Welcome to the 2012 Style Olympics, where our fashion all-stars are weighing in on the ways in which where they’re from have effected their personal style. Don’t forget to stay tuned for more this week!

I’m originally from Canada. Being from there hasn’t impacted my fashion choices directly, but it has definitely influenced the way I dress. I always wanted to have a unique look and would never show up wearing the same outfit as someone else, so I was always looking for designers and brands we didn’t have there at the time, like Topshop. This also caused me to start shopping online and making my own clothes.

I don’t think Canadians have a specific look since Canada is such a large country with so many different climates and lifestyles. I’m from Toronto and there are areas that have their own niche looks more like New York or London. For example, Queen West is very trendy, people are really into fashion and they’re not afraid to stand out. It’s comparable to East London since a lot of hipsters live there.

In general, I think people dress in layers since we have such a varied climate, and that way, they can get the most value out of the items in their closet.

Toronto doesn’t have many large fashion brands; I’d say there are more local designers selling to a few boutiques. One Canadian label I like is Danier, which is a trendy leather store that sells the season’s must-have jackets at reasonable prices. Another label I like is Joe Fresh. They have a great mix of basics and fashion-forward items and their catalogues are always very well-styled. They also have a makeup range which is equally great.