Summer in Montreal means one thing: festivals. Serious festivals. Every week I feel like there’s a new festival going on somewhere in the city and Montrealers flock from one exciting event to the next, from the hundreds of shows at Jazz Fest and Just for Laughs to the concerts and plays at Osheaga and the Montreal Fringe.

One event that I’m particularly interested in attending is part of the (what else?) Festival of Mode & Design 2010. From June 10 to October 29, Galerie Place Ville Marie presents “Montreal and Fashion: So Many Years, So Much to Show,”  an historical retrospective on the Montreal fashion industry and its artisans from the 1850s to the present day. The exhibition recounts the development of the fashion industry and the history of Montreal’s garment manufacturers, retailers and designers, as well as its educational institutions, models and photographers. Count on vintage collections, photos, videos, artifacts and profiles of Montreal designers such as Andy The-Ahn, Denis Gagnon and more. If, like me, you love to pretty much inhale any and all historical information about the Canadian and international fashion industry and try to read as many fashion non-fiction books and articles as you can get your hands on, this exhibition is right up our boutique-lined alley. So, if you’re in Montreal at all this summer, be sure to check it out. It’s most definitely being added to my list of Montreal Summer Things To Do (I honestly do have this list, is that nerdy?)!

Montreal and Fashion: So Many Years, So Much to Show
From June 10 to October 29 – free admission
Monday to Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday and Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: noon to 5 p.m.

www.placevillemarie.com
From Montreal,

Lindsay

Any time my friends come to Montreal for a visit, they always, without fail, say the following words to me: “I want to go to Simons.” I don’t blame them – of course they do and I want to go with them. Simons is THE one-stop, two-floor shop for all your everyday needs, from clothes, bathing suits and pyjamas to hats, scarves and gloves. The department store’s house brand, Twik (psst…originally modeled after Twiggy’s signature style), has great casual and affordable pieces that are perfect for mixing with your higher-end items. On the second floor is where you’ll find names like Sonia Rykiel, Armani Exchange and Kenso for dressier options. And as for accessories, you’ll be overwhelmed by all the bags, belts, glasses, jewelry, hats, scarves and stockings you can find.

From Montreal,

Lindsay