Listed in Fashion Stores
Kit and Ace has opened its Toronto flagship on Bloor St. W. in Yorkville, its second store in the city following its debut on West Queen West. Founded by JJ Wilson and his stepmother, ex-Lululemon lead designer Shannon Wilson (they also happen to be the son and wife of Chip Wilson, Lululemon's founder/ex-chairman), this Vancouver-based lifestyle brand specializes in elevated basics that are functional yet stylish for both men and women. It's been described as the Lululemon of streetwear.
This particular location is a little over 3,000 square feet in size and was previously a United Colors of Benetton. Every shop is different, as the brand favours "hyper-local" custom crafted design, but of course the stores still have a cohesive look, with pops of its signature copper and cobalt throughout and its motto, "Time is precious," prominently featured.A custom JM&Sons communal harvest table is the first thing you'll encounter at the front of this airy and minimalist-looking boutique. It's meant to be a shared workspace with free WiFi for customers, and it's also where exclusive quarterly supper clubs take place, when each store brings local creatives together for a meal.
Copper and white geometric cube light fixtures by Radar Industrial Design hang from the ceiling and a gallery wall exhibits and sells work by local artists (Kit and Ace doesn't take commission for the sales). At the opening, the wall features colourful pieces by Kathryn MacNaughton. The space next to the wall is an aesthetically pleasing area filled with plants, a couch and coffee-table reads.
As for the clothes, they're made with easy-to-care-for luxe materials the Wilsons have developed, like their incredibly soft, no-dry-cleaning-necessary "technical cashmere," which is made with a combo of viscose, elastane and cashmere that's safe to machine wash. 
Collections are designed with hypothetical muses - the female "Kit" and male "Ace" - in mind: they're members of the creative class who value quality (and are willing to pay decent coin for it - basic sleeveless tees start at $68) but also want fabrics that will work with their active lifestyles. These clothes have clean lines and cuts that take subtle risks to create striking silhouettes. For F/W '15, Kit's Ashford Trench ($348) combining wool and down, catches my eye. Similarly mixing materials is Ace's Walcott Blazer ($398), with a detachable zip-out down-filled liner. (Note: these items are exceptions to the easy-to-care-for rule - dry clean only.)
This Yorkville location also contains a technical atelier, which is part tailor shop (it provides customization and complimentary tailoring) and mostly design lab. It's an incubator for local up-and-coming designers who will spend 10 months in residence to create future mini collections for the store with the opportunity to receive real-time feedback from shoppers.
At the very back of the shop is Sorry Coffee Co., Kit and Ace's small cafe. (It also has an entrance on Critchley Lane if you don't want to walk through the entire store.) 
I'm told the cafe is supposed to have more of an "Ace" feel, with its black chevron wall tiles and a gorgeous custom copper La Marzocco sitting on the marble countertop. 
Its name is a playful nod to Canadian politeness, as the stereotype says we tend to apologize all the time, and as my friend and I prove is true since we realize we've inadvertently said "sorry" about five times since we've arrived. This is the second Sorry ever (another can be found in a Kit and Ace shop in London, England), but the first in Canada.
Sloane tea ($3.25) and de Mello Palheta coffee are served in signature cups that serve as a blank canvas for local artists who are chosen to design a Sorry logo (currently by graphic designer/art director Roger Dario), and like the gallery wall, it'll change up every few months. 
Coffee shop director Dylan Wu has a straightforward menu of espresso-based beverages (espresso/Americano, $3.25; flat white, $3.75; cappuccino, $4; latte, $4.25) made with de Mello's seasonal house blend (with the possibility of creating Sorry's own custom blend in the future) and pour-overs ($4.25 each) using a rotating selection of single-origin beans.
Baked goods are from La Bamboche, with a choice between croissant ($3.25) or pain au chocolat ($3.50).After we leave, my friend tells me he's never seen so many attractive people all in one store before, and he's not kidding. The staff and clientele are pretty picture perfect here, and with ambitious expansion plans - besides Canada, there are already numerous international locations with plenty more on the way - this young brand is ready to spread the beauty.
Photos by Jesse Milns.