The cream of the Boxing Day crop (or week, which ever you prefer) for Vancouver shoppers has been compiled!

• Dutil /80% off denim / (303 West Cordova Street)
• Roden Gray / various sales / details / (231 Cambie St)
• Livestock / up to 75% off / details / (239 Abbott St)
• Hart and Sole Clothing / up to 50% off / details / (843 Granville St)
• Complex / unknown, though sale is comfirmed / (231 Abbott St)
• Mintage / entire store up to 100% off (that is no typo) / 320 West Cordova)
  
• Winners / additional 25% off sale items / various locations throughout Canada
• The Block / unknown, though sale is confirmed / (350 West Cordova St)
• DKNY / entire store 50% off / (2625 Granville St)
• Chanel / shoes + accessories starting at 30% off / (900 West Hastings St)
• You And Whose Army / unknown, though sale is confirmed / (385 Water St)
• El Kartel / unknown, though sale is confirmed / (121-A 1025 Robson St)

While H&M is way off in Coquitlam (until the spring at least!) it’s worth a mention that that location will be worth checking out if you are nearby.
Happy bargain hunting, and don’t forget to abide by the rules of a successful shopper while you’re out and about!

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This boxing day, plan to be lining up bright and early at Dutil on Cordova Street in Gastown. For those unaware (ignorance is not bliss for this one), Dutil is a one stop denim only boutique housing the best brands fashion has to offer.

Some labels carried include: True Religion, Paige Denim Stronghold, Capital E by Levis, Rock & Republic, Stitches and J Brand. This shop is packed to the ceiling with every cut and size of jeans imaginable, so it is a good bet that you’ll find something that tickles your fancy.

This sale (according to their Georgia Strait advert) is due to last all week, but the best selection will of course be rewarded to the eager beaver shoppers.

All I know is if I can get J Brand for 80% off, I’m there.

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This is not a usual post for this blog, but I feel it is a very important topic that requires attention.

Let’s start with the basics. As a blogger that focuses often on Vancouver-based retail experiences, if you have an awesome store, I want to link you up.

I’ve seen (albeit 2nd hand) how tough manning a retail space and managing everything on the surface and in the background as well. When I can’t find a web page or blog to link up to one of my favorite stores, it hurts me. It hurts because I know exactly how much free online advertising and easy customer references these places are turning away.

You need the basics. These include:

• A branded site and/or blog related to your business.
• A highly visible business address located on your primary page.
• A list of brands/styles/types of items you carry in store.
• Photos of clothing in-store, as well as the displays to entice potential shoppers.
• A press/customer inquiry form or address by which you or your employees can be contacted.
• An “about us” page. Put a human side to your shop! This does not have to be overly corporate; I find (especially with vintage shops/smaller boutiques) if there is a story as to how this space came to be it encourages me to stop by and see more. It also gives your potential customers a reason to visit your store in lieu of a larger retail chain.

Remember:

Any site is better than nothing.
If you cannot afford to buy a domain or have someone whip up an extensive web space, sign up for free blog space. Wordpress (yoursite.wordpress.com) and Blogger (yoursite.blogger.com) offer free accounts with many pre-configured visual options. These are very easily managed options, and even the least web savvy users can excel using these publishers.

Domains are REALLY cheap!
There are many options for those wishing to personalize their domains (yoursite.com). Sites like Godaddy offer domain purchases for$6.95 US. The only downer is that many American-run domain sellers cannot sell .ca domains; so if your .com (etc) version is already purchased, you will need to find a Canadian domain seller. Keep in mind as well that there are requirements for having a .ca domain where you must be a Canadian citizen, etc. This is explained thoroughly on the sellers’ sites before and after purchasing.

You don’t have to spend hours updating daily.
You can do weekly or monthly or seasonal stock updates. Of course, if you have time to do trending reports and how they directly related to the stock you sell that will help with readership. While simply having the space will absolutely help you with (at the very least) basic search engine marketing, the more often you update and the more thorough content you provide equals more regular visitors; which in turn converts into more potential sales.

This site will help you brand your store and help consumers remember its name.
Every time a person Googles your store, or types in your shop’s URL into their browser’s address bar they are remembering its name. Your store’s brand is very powerful. In a sea of shops who [to the untrained eye] sell very similar wares, this is your ultimate weapon. If you properly associate your style and what is unique abut your items to your shop name; this will be automatically correlated by the consumer every time a person types your keywords, or your URL. If you brand, you will create loyal customers.

Professional photography isn’t as expensive as you may think.
I’m not talking about a posh (and very pricey) experience, but professional equipment and a keen eye for angles and arranging can bring exactly what you need to your images. This way you can project the best of what you have to offer and reel customers in with your delicious images; while keeping things relatively inexpensive.

