Notion Style opened its doors a month ago in Yonge Lawrence Village, joining a genteel strip along Yonge Street. Named after owner Bisa Bennett’s own clothing line, the boutique has a uniquely European sensibility: all of the clothes are designed and made in the continent’s fashion capitals, from London to Milan.
After nixing a Queen West location for the boutique, Bisa chose her own neighborhood because she was “never able to shop there. I would always go downtown, or to New York.”
Bennett sources every item in the store on frequent trips across the pond (she heads to Paris next month). The pieces are not found anywhere else in Toronto, ensuring that the clothes (and the happy shopper) are special.
We had our eye on beautiful open-weave sweaters from Italian label Paolo Casalini ($125) and a printed silk peasant dress by Magazzini Del Sale ($270). The store also sells shoes, bags and jewellery, including one especially dazzling handmade necklace by Sadini ($135). Most of the accessories, however, have already sold out, prompting Bennett’s hasty buying trip to Europe.
Besides special clothing, the boutique also offers special services. Bennett, an artist to the core (her paintings hang in the shop), is a seamstress as well as a designer, and alters the clothing herself should someone really love a piece that requires some adjustment, like adding panels to blouses or tailoring, as necessary.
The dresses under the Notion Style label are also custom made. One of each style is available in the shop, and should a customer fall in love, Bisa will sew one to fit. And why wouldn’t they fall in love? The Notion Style dresses, mostly black and made with intricate French lace, sell between $250 and $280.
“I like when the customer is happy,” says Bisa. “It isn’t just about profit. You just want to see them enjoy.”
So far, customers have been grateful.
“They say they need something like this,” Bisa says.
Notion Style, 3333 Yonge St., 416-428-0289
