With vintage shopping’s rise in popularity, new curated stores are constantly proliferating in Montreal’s trendiest neighbourhoods. But not all vintage stores are made equal, and in the process, part of what we love most about vintage shopping is lost: the personal connection forged when a shop-owner shares the provenance each garment, or the delight of stepping into a store that feels more like an alternate reality; cluttered, idiosyncratic, and alive with character.
Montreal based vintage boutique Le Palais thus stands out for what it offers: pure escapism. Their studio space, tucked away in 5555 Avenue de Gaspe in Montreal’s Mile End, is an alternate dimension of high-femme fantasy; a hot pink lip-shaped sofa sits next to a rack of fashion and beauty books about Vivienne Westwood and Kevyn Aucoin; a pair of sky-high golden Marc Jacobs go-go boots are perched on the shelf by the check out; and the changing room glows with pink light, its floor softened by a fur rug.
Le Palais recently celebrated their one-year anniversary, and Liminul spoke with its co-owners Orianne Valliani and Anna Allen about their little fashion paradise.
According to Valliani and Allen, their career selling vintage blossomed out of their shopping addictions. “Why did I start a business? I kind of had to!” laughs Allen. The pair met in Montreal’s tight-knit vintage seller community. They initially ran a pop-up together, and finally opened their store a year ago. Le Palais leans heavily towards early 2000s fashion, reflecting Vallani’s preppy chic taste with Allen’s more McBling inspiration; the two blondes jokingly referred to themselves as Gwen Stefani and Kim Petras. They speak glowingly about their partnership. “It feels like when one of us is down, the other one is up and we’re able to lift each other up,” said Allen.
Le Palais’ offerings range from high-end collector’s items to unique pieces by lesser known labels. Given our economic precarious times, Valliani stressed that it was important for Le Palais carry something for everyone. One could walk out of the store with a fabulous $35 blouse or a pair of rare Christian Louboutins. As a girl with big feet I was particularly delighted to see many of their designer heels in sizes 10 and 11, when most vintage shoes typically run in smaller sizes. They source everywhere, collecting pieces both intentionally and spontaneously as they go about their lives: from markets in Europe and Japan to Poshmark, estate sales, and Renaissance. “This store is an art curation,” says Valliani.
While Le Palais does not have a street-facing storefront, there is something special and intentional about the store’s “hidden gem” nature, something that the Le Palais team acknowledged. “We’ve been making a lot of memories. We have a big repeat clientele and I think this is a fun, safe space for a lot of people,” said Allen. “A lot of our clients have become our good friends.”
With its personalized and friendly customer service experience, Valliani and Allen simulate the salons and boudoirs of a bygone era. Le Palais is not just for shopping: it’s for chit-chatting and gossipping with shopkeepers, flipping through magazines, and raving over fashion and pop-culture history. A special space to queen out, if you will. For those seeking to take a pause from a dull and demanding world and treat themselves to an afternoon of unabashed girlyness, Valliani and Allen have curated a shopping experience of quality.
Milena Pappalardo is a writer and artist based in Toronto and Montreal. She completed her Hon. Bachelor in Political Science at the University of Toronto. She loves to write about the political and psychoanalytic undercurrents of fashion, art and culture.