Shopping
Retail meets real estate
The Lobby gives a brick-and-mortar presence to a selection of small Toronto businesses.Handout
When real estate sales shifted online during the pandemic, Toronto-based agent Cailey Heaps and her team at Heaps Estrin found they were missing the face-to-face aspect of their very social jobs. “Real estate has always been a business about people more than anything,” Heaps says. To help bring that personal element back, Heaps opened the Lobby, a concept shop dedicated to fostering community while connecting consumers with local design-based businesses. Built like a concierge service, the Lobby gives a brick-and-mortar presence to a selection of small Toronto businesses including TLine, Luxton and Mary Radcliffe Studio, with more joining in the coming months. “We wanted to create a space for designers to showcase their work who don’t otherwise have that opportunity,” Heaps says.
The Lobby, 1120 Yonge St., Toronto, 416-424-4910, thelobbybyheapsestrin.com.
Trending
Cold-girl makeup
Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain.Handout
The latest viral beauty look to take over TikTok will likely be familiar to Canadians, regardless of their presence on the social-media platform. Called “cold-girl makeup,” it’s meant to capture the effects of winter weather on skin through rosy cheeks, glossy lips and snow-like glitter. While recreating an artificial cold effect may seem unnecessary here, Winnipeg-based makeup artist and esthetician Tina Cable, who owns Myüz Makeup Artistry & Esthetics, explains that the No. 1 element to this look is blush. “Applying that to the cheeks and the bridge of the nose is the key to having perfected that cold-weather look,” she says. One of her product picks is the Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain, which she says can also be applied to lips and layered under a clear gloss to a wind-kissed effect.
Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain, $24 at Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart and through TSC.ca and well.ca.
Business
Surf the mall
Oxford Properties' digital tool StyList.Handout
To help streamline the shopping-mall experience, real estate firm Oxford Properties has introduced StyList, a digital tool that allows shoppers to shop online from multiple stores located in the mall through one website. This e-commerce platform is searchable by keywords and gives customers a one-stop shopping basket to collect their items. These multistore purchases are then ready for pickup curbside or in the mall within 48 hours. Currently available at Yorkdale (yorkdale.com) in Toronto and Square One (shopsquareone.com) in Mississauga, StyList is meant to help customers allocate their time at the malls to other amenities such as entertainment or dining.
Obsession
Sex on the beach
Saint Laurent Rive Droite's temporary space at Art Basel Miami Beach for an exhibition of images from Madonna's book Sex.Handout
When Madonna released Sex in 1992, the provocative book of erotica generated a storm of controversy that shocked mainstream culture while topping The New York Times bestseller list. Thirty years later, the Steven Meisel-lensed images continue to fascinate and hold influence, paving the way for a new wave of self-expression. To celebrate the book’s anniversary, Saint Laurent Rive Droite, the fashion house’s “creative and cultural destination,” which has stores in Paris and Los Angeles, rereleased a limited run of 800 editions of the tome. The brand’s creative director Anthony Vaccarello also curated an exhibition of images from the book that was presented at a temporary space, pictured here, during Art Basel Miami Beach earlier this month.
Investment buy
Let it snow
Birks Snowflake Large Diamond Pendant Necklace.Handout
Birks has recently entered the high-jewellery category and, in true Canadian fashion, the heritage brand took inspiration from winter weather. The Birks Snowflake High Jewellery Collection features five 18-karat white gold and diamond pieces, including a ring, two necklaces and two pairs of earrings. Some of its design hallmarks include diamonds set in 18 karat white gold, like the 91 pear and round cut gems in the necklace seen here. Designed in Canada and produced in Italy, the collection is currently available at select Birks stores, with new designs due to arrive next fall.
Birks Snowflake Large Diamond Pendant Necklace, $20,000 at Birks (maisonbirks.com).