Sophisticated Chic: Next Door
Abdi Olow
When the opportunity arose for store owners George and Sophie Moumouris to open their second boutique following on the heels of their highly successful Toronto shop Due West (located at 433 Queen Street West), the Moumouris knew exactly what they wanted — a sophisticated, chic, warm, and welcoming designer boutique. George and Sophie also knew that they wanted their favourite cause to be a huge focus of their new store — an expression of their dedication to a cleaner and safer environment. Enlisting the help of interior designer Jane Son, the Moumouris were able to make their dream a reality. From their collaboration with Jane Son coupled with months of planning and their impeccable buying abilities, what resulted is Next Door: a whimsical, urban fashion and lifestyle designer boutique nestled right next to Due West.
Extending their vision from Due West (the store is literally connected to Due West through an archway-inspired opening adorned with wood-carved figures), Next Door breathes a renewed air of sophistication and fun to Queen Street West.
“We wanted it to be warm, fun, and welcoming for our clients,” remarked George at the launch of the store.
Walking into the store, one immediately sees the Moumouris’ vision of merging a concern for the environment (the interior of the store is covered entirely in local oriented strand board [OSB] salvaged wood) with a desire for coveted designer lines from both Canada and Europe. With a flair for knowing what sells and what consumers desire, the couple (professional and personal) was smart to introduce highly successful and popular lines from Europe (such as 100, Junk de Luxe, and McQ by Alexander McQueen) and other established labels, from John Varvatos and Acne to Queen West’s hip collections for fashion-conscious consumers. Since the store opened, the response has been nothing short of positive. Consumers keep coming back for more and have responded well to the European labels available at Next Door.
Next Door, to put it plainly, is very people-friendly, and the boutique is an escape from some of Toronto’s alienating corporate fashion retailers that one would find on the glitzy and image-obsessed Bloor Street shops. The store’s concept of using Canadian products and raw, recycled materials as the backdrop for both the international and national lines that the shop carries is both refreshing and a delight to see in Toronto’s Soho district, as fashion becomes more environmentally conscious today.
Edgy Lines that one can find at Next Door include the following: McQ by Alexander McQueen, Acne, Dsquared, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Jack Spade, Habitual, Rogues Gallery, RefrigiWear, Julian Red, Wonhundred, Mike & Chris, Junk de Luxe, Buddhist Punk, Sand, Filippa K, Johan by J.Lindeberg, B.Son, Lova, Ksubi, John Varvatos, Gianni Barbatos, Maison Martin Margiela-MM6, and more.
Next Door: 433 Queen Street West, Toronto (416.593.6267, www.nextdoorclothing.com)
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