Cool new clothing stores are popping up all over the city, which makes it the perfect time to spruce up your spring wardrobe.
For starters, you have Margot + Maude (580 Academy Road) which went from humble beginnings as April Matheson and Kelsey Steuart's fashion blog, to being one of the hottest stores on the always-so-fashionable Academy Road. It's the newest women's fashion boutique with a white-walled, Instagram culture aesthetic (replete with a slick IG account of course; in fact, this post is going to be so fashionable that we are only going to use IG photos) and great brands like Cheap Monday and Eve Gravel.
And it joins an already stacked street that features Mad About Style (538 Academy Road) -- a boutique where ladies can always find anything from a great new dress for an event (they recently helped complete Jillian Harris' outfit for her appearance in Winnipeg) or something as causal as tank that says, "you had me at brunch" -- and Moulé, whose Winnipeg roots have grown to include stores in Portland (where surely you can put a bird on it), Vancouver and North Van. Moulé is great because you can get both women's and men's fashions, along with home accessories and the funniest/cruelest cards for any occasion.
Speaking of men's fashions and Winnipeg-based companies that are blowing up, if you are a male looking to "suit up" for an affordable price, you should probably go see the fellas at EPH Apparel at their flagship store (291 Garry Street). EPH specializes in affordable, custom made suits. They do a nice job with the whole shopping experience for those of you that are clueless (which is most guys really), in that they help you find your style, cut and details (like pretty jacket linings) before taking your measurements. Then, in a couple weeks time you can come pick up your custom-tailored new suit. Heck, they even get you a beer while you are doing your fitting.
Not far from EPH in the Exchange District is where you can find another custom fashion house, this one by one of Winnipeg's best designers. Lennard Taylor (223 Mcdermot Avenue) has made a name for himself with his custom designs, including hand painted Ts, flowing wrap cardigans, and men's and women's jeans which he sews right in the store (seriously, when entering you'll often find Lennard at work on his sewing machine located right behind the front window).
A new fashion spot in the Exchange that is just a couple steps away from Lennard is Boutique Anya (88 Albert Street, pictured at top of article), which is instantly recognizable from the outside with its green triangle painted over its entrance. It's a very pretty store brimming (in that minimalist, sparsely furnished sense of brimming) with really cool jewellery, luxe fashions (#knitwear) and intriguing housewares.
Another standout in the Exchange when it comes to fashion is Kit and Ace (264 McDermot Avenue), where men can pick up classically designed cashmere (and natural fibre) clothing that feels like a dream, and women can get all manner of items, particularly the long and lean dress that we are all looking for these days that feels like a million bucks.
Finally, and this in no way should be taken as the definitive Winnipeg fashion piece -- heck, I didn't even cover all the awesomeness that is Osborne Village, which is a must-visit for you visiting fashionistas -- is Modern Supply Co., a brand new store that is hidden in chic sight in the new Thom Bargen downtown location (250 Kennedy Street). Modern Supply Company has a swish selection of ethically sourced vintage clothes from all over the globe with an overall aesthetic that is very boho-worldly, with elements of Eurasia and North Africa. In other words, it's fantastic.
Happy shopping fashionable kiddies.
note: the lede photo is of Boutique Anya, by Boutique Anya.
