Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/810732
tourismvancouver.com 43 Cara Jourdan LOCAL INTEL e insider behind the blog afashionloveaffair.com reveals her must-shop spots in Vancouver. • NORDSTROM: Nordstrom has absolutely everything you can imagine, from high-end (Céline, Isabel Marant) to accessible and more wearable brands like Free People, For Love and Lemons and Madewell. They also support local designers like Melanie Auld. • HILLS DRY GOODS: It carries such a great selection of designers (from high-end Ulla Johnson to everyday wear like Levi's) and also houses Blue Ruby jewellery. • BLUBIRD: I love their collections, from J Brand denim to Missoni. They also carry eyewear, jewellery, handbags and a selection of beauty products; it's a great spot to find gifts as well. Need a nibble? Find a seat in the salon at luxury purveyor TWG Tea Vancouver or indulge in artisanal confections at Thierry. EAST SIDE WEST SIDE Kit and Ace scarf (left), Anthropologie LAXTOYVR/FLICKR, COURTESY CARA JOURDAN, NOMSS/FLICKR, JOHN FLUEVOG SHOES, PYRRAH, EMA PETER 3 West 4th/Kitsilano: Sporty chic Health and fitness pervades Vancouver, but the vibe is particularly strong across the Burrard Bridge in Kitsilano. Here, a concentration of outdoor stores sets the mood with shops catering to a range of activities, including two of its most popular: yoga and mountain sports. 5 Main Street/Mount Pleasant: Home-grown hip Old's cool in Mount Pleasant. Anchored by Main St., the area brims with antique shops and vintage stores, making it a paradise for the eco-conscious bargain hunter. It's also a haven for local artists and designers showcasing goods made close to home. 1970 JOHN FLUEVOG SHOES John Fluevog and then-partner Peter Fox establish Vancouver's flagship of cool kicks. 1971 MEC A group of West Coast mountaineers blaze trails with their outdoor gear and clothing cooperative. 1980 ARC'TERYX Local climbers Dave Lane and Jeremy Guard launch the high-performance outwear company. 1981 BENSEN Niels Bendtsen establishes the design and manufacturing group. MADE IN VANCOUVER Vancouver's early entrepreneurs (saloon-starters and Greenpeace founders) weren't exactly style-setters. Since then, design titans have emerged. Here's a brief history of our city's iconic brands. 1984 ARITZIA Brian Hill starts setting trends with his women's contemporary fashion boutique. 1995 PYRRAH Wade and Danielle Papin launch their talisman-themed jewellery line. 1998 LULULEMON ATHLETICA Future billionaire Chip Wilson starts the yoga-wear company. 2005 BOCCI Omer Arbel establishes the design and manufacturing company feted for its blown- glass lighting. 2009 NATIVE SHOES Its lightweight, perforated and vegan-friendly Jefferson slip-ons are instantly iconic. 2009 HERSCHEL SUPPLY CO. Brothers Jamie and Lyndon Cormack make backpacks cool again. 2014 KIT AND ACE JJ and Shannon Wilson team up to launch the luxury casual apparel company. 4 South Granville: Artful living With its mix of art galleries, décor stores, fashion boutiques and beauty services, South Granville feels like the pages of a lifestyle magazine come alive. Both big brands and boutiques co-exist, ranging from locally owned Adore Fashions to American import Williams-Sonoma.