Ultra Chic SHAN

Lisa Delaney

Two years have passed since couture swimwear, lingerie, and accessory designer Chantal Levesque opened her SHAN only boutique in the fashion-forward neighbourhood of Yorkville in downtown Toronto.  Levesque established herself as a skilful and creative designer soon after she founded the SHAN label in 1985. Intricate cuts and body-conscious silhouettes are what separate her work from her competitors in the swimwear market.

The simplistic, yet modern boutique is filled with a broad assortment of bikinis, tankinis and one-piece swimsuits for every body shape and size. Made with the best Italian fabrics, each piece is cut and sewn by hand with exquisite detailing, darting, folding and pleating, unique to the SHAN only swimwear collection. The hardware does not rust, tarnish or overheat because it has been pre-treated to add longevity to the pieces. The SHAN label allows clients to mix and match sizes and styles. Levesque also maintains an accenting continuity between the seasonal color palettes, enabling her customers to wardrobe-build season after season.  SHAN tops retail for $115-$220 and bottoms sell for $85-$120.

There is more to the SHAN label than the ultra-chic swimsuit that serves as the company’s bread and butter.  Levesque’s specialty jersey and mesh fabric cover-ups are weightless, wrinkle-resistant and versatile.  Styled with the right footwear and accessories, the pieces evolve from day to night wear. “My passion for designing couture swimwear expanded naturally,” says Levesque. “Now my life’s work is making complete bathing wardrobes.”

In addition to the SHAN only boutiques located in Toronto, Montreal and Laval, the label is available in over 360 retail locations, including Holt Renfrew locations throughout Canada, Harrod’s and Rigby & Peller in the U.K., Les Galeries Lafayette and Le Printemps in France, and Saks Fifth Avenue and Wynn Las Vegas in the U.S. For more information, visit www.shan.ca .

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