Celebrity style used to mean pulling head-to-toe designer looks straight from the runway or donning the most expensive plain white T you’ve ever seen. But these days, when the coolest A-listers step out now — on the red carpet or just to grab a coffee — they’re doing it in vintage. And stars keep trusting Toronto to source their ’90s Chanel and Prada. These are the city’s archival and vintage sellers who are keeping celebs dressed to impress.
The it-girl magnet: Smoking Vintage
Before opening a permanent shop at 514A Annette St. in 2024, Smoking Vintage founder Alex Dacosta was already known for her archival sourcing skills — Emma Chamberlain counted herself among the many fans of the online shop. Now, with a moody, intimate boutique that features a cosy ’80s couch at the back and vintage fashion magazines and design books, Dacosta can offer a more personalized shopping experience to interested buyers, celebrity or not (the shop is open by appointment only from Monday to Thursday, with regular hours Friday to Sunday). Those interested shoppers include Olivia Rodrigo, Tate McRae, Laufey and apparently even Bella Hadid.
Where stars get streetwear: Rebalance Vintage
Partners Madeleine Kalisz and Isabel Kamin started sustainable fashion brand and vintage showroom Rebalance Vintage out of their studio apartment in 2020. Personally sourcing their vintage from rag houses around the GTA, the pair has an eye for what the stars want. Hailey and Justin Bieber seem to have an entire collection of baseball caps from Rebalance (including a vintage Leafs one Hailey wore to a game), and the Jonas Brothers’ tour wardrobe consisted of a ton of graphic T-shirts, leather jackets and hats from the shop. Bad Bunny, Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski have all been spotted in vintage streetwear from the couple.
The NBA’s favourite shop: 20 Maud
Best friends Alex Maxamenko and Christian Ferguson have been sourcing second-hand fashion inventory in Toronto since before they could drive — eventually dropping out of university to build an empire of rare archival vintage online. In 2024, that manifested into a physical shop: 20 Maud (located at 20 Maud St.). Offering private appointments, tiered monthly memberships for stylists and a truly staggering amount of rare vintage pieces, it’s no wonder they immediately attracted an A-list crowd. Scottie Barnes is a frequent customer, often wearing his finds during his Raptors tunnel entrance. NBA star and Toronto fashion darling Shai-Gilgeous Alexander has also been known to stop by the shop, as have a whole host of rappers and artists.
Ready for the red carpet: Shrimpton Couture
Before archival vintage was what everyone was talking about, there was Shrimpton Couture . Started in 2006 by Toronto’s Cherie Balch, the brand is considered the world’s leading online vintage store. Sourcing pieces from every era you can imagine (we’re talking as early as Edwardian), Balch now keeps her massive collection on her own property in northern Ontario. Her eveningwear pulls are all over every red carpet, from Rihanna and Jennifer Lawrence to Tracee Ellis Ross and Kaitlyn Dever. Pierre Balmain, Versace, Christian Lacroix, Shrimpton has it all.
