LIVING Style Reinvention
STYLE confidential BY MELISSA SHABINSKY @MELSHABINSKY PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK HOLLERON
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hristine Shaikin is arguably one of Ottawa’s most respected style gurus. She has been a fixture on the local fashion scene for more than 30 years, but don’t think for a moment that she has become fixed! She is ever-changing, just like the style scene – she evolves, modifies
and adapts, while still honouring her passions. She opened her first ByWard Market boutique three decades ago, making Justine’s on Sussex Drive a reflection of her love of theatre and set design. “I wanted it to feel like backstage at an opera in Paris,” says Christine, who closed that store in early 2013. Her son Michael Shaikin then took over her lease for his furniture store, The Modern Shop. After taking a break from retail, Christine discovered that she missed it dearly. She knew she wanted to be on York Street and to begin with a fresh, more streamlined approach to style. She states that her new boutique, Justine, is very much reflective of her current lifestyle: “I have taken a more
“This year, women are looking for florals and prints to connect with a touch of nature and also lace and cutout fabrics to connect with a sense of romance.” —
CHRISTINE SHAIKIN
40 ottawaathome.ca SPRING 2015
minimalist approach to this space, more of a Japanese feel.” Christine has also adapted her merchandising philosophy. “In the beginning, I used to look for designer labels and buy everything I loved,” she says. “Now I buy more thoughtfully with my clients in mind. It is now more about the fabric and the design and not about the label or a huge price tag – it’s more about a look.” In addition to often buying in capsules so that her clients can pick pieces that work together, Christine also looks to unknown designers who are similar to her favourites. The look is comparable to Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel and Dior without the prohibitive price tag. She favours well-priced Canadian, Italian and French designers that lean towards clean, classic lines, including Michi, Kollontaï and Dennis Merotto. “I now know that my woman loves the choices and she likes to look like she has spent a fortune without having to,” she affirms. With the belief that women are looking to fashion to fill the void of what our culture is missing or what emotion is lacking in our world today, Christine states: “This year, women are looking for florals and prints to connect with a touch of nature and also lace and cutout fabrics to connect with a sense of romance.” She notes that for 2015 it is easy for women to reinvent their wardrobes each season with just a few key pieces. “Just look to add lace, a pop of colour, interesting accents or pieces with an architectural design, square-heeled shoes, a flat shoe or wedge, and pattern or animal prints, trees, grass or floral.” Understanding her clients and how they live and work is what the poised fashionista feels is her key to success. Despite the growth of big-box retailers and online shopping, Christine says that women still want a small store where they can connect with the owner and her vision. “Women want a place that is private and where someone will sit and listen to them. I’m a stylist, a therapist, a friend.” Christine strives to see her customers develop their own style and states that this comes with “confidence, intelligence and attitude. To have style, you must truly believe in yourself.”