Expo 86 helped kickstart a Vancouver business that's still going strong
A Vancouver business just crossed a remarkable milestone, celebrating 40 years of operation, and we learned directly from the business what it took to make it this far.
Aldila (Italian for beyond) is a boutique that is ignoring modern trends for a more sustainable approach.
Elif Costello’s parents started the Vancouver business journey after moving to Canada from Turkey in the ’80s, which she is continuing along with her husband, Shawn. Elif has been working alongside her parents for around 23 of the 40 years.
Aldila’s journey began on Robson Street, which is where the first storefront was located, but that location closed many years ago.
“The mall that we went into was called Robson Fashion Park. It’s now where Muji is,” Elif shared.
She said that her parents first opened the doors shortly after Expo ’86 started, which helped to sort of kickstart things. But, in the early days, her parents were cautious and even scared, just bringing in small amounts of stock.
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Despite starting in Vancouver, the brand currently doesn’t have any storefronts in Vancouver, but they do have a storefront in Langley, Richmond, Surrey, Kelowna and two in Calgary.
There are some obvious reasons why they don’t operate in Vancouver.
“Some of the challenges with having a Vancouver location, of course, are the lease rates,” Elif said.
She added that a lot of customers moved out to the suburbs, and the business sort of moved alongside them.
“There were a couple of great people who believed in their story and believed in what they could do, and they gave them a chance,” Elif said, mentioning people like mall managers or banking professionals.
Ahead of the game
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One thing that makes Aldila stand out is its focus on slow fashion, unlike modern brands like Shein and H&M. There is a lot of science and evidence out there that brands like that have a massive impact on the climate, not to mention clothing waste.
“Consumers in general want things faster, faster, faster, and that can unfortunately mean fast fashion. What I have noticed as a Gen X, is that the impact that that has on the environment,” Elif said.
Fashion uses a lot of water and other resources.
Elif also pointed out the impact it has on labour, and how some brands aren’t doing things very ethically when it comes to the manufacturing of clothing.
“Over the years, we’ve been approached by many, many brands, and we have had to say no to some, just because we find that they didn’t align with what we are trying to do,” Elif said.
And what Aldila is trying to do is provide trendy looks in a more conscious, slower way.
Over 90 per cent of the brands offered in store are Canadian, and the Aldila brand is made locally in Vancouver.
While the fashion is slow, other things have sped up rapidly over the last 40 years, including technology. Going from a brick-and-mortar retailer to an online provider has its challenges.
“You kind of have to embrace the technology. It’s here, and it’s not going anywhere,” said Shawn.
“But we haven’t steered away from the personal touch. That’s been really, really important to us,” he said.
What does the future hold for Aldila, and could the couple’s 25-year-old daughter play a role in carrying the legacy forward?
“As my parents did to me, I’m going to do to her,” Elif said, but it’s not what you think.
Elif was never pressured to join the Vancouver family business; she approached it on her own. The parents are giving their daughter the same flexibility, but Elif said it would be amazing if the next generation continued the legacy.
“Shawn and I, we’re still youngish. We’re not going anywhere for the next while,” Elif said.