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The old part of the city has more than its share of garish souvenir shops, but fashion boutiques and shoe stores with low to moderate prices line rues Notre-Dame and St-Jacques, from rue McGill to Place Jacques-Cartier. With gentrification in the west end of the area, high-end fashion boutiques and spas abound, especially along rue St-Paul Ouest. The area is also rich in art galleries and crafts shops along rue St-Paul and tucked inside the narrow rue des Artistes. Use the Place-d’Armes, Champ-de-Mars, or Square-Victoria métro stations.
Talented owner and painter Lysanne Pepin has an eye for design. Her boutiques, located a few addresses apart on the same block, are beautiful and intriguing spaces to explore. They are filled with romantic clothes, funky shoes, and a carefully edited mix of local and international labels, as well as eclectic housewares and furniture for home and office.
Housing a streamlined selection of Quebecois fashion designers, the loftlike space inside Marché Bonsecours sells luxe lines that include Ricardo, Christian Chenail, and the fanciful creations of Ophelie Hats. But it's the owner's own exotic kimonos that steal the show.
This innovative designer, whose creations have been exhibited at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, is much loved on the Montréal fashion scene. In this sleek boutique, Gagnon's couture designs stand alongside his ready-to-wear collection. He's also well known for his shoes. More recently he added the "bazaar," a collection of vintage tableware, furniture, and curios.
This art galleryesque space is a treasure trove of distinctive, artful, and sometimes playful, objects--both functional and decorative. Carefully selected by graphic designer and owner André Gratton, the rare items range from vases and candle holders to tableaux, jewelry, light fixtures, and design-inspired puzzles created by Canadian and international artisans. Whether you're looking for a special gift, a conversation piece or something to adorn that empty wall, you're sure to find something at Édition | Objets Choisis.
Located in an attractive space featuring wood floors and brick and gray-stone walls, Galerie Bloom is a family affair specializing in contemporary Canadian art. Owners Julien Michaud and Stéphanie Rivet are known for providing knowledgeable, individualized service and making modern art more accessible to the general public.
If the friendly and knowledgeable staff don't win you over, the vast collection of Inuit art certainly will. Images Boréales represents the best-known Inuit and First Nations artists while also making a point of working with young, emerging Indigenous talent with strong potential. With more than 2,000 pieces of sculpture in soapstone and serpentine, the biggest challenge at this gallery-boutique will be deciding what to buy.
Unusually curved lines, from the heels of his shoes to the interior design of his funky boutique, have cultivated a devout following for the Canadian shoe designer. Belts and bags are also available, letting you create a quirky yet coordinated outfit. Look to the soles for curious and inspiring messages.
Lovers of street art will appreciate this space celebrating local street artists. Pieces are bold, vibrant, and, true to the gallery's name, original. The affable staff is knowledgable about the Montréal street art scene, gladly sharing the stories behind each piece.
A portmanteau of the words Morocco (Maroc, in French) and oil of argan, Margan's argan-oil-based skin care products are made in Québec with natural and organic ingredients that are sustainably sourced and prepared without animal cruelty. The pretty boutique in dusty rose tones envelops you in its intoxicating Moroccan-inspired fragrances the moment you walk in. With a sink built into its rose marble island counter, you'll want to test out the new brand's rich serums in different scents, luscious creams, and gorgeous soap bars in the same hue as the décor. Margan also makes scented candles, perfect for accompanying your bath ritual.
This Montréal-based women's fashion label creates stylish, comfortable clothing using natural fabrics cut in simple lines. Since the styles are timeless and the pieces well made, you'll likely treasure your purchase(s) from Naïf for years to come. There are other locations, including one in Mile End at 227 rue St-Viateur.
Young, fashion conscious locals flock to this boutique in Old Montréal, which is stocked with avant-garde finds from North America and Europe, with an emphasis on Montréal and Canadian brands. Here, Cydwoq and Canada Goose hang alongside coats from the sleek Montréal label Mackage and pieces from U&I's own label. The three other locations of U&I are also in Old Montréal: U&I Man at 215 rue St-Paul Ouest, U&I Dream at 445 rue St-Sulpice, and U&I Love at 235 rue St-Sulpice.
The silver-domed Marché Bonsecours, the city's main public market in the 1800s, has been restored and renovated with a modern edge. The 15 boutiques inside sell First Nations artwork, Quebecois designer fashions, jewelry, kitchenware, and more. The paintings of Michel Sylvain on display at Art et Antiquités Médius capture eloquent Montréal street scenes. Soak it all up over a cup of coffee from Le Café des Arts or a full meal and an artisinal beer at Pub BreWskey.
