For years, regular shoppers at Vancouver's beloved Neighbour menswear boutique had asked the team (or, rather, begged) to start carrying women’s clothing, too. Transcending such requests, the shop opened a stand-alone female counterpart, Neighbour / Woman, in 2015. Located on Powell Street, the second store's vision is much the same as the first’s, albeit more feminine: a less-is-more approach to clothing that prefers quality over quantity and timelessness over trends.
“We opened with a good core of brands, and have slowly added some that fit our vision,” says manager Karyna Schultz, who worked in New York and Paris before arriving at Neighbour / Woman. Karyna's focus is women’s clothing – from wool overcoats to plain tees and shift dresses – but, depending on the season, shoppers can also find ceramic bowls, leather backpacks, chunky textiles, simple purses, and cactus pots, among other treasures.
With a background in photography, art and design, Karyna frequently travels abroad to source diverse, forward-thinking pieces that create “a unique experience” for guests. “We try to bring in things that no one else has,” she says. Karyna is responsible for buying and sourcing alongside Saager Dilawri, the owner of both Neighbour / Woman and Neighbour.
