any shopping tips for toronto would be appreciated - denim deals, or anything not available in the US, etc.

[high_contrast]

anyone know where to get 501 stf's? the levi stores in EC and yonge/dundas don't got my size. i hear all these americans getting them for $30 and they're 70 cad over here..booo..

[alej]

I had the same problem as you. They are gonna be 70 where ever you look though. Check out over the rainbow for better sizing. The stf is gonna be discontinued soon in Canada so grab yours quickly. It does suck how they are so cheap in the states. I'm sure that some small town cowboy western store far out in the country probaly sells them for cheap...but who really knows. If you are looking to pick up some cheap dry denim your next best bet is to just head on over to TNT and check out their sale in the back (if it is still going on?) you might be able to still find somegood quality dry denim for 100 dollars.

[Guest]

Quote:

OTR does sell Von D as far as I remember. Other than that I wouldn't say their selection is any different from what tonnes of other stores around the city carry, with the exception of LVC. Don't get me wrong, the guys at both Due West and OTR are my boys but their stuff is really more the mainstream stuff (Diesel, Energie, etc.). I would never put either of their selections in line with TNT's, Delphic's and especially Holts.

--- Original message by Circa on Sep 6, 2005 09:30 PM

i have to say that holts on bloor seldom has anything unique as far as denim goes. they have seven, earnest sewn, zbrand, rock and republic, energie, diesel, lvc(finally), nudie and one or two others. thats a pretty standard selection. but they only have a few styles within each brand. (i'm leaving out overpriced designer denim, who can't even bust an outseam for $1000 cdn). of course once you go upstairs to where the real holts clothes are, everything changes. i'm with you that their overall selection of clothing is amazing, but not for denim.

i do agree with you about tnt being less mainstream, even if its by virtue of being at a higher pricepoint. but everything they sell -loomstate, rogan, nudie, earnest sewn,gstar, edun, antik for men, sale bluebloods - isn't exactly hard to come by. i think tnt is less mainsteam only because of the higher pricepoint womens clothing that it pushes, and not the mens section. tnt is a womens store pimarily, but mind you in that area most retailers are.

and i did see some von dutch in kensington today... but i left it in the delete bin in favour of a $10 wrangler chambray shirt. the gf found a belt and a hat. it was a good day off of work.

[jdavis]

Quote:

OTR does sell Von D as far as I remember. Other than that I wouldn't say their selection is any different from what tonnes of other stores around the city carry, with the exception of LVC. Don't get me wrong, the guys at both Due West and OTR are my boys but their stuff is really more the mainstream stuff (Diesel, Energie, etc.). I would never put either of their selections in line with TNT's, Delphic's and especially Holts.

--- Original message by Circa on Sep 6, 2005 09:30 PM

holts on bloor seldom has anything unique as far as denim goes. they have seven, earnest sewn, zbrand, rock and republic, energie, diesel, lvc(finally), nudie and one or two others. thats a pretty standard selection. but they only have a few styles within each brand. (i'm leaving out overpriced designer denim, who can't even bust an outseam for $1000 cdn). of course once you go upstairs to where the real holts clothes are, everything changes. i'm with you that their overall selection of clothing is amazing, but not for denim.

i do agree with you about tnt being less mainstream, even if its by virtue of being at a higher pricepoint. but everything they sell -loomstate, rogan, nudie, earnest sewn,gstar, edun, antik for men, sale bluebloods - isn't exactly hard to come by. i think tnt is less mainsteam only because of the higher pricepoint womens clothing that it pushes, and not the mens section. tnt is a womens store pimarily, but mind you in that area most retailers are.

and i did see some von dutch in kensington today... but i left it in the delete bin in favour of a $10 wrangler chambray shirt. the gf found a belt and a hat. it was a good day off of work!

[Circa]

If you can name one other store that stocks, or has stocked the same denim line as TNT by all means do so. AFAIK TNT were the first to stock many of the lines you just mentioned in addition to a few that you didn't (like Avelon, Rag & Bone, etc.). A few of those said lines are not readily available really anywhere else in the city that I know of. As for Holts, of course you would have to consider the designer lines. Varvatos, Smith, D&G, Y3 are all still at similar pricepoints to most other highend denim and I'm still leaving out their couture stuff (ie. Costume, Dolce etc.). Regardless, they still stock unique product in terms of even what products they carry within each line. Holts has exclusivity for a lot of their stuff they sell, like the Nudie Vegs. As for TNT being mainstream overall, I will totally have to disagree with you. Although their mens section is currently somewhat limited they still stock more than a few Toronto exclusives, most of which sell out fairly quickly after release. At one time or another they've sold Comme de garcons, CDG x Fred Perry, Margiela, Surface 2 Air, Cloak and more, really just a lot of stuff nobody else in the city sells.

I think as far as Toronto goes there are really only a handful of stores that run the denim game in terms of original & unique product. IMO those would be:

Holts, Delphic, TNT, Lileo

I mention Lileo not just because I work there, but because more than a few of the lines we're currently stocking are unique to us. Some of which in fact are extremely difficult to come by outside of Japan and not mainstream in the least.