We finish a lovely dinner at Milou and start walking. Sophie says she’ll walk me down to Queen & Ossington—then turn around to head home. It’s nice out though —and instead we turn left and walk into Trinity Bellwoods Park. I took a couple of pictures along the way. Entering the park I see a giant lilac bush and I can imagine an impromptu fashion shoot; a set of pictures. I start asking about fashion as I shoot. Sophie is a natural at being a natural; at being Sophie. The pics come easy.

CHRISTIAN HUMPHREY: Remember when we were in the shoe department at Holt Renfrew, you showed me those tabi shoes and told me about their history and how important they were?

SOPHIE BLUMENTHAL: You didn’t like them.

HUMPHREY: I did not. They reminded me of camel’s feet—which reminded me of director John Houston. I think camels hurt people all the time and never know it—and don’t care.

BLUMENTHAL: Just like John Houston.

HUMPHREY: Just like John Houston.

* 1950’s Persol sunglasses, suede cow butt jacket, Comme des Garçons t-shirt, Prada belt, Prada oversized mens slacks, Prada wingtips (all vintage), Canadian Tire socks *

HUMPHREY: Your knowledge of fashion is remarkable, shocking maybe. Have you met anyone who can reference fashion better than you?

BLUMENTHAL: Probably my friend Seth from Montreal. He, like me, cares about the entire garment; the design houses, the cut, the fabrication. We would go thrifting and Seth would put his whole face into a piece to examine the stitches. Seth could date a piece by how the font changed over the years on the label. Seth.

HUMPHREY: What the heck is Fashion anyway, I should have probably started there?

BLUMENTHAL: To me? ..more than almost anything else, it’s my main passion; I’ve always dressed myself. It’s the way I show the outside world, who I am inside. The person I am inside.

HUMPHREY: I saw you were in Ryan McGinley’s ‘Yearbook’, what were you wearing?

BLUMENTHAL: Fully naked; first and only time. Funny. I was scouted at Whole Foods in New York. 10 years later he released a physical book, that was a surprise. I had a prop though, I was wearing a chair.

HUMPHREY: Do you remember the first time you cared about clothes?

BLUMENTHAL: I remember the Ballroom scene in Grease, all the guys were in tuxes. I went upstairs to my dad’s office, took some computer paper and mimicked the white shirt or pocket square sticking out, I’m not sure, I was young.

HUMPHREY: Have you ever stolen fashion, or had fashion stolen from you?

BLUMENTHAL: I stole a Juicy Couture (I think) outfit from my sister and lent it to a crush—who never returned it. I never copped to it, mothers had to get involved..

BLUMENTHAL: Let’s go.

HUMPHREY: Ok.

The End.

* You can find the author at [ instagram ]