Hairstylist brings singular style to town
Israel Garcia, 32, left Walpole Island for a career in the city
Listening to one’s inner style voice and making brave fashion choices can be challenging, even in the most sophisticated urban environments.
But imagine harbouring a passion to express yourself through style while growing up in a rural setting, light years from the grit and jazz of the big city.
It wouldn’t be easy to be an original, to develop a distinctive mode of dress, but 32-year-old Israel Garcia had no choice. He grew up on Walpole Island First Nation, in Southwestern Ontario. Determined to get out into the world and pursue a creative career as a hairstylist, he made the bold move to Toronto and started making his mark.
At Yorkville’s Salon Daniel, his inimitable fashion sense is certainly appreciated.
Says salon owner Daniel Fiorio, “Israel dresses in such an interesting way! It’s a real treat, an absolute delight, to see the way he puts himself together.”
I’ve run into Garcia at the CTV building on Queen St. W. a few times, and he’s amazed me with his bold and uncompromising direction.
Bordering on the avant-garde when it comes to playing with proportions, Garcia’s fashionforward approach puts him in a style league all his own.
He cites David Bowie as one of his greatest fashion icons, in part because of Bowie’s evolution over the years, in part because the rock star’s style has always told a story.
When it comes to designers, Garcia gleans inspiration from those with a decided edge.
“Vivienne Westwood, Alexander Mcqueen, Yohji Yamamoto, and Jean Paul Gaultier are my favourites, because they all have such a unique style. You’ll instinctively know if someone is wearing anything by these designers. You can’t help but make a statement,” he says.
But while he takes his cues from a range of sources, including online information, fashion glossies, film and television, it’s his friends — and their closets — that provide the greatest inspiration.
“It’s a mutual thing,” he says with a laugh.
The question of style versus comfort is an easy one.
“If I’m wearing something stylish, I couldn’t feel more comfortable,” he explains.
Keeping in shape also helps keep his confidence up, and he works out at the gym three times a week and is always careful about what he puts into his body.
When it comes to top shopping haunts, his appreciation for a highlow mix is evident, with locations such as UPC Boutique on Cumberland, Marilyn Hartley 69 Vintage Collective on Bloor St. W., Queen St. W.’s Fawn Boutique and Carte Blanche — and of course those two disparate style emporiums, Value Village and Holt Renfrew. For Garcia, it’s all about having the right to choose. “Fashion without freedom isn’t fashion,” he states emphatically. When I recently talked to Garcia, in CTV’S makeup room, he was wearing his trademark vintage big black boots, which cost him a mere $45, a Complex Geometries top ($185), pants from H&M ($75), a scarf handmade by his friend, Carl Bremner, a vintage brass-buckle belt and a cross earring and necklace, which were also gifts. What is a fashion faux pas in your stylebook? A lack of confidence. Not everyone is going to appreciate your sense of style, but wear it like you don’t care. What is the most beloved item in your closet? A beaded Native American breastplate my sister Summer bought me on a trip. I love it! If you had to, would you rather be overdressed or underdressed? Hands down, overdressed. If I feel underdressed, I feel extremely awkward. Point me to the nearest rock! I’ll crawl under it. Favourite fashion era and why? I would have to say the ’80s are a fave for me. There was a lot going on stylewise. I have so much nostalgia for the past eras. There was something for everyone. But the present era is pretty exciting too. Best fashion advice? If it doesn’t fit properly, don’t wear it!