Beaufille is the Toronto label of sisters Chloé and Parris Gordon, whose name means handsome girl and whose clothes split the difference between hard and soft. I love how the dresses and separates carry that tension without shouting about it.
Beaufille Dresses: What I'd Actually Buy
The sisters behind Beaufille
I have always trusted designers who disagree a little, and the Gordon sisters seem to build a whole label out of it. Chloé studied fashion and textiles, Parris studied jewelry design and metalsmithing, and they started their first label together as students in Toronto. It became Beaufille in 2013. The name translates as handsome girl, which holds the whole idea in two words: masculine and feminine, hard and soft.
You can see both training backgrounds in the clothes. Chloé still designs the ready-to-wear from Toronto, while Parris, now in Los Angeles, looks after the jewelry, and the label won Womenswear Designer of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards. What I notice is the clarity: a clean line, one unexpected cutout, and a piece of jewelry that makes the whole look feel decided.
Dresses that balance drama and restraint
The dresses are where the contrast gets loudest. The Lina Dress in red has a front cutout in slinky jersey, and the Anise Dress turns to burgundy lace with a scalloped edge and a deliberately sheer finish. I would let either one carry the room and keep the shoes and jewelry quiet. The Sandro Dress in midnight blue cools things down, and the Medina Dress in black is the cleaner counterpoint.
The Ariel Dress and Crosby Dress set red or gold against black, and the Eris Dress in porcelain and Eames Dress in midnight round out the brighter and darker ends. Picture the Lina Dress with minimal sandals and one sculptural earring for dinner, or the Anise Dress as the entire evening plan. My tip: the Anise is sheer and unlined on purpose, so choose what goes under it before you choose the shoes.
Separates with a sharp, soft balance
The separates are where I would try the sharp-soft idea in smaller doses. The black Waist Tie Pant is pull-on easy, and I would tuck in a smooth top so the tie can show. The white Romi Blouse is light and a little see-through, so it sharpens the fluid pant without getting formal. For texture, the Phoebe Wrap Skirt in black crepe with lace trim is the one I keep imagining.
The Franz Bodysuit is a simple partner for that skirt, and the Papillon Cami Top is a pale option for the same job. In my fashion dreams, she tucks the Romi Blouse into the Phoebe Wrap Skirt and goes out in a flat shoe and a small metal earring. What I would skip is hiding the details: leave one tie or lace edge visible, then keep everything else spare.
Two disciplines, one point of view
What holds my attention is how Beaufille makes two different design educations speak one language: Chloé's cloth and silhouette, Parris's jewelry and metalwork. A cutout, a lace edge or a strong waist tie carries the detail without piling it on. I would start with whatever piece already feels useful in my real week, then add one contrast, a piece of jewelry against a clean shirt or a fluid line against something structured. That is the sisters' idea in practice, although I suspect I would still wear the Anise first.
