Yorkville has just landed a great boutique by a great Canadian designer. Kimberly Newport-Mimran’s Pink Tartan, which is perhaps every preppy girl’s dream line, opened its first-ever store, Seventy Seven, on Saturday at what used to be the Paisley Shop on 77 Yorkville Avenue (at Bellair). Defined as a “Life Style Concept” store, it not only Pink Tartan’s entire line, but also boots Church’s Footwear (exclusive to the store – the riding boots are absolutely DIVINE and complete any skinny or skirt) as well as cute gifts such as candles from D.L. & Co (perfect for the holiday season), a small handful of other brands, including Acne and Paul Sinclaire and knitting kits from a line called Wool and the Gang (each kit comes with yarn, knitting needles as well as a how-to guide to create whatever is in the picture outside of the bag, not too different from kits for model airplanes and cars) among other things. There is also a small selection of cookbooks from Dean and Deluca.
The exterior of Pink Tartan’s new flagship store
Despite its classic looking exterior, the inside of the store definitely has a more modern feel. Divided into two floors, the upper level is currently carrying items from its holiday collection and from lines such as Acne, while the lower level houses its signature line such as its button-down dress shirts and riding pants, as well as manyof the gift items. Favourites there right now? Besides Church’s riding boot and Pink Tartan’s signature ski pants, there are the KARMI tea canisters from Japan. Despite its resemblance to a cocktail shaker, the canister is actually a traditional craft of the Ishikawa Prefecture and protects the tea’s flavour from unwanted light and moisture.
It’s very interesting. While I had always liked Pink Tartan, it having an actual flagship store makes the product even more attractive than when it was only available at places like Holt Renfrew and The Bay. It’s very true what they say – presentation is everything. In department stores, shoppers are inundated with so many brands and items that it’s easy to get lost. And not to mention that things can get messy at times, especially around sale time. At Seventy Seven, things just seem cleaner, sleeker and just easier to shop.
Seventy Seven’s hours are Mondays to Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm; Thursdays and Fridays from 10 am to 7 pm and Sundays from noon to 6 pm.
