Shops like FortKnight Boutique are hard to come by. The concept boutique (with its own barbershop) houses a collection of lifestyle items from Cuban cigars to Japanese electric guitars and silk bow ties to whisky decanters. Everything inside is suited for the man that lives for the GQ lifestyle.
At Indochino, the sartorial man can get properly measure for a new made-to-measure suit and receive styling tips from in-house experts. On the casual front, Motherland offers affordable locally made button-ups from their in-house line, National Standards.
For the laid-back dresser, classic staples like leather and denim are great investment pieces. Montreal-based brand, m0851 carries genuine leather goods including jackets, wallets, and messenger bags, perfect for the man that’s constantly on the go. Dutil stocks has an impressive ‘denim library’ containing over 3,000 pairs by topline brands like A.P.C., and Naked & Famous. Handmade denim is usually a rare commodity, but a few styles are available at Niftydo. The shop carries Railcar Fine Goods jeans, manufactured entirely by hand using Japanese and American Cone Mills selvage denim. Among the offerings, there’s a small collection of American-made leather accessories and Italian footwear.
For the latest in men’s contemporary fashion, a few shops carry emerging labels from all over the map. HAVEN caters to style-savvy men with an affinity for streetwear. Their curated stocklist purveys hard-to-find designs and established brands that utilize traditional handcrafted techniques.
For versatile fashion that can be worn transitionally, drop by Neighbour to see Saager Dilawri’s curation of high-quality threads and lifestyle products from Brooklyn, Paris and beyond.
Or, find an impressive collection of cutting edge designs at Roden Gray. The premier men’s boutique has two floors of ready-to-wear fashion and grooming products. A majority of items are high-end, but you can still find unique luxuries – like hand balm by Aesop, or the latest issue of Man of the World – that won’t put a dent in your wallet.
Those in search of independent fashion, stop by Nouvelle Nouvelle for local handcrafted goods and tried-and-trued staples. And while you’re there, pick up a quirky hand drawn card by ASHKAHN.
For street fashion, check out Stussy’s Vancouver location – the brand’s only store in Western Canada. Stussy has become iconic in the world of streetwear, repped by musicians, skaters, DJs and artists from all over the world. Underground retailer, PLAYHEADS offers a mix of experimental urbanwear worn by fashion-forward celebs like Kanye West. Over 30 trendsetting brands are featured including PHS, Boy London and STAMPD.
If you’re on the hunt for new menswear, several shops will display their latest arrivals for the Gastown Shop Hop, happening next Thursday April 16th, between 5-9pm.
