Friends and roommates, Christine and Laurie, started Cokluch from their first apartment in Montreal 16 years ago. Today, their style continues to evolve (and we love the evolution so much!) while they stay true to their ideals.
They care deeply about local production and make their entire collection in Canada. They are proud members of the slow fashion movement - a movement that is all about creating and buying high quality items and having them for longer. They believe in ethical fashion and put this into practice by using sustainable fabrics, producing locally and making decisions that are good for both the local economy and the planet.
For all these reasons and also because we love their style, we are so excited to bring you their collection. 💕
See the entire collection here.
]]>You already know that we carry amazing Canadian made garments and gifts but how well do you know our designers?
Welcome to your behind the scenes Designer Spotlight. We will bring you interesting bios and exclusive interviews with our designers.
Oh, and did we mention, loads of behind the scenes photos and studio tours that show how your goods are made?! Yeah, we love that too.
Our first Designer Spotlight is the Montreal duo Annie 50. Founded in 2005, Amélie Gingras-Rioux and Annie Chagnon started their line to bring their love of retro style to fit the active lifestyle of women today.
The ladies of Flock love recommending Annie 50 pieces for customers that want a flirty, stand out in the crowd garment. Think dresses that make you want to twirl and jumpsuits that will have you sneaking every glance of yourself you can get.
Describe the Annie 50 woman in three words.
In fact, there are 4 words to describe Annie 50:
Blossoming : Annie 50 believes that in each woman, there is a flower ready to bloom, and thus commits to helping them to bloom.
Timelessness : Style inspired by the last decades, coupled with excellent manufacturing techniques; Annie 50 clothing is a guarantee of sustainability.
Ethics : Made entirely by local people, our clothes are designed with respect to humans and environmental values.
Collaboration : Our actions are guided by integrity and the respect we have for our customers, suppliers, partners, and towards each other.
What is the first step in your design process?
The first step of our design process is looking for the trend to come, through fashion shows, fashion magazines, social networks... After that, we analyze our best sellers from the past years, research new fabrics, and combine it all to draw the first sketches.
We are so excited about our new prints and our natural fiber fabrics. We look forward to adding color to your wardrobe!
What do the ladies at Annie 50 think is an essential piece in every woman’s wardrobe?
An Annie 50 dress, of course !
Check out all our fresh Annie 50 styles here Thanks for reading and stay tuned for our next Designer Spotlight!
Hi, I'm Allana -- Mom of two, commandress-in-chief of our online store, and the shops' resident busty lady!
Most of the time, I go for clothes that are both comfy and stylish -- like this Jennifer Fukushima bamboo tank dress. It's perfect for hot days at the beach or the park with my kiddos and I love the hand-printed design. For work or a casual summer party, this super cute vintage-inspired Creations Encore dress is a total winner.
I also have a soft spot for beautiful, fancy things, and the Addison dress from 3rd Floor Studio totally fits the bill with its deep V-neck and cocktail length skirt. Her sizing goes up to XXL, so it's a great pick for us curvy gals -- and it has pockets!
And, I can't say enough good things about this gorgeous Copious dress! I adore everything about it, from the sheer floral back to the rounded hem and the fit and flare shape.
Those are a few of my favourite pieces from the spring summer season! Check them out the next time you're in the stores!
xoxo
Allana G
Love what we love? Check them out here:
Mandie: Rachel Classic Rise Skinny in Explore
Erin: Sky Rise Slim in Ink
Christina: Malia Relaxed Fit Chino in Rome
Anna: Rachel Classic Rise Skinny Ankle Violet Blue
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
]]>When you’re out and about in the sunshine, living life and seeing friends, there are two things you need: a sense of adventure - and pockets.
Someone hands you a latte…put your phone in your pocket!
Want to touch that fabric? You need to be hands free.
Tear jerker moment? Have tissue on hand.
The need for pockets is REAL. And multiply this by one thousand if you’re a Mom.
These are some of our favourite adventure-worthy dresses, pockets included!
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
The anniversary of the 2013 Rana Plaza factory disaster in Bangladesh just recently passed and Fashion Revolution Week is upon us. The mission behind this movement is to ignite a revolution to radically change the way our clothes are sourced, produced and purchased through increasing the transparency in the fashion industry.
We believe in ethical production & in sustainable fashion, which is why we carry the work of over 110 independent Canadian designers & makers between the shops (check them out here). We are committed to Canadian-made and believe in the uniqueness of what we sell. We also strive to connect the makers of our products to the people who buy them. We believe in promoting the fantastic women who choose to produce right here in Canada.
