Michael Nyarkoh
As the community and marketing manager for Toronto’s buzzy new Ace Hotel, Michael Nyarkoh has a good handle on the city’s cultural scene, especially its sense of style. Before joining the Ace, he spent several years working for hip contemporary men’s-wear boutique Nomad.
“Travelling to other cities allows me to discover and confirm my music-related fantasies and it helps me to grow in my work and signal community,” Nyarkoh says of memorable trips to style capitals including London, England, and Montreal. “In other places, I can find tribes of people like me with these shared codes of dress and expression.”
He welcomes visitors to his own city with a signature look he says references “older men who wear blazers and trousers with less formality, mixed with sneakers and fun hats.” When putting together an outfit, he tries to rotate his clothing as much as possible, starting with a new piece or an item he hasn’t worn in a while. “The process is a bit of experimentation or tried combinations that fit the moment.”
Some of his signature pieces found at home and abroad have come by the way of his peers, including a long Yohji Yamamoto coat gifted by a friend while on a thrifting hunt at Value Village and a black Comme des Garçons blazer from Dover Street Market in London. He’s recently traded it for a tropical wool Yohji Yamamoto blazer he describes as “perfect for every moment.”
Michael Nyarkoh, photographed at Ace Hotel Toronto, wears a jacket by his friend, the Toronto fashion designer Wanze Song, cargo pants by WCROW and a turtleneck from Uniqlo. His Our Legacy footwear and Jil Sander chain are both from Nomad.
Local intel:
Ace Hotel Toronto is a perfect storm for the creative and curious. It invites local people, usually dressed well, and international travellers connected with the Ace brand. Sleep there, dance there, eat something amazing or meet a new friend.”
Nyarkoh wears a thrifted jacket and slacks with a shirt by Wanze Song. His Our Legacy Camion mules are from Nomad and his hat is by Stüssy.
Lauren Adey
A frequent flyer who works in fashion PR, Lauren Adey is known for a cheery, colourful aesthetic, which matches her bubbly personality. The pandemic led Adey to a new home in Dartmouth, but her work as the public-relations manager for Nordstrom Canada frequently brought her back to Toronto, in addition to taking her on regular business trips across North America.
Travelling for work is a professional bonus that encourages Adey to pack light. “I’ve learned there’s value and time saved in breezing past the baggage claim,” she says. “No checked bags for this gal, unless absolutely necessary.”
Adey’s mix-and-match aesthetic includes many signature pieces picked up on her travels: a woven tote from the Shops at Flora Farms in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, an heirloom gold necklace given to her by her grandmother on a recent road trip to New Brunswick and a treasured Céline Trio bag she scooped up in London, England.
“I visit the U.K. as often as I can and love style-watching on the tube,” Adey says. With favourite destinations that include Kenya, Baja California Sur and Colombia, Adey says she loves to explore new places. “I always leave with a broadened perspective, feeling creatively stimulated and culturally fulfilled.”
Lauren Adey, photographed at Bar Kismet in Halifax, wears a Stine Goya dress over a Simone Rocha top, both from Nordstrom stores in Vancouver and New York respectively. Her Jimmy Choo sandals come from Harrods in London, her socks are from the American Apparel store in Halifax and her Oscar de la Renta earrings are from Nordstrom’s Toronto store.
Local intel:
The restaurant scene in Halifax is excellent – I mean, who can say no to unlimited oysters? When dining out, I try to choose locally owned spots over restaurant chains. Bar Kismet offers hand-crafted cocktails, natural wines and delicious plates in a historic, beautiful space. The inviting emerald exterior and wide-plank wood floors make me feel at home.”
Adey wears a jumpsuit from Ganni’s Melrose Avenue store over a Uniqlo turtleneck. She ordered her Converse sneakers online from Farfetch and her Le Bon Shoppe socks are from the Halifax boutique Slowly Slowly. Her Isabel Marant earrings and bracelet are from Nordstrom’s Toronto store.
