- Words by Angela Cowan Photographs by Don Denton
When Tracy Arden opened up her consignment boutique a year and a half ago, she created a space where she could celebrate her lifelong passion for fashion and design, and also share that passion with her community. Not only does Redefined Clothing Boutique carry a contemporary high-end selection of clothes, accessories and shoes, but Tracy offers a selection of services, including personal shopping and wardrobe consultations.
When she first opened in her home on July 9, 2020, the date was carefully chosen.
鈥淥pening day meant something to me because it would have been my mom鈥檚 85th birthday,鈥� she says.
And when Tracy moved the business into the lower level of Belongings in the heart of downtown Duncan, she reopened in the commercial space on July 9 of this year. A fitting remembrance, as it was her mom who got her started on the path to fashion.
鈥淢y mom put me into sewing lessons when I was quite young, and it still surprises me to this day because I took to it really quickly,鈥� she explains.
As she went through school, Tracy kept up with it, learning and improving her skills, and then she started playing with designing her own pieces. Over the years, she grew into a proficient seamstress, and continued designing and making pieces for herself, and then for her daughter, always on the lookout for beautiful fabrics.
鈥淲hat I loved was that I could create something absolutely unique that nobody else had. I loved that creative element,鈥� she says.
Tracy spent some time working in high-end boutiques, loving the experience, but says, 鈥淭he idea had always been in the back of my mind to open a higher-end ladies鈥� consignment boutique.鈥�
She had her sights set on a consignment boutique rather than a retail shop selling new items for a few reasons. Environmentally, it keeps clothing out of the landfills, and it also makes a lot of designer brands more accessible to those people who love fashion, but don鈥檛 love the extreme price tags. And in a smaller community like the Cowichan Valley, it made sense to fill a niche.
鈥淲e have many beautiful retail stores already in Duncan,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e received really positive feedback about what I鈥檓 doing in the store. This has been really needed.鈥�
Her biggest goal with the boutique is encouraging women to take that extra time and effort for themselves, she says.
鈥淚f only I had a dollar for every time somebody said to me, 鈥業 don鈥檛 get dressed up anymore because I鈥檓 retired,鈥欌�� she laughs. 鈥淵ou might not be wearing all the clothes you did in your professional life鈥ut it is important to feel great, even if you throw on your favourite jeans, T-shirt and a nice jacket and scarf. It鈥檚 empowering for women to walk out the door and feel powerful and beautiful.鈥�
The 7 Sins
Envy:
Whose shoes would you like to walk in?
Annie Lennox. She has amazing style and the voice of an angel.
Gluttony:
What is the food you could eat over and over again?
Hmm, that is a toss-up for me鈥asta or a yummy salad!
Greed:
You鈥檙e given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on?
I would design and build a cosy ranch-style home on a private acreage with room for our Australian shepherds!
Wrath:
Pet peeves?
Negativity, dirty countertops and people obsessed by their cell phones.
Sloth:
Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?
Doing nothing is not part of my DNA, but if you give me a really good margarita and a beach, I could probably chill out for a while.
Pride:
What is the one thing you鈥檙e secretly proud of?
My resilience to overcome adversity.
Lust:
What makes your heart beat faster?
The never-ending support from my family鈥nd a consignor with a trunk full of designer clothing!
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Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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