Club Monaco

presents its new fabulous face at:

1000 Ste-Catherine St West, Montreal, Canada

written by Nancy Snipper

Upscale, well-heeled and luxuriously appealing, Club Monaco has moved to Montreal’s popular central location corner at Peel and Ste Catherine to show off its alluring new look.

9,000 square feet in the Beaux Art Dominion Square Building is now swathed in an interior palatial-like feel of white, marble and oak floors, Parisian furniture and noble columns allude to baroque luxe.

It’s really impressive and one feels like part of a royal entourage once inside. Club Monaco’s contemporary/cash classic clothes for men and women have now upped the garb glam game. Yes, some of the wonderful wares are expensive, but Club Monaco’s quality and cool create a winning combination for women of all ages. Brand collections toting names on bags and parkas include European swag. There’s Florentine jewellery from Rada and earrings designed by Wouters & Hendrix and treasures under lock and key going form $3,200 – a Chanel 2.55 for example. But the average price is doable for the man and woman who want to wear timeless clothes that have real staying power.

Now a new stunning assortment of shoes up the stature of the store. Ballet flats offers a variety of flirty styles and sexy heels adorn the store.

I attended its gala opening on January 22^nd, and it seemed that the entire world of fashion-conscious people of all ages were there. More than 600 for sure.

The downstairs offered great rewards, including the mends clothing. I loved the fact Myriade Café is now there offered a fabulous gourmet goodies. You can have your favourite croissant while resting on the turquoise leather couch while reading great books that stand on the shelves. What a great atmosphere!

I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice it to say, that your clothes craving and hunger one too can be satiated at Club Monaco’s new store.

 Creative director Caroline Belhumeur who has been with the chain for seven years (there are 21 stores in Canada) shows her masterful vision that has tongues wagging.

 

Target unveils clothing collection of award-winning, Mélissa Nepton

 

 

by Nancy Snipper

 

It was an affair to remember as wine flowed into the glasses of spectators seated on beautiful white Baroque-styled high-back sofas and slick, gleaming white chairs to feast on delicious appetizers served and catered by Java U while witnessing the new collection by fashion designer Mélissa Nepton. Her foxy-styled black and white patterned clothes were displayed on the lovely bodies of young female models. Her fashions are simple, yet suggest casual chic and devil-may-care comfort. Lots of flowing stuff with one clingy shiny dress number too. I like her simplicity which brings focus to the outfit she designs.

 

The event was held in the gorgeous, St James Theatre in Old Montreal.  The Models were standing on the high balconies overlooking the round arena –onto which they soon descended to show off  Nepton’s 2013 Capsule Collection. This was a dramatic way to start off the evening, and they all looked like ingénue Juliets from Shakespeare’s romantic play.

Nepton was selected from five finalists to garner the Target Emering Designer Award which is linked to the Designers Fund, a joint initiative of Groupe Sensation Mode and Fondation de la mode de Montréal. The contest held by Target to open up its Quebec store offered a prize of $25,000 and the in-store display featuring the winner’s line of clothes. 

“I created this collection by keeping in mind what urban, modern women look for: style, accessibly sophistication and comfort. For me, fashion is an expression of confidence and femininity that should be rooted in comfort and practicality,” said Nepton who studied at Montreal’s École Supérieure de mode and École Nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Paris. She made inroads with her label in 2009 after participating in Quebec’s version of Project Runway.  

Now her clothes will appear across Quebec in all Target stores.

 

She created an exclusive collection just for Target’s store. What I also liked about her designs was the price range: $39-99-$69.99.

 

 

Mélissa Nepton