We are also designers ourselves and happily play in our shop studio (visit us, our Byward Market studio is open to the public!) at various times during the week. Our staff are the actual superwomen hand silkscreening our vintage-inspired Canadiana images onto ethically made tees & turning putty into jewellery in all kinds of great geometric shapes. We are so proud of them.
At our shops, we draw a firm line on how and where our merchandise is produced and we've remained steadfast in our commitment. The last 12 years have been like a dream for us: we spend our days with strong, happy, engaging feminist women - staff & customers - who share our values and believe in what we are doing. Life couldn’t be better.
xoxo
Bridget & Christina
And just like the tulip bulbs that have been hiding underground all winter, we are ready to BLOOM!
Stripes? You bet!
Bold colours? Yes, please.
Big patterns? HECK YA!
We’re throwing out the rulebook and pairing our outfits with lazy afternoons, picnics by lake & backyard BBQs.
In this newsletter, we’re saluting the curvy ladies among us by profiling some of our favourite designers: the ones who make bigger sizes & cut their patterns to work with our curves!
We each picked one of our favourite dresses and threw it on for this photo to give you an idea of some of our most compelling, can’t-live-without-it body positive pieces, but we have so many more in store! See you soon!
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop and Flock
We're sure you've all noticed that a few new designers made their way through our doors this past season, and with all the eggnog and cookies, we totally forgot an official intro!
Although this welcome is overdue, FIG has not been overlooked and has been flying off the racks! In fact, it's quickly becoming a new shop fave. And it's easy to see why! FIG brings their line of sportswear designed specifically for active, urban and elegant women. Designed to travel well, you can bet that anything you purchase from their line is going to be an easy get it on and go piece. We're loving the range available in different sizes and styles.
Below, a few of our top picks for this Spring/Summer. Check out everything we've got in store here.
For chic travel without the wrinkles
For cool nights at the cottage
For sleek city nights
For summer days spent wandering
Easy to wear while looking fab
XOXO
The Ladies of Workshop + Flock
It's your last chance to shop the Spring Trunk Sale at Workshop! After today, we'll be packing up the remaining Trunk Sale stock and shipping it back to the designers. But good news - there's still lots left and great deals to be had! And Workshop is open from 10 to 7 today to make sure you still have time to come on in and check it out. Don't miss out!
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop and Flock
Left to right: Little Black Dog Embroidered Earrings / Purple Urchin Soaps & Beard Oil / Lili Pop Recycled Acrylic Jewellery / Workshop Canada Bike Love Print / Political Finger Puppets / Darlings of Denmark Earrings
Meaningful, lovely handmade gifts don't have to be expensive. After all, it really is the thought that counts. Here we've assembled some of our favourite goodies - all $20 & under - making them perfect for teachers, caregivers, crossing guards, neighbours, babysitters & all of life's little helpers. Enjoy!
Above you'll find the details on everything in the photo above. We've linked to our online store where possible, but if you love something that's not currently listed in our online shop, message us! (-:
xoxo,
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
Light Up Black Friday this year by *shopping local*! Both of our shops will be donating 5% of our sales on Friday to OCISO (Ottawa Carleton Immigrant Services Organization) as well as offering you a free gift with any purchase over $25 (it's adorable & fair trade too!) & snacks from 5-8pm! So join us & our neighbours to kick off the holiday season by loving local biz & supporting our community! See you in store!
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
]]>But we do it (literally) every season - because the mad & magical Melissa Bolduc keeps making pieces that we don’t understand yet are powerless not to fall in love with. Sound familiar?
If so, then you must own one of her off-the-wall, many layered, European style lovelies too.
And this season, her collection does not disappoint. Shop it in store (‘cause you might need our help) & online too (if you’re a risky kinda gal)!
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
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If you’ve ever owned one of Shoshanah Kuper’s dresses then you understand what the combination of unbelievably lovely fabric & a perfect fit looks and feels like (*magic* is the answer)! And if you’re like us…then maybe one magical dress just isn’t enough… (-;
So join us for a 3rd Floor Studio Pop Up Shop at Flock Boutique!
For 3 days only you’ll be able to shop pretty much every single amazing piece of Shoshanah’s Fall collection, some exclusive never-before-seen dresses (eek!) as well as a few oldies-but-goodies (think: past seasons = super sale)!
And if you pop by Saturday afternoon you’ll have an opportunity to meet the designer herself!
Whoa, what a weekend!
See you soon.
xoxo
The Ladies of Flock Boutique
]]>Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to throw in the proverbial work towel and just hang out with us at the shops all day?
If so, you should follow us on Instagram!
Our Instagram feed captures shop life in photographs: we eat, play, try on clothes, walk our hood, post slightly embarrassing photos of ourselves… It’s really special and something you’re not going to want to miss out on! Plus, if you love cute dresses as much as we do, you can screech right alongside us when we receive a box of brand new goodies (which happens pretty much *every single day*)!
