Store Guide: Victoire, a cute new Ossington boutique where almost everything is made in Canada
Name: Victoire
Sells: Canadian designers plus a few international brands
Contact info: 129 Ossington Ave., 416-588-6978, victoireboutique.com
Hours: M-W 12-7; Th-Fr 12-8; Su 12-5
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Victoire sells the kind of cute-but-edgy clothes and accessories that should make it a hit with its new Ossington clientele. The store already has two boutiques in Ottawa, where it’s known as the go-to shop for cute dresses. Owners Regine Paquette and Katie Frappier decided to expand to Toronto when one of their own staff, Kristina Smith, was ready to relocate and run the new operation.
Regine and Katie envision their clientele as “rebel girls with good manners.” Clothes-wise, that translates into a mix of preppy, work-appropriate frocks from brands like Birds of North America, and edgier pieces, like a cool two-toned purse from Toronto label Eleven Thirty ($175). The store carries a small selection of affordable international apparel, like floral dresses from UK label Darling, but its focus is on locally made gear, both from established designers like Dagg & Stacey, and new local talent. Our favourite item: a hand-painted doughnut t-shirt ($50) from emerging designer Charzii, who the owners recently discovered on Instagram.
