Lo and behold, January is over and done with. And, as luck would have it, February brings with her Canada’s most exciting fashion event: Toronto Fashion Week. This time, the week (actually a condensed three days) has cosied up to The Collections, known for their RESET events which connect designers directly with consumers. So, folks need only head to Yorkville Village to get that fashion fix — and you can shop many a Canadian brand while on-site, too.
Triarchy, Narces and House of Nonie are but some of the designers who will be showing their fall/winter collections this week. We spoke to Nina Kharey of House of Nonie — which counts Jessica Mulroney and Meghan Markle as fans — about her latest collection and why she keeps it Canadian.
House of Nonie is Kharey’s minimalist ready-to-wear line that appeals to ladies who hanker after labels like Celine and the Row. “The Nonie woman is a smart, sophisticated leader with definitively chic style,” says Kharey. “She appreciates that less is more and is always effortlessly put together.”
While the label is based in Calgary, the garments are all made in Toronto; keeping production Canadian has always been a major building block of Kharey’s vision. “Staying truly Canadian is absolutely part of the Nonie DNA,” she says, noting that she’s keen to support the Canadian fashion industry while also keeping a close eye on quality.
“Canadian designers are finally making a mark internationally, which is amazing to see,” she says. While the awareness is now there, Kharey notes that there is still a need for more retail support — which, in part, is the reason why so much local talent feels the need to leave the country. Thanks to The Collections and RESET, however, the fashion environment is slowly shifting. “What they bring to the table in terms of production is unparalleled,” she says.
For her fall/winter collection, Kharey was inspired by old photographs of her parents emigrating to Canada from India back in the ‘70s. “I love the silhouettes and styling and am impressed with how youthful they look,” Kharey says. The designer also looked to celebrate the resilience of women and plucked inspiration from traditional Indian menswear and the fashion of Japanese samurai.
Kharey’s strong vision and attention to detail has helped cement Meghan Markle and Jessica Mulroney as fans. “Both Meghan and Jessica have Nonie in their closets and have been supporters of my collection for several seasons,” Kharey says. “They are fantastic champions of Canadian fashion and I am proud to see them in my designs.”
Toronto Fashion Week is at Yorkville Village (55 Avenue Road) from February 5-7. Check out House of Nonie’s fall/winter studio presentation this Tuesday, February 6 at 4 p.m