Alia Youssef
Travelling has become a way of life for Alia Youssef. In January, 2022, the photographer and her husband made the decision to give up their Vancouver apartment to see the world and have since visited some 22 countries in South America and Europe.
“Since we started full-time travelling, my need for adventure, variety, spontaneity and growth have allowed for me to feel a greater sense of well-being than I’ve felt before.” Youssef’s globetrotting highlights have included watching the sunrise in Huacachina, Peru’s desert oasis, road-tripping through Wales in a converted Volkswagen camper van and riding a scooter around Meteora in Greece.
With much of her wardrobe in storage, Youssef’s look has come to embody a sense of minimalism. She says that living out of a suitcase has helped her to see how little she needs. “I’ve become extremely practical and minimal,” she says. “That, along with my strong sustainability values, has made me very careful and considerate with items I purchase. I believe it’s still very possible to care about style while having those values; it just means I rarely pick up new items.”
One exception is a pair of overalls bought in a market in Otavalo, Ecuador. Back home in Vancouver, one of her favourite activities is exploring the city’s small boutiques and second-hand stores, including Front & Company, Gatley, Woo To See You and Much & Little.
Alia Youssef, photographed at a coffee shop in Essaouira’s medina, wears a shirt by Generation from Vancouver boutique Woo To See You, a thrifted dress gifted to her by her sister and Teva sandals gifted to her by her best friend. Her sunglasses are by Bailey Nelson and her Baggu Cloud bag is from the Grateful Gift Shop in Squamish, B.C. She wears a ring by the Vancouver Instagram jeweller @bead.bby with her labradorite stone engagement ring.
Local intel:
I would without a doubt recommend people add Imlil to their Morocco itinerary. It’s a short hour-and-a-half drive away from Marrakesh yet is worlds away in regard to its incredible landscape and peaceful atmosphere. Essaouira is Morocco’s underrated gem. It has a gorgeous medina, beautiful sprawling beach, incredible shopping with a relaxed atmosphere and the most epic sunsets over the Atlantic.”
Alia Youssef, photographed on the rooftop of the Toubkal Ecolodge in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, wears Dickies overalls and a Brixton shirt from the Boardroom in Vancouver with a thrifted T-shirt and Blundstone boots sourced on Facebook Marketplace. Her hat is from Merge, a small boutique in Tofino, B.C., and her ring is from the Vancouver Instagram jeweller @bead.bby.
Lexson Millington
For fashion stylist and content creator Lexson Millington, travel is a means of resetting his creative cycle. “It sparks new ideas for me and allows me to really wind down and not be creative as well,” he says.
Born in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and now based in Toronto, Millington often shares how he styles his looks with his more than 400,000 followers on TikTok from his studio on Spadina Avenue. Travelling to attend fashion weeks in New York and Paris has taught Millington to tone down his usual style vibe, which he describes as a mix of 1970s maximalism with plenty of layering and colour blocking, if only for practical reasons. “In the past, I would always overpack and never leave room for finding new clothes on my trips,” he says.
One recent new find is a blue-and-silver ring that he found in Montreal’s Chinatown. “I’m very picky with jewellery but the colour and design really caught my eye.” It’s something he wears along with favourites such as gathered trousers by Acne Studios, a pair of vintage plaid corduroys in a cotton-candy colour, a bomber jacket by Spencer Badu and a collection of Maison Margiela Tabi boots.
Lexson Millington, photographed at Studio Homme in Toronto, wears a jacket by Mudboy with two thrifted tops, slacks by COS and shoes by Marni. His glasses and tie were thrifted, his tote bag is by 4YE and his rings are Versace and a custom design by his partner.
Local intel:
Studio Homme is a multifunctional studio space in Toronto. The purpose of this space is to provide our community with opportunities to grow their creative endeavours.”
Millington wears a Muji puffer coat with a sweater from Exile Vintage, a thrifted shirt, pants by Acne Studios and a pair of Our Legacy Camion mules. His glasses and chain are thrifted and worn with a Vivienne Westwood necklace and a selection of rings from Value Village in Montreal, Vitaly, Versace and a custom design from his partner.
