Souvenirs meet style

Who hasn’t returned from a trip laden with cheap, tacky souvenirs? In the hopes of keeping more such items out of the dustbin—where they inevitably end up—Canada’s Souvenir Shop offers redesigned, recrafted and upgraded Canadian souvenirs. Created by Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel and Motherbrand, a design firm dedicated to preserving Canada’s local culture, Souvenir Shop features a range of specialty and limited-edition items crafted by Canadian designers. The site’s Maple Leaves Lamp, for example, was created by Ani+Lumigrane and Frédéric Guibrunet of cut paper; pricing is CDN 250. Ouno Designs’ Fur Lifejacket, meanwhile, is a conversation piece made from reclaimed Hudson Bay Company Furs’ mink and priced at CDN 500. Then there’s the Pierre Trudeau doll, crafted of felt and available in a variety of outfits, priced at CDN 100. Jewellery, books, housewares and clothes are also available for shipping both domestically and internationally. Is there anything under the sun that can’t be upgraded? We think not! How about bringing this approach to the souvenirs from a region near you? Spotted by: Sheri Allain