FEATURE | THEKIT.CA | 5

NATIONAL TREASURES We asked stylish, influential Canadians about the local brands they covet— and became converts in the process

BY JENNY CHARLESWORTH

JESSICA DE SALLY RUITER BASIA BULAT STYLIST SINGER-SONGWRITER GLOVER FOUNDER, FRESHFACED.CA It is hard not to be This indie darling is known for her folksy Glover’s frustration with delivery jealous of the ease tunes and for making the autoharp cool. delays on products not available with which de Ruiter She has a unique approach to recording in and concern over harm- balances Parisian "air, (her third album Tall Tall Shadow was cre- ful ingredients led her to hunt for California cool, and ated in a reverberating 60-year-old natural, non-toxic skin-care lines masculine-meets- dance hall) and will be performing as part that work. She struck gold and feminine style with her of Live at Massey Hall, a Canadian concert created an online beauty boutique Canadian roots. Though series on July 10. basiabulat.com in 2012 to share her !ndings. Her what is jealousy but the curated list of niche, previously !rst step toward a fully inaccessible beauty essentials in- "edged girl crush? The “I discovered Tvål Cosmetics when I played my cludes !ve Canadian brands. Vogue and W Magazine very !rst show in Newfoundland. I remember alum and current stylist walking by their little shop and being totally “I’m not sure why Stark Skincare to Jennifer Lawrence smitten with their pretty packaging. I was even is still under the radar, but it’s a big and Drew Barrymore is happier to discover that their mineral makeup CYPRESS PURITY married to Canadian art- one to watch. I !rst came across + DEFENSE is made in-house by a small group of really the line when nomoredirtylooks. OIL, $45, ist Jed Lind– leaving us passionate, dedicated people.” MEADOWFOAM no choice but to obsess com, an uber-popular natural- THE EVERYBODY beauty blog, gave the brand a great OIL, $42 over her life as much review. Owner Jessica La"eur uses as her style. TVÅL COSMETICS plant-derived oils, butters and clays STARK SKINCARE ST JOHN’S, NFLD to provide effective yet gentle MONTREAL, QC beauty solutions, especially for The close-knit (we’re talking six Stark Skincare also began with frustra- city-ravaged skin. I like to support “I’m quite patriotic people) Tvål team includes two tion, this time over the beauty industry’s when it comes to being biology PhDs and a profes- local and Canadian brands not only unrealistic standards and advertisements. Canadian so wearing sional makeup artist. For over as a small business owner myself, The brand forsakes Photoshop-backed 10 years, the team, including but because I often get to see the promises for simple, natural ingredients Lululemon allows me to to improve skin’s health. The Stark Sk- TVÅL PINK COCONUT founders Anna Hellqvist and effect that my purchasing power have a little bit of home MARSHAMALLOWS Jason Bailey, has been creating incare logo is a Redwinged Blackbird, RICH SHEA BODY has on the companies I believe in while I’m living in L.A. I BUTTER, $15, products by hand in small which is native to western Quebec where also !nd it rather amusing TVALSKINCARE.COM batches in downtown St. John’s. and love to support.” founder Jessica Lafleur grew up. to see every other person in my yoga class wearing the brand. It makes me feel proud and a bit like an insider; I’m sure most Americans have no idea JOYCE LO Lululemon is Canadian.” CURATOR, DRAKE GENERAL STORE, TORONTO It may not be listed in her job description, but it is implicitly under- stood that Lo is a cu- rator of Canadian cool. Starting out as a design- er of unisex retro tees, in 2008 Lo went on to craft the quirky Drake Gener- al Store aesthetic that is so deeply ingrained and loved today. JEN AGG RESTAURATEUR A tastemaker in every “Covet and Keep is a sense, Agg used mixol- PULLOVER HEATHER GREY, $130, lovely brand, founded by ogy, charcuterie and REIGNINGCHAMP.COM ASTRO WUNDER Elea Hilliard. We found head-to-tail cooking to UNDER her when we were looking develop her own style PANT, $92 for makers back in March of bars and restaurants REIGNING for our Modern Makers that helped put Toronto CHAMP campaign. I love that her on the culinary map. Agg VANCOUVER, B.C. jewellery has a handmade does things her own way, Reigning Champ has feel but is still so modern. which produces lineups been designing and My fave piece is the Kate of scenesters and celebs manufacturing Van- COVET & KEEP couver-made LULULEMON necklace that reads, “I’m EARRINGS, $69, at her trio of trending COVETANDKEEP.COM and since VANCOUVER, B.C. not sorry” in braille—I hotspots: The Black it was founded in 2007 It’s impossible to imagine what have that Canadian habit Hoof, Hoof Cocktail Bar by Craig Atkinson. The the face of athletic wear would of saying sorry all the and Rhum Corner. company designs and look like today if Chip Wilson COVET AND KEEP develops its original hadn’t attended the first com- time, even when it doesn’t VICTORIA, B.C. fabrics for unrivalled mercial yoga class o!ered in make sense. Buying Ca- Covet + Keep is a handcrafted jewellery “I cannot ignore my comfort, making their Vancouver. Fourteen years after nadian is great because it line from B.C. that’s packed with attitude. love for fancy sweats perfected sweats a the first Lululemon store opened gives us a real connection The line comprises edgy rings and neck- and all-grey-all-the-time. target for collaborations in Vancouver’s Kits area, innova- to the brand, and these laces made from sterling sliver, brass, white Daytime, I live in with Club Monaco tive fabrics and technologies let bronze and steel, featuring braille messag- and J.Crew. The brand’s wearers push themselves farther brands understand the ing. Having launched in Vancouver in 2010, Reigning Champ—a two principles say it all: than before, whether practicing Canadian market better it’s now available across the country, in the company pro- respect the details and yoga at the neighbourhood than anyone else.” U.S.A. and New Zealand. duced in Vancouver.” master simplicity. studio or nearby park.

JEANNE BEKER WEARING A HAT BIARRITZ BY SHAN ON A SUNGLASSES, $325, SHAN.CA CRUISE LAST YEAR. “A favourite brand of mine is Shan I !rst discovered it when it JEANNE launched in the mid 1980s, around BEKER the same time we launched Fash- HOST, FASHION ion Television. We featured Shan’s TELEVISION CHANNEL; sexy swimwear on our show, and SHAN MONTREAL, QC CONTRIBUTOR, THE KIT I remember the male produc- Jeanne Beker is a Cana- ers lapped it up! But besides the Created in 1985, Shan was dreamed up by Chantal Levesque, who had a dian fashion ambassador, sexiness of Shan’s looks, I was al- fashion television person- vision to use swimwear to sculpt and ways impressed by the quality, the decorate the body. The company still ality and contributor to The wonderful fabrics, the sensational operates workshops in Laval, Mon- Toronto Star. She’s pub- prints, and, of course, the amazing treal, but is now available in over 25 countries and 600 stores. lished !ve books, creat- !t. As the years went by, I began ed three clothing lines, has to see Shan swimwear in bou- received an Order of Can- tiques all over the world, in places ada and a Canadian Arts as exotic as St. Tropez. It made me and Fashion Award. proud to see how well it was do- ONLINE CHECK OUT 10 ing. The cover-ups and accessories DESIGNED-IN-CANADA LABELS are fabulous as well. Shan is simply WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF AT

PHOTOGRAPHY: KAYLA ROCCA (LO), CAROLINE DESILETS (BULAT) DESILETS CAROLINE (LO), ROCCA KAYLA PHOTOGRAPHY: world-class.” THEKIT.CA/CANADIAN-LABELS/