Burger (Byungsoo) Kim
Growing up on three different continents helped Burger Kim develop his singular sense of style. Born in Korea, Kim, along with his family, moved to Montreal while he was in high school before he took off for London to study graphic design. Spending eight years in the U.K.’s fashion capital was foundational for his sense of personal expression. “That’s the place I learned to come to terms with my sexuality and started building my wardrobe as a young adult,” Kim says. “Not to mention it’s the place I got to experience a life of a club kid.”
Today, as the regional visual merchandising manager for Gucci in Toronto, Kim has nearly complete freedom with his professional wardrobe, but saves his most outré pieces for off-the-clock activities.
Kim says regular travel to New York and Mexico City brings endless sartorial inspiration. “New York’s sense of individuality and the colour and texture Mexico City offers are huge motivators of pushing me to try new things and silhouettes.”
Those silhouettes and colours often harken back to the 1970s and include a multimedia beaded necklace by New York designer Wesley Chau and a Gucci trench coat from the 2016 men’s-wear runway collection, which Kim found at a consignment shop while travelling in Florence.
Burger (Byungsoo) Kim, photographed at Soop Soop in Toronto, wears a vintage top found in Oaxaca, Mexico, with Curtis Oland trousers and vintage footwear from Shopcoat boutique in Toronto. His vintage eyewear was found in Granada, Nicaragua, and his scarf is Gucci.
Local intel:
Someone once told me that Soop Soop looks like an office-slash-eighties department store going out of business and it’s true in the best way possible; nostalgia, if you haven’t noticed, is kind of my thing. You can expect to find a selection of clothes that have a point of view and a sense of humour.”
Kim wears a jacket from Copenhagen-based brand Envii, a top from Nouveau Riche Vintage and jeans from Tiger of Sweden’s Toronto store. His CamperLab boots are from Soop Soop and his Stephen Einhorn ring was bought in London. His glasses and necklaces are all by Gucci.
Hannah Traore
Brooklyn-based gallerist Hannah Traore describes herself as an adventurer. “I think that the exposure to difference has certainly influenced my sense of style over the years,” says Traore, who grew up in Toronto. “People-watching is very different in different parts of the world and I’ve taken what I’ve learned from these observations with me into my own style.”
Some of Traore’s favourite pieces that make up her signature look – which she describes as wearing what she wants in the moment – include items given to her by her mother and grandmother from avant-garde brands such as Issey Miyake and Comme des Garçons. “I’m a very sentimental person and I’m so lucky that my mother and her mother had such exciting senses of style and took care of their clothes so I can enjoy them today,” she says.
The urge to collect is a trait she’s inherited. While studying art history in Florence, Traore lived down the street from the eyewear shop Bottega Di Sguardi, which introduced her to many of the brands in her collection of more than 40 pairs of prescription glasses. Now, her curatorial focus is on vintage Mugler suits. “I have collected about six from all over the world.”
Hannah Traore, photographed at Fish Cheeks in New York, wears a vintage suit with Bottega Veneta boots and sunglasses by Port Tanger.
Local intel:
Fish Cheeks has some of the best food in New York, period. The flavours are bold, balanced and like nothing I’ve had anywhere else. It’s the kind of place that I could go wearing sweatpants or go in a full couture outfit. To me, that’s New York – the choice to wear literally whatever you want whenever you want.”
Traore wears a vintage jacket found in Paris, a pair of Pleats Please Issey Miyake pants and Nike sneakers. She bought her vintage eyeglasses in Toronto while she was in high school and her earrings are by Cult Gaia.
Moé Nurse
Moé Nurse considers herself fortunate to have been able to experience travel through work and in her personal time. A Toronto-based assistant producer at Velouria Productions, Nurse says that, although her style remains consistent no matter where she is, travel has had a big influence on how she presents herself, including having a hand in how she found her signature uniform of a long skirt and a top.
