staycation at the iconic One King West Hotel in Toronto's financial district, and set-up our home base super close to all the festivities and shows.
As soon as we checked in, we unpacked everything (as one does) just so we could have all our items ready to pull for shoots and for the shows. I immediately realized how large and spacious the suite was, with tons of storage and display options. And just as we finished setting up, a knock on the door was followed by this absolutely gorgeous charcuterie board, fruit tower, and bottle of bubbly.
The One King West Hotel is located in the heart of the Financial District, and is a soaring complex that offers dining, event space, permanent residences, and a luxury hotel, all under one umbrella. We lucked out and were upgraded to the Premium Tower Suites, which meant we had a 44th story view of Lake Ontario, the CN Tower, and also One Young Street, the hub of all things TOM* Fashion Week.
Now, everyone knows that its almost impossible to find time to eat during Fashion Week. We literally had made no plans for dinner yet as the night we checked in, we had three runway shows scheduled, so this little surprise was the perfect check-in delivery. We instantly felt right at home, and so warmly welcomed.
There are so many eateries and cafes close by, you don't have to go far to curb any craving you might be having. But if you're really in a rush / lazy to go outside in the cold, the Teller Bar in the lobby offers delicious (and very reasonably priced) meals with top level service. Seriously, we were stunned at how lovely the staff were!
The hotel's central location was so perfect, as Fashion Week was just a few blocks south, and the super aesthetic Financial District (the backdrop of Suits) was all around us. We had no shortage of shooting spaces, and we definitely took full advantage!
From the One King West, we took a quick five minute Uber to TOM*, and enjoyed all the fashion that we sent down the runway. I especially loved Xian's newest FW18 collection - it had all the right streetwear vibes while still being luxury, and I was so honoured to once again wear his pieces to his show.
From the red gradient croc pieces to the "GO WITH THE XIAN" straps hanging off of everything, this was definitely a standout favourite of mine. We also got to see Mayer Man's debut collection, along with a collective of different designers who presented in collaboration with TWEED.
Now that I call this beautiful city home, I will never get over the feeling of pride about how much talent is born and cultivated here!
The One King West Hotel was the ideal home base
for all our Fashion Week activities, and we can't
wait to return to this iconic property!
