Recently featured as one of Canada’s top menswear collections as curated by celebrity stylist Leslie Fremar for the Square One Concept Shop, Outclass began as an OCAD thesis project for designer Matteo Sgaramella, and the collections are now designed and manufactured entirely in Toronto.

What are your wardrobe essentials?

Dark indigo jeans with a subtle orange contrast stitch, chambray work shirt with a rounded collar, polka-dotted five-panel hat and white Italian-made sneakers.

Where do you go shopping in the city?

Gerhard Supply in the Junction. It is the best place to find made-in-Canada menswear, among a great variety of scents and grooming products.

Why do you love the fashion industry in Toronto?

I love the fact that it is growing at such a rapid pace. Every season I see more new brands launching, and I think it is great for the industry.

How did you form the concept behind your 2015 spring/summer collection?

Last year before designing the collection, I took a trip out west and visited Vancouver, Victoria and Tofino. It was there that inspiration for the colour palette, fabric and style selection were born. We introduced sand and earth tones, rich indigo and sky blues, water-repellent fabrics and cosy, cotton knitwear. All of these colours and textures are represented through the landscape and lifestyle of Canada’s west coast.

What inspires you to keep Outclass products locally made in Toronto?

The people I meet who work in the factories where Outclass products are made. It is the relationships that I’ve developed with these hard-working individuals over the years and our shared passion for producing locally. The people I work with are just a text message or short drive away, which keeps me intimately involved in the production process.