Ah the sweet smell of Canadian wood... What's that smell like you ask? Why a DSquared perfume of course. Dean and Dan were at Holt's yesterday for the launch of their first women's perfume, She Wood - the feminine counterpart to their debut fragrance - the masculine version, Wood. And there were plenty of fans on hand hoping to steal a moment with their favourite design duo.









I was fortunate enough to get out of the office for a couple of hours for some fashion and fragrance talk with the twins; which is always entertaining. Trying to follow the conversation as they each finish each other's sentences, it's easy to totally lose track of who said what and who even started the thought in the first place... Fortunately, it was Monday morning, they hadn't had much sleep, and they were moving a little slower than usual - I could keep up. Anyway, we decided to escape Holt's for some fresh air, and sat outside on Bloor St. for some "Street-talk with Dean and Dan", as they aptly-titled our impromptu and informal little segment.






So, first thing's first - they were impeccably dressed as usual, in their signature denim and great matching jackets - when I commented on them, they told me they were actually the uniform jackets they designed for Italian football club Juventus. But, check out the inside design - custom pockets for just about everything you may need to have on you day or night...






I also learned the story behind their love of DSquared denim and the care put into its design. Dan explained that, "as kids our dad didn't have a lot of money, and jeans were considered poor people, so he always made us wear dress pants, and it was the 70s and everybody was wearing jeans, but we couldn't wear jeans. So now, I really think we do good denim - because we weren't allowed to have it as kids."

Hazel (our intern extraordinaire that came along with me) and I (both shoe-lovers) had to take note of their footwear as well.





Ok, I suppose a little about the perfume... "it's for cool girls that wear men's clothes", they say in unison. Launching the men's fragrance first, they found that women were wearing it, and so, created She Wood using the same inspiration - Canada and wood, literally (though the women get a little sap thrown in for sweetness, or something like that - talking fragrance is like speaking another language so I'll keep this part brief). All you really need to know is put best by the twins themselves - "It's our Chanel No 5... you'll love it forever."



(Oh, and the wood on the bottles is 100% Canadian, and for each tree used another is planted)



We talked a little more about their growing DSquared empire, expanding the brand to perfume and accessories, breaking into new markets, and what it is that keeps them going season after season - "crutches" and "wheelchair" were the first answers... but they then added that it's traveling the world and their globe-trotting lifestyle that serves as constant inspiration. "I think what it is, is a passion - you have to really love what you do, and fashion can't really be a job, it's not our job, it's our life."

Life for these two seems at times to move so fast (their travel schedule this month alone is ridiculous!) yet they just take it in stride, smiles on faces and matching outfits at the ready! I wondered, if they could find a free day here in their hometown, how would they spend it? Well, for all you Dean & Dan fans out there, next time they're in the city, here's a couple spots to try... They tell me, "we'd go to the Avenue Diner for breakfast, it's still the best bacon and eggs in town...

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

Photo courtesy of breaky.blogspot.com
... we'd have a very chic Swiss Chalet lunch... we'd go to Queen St West, we'd probably go to Kensington Market too... then, we like the Senator...

Photo courtesy of flickr.com
...we like the old places, the places we used to go - maybe it makes us feel young again..."

And finally, parting words of designer wisdom... Here's their tips for fall:
From Dean - "tartan is really fresh for fall... it gives that little British quasi-punk feel..."
From Dan - "but, key for anyone for fall, what I always say, is spend money on a coat - cause that's what everybody is going to see, everyday... and the rest you can fake."



Photo courtesy of Colin O'Connor, The Toronto Star


And so ends the epic "Street-talk with Dean and Dan" blog.



(DSquared heels - simply for viewing pleasure)

Photos courtesy of: Keren Jackman (unless otherwise credited)
Posted by KEREN