Cool Shop find: Frank & Oak Toronto
Montreal-based menswear label Frank & Oak have taken Toronto by storm with their flagship store on a buzzing corner of Queen Street West. With a thoughtful selection of clothes, shoes and books, and a cafe and barbershop thrown in for good measure, Frank & Oak will keep you lingering far beyond just the clothes.
And, the clothes! Understated basics including soft knit sweaters, quilted blazers, and covetable outerwear sit alongside subtle and sophisticated shoes, boots and leather goods. A carefully curated selection of design and travel books dot the breezily arranged mid-century furniture, making this feel more like the effortlessly-stylish lounge room we all wish we lived in.
An easy, uncluttered space with monochromatic artwork and touches of wood and marble, Frank & Oak’s interior happily avoids the cliched ‘reclaimed-wood-and-taxidermy’ combo that too many menswear destinations fall victim to (although; it must be said; the vintage pistachio-colored barber chairs are pretty amazing). The humming cafe serves Stumptown coffee and an assortment of pastries, and offers the perfect vantage point for people watching on Queen West.
Childhood friends Ethan Song and Hicham Ratnani founded Frank & Oak in Montreal in 2012, and in addition to the menswear label, the brand has also ventured into print media with the bi-annual culture mag Oak Street. With stunning original photography and cracking content, stories on German designer Jesko Fezer and Canadian art world wunderkind Terence Koh give Oak Street a strong international voice without losing sight of its unique Canadian roots.
Frank & Oak Toronto
735 Queen Street W., Toronto, ON, M6J 1G1
(647) 930-8711
(Photos courtesy of Frank & Oak Toronto)
 Benedikt is Melting Butter’s NYC-based design editor. He’s also a freelance architect, designer and writer with work that’s grounded in a strong multi-disciplinary focus, encompassing architecture, interiors, product design, curation and visual communication. Right now, Benedikt’s creative projects include an illustrated book, a site-specific art installation in the Manhattan streetscape, and several ongoing creative collaborations.
Read about Benedikt’s favorite hotspots here |
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