Earlier this month, Parkdale welcomed Sylvie and Shimmy, a new womenswear store, to the neighbourhood. For most buisiness owners, nabbing a location that attracts the right clientele is half the battle, so when Caroline Sylvester and Kyungjoo Shim found a spot in Parkdale for their shop, it was a no-brainer.
“We had been doing a lot of research on community profiles — Trinity Bellwoods, The Junction, Parkdale — but when we were here we just had a sense it was the right place to be,” says Sylvester.
“When we researched the population of the neighbourhood,” Shim adds, “we found a lot of young people shopping locally. So we thought it would be the perfect place for us.”
Though Sylvie and Shimmy is their first store, the partners are far from rookies to the fashion industry. Shim has experience as fashion designer and a buyer in Korea, while Sylvester gained entrepreneurial experience running her own jewellery line, Persylla’s. The two crossed paths at George Brown’s fashion management program, and after doing a few joint projects in school together, they found that their aesthetics matched.
Sylvie and Shimmy is a coordinated mash-up of both owners’ tastes. Much of the décor was taken from Sylvester’s grandmother’s house, though a few items were found in places like St. Lawrence Market and vintage stores.
“Our aesthetic is very cozy, comfortable and cute. A place where girls would like to hang out, but with a dream closet,” says Shim.
The name of the store is, of course, a play on the owners’ last names. The 1,100-square-foot shop carries over 10 brands, with most of the items imported from Korea, but there are some local items, too.
Sylvie and Shimmy’s choices are feminine and chic, full of floral patterns and lace. The two mannequins at the front embody the shop’s personality: on one is a white blouse by Oeuf ($75), showcasing a see-through lace floral pattern, while the second sports a polyester-cotton navy dress by My Queen ($89) with a detailed lace collar.
Of the Toronto brands, Sylvie and Shimmy also has T-shirts from Crywolf and clothing from 1%talent and JYK. Beyond clothing, there are a few shoes for sale, along with jewellery from local brand Moonrocks as well as Sylvester’s own Persylla’s. With all these choices, customers will be happy to discover the cheapest item at Sylvie & Shimmy is $30, while the upper price point is around $150.
Sylvie and Shimmy, 1640 Queen St. W., 647-348-3332