Beauties: Kingi Carpenter, the Betsey Johnson of Toronto

Kingi Carpenter, owner of Peach Berserk in Toronto, is her own best advertisement; wearing a baby blue ruched top of her own design, with babydoll pink lipstick, her arms covered in ink from silkscreening fabrics, she is the very picture of the midwestern farm girl who made good as a fashion designer in the big city. This is what Dorothy would have looked like at 45, had she decided not to click her heels together and go home, but to stay in the big, bright Emerald City with her fabulous new friends and make a life for herself.

I have always thought of Toronto as a mecca of street style and alternative fashion, and was excited to visit Queen Street West, a neighborhood of shops, bars and restaurants which has grown up around the Ontario College of Art and Design. The first shop I stumbled into was Peach Berserk, where I instantly felt that old hungry-eyed yearning that only comes when you walk into certain temple-like stores. The shotgun shop is crammed to bursting with colorful garments in hand-silkscreened jersey, silk and taffeta that reminded me strongly of Betsey Johnson in the late 70s/early 80s, and when I mentioned this to Kingi she smiled and said, "I made a trip to New York in the early 80s, and when I walked into the Betsey Johnson store I said, 'This is what I want to do with my life.'"

I was surprised, when I began fingering the various garments, at how substantial the fabrics were and how impeccable the finish work was--something you don't see often in clothes with this much edge. Kingi and her lovely assistants print and sew in an open workshop in the back of the store, and will custom make any garment in any fabric. It's also hard to find clothes this youthful and fun that also fit a womanly body, and these are deftly cut to flatter the body.

Kingi is a great lifestyle example for my generation of artsy women who came of age in the 70s and now want to figure out how to approach middle age without succumbing to that dull urban classiness that seems to be the general prescription for how to look good after 40. There are a couple more pics after the jump!

Lush printed fabrics, a jacket, and me in my new Peach Berserk dress, getting ready for the road trip home at the Holiday Inn.

Comments

[LeAnne]

Wow! Very interesting but I like them. I hope her designs are not too pricey.

[Henna]

Wow, it's awesome that you visited this store. Peach Berserk is indeed a Toronto landmark.

[kulaygirl]

Kingi is super! she is an inspiration to all ~ especially those of us over 40. Have you seen her Obama print dresses???