Address: 246 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa
Phone number: 613.321.1590
Hours of Operation: Mon-Tues 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thurs-Frid 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
Payment Methods: Cash, debit, Mastercard, Visa
Directions: Take any bus to the Rideau Centre, and from there, it’s about a 10 minute walk through the Byward Market, heading North towards Rue St. Patrick.

What is most striking about visiting Victoire is the feeling that you’ve stepped into co-owners Régine and Katie’s personal walk-in closet. As you walk through this boutique in Ottawa’s North Dalhousie shopping district, you get the sense the girls have carefully selected every item in the store for its craftsmanship, fit and overall appearance, building a collection of girly pieces mixed with a rock-and-roll edge. Amongst the antique cabinets, framed needlepoint, and old-school trophies lies a strong selection of women’s pieces ranging from hot heels to girly dresses, high-waisted skirts, and blinged-out gold chains and cuffs. Porcelain tea cups with angel wings and electric guitar motifs share shelf space with handgun-shaped vases, and if you look down, you might even see a little grey tabby cat resting in a corner.

In their new location just a couple stores down from the original Victoire boutique, Régine and Katie are using their larger space to expand their selection of lines and sizes, and they now have a small collection of menswear. While the new space is missing the
old-fashioned salon style changing area, it makes up for it with more art on the walls and a cozy divan in the middle of the shop.

With brands like Complex Geometries, Dace and Valérie Dumaine, Victoire specializes in small and independent designers - many of which are Canadian-based - that have a penchant for unique little details like covered buttons, silk-screening and lace. Prices range from $65 to $220 for dresses and separates, with most pieces sitting around $80 to $120. Sizes typically range from extra small to large.

When asked to describe what kind of shoppers they hope to attract, Katie sums it up: “We appeal to women who like a story behind the things they’re buying; women who like to mix different cuts, fabrics, proportions and eras to make a fresh, different look.” For those of you looking to regularly update your wardrobe with these special one-of-a-kind pieces, you’re in luck at Victoire. “You could come in to the store every two weeks and find something new,” says Régine.
text and photos by Tracie LeBlanc