Joe Fresh Takes Over Toronto

After nearly two months of endless Spring'12 previews, I thought I'd just about seen it all. A quick flight from Newark, New Jersey to Toronto (honestly, it felt quicker than a taxi ride during rush hour), and I was at the Joe Fresh Spring '12 runway show. If you've never heard of Joe Fresh, get ready. The super-popular fast fashion label in Canada just opened its first store in New York with plans to expand soon.

Check out my favorite looks from the runway:

At Toronto Fashion Week, a ticket to the Joe Fresh show is as highly coveted as a front row seat at Marc Jacobs. It's easy to see why. For Spring 2012, Joe of Joe Fresh (whose last name is actually Mimran) sent out a collection of bright, bold separates in everything from cutting-edge neoprene to nylon and leather. As always there was an abundance of the label's signature orange—a color that nods to the fact that Joe Fresh was launched and still sold in supermarkets in Canada (Get it? Fresh, like produce!).

Love these orange sole brogues. So true to Joe's preppy cool aesthetic!

These to die for leather football pants were my single favorite item.

Post show, I got to catch up with Mimran, who says he sees himself not as a designer, but rather a gardener, weeding out the good pieces from the bad in an overcrowded fashion market. The result is a collection so tightly edited, it almost leaves you wanting more. Which is good news since the prices are super wallet-friendly. For an editor (and shopper) constantly seeking the best styles at an affordable price, Joe Fresh is a one-stop-shop. First Ryan Gosling, now Joe Fresh—thank you, Canada!