If you don’t have time to do this yourself; get someone such as myself to do it for you. We can work within your budget, and work out something that gives both parties what they need.

[CONTACT ME]

Basically, the bottom line is get on it. The more time you wait the more business you lose.

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Since we are all beyond sick on Coquitlam by now and its monopoly on H&M in the Lower Mainland, the news of the opening of a flagship store in Spring 2008 comes none too soon.

The store will take over most space that Holt Renfrew left vacant in the Pacific Center mall off Robson Street in downtown Vancouver, and promises to provide the full H&M experience without having to make a trek far out of ones way.

Just think: no more horrendous drives or Skytrain hops down to suburban hell! I can hardly contain myself. This store is said to have three levels (for men, women and children’s styles) spread over 33,000 square feet of retail space. According to Sandi Green (H&M Vancouver’s marketing director), the store will also be holding guest designer appearances and other special events among the full (yes, full) line of all H&M lines.

It’s almost the end of December; and Spring is fast approaching with only a minor count of months to go. Prepare yourself, the opening of this location will be a gong show. I suggest you book days off as soon as a date is announced.

UPDATE:

FLAGSHIP STORE DETAILS RELEASED!!

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You And Whose Army? is a lovely little shop tightly wedged within the streets of historical Gastown. YAWA carries one of my most favourite labels, Gsus Industries. Since the local Heaven’s Playground shuts its doors a few months prior, there are a dwindling number of retailers carrying up-to-season Gsus stock.

YAWA carries both men and woman’s pieces, and plenty of accessories for both. Items are priced reasonably, and if you ever are near when they are having a clear-out sale, absolutely grab what you can. The clothing lines carried are all funky street wear brands exported from London, New York and Montréal and will provide a spark for anyone’s at home collection.

The sales people are always friendly and offer their help while staying at a comfortable distance. There’s no over-the-top Future Shop style selling here. It’s all very relaxed and enjoyable. If you’re in the neighborhood, I would suggest keeping an eye out for their front display; the store’s most coveted coats and ensembles are usually displayed here.

Take a gander over to You And Whose Army…you just may find what you didn’t know you were looking at, and it just may be on sale!

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Listen up, Canadian hipsters.

If you still haven’t succumbed to Christmas shopping mania, or are still freaking out because you can’t find someone on that never ending list of yours the perfect gift; listen up.

American Apparel’s online store is offering free next day shipping with the code LastChance07 until December 18h, 2007. You can still freak out (like me) for fun, nobody will rob you of that. At least this way you can count on missing out on mania as frantic buyers grab the last shreads of what’s left in-store.

This is also a great way to guarantee the size and style you want will be available to you, instead of taking the gamble that they’re sold out of that black cardie or vegas legging your sister just had to have.

So stay home, be an online shopping hermit and check out these deals. It’s rare that free shipping (let alone next day service) is offered anywhere online, so seriously consider taking advantage of this deal.

That is all.

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I had the supreme pleasure of spending some time at Mandula in Vancouver (882 Homer Street) with my friend Kim and the designer/owner Hajnalka. We chatted over some wine and Toblerone and I tortured myself over her designs.

Every single thread created within the doors of Mandula is hand dyed, organic grown fabrics treated locally in Vancouver. As if the beautiful threads were not reason enough to shop here, you’re also supporting the local Canadian fashion industry on so many levels.

She has the funkiest hand-wrinkled scarves, and many of the pieces have long ties you can wrap around your arms, torso or wherever you choose. It really gives you the freedom to give your outfit your own personal interpretation and flair without a great amount of effort. I put on my favorite Alexander McQueen-esque plaid dress (or a skirt, if the black tube top is folded down) for a bit of a photo example of exactly what you can find at Mandula.

These beauties will cost you. The dress I am wearing below costs approx. $750 (I assure you, it’s worth it!). If you can afford these threads, then bust out that Platinum card as fast as you can and bid Hajnalka or one of her associates a hello! You will be in good hands.

I’ll post some photos I took of the clothing below. The whole set is located on Flickr.

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A lovely local fashion designer (and friend!) Kim Cathers [formerly of the W. Hastings shop Discollection and also known as "kdon"] has begun to make her original and always stylish creations available online.

As her first wave of business, Kim is making her possibly best known accessory, the kdon hat, available through order on her blog Discollection. I’ve owned a few of these hats now for quite some time, and I love them to death.

If you’re still unsure if the kdon hat is for you, check this out:

• These babies are reversible
• They go with everything
• They can be dressed up or down
• They can be customized
• They’re original
• They’re affordable ($40 CA)

Best of all, your purchasing supports the local Vancouver design scene.

Order them here!

Even if you’re not from around the city, you can feel good knowing you’re supporting a growing industry and you didn’t have to travel any distance to actually do it. The postal service does all the work!

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