Selling ‘sluggish vogue’ in Halifax

By Elena Neufeld

March 3, 2023, 3:43 pm ASTFinal Up to date: March 4, 2023, 10:11 am

Jam-packed to the ceiling with classic jackets, Doc Martens and 501 Levi’s denims, a small store lies tucked away within the Historic Properties mall on the Halifax waterfront.

KingsPIER classic catches the attention of passerby with its warm-toned lighting and the drifting scent of cedar and linen. The throwback retailer has come a good distance from its rural origins.

Laura MacNutt opened the doorways to her assortment in 2013 in a small barn off the primary exit to Wolfville, N.S., surrounded by sheep, goats and leather-based jackets. Her assortment has been rising for over 30 years. Educated in textiles and effective arts, MacNutt first began accumulating classic attire by her work in movies resembling locally-produced Pit Pony in 1997 the place she was artwork director and manufacturing designer.

“After I began, sluggish vogue was not a phrase that existed,” MacNutt instructed The Sign at her store on Higher Water Road.

“Classic was not something, secondary clothes was relegated to the bins of Frenchy’s and Worth Village.”

KingsPIER classic just isn’t a well known location; most prospects instructed The Sign it was their first time setting foot within the store.

Nonetheless, MacNutt stated revenue was by no means the explanation she opened her doorways. She stated she’s preventing to save lots of the planet from “quick vogue,” which is the manufacturing of clothes by mass-market retailers to maintain up with tendencies. Based on the UN Surroundings Programme, the fast-fashion business is the second-biggest shopper of water, with world carbon emissions of between two and eight per cent.

MacNutt expressed her love for classic, which is a method she stated isn’t achievable by quick vogue.

“Whether or not it reminds you of anyone else or it was anyone else’s, you embrace it,” she stated. “These issues are vital, opposed to simply selecting out 4 T-shirts made in Bangladesh by the hands of some poor girl desperately attempting to make a residing.”

Costume provider

She stated curiosity from younger adults piqued lately when a few of her in-store inventory was featured in TV reveals resembling The Man within the Excessive Citadel and My Little Eye, and movies together with Books of Blood, all filmed in Canada. James Taylor, the pop-folk star and six-time Grammy winner, additionally purchased clothes and attire from the store, MacNutt stated. He stumbled throughout KingsPIER classic one evening on his most up-to-date tour to Halifax in 2022, stated the storeowner.

Vanessa Lockerbie, an worker who has been working on the store for years, instructed The Sign that one of many highlights of her job is watching purchasers have enjoyable whereas attempting on totally different items.
“I by no means know what Laura’s going to herald,” stated Lockerbie. “It’s all the time an thrilling day when she brings in a brand new bag of things.”

Future plans

MacNutt stated she hopes to hire a kiosk on the Halifax waterfront this summer time with a purpose of elevating consciousness about sustainable vogue.  Combating in opposition to wasteful worldwide vogue practices would possibly sound like an formidable purpose however MacNutt stated she’ll give attention to one boot at a time.

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