WHO IS SHE? Marlene Shiff, owner of Boutique Le Trou (940 Queen W., 416-516-7122), the first shop to have the opportunity to parade its in-store designers down the catwalk during the ongoing L'Oreal Fashion Week at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex (25 British Columbia, 416-542-3789).

Shiff has her roots in the Canadian fashion industry – she's been surrounded by it since childhood, when her dad was a clothing manufacturer.

HOME PRIDE “I intend to change Canadian fashion and get these kids on the international map,” says Shiff, whose store is dedicated to promoting upscale Canadian designers like Zoran Dobric and Jason Meyers. “There is so much great stuff coming out of Canada, from really underground to super glam.”

QUICK CHANGE “If I get dressed and it looks perfect, I change something,” says Shiff, pictured in a sweater by Belgian designer Sarah Pacini over a t-shirt from Queen Street and a vintage Rick Owens skirt. “I'm completely eclectic; I love to mix it up. I'll save something from every era and wear them all together.”

MONO TONE “I only have one colour I wear: it's black. Sometimes white, and when I do inject colour, which is very rare, it's pale pink. I'm stuck in the '80s designer thing where everyone wore black,” says Shiff, who also comments that a lot of the clothing in her store reflects her own personal colour palette.

TEAM SPIRIT “My biggest complaint is that we are not working together as a unit in the Canadian fashion industry. I'm sure it is the old hippie in me, but I want everyone to play together,” says Shiff. She loves that retailers are getting a chance to collaborate with designers and the Fashion Design Council of Canada.

PERFECT DAY IN TORONTO “My perfect day would involve sleeping till noon, having a bath, then coffee and The New York Times. I'd go shoe shopping at Town Shoes (131 Bloor W., 416-928-5062) – or Specchio (1240 Bay, 416-961-7989), if I'm not on a budget. Then I'd go for a massage, followed by cocktails and dinner at Bar One (924 Queen W., 416-535-1655).”