Trendsetting Fashion Found Here

Walking into a designer boutique in your Sunday sweats automatically receives a head-to-toe stare from in-store clerks. Not At DKNY. By far the friendliest designer store in Montreal, DKNY recently renovated their store to fit the mold of their NYC designer boutique, including a welcoming staff, specials on past-season and affordable sections such as DKNY Jeans. 7,000-square feet on the second floor of Cours-Mont Royal, the selections are expanding including formal wear, fragrances and lingerie for the ladies.

While some customers come here to shop, other customers come here to drop. Spa Diva is Canada’s largest and most luxurious spa and takes up several floors of the Cours Mont-Royal complex. Should you want a traditional Swedish massage, seaweed body wrap, relaxation facial, laser hair removal or even microdermabrasion, Spa Diva has everything you want at a convenient price, in a convenient location. Alongside Spa Diva is a hair salon, so that next time you show your face in public, you are not only relaxed, but as beautiful as you can be.

The only Club Monaco in Montreal is located in Cours-Mont Royal. Sprawling over two floors, the men’s department is on the first floor, accessible by the southern entrance on Peel. Without their basic tees and sweatshirts with the pressed or embroidered logo, Club Monaco offers minimalist clothing in simple yet trendy colors. The fits are comfortably snug and Club Monaco’s in-store ambiance doesn’t scream at you. Staff is friendly and prices are affordable for casual, office or nighttime threads

Don’t be fooled by their minimalist approach to décor and stock, Venus sells clothes you won’t find anywhere else. Home of the much sought-after Lucky 7 jeans, Frankie B. and Replay clothing, those in the know will check out this curious store’s selection for those once-in-a-lifetime finds. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, due to the small amount of stock, the staff is extremely well-versed in the selection and will be able to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Should you be in town for a particular event, it is best you pass down to the Armani store before you head out. At the height of classy casual wear, you’ll impress the knee-high socks off anybody you should be encountering during your stay. The black-and-white themed store is immaculately kept, and the staff remains both conservative and knowledgeable.

Hidden on the north-east corner of the fourth floor, this small store is a Montreal gem. Every top fashion brand from Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and most high-end fashion labels are here at exasperatingly low prices. If you aren’t worried about wearing last season’s clothes, it’s a good idea to pilfer through this store’s selection—and I really do mean pilfer. Because of the store’s sporadic buying choices, the stock is almost impossible to organize. Ask for Steve

This store brings British fashion to the traditionally French city of Montreal. Included in their interesting wardrobe choices are a great number of necklaces and jewelry that have made quite a hit it on the streets of jolly old England. Unlike the others stores, Face London targets women only, and has a great many number of casual dresses and street clothes.

Take the twisting steps down to the Metro Level and find Dov Charney’s American Apparel cotton store. Without a single brand other than on the inside tag, American Apparel makes t-shirts and sweats with ethics, proving that sweatshops are actually worse business plans than his gig. Originally a Montrealer, Charney anchored the headquarters in L.A. and opened his downtown factory with all the morally driven perks for his employees. Whether you dig it or not, the fits and feels are perfect for simplicity-in-style. And even if you can’t afford the 22$ t-shirt, at least take a peak at the provocative photography on the walls. AA also has locations on St-Laurent, St-Denis, and on Ste-Catherine across from the Faubourg.