Some look to the runways for style inspiration, but in Toronto, we look to the streets. With so many ultra-fashionable people in the city, you’re just as likely to find your new style icon on a casual grocery store run or walk through Trinity Bellwoods as you would at a fashion gala. We asked two of Toronto’s top fashion influencers what they’re wearing these days and their best style advice.
Lexson Millington
Co-founder of vintage store LBros Finds
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What he’s wearing: Glasses thrifted from Black Market Vintage, H&M x Rokh collab trench coat, Cos cropped beige jacket and trousers, Guess belt, Gucci shoes, shirt and tie from the local thrift, [Toronto designer] Spencer Badu bag.
How he got involved in fashion: My best friend Liam introduced me to thrifting at our local Value Village and Salvation Army around the summer of 2017. These spots quickly became a place to experiment with different styles on a budget, and it was a great way to make new friends. Since then I’ve ventured into taking styling more seriously, started documenting my fashion journey on socials and that led to where I’m at today.
Top 2025 fashion prediction: Oversized tailoring!
Personal style in three words: ’70s, vintage, preppy
Best style advice: Focus on the emotional connection to your garments, e.g., “I’m wearing this because it makes me feel confident/cool.” Invest in quality garments; they’ll go a long way. Create a versatile capsule wardrobe! This has honestly saved me a decent amount of money. I always consider whether a new purchase will work with my current collection of clothes rather than impulse buying.
His take on Toronto’s fashion scene: I think our fashion scene has grown a lot over the past few years. Communities like FAT [Fashion Art Toronto] have brought together many creative, talented and passionate people who I’m constantly finding inspiration from. No matter the weather in Toronto, I’ll always see someone who’s not afraid to show off their personal style!
Irene Kim
Stylist, writer of award-winning fashion Substack In Moda Veritas
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What she’s wearing: Cos pants, Jil Sander flats, Proenza Schouler White Label sweater (from Vert boutique in Summerhill), Sacai dress (from a second-hand shop in Tokyo). I wanted to get more wear out of the Sacai dress and I remembered seeing this outfit from The Row’s 2025 spring collection floating around the fashionsphere, so I recreated the look using different pieces and proportions.
How she got involved in fashion: I’ve enjoyed fashion since I was a kid but didn’t think that it would be something I’d do as a career. In 2010, someone stopped me on the street to take my photo for a street style blog. At the time, I was practicing securities law at a downtown firm. A year later, that person reached out for help because they were starting up an online fashion magazine and needed legal advice. It made absolutely no sense for my career at the time, but for some reason, working for the magazine (as a lawyer, writer and editor) felt like the right place for me. That was 2011, and in 2013 I started dipping my toes into styling, which is what I’m still doing today.
Her personal style: I think personal style is a fluid concept that’s informed by the sum of one’s life experiences and, as such, mine continues to evolves. If I had to parse out consistent themes, there’s a sense of ease in my outfits and they have to be comfortable to wear and functional for my everyday life. I like mixing traditionally feminine and masculine elements, and vintage pieces with newer pieces. Increasingly I’ve noticed my outfits can’t easily be pegged to a trend or a period and I feel like this “timelessness” (for a lack of a better word) is increasingly becoming a characteristic of my style.
Top 2025 fashion prediction: I think people are tired of impersonal, algorithm-based, behaviourally optimized online buying. I think we’re going to see more people shopping in person, reconnecting with local businesses, trying on clothes and questioning their origins.
Best style advice: In my Substack, In Moda Veritas, I write extensively about building a functional and versatile wardrobe that you love. I encourage people to have certain key foundational pieces to be the building blocks of their wardrobe. If you’re often saying, “I have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear,” or, “I keep wearing the ‘same’ outfit over and over again,” this is usually related to not having those foundational pieces. Also: buy what you love but for the life you have!
Her take on Toronto fashion: There’s so much creative talent in this city. What’s challenging is that we’re a big city, but we don’t have the market size for retailers to take risks with a consistent stream of innovative, fashion-forward brands. I admire boutiques, like Absolutely Fabrics who are trying!