I walked into my first maison couture ("fashion house") last month: Toronto's very own Stephan Caras.
Maison Caras is a 100-year-old historic building, the interior outfitted to reproduce the look and feel of its European counterparts. Located on Queen Street East, the imposing structure (it used to be the Canadian Bank of Commerce) features two large display windows that showcase Caras's latest runway creations. In a word, posh.
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| A sensual vintage Caras dress. |
It's "fitting" that Maison Caras is meant to evoke Old World style: the designer (above left) was born in Greece. In addition to training at two international fashion-design schools in Melbourne, Australia, Caras worked for Guy Laroche and Hermès Paris in Europe.
His aesthetic is sensual, minimalist, and feminine, with a focus on creating well-draped and -tailored outfits. While most of Caras's collections are based on the colour black, he is not afraid to use bolder hues.
Random fact: Caras designed the Tim Hortons uniforms in 2001. Two Canadian icons joined forces to deliver your double-double and apple fritter in style!
Son and heir apparent Kyriako Caras (below) will be taking over Maison Caras when Stephan retires.
