By Sandra Oey
If you walked down Elgin Street this past summer you may have noticed amidst all the restaurants and bars that the Schad fashion boutique has permanently closed down.
Months ago, the store closed for renovations but the once trendy boutique has now been replaced with a Telus Mobility store.
In Ottawa, it is not uncommon to see this happen to fashion boutiques. Schad on Elgin Street was not the only casualty. The Bank Street location has also closed down. A couple years ago, the Fünf Funk boutique on Bank Street changed into Baby Face Fashion Studio. When that store moved to another location, the vacant area was replaced with Ruby X, which has been there for just over a year.
It can be upsetting to see fashion boutiques fail, especially when so many of them offer such unique and stylish clothes and accessories. After all, we can only shop at the Gap so many times before we see someone walking down the street in the exact same outfit.
The unfortunate truth is that in this city it is difficult to open and successfully maintain clothing stores independent from the large scale shopping malls.
Chantal Brio-Schad, owner of Schad and Schad Blü, says even though Ottawa is located between the fashion forward cities of Toronto and Montreal, trends are often slow to catch on. In fact, styles often become popular in Ottawa months after these boutiques have stopped selling them.
For many of the boutiques, the styles offered are most appealing to people in their 20s. But, for a lot of buyers, the prices of the clothes are an issue. Depending on the store, the price range can be anywhere from $60 for a T-shirt to over $900 for a jacket or dress.
Location also plays a very important factor. Brio-Schad says her two stores on Sussex Drive have been doing very well. They also happen to be near to hotels frequented by business travellers positioning them for well to-do shoppers. However, her businesses on Bank and Elgin Streets just couldn’t find a clientele.
Despite these difficulties, fashion boutiques in Ottawa should be given a chance. Like a mom and pop store for the savvy trendsetter, these shops have many things to offer that malls do not.
A lot of the boutiques have items not only from Canadian designers but from designers across the world. Many of the brand names, such as The People Have Spoken, Kitchen Orange, and 7 For All Mankind, can’t be found in most malls. As well, you won’t find any mass produced pieces in these stores, and they are often hand made from superior fabrics, so the clothing is better quality.
Though it may put a dent in your wallet, if you love the item then you will get your money’s worth. Also, since owners only order two or three of each item, you won’t run the risk of bumping into your twin on the street.
If you’re an aspiring fashion designer, trying to sell your line to a small boutique is the perfect chance to experience the business and marketing side of fashion. If your designs fit the image of their store, owners are more than willing to sell your items. Brio-Schad says she’s had designers who started off selling their fashion lines in her boutiques and now have their own stores.
Most importantly, the independent fashion boutiques add some much needed character and colour to this city. If we lose these stores we will be losing out on excellent service, quality clothing and a variety of trendy items you would be proud to show off.
So the next time you’re staring at a rack of 30 shirts in the exact same style and colour, just remember you have more options.