Find us at @workshopandflock (-:
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
We love our ‘hood & we know you do too! I can’t think of another place with such a variety of independent shops, services & restaurants and we feel lucky to be a part of it all. Tastes of Wellington West is the big day that celebrates the diversity of the ‘hood (& usually ends in rain but we try to overlook that part) so this year we thought we would do something extra special & host a Pop Up Shop with local lady Amal Rashid of Salsa Bruce!
So wander down Wellington West on Saturday, Sept. 17th, sample foods from local restos, grab a coffee, and meet Amal & shop her collection. Sounds like a perfect day to me!
xoxo
The Ladies of Flock Boutique
]]>
Looking for a great gig, full or part time, trying on cute dresses & a working with a bunch of outgoing (& downright hilarious) ladies committed to making the women of Ottawa look & feel fantastic?
If you are (and you love Canadian-made goodies as much as we do) then connect with us!
Working at our shops is super fun (we laugh A LOT!) but it's also very hard work. A positive attitude & a genuine willingness to do whatever needs to be done (including a whole lot of steaming & cleaning) is essential. Weekend availability is too, along with a desire to help & love our customers as much as we do! The work environment is fun & friendly and the discount is pretty sweet too!
If you know someone who might be interested, send them this post! If you're interested, email us at info@workshopboutique.ca and tell us about yourself. (-:
Bridget & Christina
]]>It's midsummer and the weather's never been lovelier...but we need to make space for our upcoming gorgeous fall collections!
As a special thank you for shopping at Workshop and Flock, you can save an extra 10% in store on any sale items you pick out from August 6 to 11. So...if there's anything you've been eyeing, now's your chance to snap it up! Hurry in, because our summer stuff is going fast!
As always, keep an eye on our Instagram feed for sneak peeks of new stock and general shop fun :)
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop and Flock
This Saturday, July 16th, the Byward Market’s coolest street will be brimming with sidewalk sales, in-store specials, buskers, street vendors, a drumming circle, live music & face painting too!
And as an extra special Saturday-only bonus, Workshop will be offering an additional 10% off all of our yoga jeans (regular priced and the ones on sale)! Plus, we’ll also be bringing up a never-seen-before bin full of our misprinted & slightly imperfect tees - 'cause imperfect is the new perfect, wouldn’t you say? (-;
Join us Saturday for all kinds of summer fun on North Dal, in Ottawa's Byward Market!
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop Studio & Boutique
Save big on discontinued and misprinted Workshop tees and totes!
Take an extra 10% off ALL our Yoga Jeans this Saturday in store at Workshop!
If you’ve been hanging out with us long enough, you know we love a good giveaway so to celebrate the kickoff of our new in-house line of prints, we’ve partnered up with shop fave Avril Loreti to bring 5 lucky ladies some great wall decor!
How to enter:
After you’ve completed all three steps, you’ll be entered to win 2 prints (one from Avril and one from us)! There will be 5 winners in all!
Who is Avril Loreti?
Avril is a Canadian designer, illustrator and all around creative genius. Her keen eye for gorgeous colour palettes and ethereal graphics culminate in beautiful designs that are perfect accent for your modern home. You can see some of her lovely & wonderful pieces here.
Wanna know more about our prints?
Our new collection of prints & tees takes Canadiana to a new level, mixing classic images with super graphic, edgy backgrounds. Designed and printed right in our studio, we’re super excited for them to roll out. To see our in-house collection, click here.
xoxo
The Ladies of Workshop & Flock
]]>We’re mothers, teachers, feminists & activists. We’re community-minded, we shop according to our ideals & we want to know our local barista (Brendan, just in case you’re curious). We’ll do pretty much anything if it involves being outdoors. We adore having drinks with good friends & we actually like going to weddings (baby showers are another story though). And in everything we do, we want to feel confident – we want our clothes to speak about us, to reflect our personal style.
We’ve tried on every dress in our shops (seriously) & these are some of our favourites. All made in Canada, all irresistible. Come in, play dress up with us & find one that represents YOU.
With summer around the corner, we are so looking forward to t-shirt season! We love our hand-printed tees SO MUCH, but we also recognize that it can be tough to get the perfect fit.
Never fear! We're here today with our first video tutorial showing you how to customize our mens tees to get the fit you've been looking for. The result: a more feminine, rock n' roll style tee, perfect for pairing with your fave jeans all summer long.
Like the video? Don't forget to share and subscribe to be kept in the loop on all our upcoming DIY videos, coming your way soon!
xo,
The Ladies of Workshop and Flock
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