Rachel’s Montreal Shopping Guide

August 5, 2009

By Guest Blogger: Rachel of Brazen Design

I am passionate about fashion, and more specifically locally designed and made fashion. In an age where everyone can buy the same “made in China” trend for $20, I think it’s really important to support our local economy and express ourselves by buying vintage, local and small-run fashions. My blog, Things That Go Bling, helps Montréalers do exactly that and I was so excited when Kristen asked me to put together this Montreal Shopping Guide for Idiosyncratic Style.

I propose a shopping tour of The Mile End, one of the city’s most vibrant creative communities. The Mile End is situated north of the mountain, just above the infamous Plateau. Think food lovers, bike riders, designers, families and unemployed hipsters living in beautiful triplexes with vintage plaster moldings and hardwood floors. If you only have one afternoon, this is the neighborhood to start with, but for those of you with more time to explore this beautiful city, I’ve put together a Google map of all my favorite Montreal shops.

Start your morning (i.e. noon, Montreal time) with a nerve-shattering iced latte at Olympico (124 St Viateur West)

Skip down the street to browse the great selection of local and Canadian-Made clothes at General 54, (54 St Viateur West)

Tartan Bunny from General 54

Take a voyeuristic detour up a side street to Bernard and shop vintage at the General’s sister store, Local 23 (23 Bernard West) and then move on to L’Arterie (176 Bernard West) for some vintage and handmade treasures for your house and wardrobe.

Vegetarian Shoes from L'Arterie

Have breakfast or lunch at The Sparrow (# 5322 St-Laurent Blvd.), the cool new kid on the block. A Montreal foodie take on British cuisine at blue-collar prices, this latest project from a dear friend is all gorgeous wood interior, oak bar, toile and sparrow wallpaper. Serves an exclusive blend of delicious free-refill coffee.

Get an ego boost and a pair of jeans (or two!) from Jeans Jeans Jeans (5525 avenue de Gaspé). Make sure to try on a pair of Seconds or Guido & Mary – two local denim designers whose jeans are made in Montreal with love. No need for price comparison – you won’t find better than this and the selection is unbeatable.

Guido and Mary Jeans

Pick up some dirt-cheap accessories at Totheme (68 Fairmount Ave West). This shoe-box of a store is home to dozens of locally-made jewelry collections, Totheme also carries super affordable bags, scarves, wallets and more.

If you still haven’t found anything, you’re bound to get lucky at Boutique Unicorn (5135 St Laurent), the Mile End’s latest retail addition. Their taste is impeccable and the ambience adorable – and you may be lucky enough to be in town for one of their CollectiveUni events!

All shopped out? Up your blood sugar level with a lemon coconut cupcake or chili brownie from Cocoa Locale (4807 Park Avenue), my dear friend Reema’s one-woman cake shop. Get there early – she usually sells out by mid-afternoon!

If you end up downtown, don’t miss Headquarters Galerie and Boutique (1649 Amherst) a cozy nook retailing handmade art, clothes, jewellery and accessories.

Happy shopping!

Other Mile End Stores:
BodyBag by J.U.D.E. (17 Bernard West) for beautiful, feminine high quality designs.
Tavan and Mitto (5334 St Laurent) for haute couture a la Montrealaise.
Les Etoffes (5253 blvd Saint-Laurent) for very select vintage and new pieces.

Montreal Designers to look for:
Clothing:
Jennifer Glasgow
Valerie Dumaine
Eve Gravel
Anastasia Lomonova
Kitchen Orange
Second
Guido & Mary
Accessories:
This Ilk
Who The Cap Fits
Viola Blanca
Into the Woods
MIR Handbags
Roadkill
Missy Industry
and my own little line, Brazen Design

HAPPY SHOPPING!