“My first Comme des Garçons piece was a voluminous, black, lace-trimmed skirt that I had bought in Japan during one of my visits years ago and has since changed the way that I dress as it was the piece that started my love of skirts,” she says. Some of her favourite pieces include a vintage red, green and yellow plaid boiled wool top by Junya Watanabe, a pair of metallic blue Maison Margiela Techno Tabi boots and a Pleats Please Issey Miyake Madame-T shawl. “I wear it very often in the summer as a long dress and bring it on most of my travels since Pleats Please pieces travel so well.”
One recent score was a Comme des Garçons blazer she picked up for €20 at a vintage shop while visiting Amsterdam. “Every time I wear it, I’m reminded of the amazing time I had exploring the city with my partner.”
Moé Nurse, photographed at Boketto in Toronto, wears a vintage vest from the Comme des Garçons fall, 2001, collection, bought in Japan, a Uniqlo x Mame Kurogouchi tank top with vintage petticoat from Exile Vintage in Toronto’s Kensington Market and a Yohji Yamamoto skirt from VSP Consignment. Her boots are Ann Demeulemeester Mick boots from Ssense and her pearl necklace is from Nuage Collectif Vintage in Montreal. Her silver earrings and necklace were both gifts, and her ring is from Value Village.
Local intel:
Boketto’s focus on vintage speaks to the city’s penchant for individuality in their style. Their specific niche of vintage designer caters to a fashion and sustainability minded customer that values quality, longevity and uniqueness.”
Nurse wears a jacket by Room No.8, a flower collar by Robe de Chambre Comme des Garçons and a Tricot Comme des Garçons skirt, all of which were bought at a consignment store in Japan. Her vintage Prada Sport sneakers were an eBay find. Her rings are Aliexpress, Value Village, Justine Clenquet and Isabel Marant.
Kaelen Haworth
With experience running two clothing lines while living in New York from 2007 to 2020, Toronto-based fashion multihyphenate Kaelen Haworth currently works as a stylist and creative consultant, with a new retail endeavour on the horizon. She describes her travel schedule as being extremely lucky of late, and counts visits to Iceland, Sicily and Miami as recent firsts, as well as family trips to Bermuda, where her spouse is from, and Los Cabos, Mexico, where her parents live part-time.
Haworth says that her vintage shopping expeditions are the most successful when she’s on the road, with finds that have included a Nina Ricci coat from a small Parisian vintage shop and a pair of Tom Ford-era Gucci bamboo heels she found while she was in Venice for school. “I have had them forever and they immediately take me back to that time and place.”
When packing for an upcoming trip, Haworth recommends organizing your clothing on a rolling rack if possible. “It’s mentally very helpful to organize your clothes in a way that helps you visualize your trip style in a holistic way.” When she returns home, favourite pieces waiting in her closet include vintage men’s blazers, two suits by Christopher John Rogers and a pair of split-hem leggings by Alaïa.
Kaelen Haworth, photographed at Sully’s Boxing Gym in Toronto, wears a blazer by Christopher John Rogers over a vintage T-shirt from Scout in Los Angeles and a pair of Loewe slacks. Her Bottega Veneta heels were ordered online from MatchesFashion, her earrings are by Mateo and her rings are by Oura, Sophie Bille Brahe and Boucheron.
Local intel:
I lived in New York for a long time, and my favourite place was hands-down my boxing gym, Mendez. I wanted to find something in Canada that had a similar vibe, no fuss, just good equipment and nice people. The thing about good boxing gyms is that they are really communities and second homes for the people who frequent them. It’s still new to me but Sully’s feels like that. It’s welcoming and friendly, which feels distinctly Canadian.”
Haworth wears a Vaquera body scrunchie from Soop Soop in Toronto with a Rick Owens dress she bought on a business trip to Paris 10 years ago and a pair of Jil Sander heels ordered from Mytheresa.
Ian Rosen
As part of the third generation of the Harry Rosen retail family, Ian Rosen grew up surrounded by the very best of men’s fashion. Today, travel is a big part of being the president and chief operating officer of a major fashion retailer. “From a work perspective, travel is when the team picks up on the latest trends, simply because our eyes are wider,” Rosen says of regular work trips that include biannual visits to Milan Fashion Week and Pitti Uomo, a men’s-wear trade show in Florence.
