Our Little Christmas Tradition

We like to think of our store as a little slice of the Euro-couture life in the heart of Toronto. Obviously, you have to suspend your disbelief a little bit — but not as much as you’d think when you make it to the salon at the back of the store.

We’ve been entertaining customers, vendors and ourselves in our salon for as long as we’ve been here (20+ years). And while the furniture and art have changed a bit, as have the Parisian-style accessories, sitting down for a coffee or a bite and shooting the breeze with Clarke and/or Dorothea hasn’t changed one bit.

The First Cheers of the Day

Every year on Christmas Eve day, we invite our customers down to the store for a drink with us. But this year, we’re taking it up a few notches:

•   There’s a yule log video on the TV to keep us warm.

•   We brought in Stollen straight from Germany, which is a traditional holiday bread from the old country made with marzipan and fruit.

•   And, yes, a glass of wine is still on offer.

And a well-deserved one at that.

The year 2016 was different, to say the least, from the political upheaval in the world to the loss of cultural icons like David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Alan Rickman and more. We KNOW that 2017’s going to be a great year — starting with the big changes coming to Manulife Centre (hello, Eataly!)

We can’t wait to see what the new year brings. But in the meantime, let’s end 2016 together. Come on by for some peaceful relaxation with good food, good music and good company. We’ll be here waiting with some Stollen and vino in hand!

Colour Coordinated

Our Not-So-Black Friday Sale

There’s a bright feeling around here and it’s more than Clarke’s giant grin. You’ll feel it when you walk in, and it carries through all the way down our thoughtfully curated racks. It’s a brightness that comes from a gorgeous palate of colour that you can find in the store year-round.

So with colour on our minds we’re excited to introduce our Not-So-Black Friday Sale. Select items in our favourite winter hues including shades of pink, blue, burgundy and reds will be on sale. We'll be here, ready to greet you and brighten your day (and your wardrobe) with the perfect colourful pieces.

Colour in the lines

We start with the basics: Your skin tone and colouring is the best indicator for what shades will work to compliment your natural beauty. Next we might ask what kinds of colours you usually wear so we know where you are comfortable. From there, we might surprise you with a colour or style you’ve never tried before to round out your wardrobe.

Bright Bolds

Pinks and reds are two colours we’re really into this season — they’re great at adding bold, bright pops of colour. And whether you go big with a top or jacket or small with a scarf or layering detail, there's a perfect shade of pink or red here.

Bright Basics

We like using colours in place of neutrals. Blue and burgundy are great examples. We can show you how to best use them as an unexpected twist. Steel blue, for example, goes with anything from tans to metallic and burgundy is great in place of dark browns and blacks in an outfit.

We love colour. You’ll see it in our collections, our accessories and even on the walls. We love taking the time to show our clients how to add some brightness into their closets and we’re looking forward to doing it for you.

Your Cold Weather Wardrobe

Dorothea Merritt, PK’s owner, is about the warmest person you’ll ever know. But when you meet her for the first time, it’s unmistakably clear that she knows a thing or two about winter.

You can tell right away that she’s from Northern Europe. You can picture her skiing in Alps, and you can imagine her walking through a January hailstorm in Berlin or Amsterdam or Copenhagen. So when someone leaves the store feeling better about the impending doom of February, she’s happy.

Warm but Cool
When we work with you to plan your winter looks, the first thing we’ll ask you about is your schedule: what do you need to dress for? Most of our clients have similar events, and so we stock our racks accordingly.

The Seasonal Soiree
With holiday parties coming up you’ll need dressier, versatile outfits to celebrate with groups of friends and colleagues. We LOVE a little bit of colour in a winter wardrobe and so we’re quite excited about this red Loden coat that adds an unexpected pop of colour and plays on formality without the stiff structure of a traditional blazer. It works with pants, skirts and party dresses; it’s rain-resistant and will help keep your torso toasty.

The Family Feast

You want to look great, but you need to be comfortable — especially if you KNOW you’re going to over eat. This colourful jacket is fun, funky, soft and easy to wear. You can dress them up or down depending on where you’re dining. Pair one with the Amaretta suede pull-on pants. They’re cozy, wrinkle free and washable in case you wind up doing some of the cooking.

The Winter Weekend
Bogner is one of our signature lines, and they do winter better than just about anyone. Their Fire and Ice collection features unique prints and styles from a whimsical snowflake print sweater for hanging out to more technical athletic tops for outdoor exercise.

Whether you’re looking for a piece to complete your look or you have a ice-rink sized hole in your closet that needs filling, we can help you get ready for the cold. And if you want a private look at our collection, we’d be happy to oblige after hours.

You can come by the store during regular business hours (M–W, 10 to 6; T–F, 10 to 7, Sat 10–6 & Sun 12−5), or you can call us at 416.922.5922 to book a special appointment.

Uniquely Petra

As a small boutique with a highly curated selection, we have to work a bit harder than our neighbours at Holt’s. One way we do that is with our personal shopping services, where you can work with someone on our team to tailor an entire wardrobe for you.

Here’s how it works:

STEP 1 — THE CHITCHAT

We’ll begin with a conversation. We’ll ask you to describe your routine to us. Do you work? If so, where? And do you deal with people on a regular basis? Do you sit in boardrooms? Do you make client visits?

And what do your evenings and weekends look like? Do you regularly attend functions? Do you host a lot of parties? Do you like to be outside in the winter? And what do your summer plans usually look like?

From there, we’ll get a sense of what you need in your closet. Then we’ll move on.

STEP 2 — THE WALKTHROUGH

We’ll spend time in the store with you while you browse around and select pieces you like so we can get a sense of your personal style.

As you pick, we’ll ask you why. We may even grab something similar and ask you to compare. Don’t worry, it won’t take us long to figure it out. We’ve been doing this for over 25 years.

STEP 3 — THE PARLOUR

We’ll invite you into the sitting area in the back of the store for an espresso while we pull out a few pieces based on your needs and your style.

We’ll pick out both multipurpose and once-a-year pieces. We’ll tell you about the designers we chose for you and why we chose them. We’ll put full outfits together for you so you don’t have to think when you get home. And we’ll accessorize for you from the selection at the front of the store.

STEP 4 — THE SHOES

No, we don’t sell shoes here. But Ron White is next door and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection in the city. We share so many customers, they know what we’re all about and we know they get it.

Up for some personal shopping? Swing by to book a time or give us a call at 416.922.5922. And if regular business hours don’t work for you, we can always book a private visit.