Canadian fashion icon Marilyn Brooks dies at 93 after pioneering mod style in Toronto
Brooks, who opened The Unicorn boutique in the 1960s, was recognized with the Order of Canada in 2022 for her contributions to fashion retail.
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Marilyn Brooks, the Canadian fashion designer who brought mod-style clothing to Toronto in the 1960s, died Saturday at 93 of natural causes.
Brooks opened The Unicorn, a boutique on a prominent Toronto block that became known for stocking slick, colourful and polished mod-style pieces popularized by British youth and The Beatles. The shop was among the first in the city to carry the trend when it emerged.
Fashion journalist Jeanne Beker recalled The Unicorn as "the most hip and funky place to shop" during her teenage years in the 1960s. Brooks closed the boutique in 1970 and went on to launch a chain of retail stores across Canada and the United States called Marilyn Brooks Boutiques.
In 2022, Brooks received the Order of Canada, recognizing her as one of Canada's most iconic fashion designers. The City of Toronto had previously declared February 4 Marilyn Brooks Day in 1988 to honour her contributions to Canada's fashion and retail landscape.
