Garage Princess Alley Goes Full Fashion
Owner Sheila Lemoine is happy to share her wealth of fashion knowledge. Even though the store is one of Penticton's top-rated women's clothing stores, you might be forgiven for not knowing about its excellent inventory. That is because Garage Princess Alley is a hidden-in-plain-sight gem with more than one specialty.
Garage Princess Alley is a store that has been selling new, sophisticated women's clothing for years, but fashion has sometimes taken a back seat to the store's other specialties. It is not that locals haven’t heard of the store; they just might not have realized the fashion pedigree so well camouflaged inside. So, how did this happen?
The Creation of a Creative Space
"We are a women's fashion store, but that has been kept somewhat of a secret," says Sheila, laughing. “Many of our customers actually know us for our furniture." With a background is in fashion and merchandising, people often associate the store with the hard-to-find furniture it features. Sheila is not exaggerating about her fashion expertise; she spent years working as a fashion merchandiser and an operations manager for five clothing stores.
When Garage Princess Alley first started up, almost a decade ago now, Sheila wanted to combine several things in one store — fashion being just one of her many interests. Tracking down high-quality furnishings is another of her passions, as is watercolour painting. The store in Penticton has let her combine all of her artistic endeavours in one venue.
Over time, however, Sheila realized that she was spending less and less time on the furniture part. She also began to see the important fashion role that she could play in her clients' lives. Her enviable knowledge of style and trends, combined with a gift for custom-curating her clients’ wardrobes, allows her to help many South Okanagan women in a very rewarding way.
How to Custom Curate a Capsule Wardrobe
Most recently, Sheila has been helping to create a 'capsule wardrobe'. What exactly is this? In short, a capsule wardrobe is a highly-flexible collection of clothing. With Sheila’s expertise, clients can save money and time while looking fantastic. With each visit, in her very comfortable store, Sheila learns her clients' tastes and suggests clothing best suited their lifestyle. Selecting from her store's unique inventory – and building upon her client's existing fashion favourites, Sheila helps create a number of outfits by mixing and matching a small number of key pieces.
"The goal is to reduce your wardrobe but have more practical, comfortable and attractive outfits that suit your lifestyle," Sheila says. "It is your clothing. It should all match — and yes, you can look great simultaneously." She helps to build timeless, mix-and-match wardrobes that won’t go out of style.
Garage Princess Alley Saves Clients Time and Money
By fading out of the furniture side of things and focusing on fashion, Sheila is now dedicating herself to curating clothing and accessory collections for her customers. Her innovative suggestions make it quicker and easier for women to shop. This saves time and money, and it is an environmentally sustainable way of living.
Offering Stunning New Fashions Not Seen Elsewhere
The store's clothing inventory is a big part of why Sheila has successfully created so many custom wardrobes women love. Garage Princess Alley's women's clothing lines are sourced mainly from California boutiques.
These hard-to-find items are individually explicitly selected to create capsule wardrobes. While Sheila says she primarily caters to a client base that is 30+ in age, some items would appeal to any age group. However, the Penticton demographic that most often frequents the store is 50+. "After 50, women have really figured out who they are and what they like," Sheila informs us. "They want to look great but also build a wardrobe that matches the South Okanagan lifestyle."
Clients of Garage Princess Alley are a dedicated bunch, and they love the charming space. Once known for having a little bit of everything, the store is now fashion-forward. Leaving the furniture behind does not mean no more watercolours, however. "Oh, not at all!" Sheila says. "Watercolour painting — from cards to classes — is in my DNA." Loyal followers of Garage Princess Alley's art component need not worry. The custom-painted art cards and the classes on painting them are not going anywhere.
Come into the store to check out the latest inventory of personally sourced fashions. Working one-on-one with clients is the specialty of Garage Princess Alley, leaving online shopping far behind. To see the stunning clothing collection head to 121 Westminster Avenue West, in Penticton, BC. To schedule an appointment for a one-on-one consultation, you can reach Sheila Lemoine at 250-486-4784. Even though Sheila prides herself on the in-person experience, she also posts frequently on Facebook and Instagram.
Garage Princess Alley's transformation to fashion-forward is already happening, with celebrations and promotions throughout the week of June 25. And Garage Princess Alley has been nominated for 2024's top women's fashion store in Penticton. Come into the store and find out why!
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