ancouver's trendiest hood just keeps getting trendier. For some "gentrification" is a bad word. For Yaletown fashionistas, it's a blessing from the heavens. Located among the stretch of in-style patios, bars, galleries, and stores that make up Yaletown, Boudoir provides a one stop shop for women's fashion.

Amongst 600 square feet of clean white walls, red bricks, velvet curtains and crystal chandeliers sit some of the most coveted clothing in all of Vancouver. Owner Susan Vu opened the store in April 2008 to serve Vancouver's female fashion lovers, or as she calls them "feministas".

While I'm not entirely sure exactly what a "feminista" is, I know it's not the same target market as, say, Winners. You don't come here to find a good deal. Chances are the cheapest thing you'll find at Boudoir will be $50, with most pieces inching closer to the $300 mark. But, for the fashion lover, that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you find it absolutely shit-in-your-pants embarrassing to be caught wearing the same dress as someone else, this is the place for you.

Every item in the store has been carefully selected by the owner and her team of experts. Consciously stocking hard-to-find brands such as New York's Covet and LA's Revolver, the store aims to provide one of a kind fashion. In order to do so, they purposely under-order some of the more popular clothes. While this may seem counter-productive, it ensures that anyone who shops there is truly getting a unique deal. After all, you're not a trailblazer if you're wearing what everyone else is wearing.

Naysayers may be quick to point out that this is a form of both cultural elitism and clothing fetishism, hardly a bastion of the "feminista" way (whatever that is). But at the same time, it's these concepts that have defined the fashion industry for years. People want to wear what the trendsetters tell them to wear and once they do, it's no longer in fashion. C'est la vie. By constantly changing up its wardrobe, Boudoir will help you stay ahead of the curve. - R.T.

102-1230 Hamilton Street
Vancouver, B.C.
604-676-7281