melissa austria of gotstyle the menswear store.
Behind every successful man, there is a woman. In this case, this woman has a name, Melissa Austria. Owner of Gotstyle The Menswear Store on King and Brant Streets, this woman is single-handedly changing the face of men’s fashion in the city of Toronto. Having awed even the biggest skeptics at LG Toronto Fashion Week and walking out to a standing ovation, Melissa Austria has proven that there is indeed a market for men’s fashion, and more importantly, men are interested in the growth of this industry. Much in the spirit of all of our other Home Grown Talents, Melissa has proven once again that dreams and ambitions aren’t just for the pages of a diary, and that with planning and determination, a vision can become reality. By launching Gotstyle The Menswear Store, Melissa has opened the door not only to the men that shop there, but also to many Canadian designers and manufacturers that rarely get any exposure in this country. Plagued by the same challenges as our music industry, where our talent is more appreciated out of the city rather than in it, Melissa has championed the cause and proved that there is a lot to be said for our local talent. A one woman enterprise, she has proven with her dedication to Canadian brands, highlighted by her presence at LG Toronto Fashion Week, that it is in our diversity and confidence in ourselves that we have our greatest strength. Having paved the way for herself and those that are sure to follow, we were obviously more than curious to find out who is the real Melissa Austria. How did she get to where she is now, and how does she view herself in this industry that has taken so many victims?
Privileged to be granted a one-on-one interview, we asked these and many other questions to understand how this Queen has come to make her mark among the people of King.