A local’s guide to Mississauga’s stylish side

From designer shopping to the city's best ice cream, designer Adrian Arnieri shares his favourite spots in the city he loves.

Fashion designer Arnieri finds style inspiration at all sorts of events, activations and experiences in Mississauga.

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Fashion designer Adrian Arnieri embraces bold colours, sparkle and shine in the women’s wear collections he creates. They’re the type of pieces that would look at home on a red carpet, whether they’re being worn in Los Angeles or his hometown of Mississauga.

“I’ve lived here all 27 years of my life,” he says, “and it’s been exciting to see [the city] flourish, grow and evolve.”

When friends visit, Arnieri loves to start at Square One Shopping Centre. “My friends and I are huge fashion junkies, so we’re definitely going to the mall and having your typical 90s mall day,” he says. “Square One hits the mark, especially with its new higher-end stores.”

A couple of his favourite stops in the mall are Holt Renfrew and Simons. “Holt Renfrew fulfills all of your designer needs, even when it comes to just window shopping and having a fun day when you’re trying your favourite jacket that you saw in an Instagram ad,” he says.

He loves Simons because of its diverse men’s selection. “It’s so refreshing to have a store that carries such a huge selection of men’s clothing that is trendy and caters to various age groups.”

Mississauga born-and-raised, Arnieri was a guest of honour at the city's first fashion week in 2018.

ERIN TABLIZO

Since graduating from university, Arnieri has been pleasantly surprised to see Mississauga launch its own fashion week. “In 2018, I was lucky enough to be an honorary guest, and open the show by sharing my journey as a fashion designer and the struggle and success that I’ve endured while building my brand,” he says.

He was excited to see other local design talent there too. “It was an opportunity to see the youth in my community showcase the same love and passion I have for designing clothes.”

In 2019, Arnieri got to show some of the pieces from his Spice Girls-inspired collection during a fashion show hosted by the Italian Contemporary Film Festival at Square One. “It was such great energy, and it was great to see the community in Mississauga come out to support this event,” he recalls.

When he’s not dreaming up fashion in his workspace or browsing other designers at Square One, Arnieri likes to get out into nature, whether that be in Streetsville, not far from where he lives, or down by Mississauga’s waterfront in Port Credit.

There are over 500 parks in the city, many filled with flowers and trees that come to life as the weather warms up. Arnieri’s favourite is Streetsville Memorial Park, where he’ll head for a long walk. “There are beautiful walking paths in Streetsville Memorial Park. It’s a great spot for a morning run, too,” he says.

The peaceful green space is an urban sanctuary with trails that weave along and cross over the Credit River, and offer great vantage points for spotting wildlife, like ducks and geese. And when in the neighbourhood, Anieri never misses a chance to satisfy a sweet craving with a stop at Murphy’s Ice Cream.

“I’ve been going there for as long as I can remember. It was such a great spot for my mom to bring my sister and I when we had our summers off as kids, and now I love going there with friends,” he says.

Arnieri has been going to Murphy's Ice Cream in Port Credit since childhood. His go-to flavour? "Mint chocolate chip."

JEEVAL TAILOR PHOTO

The ice cream shop is always packed – “it’s tiny and intimate,” he says – but waiting in line is a fun part of the experience. “You’re scoping out everyone leaving the shop to figure out what flavours you’re going to get. ‘What did everyone else get? Double scoop? Waffle cone?’ There are so many great options.” Arnieri’s go-to order: A double scoop of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone. “And if I’m feeling fun and spicy, I’ll go with pralines and cream,” he says.

The waterfront paths in Port Credit are another favourite destination. “It doesn’t even feel like you’re in a city when you’re there. You almost feel like you’re somewhere by the ocean. It’s transportive, like a nice little getaway,” he says.

He’ll go there to wind down on a Sunday afternoon or as the perfect end to a summer’s evening. Snug Harbour Seafood Bar & Grill is right on the water by the Port Credit Harbour Marina, with great views of the waterfront and Lake Ontario – a prime spot for watching boats sail by and the sun’s rays hitting the water as it sets.

He also recommends spending time at Celebration Square, the city’s main gathering spot in the heart of downtown. During the day, it can be quiet, a gem practically hidden in plain sight where you can grab a coffee or a bite to eat. “They have a cute little patio setup, and you can just hang out,” Arnieri says.

There’s also The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Garden, where he’ll find a shaded spot to chat with friends or read. And the Square is home to striking public art, including Ilan Sandler’s giant sculpture The Book, as well as Mississauga’s own walk of fame, Legends Row.

Then in the evening, it transforms. Arnieri loves to go when there’s an outdoor movie screening. “Bring your friends, grab a blanket, bring some snacks – and if you don’t bring snacks, they always have local food trucks at the square,” he says.

“There are just so many, it’s like, which one do I try out?”

Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with Tourism Mississauga. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.