CITY OF STYLE
Know Your History: Toronto's Style Timeline
1600s Before Kate Moss brought the trend to London, Huron Indians were wearing moccasins. The beaded decorations face the wearer rather than the viewer, often providing spiritual protection in the form of certain symbols.
1812 The H.M.C.S. Nancy, one of Toronto's fated schooners during the War of 1812, formed an obstruction in the Nottawasaga River and an island was established by the resultant deposition of silt. A lady dressed in the current fashion with a hat and feather was the symbol of the ship.
1880s “Exotic” Oriental carpets hit Toronto.
1889 Toronto's first high-end clothing retailer Holt Renfrew opens on Bloor.
1899 Oscar-winner Mary Pickford, “the girl with the golden curls,” starts her career at age seven on stage at the Princess Theatre.
1942 10th prime minister of Canada William Lyon Mackenzie King compares war to tailoring when skirting the issue of Canada's manpower allotted to WW II: “To attempt such a task would be comparable to the attempt of a tailor to make a suit without knowing how much cloth he had.” King himself was never pictured in anything but a dark suit and tie. Early 20th century Kensington Market, an open-air market reminiscent of those in Europe, is created by Jewish settlers.
1950 Ryerson School of Fashion celebrates its first graduating class.
1969 House of Lords Hair Design brings the Rod Stewart shag from across the pond. There would literally be people lined up out the door to receive this “cutting edge” style.
1973 The very first Roots store is established on Yonge Street.
1974 Carole Pope, Toronto-based singer for band Rough Trade, rocks the new music scene in a theatrical polyester jumpsuit and a self-described “evil black bondage suit.”
1976 The new Toronto International Film Festival attracts red carpet celebrities.
1980 Bob and Doug Mackenzie bring their flannel flair to CBC on Toronto-based Second City Television.
1985 Toronto born Jeanne Beker becomes the host of Fashion Television.
1987 First Fashion Cares Gala, Canada's largest fundraiser for the fight against AIDS, which has since raised nearly $10 million.
1989 Tim Blanks becomes host of CBC's Fashion File.
1991 Conservative June Rowlands attempts to bring back the pastel blazer as Toronto's first female mayor. She also made a big ass of herself by banning the Toronto pop group Barenaked Ladies from performing at a City Hall function because she thought that the group's name was sexist. (What's wrong with sexy?)
1994 Margery Steele: First Lady of Fashion – a Toronto buyer who brought brands like Oscar de la Renta to Toronto – honoured as a fashion industry star.
1994 First Toronto Fashion Week (now known as L'Oreal Fashion Week) showcasing Toronto's top designers.
2003 SARS masks, which are worn by many Torontonians during the outbreak, appear in leopard print and with the Chanel trademark.
DONNA TILLOTSON
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