Vie Thrift Boutique Brings Thrift Shopping To You
FREDERICTON- A Fredericton entrepreneur is bringing the thrift store to you with their online boutique.
Online thrift store Vie Thrift Boutique offers pieces from high-end brands to iconic 90s sweaters and is soon expanding to include men’s clothing too.
Chantal Sloan, CEO and founder of Vie Thrift Boutique, opened the business in July 2019 to offer high-quality items at an affordable price.
The inspiration behind Vie Thrift Boutique came from Sloan’s friend and colleague Albertine Robichaud. Sloan said each day Robichaud would arrive at work dressed incredibly, sporting chic outfits that always looked expensive.
“One day I asked her, ‘how do you afford this kind of lifestyle?’ and she said, ‘None of it is new, I get everything from thrift stores,’” said Sloan.
Robichaud dreamt of opening a thrift store and Sloan of owning an online business. The two combined their passions to form Vie Thrift Boutique.
While Sloan hand-picks high-end items in her hunt for recycled treasures, 90s sweaters are her bestsellers. She attributes their popularity to the iconic patterns and funky colours.
Sloan often receives special requests through the website, where she becomes a personal shopper. She said nearly 50 percent of all sales are special requests, so many items never appear on the website.
“People know what they’re looking for. They are comfortable with me now that they’ve bought something. We have a return policy … so it’s 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed,” said Sloan.
Through research and exposure to similar companies in the area, Sloan discovered environmentally-friendly ways of packaging her products.
“I needed to look for recycled paper, and my tags needed to be something recycled, or things that you can plant, like the little seeded tags,” said Sloan.
Though environmentally friendly practices were not an intended feature of the company, Sloan has discovered they play a large role in thrifting culture.
“I’m learning about how many textiles actually end up in landfills, and how much water it takes to make one pair of jeans. I’ve definitely said, ‘I’ll never go back.’ My entire family is all thrift now,” said Sloan.
Inspired by Robichaud, Vie Thrift Boutique began exclusively selling women’s clothing, however, expansion into men’s clothing is on the horizon. Sloan has experience shopping for men’s clothing due to regular customers who buy through request.
When COVID-19 hit, thrift stores closed in Fredericton and Woodstock, leaving Vie Thrift Boutique with no new inventory. Sloan said friends and family supported the business by donating their old clothes.
“Everybody was in quarantine, so they all dug into their closets. So that’s when I got the most donations,” said Sloan.
Sloan implemented a weekly drop-off and delivery method inspired by COVID restrictions. The website drew in buyers from Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John, so she was compelled to accommodate the demand.
“COVID made me think outside the box, and thinking outside the box is what got me where I am now, which is busier than ever, so it’s really good,” said Sloan.
Vie Thrift Boutique is one of a number of small businesses that have popped up in the province over the last year that cater to the growing interest in curated thrift items. Sloan believes the renewed interest in thrifting comes from both a shift in fashion and a desire to minimize environmental impact.
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“The new generation of shoppers want their clothes to represent who they are and chain stores aren’t delivering that “unique” look. I don’t think it’s the cheaper prices but more of the thrill of finding something truly unique and different,” she said.
“I also think that people want to do their part with climate change and if that means selling their clothes on consignment and getting a new wardrobe while they are at it, it’s a win-win.
Though business is booming, Sloan maintains a full-time job. For now, she plans to keep Vie Thrift Boutique as a side venture, with no plans to open a brick and mortar location in the near future.