Luxury fashion resellers Mine & Yours recently launched a new boutique in downtown Vancouver. Having grown steadily over three years, this new location at 1025 Howe Street marks the brand’s third location in three years and the largest to date.
Image credit: Helen Siwak
On Saturday, April 9, owners Jigme Love and Courtney Watkins wielded a giant pair of scissors and held a traditional grand opening for the public. A pink carpet was rolled out and their dedicated team was on-hand to welcome shoppers to the grand opening celebrations.
The boutique interiors are crisp white with custom copper piping, glass display units holding a varied selection of preloved and new fashion over a main floor and cozy mezzanine.
Image: Mine & Yours
Image: Mine & Yours
A few days prior, the boutique welcomed the media and fashion bloggers to an advance viewing party that included a selection of beverages and artisan pizza and a picture wall of oversized paper flowers for fun portraits.
R-L: Fiona Forbes interviewing Jigme Love and Courtney Watkins. Image: Mine & Yours
Advance press launch party. Image credit: Mine & Yours
Guests enjoying the customized flower wall. Image credit: Mine & Yours
Image credit: Mine & Yours
The boutique began with 300 square feet on Hornby Street in September 2013, operating from the bottom floor of a townhouse unit, and grew into the latest incarnation in a dedicated retail space spanning over 1100 square feet. Along the way there were pop-up shops on Robson Street, South Granville and on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.
Mine & Yours operate a retail model that differs from the consignment and resale stores that are peppered throughout the city. Here customers have the option, three days per week, to directly sell their brand items for cash or a store credit, with a minimum 50/50 consignment offered on luxury handbags only.
Savvy shoppers will find highly sought after brands, such as handbags by Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci and current fashionable garments by Alexander Wang, Acne, Isabel Marant, and 3.1 Phillip Lim. Luxury labels are well represented by Alexander McQueen, Giuseppe Zanotti, Christian Louboutin and Roger Vivier.
Image credit: Helen Siwak
When asked about the most unique pieces that have passed through their doors, founder Jigme Love replied that there had so many but one of the most memorable was an Alexander McQueen hand-embroidered fabric neck brace with corset-like closure, followed closely by a one-of-a-kind resin Valentino necklace and a vintage Prada blue python coat.
Future plans for the retail brand include expanding the e-commerce business, launching a resale directory called vancouverconsignment.ca with upstart re-seller mymoderncloset.ca and establishing a permanent retail presence in Los Angeles.
Mine & Yours also regularly participates in Eco-Fashion week via fashion shows, panel discussions, seminars in support of community and charitable organizations such as My Sister’s Closet (which benefits Battered Women’s Support Services) and the BC Children’s Hospital.