STORE: Almost Naked, 479 Queen W. 416-360-8200. www.almostnaked.ca.

HOURS: Mon-Wed 11am-7pm; Thu-Fri 11am-8pm; Sat 10am-8pm; Sun noon-6pm.

WHAT: Jeff Axelrod, who co-owns the store with Dan Sutcliffe sums up the store’s raison d’être with three little words: “fashion conscious underwear.” The pair did some solid research before selecting 30 brands of stylish, high-­quality underwear for men and women, including familiar names like Calvin Klein and Diesel alongside hard-to-find labels from style centres like Los Angeles, Australia, Japan and the Netherlands, many not available anywhere else in Canada. Prices range from $10 for just-add-water-and-watch-them-grow Magic Boxer Shorts (which are surprisingly soft once reanimated from their compact state and available in various cuddly animal prints) to $249 for an ankle-length, hooded, thick terry Ed Hardy robe embroidered with his signature old-school tattoo designs.

HOW LONG: Since June 27, 2008.

LOOK FOR: For her: sexy “at home” bra and thong from Dutch designer Marlies Dekkers (pictured, top left; $145.50 and $67.50, respectively); delicate, romantic pieces handmade in 100 per cent silk satin from British boutique label Fred and Ginger ($139.95 peep-hole panties; $189.95 balconette bra) and playful Fidelis sets from Andrew Christian (pictured, top right; $24 cami tank, $24 boy-cut panties). For him: World Cup–worthy Italian flag swim trunks from Pistol Pete ($24.95); Love Kills Slowly men’s hip brief by Ed Hardy (pictured, middle; $36); simple and snug briefs from Diesel ($34.95).

THE STORY: The high ceilings, bright light and clean design of Queen West’s newest source for stylish skivvies feels more Fred Segal than Holt’s, thanks to modern touches like poly-resin panels with real bamboo branches embedded in them and cool concrete floors. “Steven Meridia from M. Real Estate Design Service designed the store for us,” says Axelrod, “and we couldn’t be happier.”

Though it’s been open less than a fortnight, the shop is already buzzing with customers looking for unusual undies, from boys who were seeking something special for Pride to girls who start shopping for a bikini and then end up grabbing a bunch of briefs for their boyfriends. Axelrod is looking forward to offering straight men more exciting options than a three-pack of baggy boxers from Wal-Mart.

“Yes, underwear matters,” he says. “Gay guys get it and women obviously get it. When you’re wearing a great pair of underwear, it just makes you feel great.”

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