As you might remember, last Christmas was my very first time visiting the One of a Kind Show! And boy, did I have fun! This time, le boyfriend and I headed out full of high expectations, eager to discover some new artisans and do some shopping. Once again, we were not disappointed.
The Spring 2011 show featured hundreds of talented artisans and I had to exercise a lot of restraint not to end up going way over my budget, especially when it came to gorgeous jewelry! There were just so many amazing pieces to covet – too bad I couldn’t buy them all. Here’s the rundown of some booths that caught my attention.
Custom-made fragrances are as fancy as it gets, and Aromachology offers just that – mix and match your fave scents to make something truly unique for yourself, or for someone special.
Oh, this booth…I oohed and aahhhed for close to 15 minutes, while the patient (and lovely) brother/sister duo Laura and Andrew Floyd of atelier l.a.f. helped me pick out a piece for myself. I settled on a pair of La Cuerna earrings, though if I could, I would probably buy the entire collection.
The food aisle was unanimously voted our favorite of the day – food samples, anyone? And though my macaron from Sweet Definition was stale, the flavours were just right. I am hoping that this was due to the fact that we got there pretty late in the day, and got one of the last few macarons. I am definitely going to give Sweet Definition another chance to prove that their macarons are crave-worthy. But next time, I am showing up early.
Hoi Bo was one of the booths I actually searched for. And while last time, I fell in love with their beautiful leather jackets, this season, I left wanting one of their gorgeous silk dresses – so simple, and yet so powerful. If you missed them at the show, you can still pay them a visit at their Distillery District studio.
More after the jump!
Biko was one of the booths I missed out on during the Christmas show. Not this time. A perfect blend of vintage and new, Corinne Anestopoulos’ designs are beautiful, unique, and definitely statement pieces. From the fortune cookie pendants, to the multi-strand mixed-chain pieces – at Biko there’s something for everyone.
This booth gave us a good chuckle with their sassy cards that are perfectly sweet…until you open them. These biting cards are a perfect antidote to the cookie-cutter options from the likes of Hallmark and Carlton, but should only be given to people with a sense of humour…otherwise you might just find yourself in some hot water, you jerk!
Initially, I was going to give this booth a pass, but as I was walking by, I spotteda few cute pieces that ignited my curiosity, like this cropped microsuede top. I’m really glad that I ended up grabbing their card, because Barila’s website is chock full of great dresses, shorts, and tops – perfect for those that seek clothing that won’t show up on every girl you see.
If I had a child, I’d be buying Liz Clay’s fairytale paintings by the dozen. Painted by hand, Cici Art Factory’s whimsical works of art are so freaking cute, some might even consider putting these in non-child-related areas. Mermaids, dragons, robots, circus animals…all painted in vibrant colors, are guaranteed to make you (and your little one) smile!
