Still Life Boutique Opens in Vancouver

When most of us think about Victoria, our minds probably go straight to thoughts of Parliament Buildings, high tea at the Fairmont Victoria, stories about vampire study classes and the Quidditch league from our uVic friends, and wild weekends visiting said friends at classic Victoria party spots like Rooftop, Sticky Wicket and Big Bad John’s. Suffice to say, shopping and fashion probably aren’t one of your YYJ buzzwords, but I have three words that should, and will, change your mind: Still Life Boutique.

Still Life has been a Victoria fixture since 1984, popular with both fashionable locals and tourists alike. Still Life carries an assortment of beautiful clothing with a focus on well-made staples. Especially notable is their impressive collection of surprisingly affordable brands who are committed to being produced in America including Loup, a Parisian inspired clothing line made entirely in New York, and James Perse, with a collection of gorgeous knits made in Los Angeles.

Luckily for us here in Vancouver, Still Life has finally opened its doors here as well. We popped by the store to check out the new space and chat with the staff about their favourite pieces last week and we cannot stop gushing about how stunning the new storefront is, owners Matt and Kim have designed and built the entire store including their fabulous front desk, which is made of 900 pieces of individually hand cut and sanded wood. Beautiful architecture aside, what really stood out for us were the fabulous clothes and the excellent customer service. In order to give our lovely readers a taste of both, we asked Tom and Emily to pick out some of their favourite outfits from their stock.

On Emily: Textile by Elizabeth & James Debbie Jean in Wild Flower, James Perse Ruched Baseball tee in Charcoal, Left on Houston Inhabit Sweater in Multi, Swedish Hasbeens Zip-It Emy Bootie in Cognac

On Tom: Tellason Gustave Slim 12.5oz Denim Jean, Libertine Hunter Shirt in Grey, Filson Quilted Vest in Navy

Between running three stores and raising a new baby, owners Matt and Kim also took time out of their busy schedule to talk to us about the history and vision of Still Life:

Stylust (S): Something new Vancouver customers may not be aware of is that Still Life been a staple in Victoria for a while now, can you give us a little debriefing on your history?

Matt and Kim (MK): Still Life originally opened in 1984 on Johnson Street in Victoria, BC. Always focused unique, quality mens and womens clothing, footwear and apparel – we’ve had a loyal following for almost three decades in Victoria. Matt & Kim bought Still Life from the original owners back in 2007 and updated the brand to reflect their own tastes, and the modern retail environment on the west coast. Since then we’ve been able to grow the brand into two separate Victoria stores (Still Life For Him & Still Life For Her) and to end Summer 2013 we expanded and opened our beautiful new location at 2315 Main Street in Vancouver, Still Life For Him & For Her!

S: How would you describe the aesthetics of the Still Life guy and girl?

MK: The Still Life guy & girl really are extensions of the buyers at the shops mixed with the people we see in the stores week to week. Between Matt & Kim and assistant buyers Jordan & Alex there are many years of retail experience combined, as well as a healthy variety of style influences/interpretations. Our customers appreciate uniqueness and individuality, but also rely heavily on quality and reliability. We aim to help people discover brands and styles that are inclusive rather than niche - our varied customer base is something we are very proud of.  We’re helping people aged from 16 to 70 every day of the week and it’s always so much fun!

S: What are your current wardrobe staples? Any new trend for Fall that you’re excited for?

MK: It’s safe to say that the Still Life wardrobe staples for Fall definitely include warm sweaters, quality denim or pants, leather footwear and a coat or jacket to stay dry on the west coast. With our climate out west so mild year round, we have more lightweight outerwear layers for our men & women in Victoria and Vancouver. Lighter weight waxed jackets layered over quality knitwear will take you through Fall on the west coast into the new year and the cooler winter months of grey rain in January/February.

S: Do you have a style mantra?

MK: Quality, modern interpretations of classic silhouettes and styles will always have a home at Still Life For Him & For Her. We don’t go deep into a hot trend-of-the-minute just because it’s all over the blogs or in magazines, but we will touch on it and find ways to hint at current fashion-forward ideas while keeping the it wearable and timeless.

Still Life is located at 2315 Main Street, stop by and stock up on your warm weather staples before we buy it all up for ourselves!