It’s been a long time coming – but here I am introducing to you all my pal Justin Wu, Fashion Photographer. Geared and raring to break into the Toronto Fashion Scene as well as Fashion at an international level, JWu has garnered some impressive buzz with his work.

Take it from him:

I’m a fine-art photographer seeking greater representation & exposure with experience in photojournalism, editorial, and commercial work. I’ve been fortunate to have my work published, award-winning, and gallery exhibited over the past few years.

Currently, I’m looking to pursue a career in fashion photography or entering the fashion industry leveraging my business background.

 

I presently reside in Toronto, but stay in London, Ontario as a senior at the Richard Ivey School of Business with a Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University. During the spring term in 2009 (Jan-June), I will be studying at HEC Paris and hope to expand my photographic horizons during my stay.

Check out his work below, as well as his official website.

What’s funny is that we’re both B-Schoolers and somehow we managed to live 30 seconds away from one another. Small word hmm?

Jessica Jensen designs coveted bags. Stunning design, superb quality, and an emerging brand, her product offerings are gaining large recognition internationally. Having graduated from Ryerson Fashion Marketing and worked on over 25 international brands, Jessica Jensen is extremely well versed in the world of fashion.

The element that has me captivated by the purses is the fact that each piece boasts a certain timelessness that’s rare to find. I had the chance to delve into the subject of Jessica’s expertise (after the jump).

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Distillery District is among my favourite places in Toronto – not only does it house production of a favoured adult beverage, but it offers some fantastic boutiques and little shops that are driven by the quality of their products and how unique they are in nature. I love it.

One such store would be the Distill Gallery, a store that houses works of over 120 emerging Canadian talent (whether it be jewelry, clothing, crafts, or contemporary design). Just being in the store made me feel at home, where everything felt so incredibly unique and organic – unlike the mainstream mass-manufactured pieces that we pick up from day to day.

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If, like me, you’re sick of seeing every other person you pass by wearing your latest pair of Converses or the t-shirt you’ve been eying for weeks, maybe it’s about time you stopped by Stolen Riches. The boutique is located on Toronto’s stylish Queen Street West (just a bit west of Bathurst) and offers an impressive, carefully selected assortment of sneakers and street wear labels. For anyone with a sneaker fetish, Stolen Riches houses dozens of unique-looking (but totally wearable) sneakers from popular brands including Nike, Reebok, Vans, and Adidas. The best part? You can grab most of these kicks for around $100.

When I stopped by a couple weeks ago with my boyfriend, we fell in love with the store almost instantly. We were helped by a friendly sales associate who made our shopping environment completely pressure-free, allowing us to peruse undisturbed through the store (my favourite kind of shopping). My boyfriend got a very cool, graphically-enhanced pair of Adidas shoes for just $90, while I picked up a fuschia graphic t-shirt by the brand HellzBellz featuring Kate Moss for $45. Though the shirt was a bit pricey for my liking, I have yet to see another girl sporting the tee, and frankly, Kate Moss is worth it.

Store location: 734 Queen Street West. See www.stolenriches.ca for more information.

> image courtesy of stolenriches.ca

What does it mean to be a goodboy or a goodgirl? Entrenched in the urban hiphop culture that thrives in the City of Toronto, goodboy clothing seeks to represent sustainability and depth that the city has been searching for. I first came across these guys at the manifesTO event back in September. Their booth and their mantra represented a fresh urban perspective that I haven’t seen for awhile.

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