Not all Canadian menswear is built the same. Nor should it be. Just ask Matteo Sgaramella, the 24-year-old Forest Hill designer behind Outclass.
“I want to make a new version of a Canadian heritage brand that isn’t limited to maple leafs and hockey sticks,” says Sgaramella. “I want to position Canadian men in a way that is inspirational to the rest of the world.”
Even with only two years of fashion design under his belt, Sgaramella's take on ruggedness-meets-sophistication could inspire the gents of Milan and Paris to renew their passports.
Sold off the racks at what he jokingly refers to as his “flagship store” — The Future of Frances Watson — this slim-fitting shirt, on sale for $95, caught our eye. It combines a light-weight seersucker with a western-inspired, warm-hued fabric built for the lingering dog days of summer.
Its hidden, button-down collar is an elegant detail that Sgaramella says welcomes a striped seafoam tie for a pop of colour.
And don’t feel guilty for grabbing seersucker so late in the season. During the chillier yet sunny days of early fall, layer up with a smart, grey collegiate blazer.
Between a fall collection for release in mid-September and hints that we “may see something big in Yorkville” soon, it looks like Sgaramella’s mission to see Outclass on the world stage may be realized sooner than he thinks.
$95. Available at The Future of Frances Watson, 1390 Queen St. W., 416-531-8892; or online from the designer