WEST Vancouver's newest fashion retailer brings European elan to the heart of Dundarave.
Behnaz Toossi has lent not only her name to her new high-end women's clothing store but her international experience and expertise as well. "I travel a lot and this reminds me of a European village. It's a nice community with beautiful people," says Toossi, who opened her eponymous boutique in April.
Tucked in between a deli and a bank, the boutique reflects Toossi's tastes and travels. A certified image consultant and former manager of the Armani boutique at Holt Renfrew, Toossi grew up in Iran and lived in Madrid before settling in Vancouver in 1990.
The store's interior reflects her world travels. The cash desk is an Asian antique sideboard, the jewelry case an Indian import, the kilim wall covering from Iran, the wooden wall sconces and lattice doors from Indonesia. On the racks are international designer brands that fashion enthusiasts won't see locally: BNG and Umit Unal from Turkey, Moyura of Japan, and Los Angeles label 4 Love and Liberty. For fall, she'll bring two more labels from oversees: one from Germany and the other from Portugal.
"I try to find something that is unique and quality, and not too expensive - this is the hardest part," says Toossi. To illustrate, she takes off the rack a white leather and cotton tunic from BNG. The pricetag is $345, which may seem steep but this an investment piece that can be worn year round, says the boutique owner: with jeans for day or a short skirt and boots at night, on its own in summer or under a cashmere cardi in the fall. "This is the secret of buying right," says Toossi.
Bahnaz Toossi is at 2405 Marine Dr. in West Vancouver. Store hours are 10 a.m.-5: 30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays.
