LivingSmallinBigCityToronto presents...

 

LOCAL BOUTIQUE PROFILE
ZILIOTTO

 

Walking along the Danforth is always a fun thing to do. There are wide, strolling-friendly sidewalks, lots of cafes, gelatto shops, wonderful restaurants and grocery stores and of course, clothing shops. The newest addition to this fabulous fare is Ziliotto, a chic little boutique featuring the exclusive designs of Canadian designer, Jennifer Durand.

With three locations in Toronto, one in the heart of the fashionable Queen Street West, one in the hip Bloor West Village and the other on the Danforth, Ziliotto has become synonymous with timeless yet playful womenswear and accessories.

Opened in the spring of 2010 by Jennifer Durand (née Ziliotto), a midtown-Toronto native, the Danforth location has a fan base from the well-established Queen West store and was a natural extension for Durand considering she lives in the neighbourhood. When asked about her expectations for the Danforth location, she confidently replied, “I knew we would do well.”

 

What did surprise her was how welcomed she felt by the community. “We were so well accepted. The people in the neighbourhood are excited by the new developments and are proud of the renaissance that the area is going through. They’re proud of what the Danforth is becoming.”

 

 

 

In her own words, an interview with Jennifer Durand...

1. Where did you grow up?  Have you always been interested in fashion, even as a child?

I grew up in Toronto at Avenue Road and Eglinton and yes, I was always interested in fashion. I subscribed to Vogue magazine at age 11!

2. How did you get started in the business of fashion?

I got started in the business by embellishing t-shirts and selling them in the street.

 

3. How difficult was it to open up your first store; what was the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge opening the first store was of course money!!! We luckily met a lovely bank manager who believed in us (my husband and I) and gave us a loan of a few thousand dollars and we went for it.

 

4. Where did you study fashion?

I never formally studied fashion at school, but I lived in Paris and worked as the assistant to the accessory designer at Chanel. Working there I learned more about design, fit and quality fabrics than I ever would have at school.

5. Did living in Paris influence your design style?

Living in Paris influenced me a lot. I wanted to understand what it was about French women that makes their style so effortless. So basically, I studied them. What I found is that they love to express themselves through the way they look... and they love feeling beautiful; which I think is wonderful! Sometimes, here in Canada, it's looked down upon to want to look pretty. As though we are being too vain and I think that's a shame.

6. How would you define your design philosophy?

 

I would say that I like to create timeless, flattering and easy to wear clothes that are both comfortable and elegant.

7. Which 3 designers do you most admire?
 

Of course I have to say that number one for me is Coco Chanel, particularly for how she created the modern woman's wardrobe and for her business savvy.  Number two would have to be Ralph Lauren, for building an empire and being one of the first "great American" designers. And finally number three is Tara Jarmon. She is originally from Vancouver and she is married to a French man and has had huge success in France. I've watched her career grow and it inspires me.

8. How do you find juggling your time raising a family and being a successful designer/boutique owner?

I sometimes think it's sad that we all have these crazy lives and that we all have to juggle so much all of the time. It's all so demanding for everyone!  I have to admit my husband is really good at telling me to slow down... And it's true, everything will eventually get done, so try to enjoy your time (even if there is Lego all over the place!!!!!!).

 

9. What's the best part of owning a boutique?

The best part of owning a boutique is.... Well there are so many reasons....

The great people I get to meet ....

Designing clothing and watching them come to life ....

Having a creative vision and seeing it fulfilled ....

And also the pleasure of every day getting to know different neighbourhoods so well.

 

10. What's the one vice you will never give up?

I will never give up drinking wine!

Why? See question number 8......

Thanks Jennifer ZiliOtto!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night Jenn Sagar and I hosted our first ever fall fashion event night at ZiliOtto, an east end boutique owned by the fabulous Canadian clothing designer Jennifer Durand. Jennifer was kind enough to offer us her store to invite friends and colleagues to a fall fashion event where we got to sip wine, nibble cheese and shop till we drop!

It was a  wonderful event and even more wonderful to see all of the people who showed up to enjoy an evening out. Thanks everyone for being so supportive and participating in our event. We hope this will be the first of many.

Below are some pictures from the night. Of course I didn't remember to snap pictures until the end of the night, so if I didn't get a shot of you, my apologies!! You all look fabulous!

Lots of thanks to everyone who helped us, of course Jennifer Durand and all of the wonderful staff at ZiliOtto, Kim and Allarice, who were terrific at helping Jenn and I put together our loot bags and put out our wine and cheese spread and help everyone with their clothing choices. Thanks to my sister Michelle for supplying us with Chatelaine magazines and Chatelaine notebooks, they were a terrific additon to our loot bags!

Thanks also to all of the other suppliers who kindly donated their products for our enjoyment. David's Tea, the yoga studio, the make-up, Bosley pens and so much more. They were all wonderful additons to our loot bags!

Jennifer and I will be planning another event for this winter. This will not be a fashion event, but something completely different. Stay tuned!

Soon to come, an interview with Jennifer Durand....

Hello!!

Welcome to the very first post of Living it Small in the Big City!

I am a Toronto realtor (I work with Bosley Real Estate on the Danforth) and I live and work in Riverdale, Toronto. I am also the busy mother of 2 lovely boys (just have to add that) who may, from time to time, appear in these pages.

Living it Small in the Big City is about the experience of living in a big city like Toronto and having the freedom to take advantage of all its amenities;  culture, ethnicities, flavours and even politics. Living in a big city does not have to come with all the big city problems, however. I like to focus on the good things!

For me Toronto is all about its neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods allow us to feel the intimacy and community that small town living usually have a monopoly on. I would argue that Toronto offers its residents the best of both worlds. Big city living and cosy neighbourhood communities.

Having grown up in Toronto and lived most of my life here (some brief stints in Ottawa and Guelph) I notice that since I've made my home in Riverdale and come to know my neighbours, the schools, the shops, the walks and the houses, I often find myself enjoying the same amenities as when I lived in Guelph. I know my neighbours, I rarely have to leave my neighbourhood for anything I vitally need and I can walk where ever I want to go.

This is all a long way of saying that I'd like to use this blog to explore Toronto neighbourhoods: the people, places, shops, houses, schools, etc. Anything and everything that helps us feel more familiar and comfortable with our neighbourhoods.

I will be featuring shops, cafes, restaurants, home decor, politics, market news... anything that might be of interest.

I hope you all like it, and I can't wait to hear what you think!

Andrea