This past summer, Rosen was invited to tour the Brunello Cucinelli factory in Solomeo, Italy, where he picked up a pair of brown suede penny loafers, a memorable purchase that joins other unique items nabbed on the road including a wooden umbrella with a duck handle from James Smith & Sons in London. “The duck handle is an instant conversation starter and can even complete an outfit,” he says.
Favouring a monochromatic base of grey, blue, black or white layered with statement pieces, Rosen has embraced soft-tailoring, jackets with little padding that allow him to walk the line between professional and casual with ease. It’s a look that he favours when travelling, whether to Chicago, where he lived in his 20s, or to Banff, a favourite family destination. “Having the opportunity to see how fashion of all types is being approached in other countries continually inspires me to push my own sense of style.”
Ian Rosen, photographed at the Vintage Conservatory in Toronto, wears an overshirt and polo by Ralph Lauren Purple Label with Brunello Cucinelli cargo pants and Zegna Triple Stitch sneakers. His Rolex GMT Master II “Pespi” was a 30th birthday gift and his wedding band is engraved with the phrase, “Friends not foes.”
Local intel:
The Vintage Conservatory is a hidden gem for wine lovers and collectors. The vibe at the Yorkville location is laid back, unpretentious and welcoming. There is often a tasting of an incredible, lesser-known winery happening or the opportunity to take a tour around a certain wine region with other members.”
Rosen wears an outfit by Brunello Cucinelli.
Olivia Pezzente
For Olivia Pezzente, visiting new cities is a chance to do her best shopping. “Fortunate for my wardrobe, unfortunate for my overweight luggage charges,” she says. Her dream shopping excursion? Hunting for vintage designer pieces, her favourite items in her wardrobe, and most of which she’s found in New York and Paris. “They automatically make any outfit better, and it’s nice to be wearing a piece that most likely no one in the room will have,” she says of archival finds from brands like Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe and Maison Margiela.
Hailing from Vancouver and now based in London, England, where she works in brand partnerships and trend forecasting, Pezzente describes her style as streetwear with a femme touch, combining exaggerated basics, like her army-green bomber by Acne Studios, with playful accessories, such as an orange Kiko Kostadinov purse.
While, for the most part, she rotates through a day-to-day uniform that she switches up every couple of months, Pezzente finds fresh inspiration on her travels, which recently included a trip to Copenhagen to attend the city’s fashion week. “I get so much inspiration from the places I go, whether it be from the people or the vibe in the city.”
Olivia Pezzente, photographed in London, wears an Acne Studios jacket with tops by APC and Wood Wood over a denim piece by Just Cavalli. Her boots are by Fidan Novruzova and the hat is Needles.
Local intel:
My favourite store is the archive designer showroom Files. It’s so beautifully merchandised, which makes it easy to find all the goodies. The owners Helena and Joe are so sweet and helpful to anyone that goes in to visit. It’s located near London Fields, a lovely area in East London that has great energy and yummy food, perfect for a nice stroll on the weekend.”
Olivia Pezzente, photographed at Files London, wears a Comme des Garçons blazer with a Junya Watanabe skirt and boots by Acne Studios. Her hat is by Loewe and her bracelet is by Vitaly.
HOW WE DID IT
To compile this list, a group of Globe and Mail editors and contributors reached out to their networks of wardrobe watchers, dug deep into their social-media feeds and surveyed 2022′s honourees to create a roster of candidates from across the country. After narrowing the nominees down to the final list, photographers in Toronto, Halifax, London, New York and Morocco were commissioned to capture the subjects’ signature styles. Have a best-dressed suggestion of your own? Post a photo of your fashionable contender to Instagram and tag the picture @globestyle and #GlobeStyleBestDressed.
Additional credits: Editing by Andrew Sardone. Art direction and print design by Benjamin MacDonald. Fashion editor: Nadia Pizzimenti. Visuals editors: Liz Sullivan, Mackenzie Lad, Ming Wong. Digital design and development by Christopher Manza.
