Vintage streetwear, workwear, eveningwear and more abound in Toronto — but what about office attire? Toronto’s Mariam Sarkis has an answer with the opening of Souk and Silk, a mature vintage shop full of pieces that would easily make you the coolest dressed person at your office.
If you enjoyed shopping the back room at Tell Them It’s Vintage last year, you’ll be happy to know that it’s the curator of that pop-up who now has her own brick and mortar shop near Bathurst and Dundas.
Sarkis describes the curation at Souk and Silk as “modern” and “sleek,” and feels she caters to a more mature (30+) demographic. “Maybe because I worked corporate for so long, I have a soft spot for corporate-esque clothing,” she says. “It’s hard to find. I get a lot of women coming in here looking for work clothes, and I think when you can incorporate vintage into office dress wear, it’s so much cooler.”
“You could totally wear an oversized blazer with a really cute cropped pant and a heel,” she says. “Whereas if you were to shop that outfit new, it often feels stiff.”
Informed by Sarkis’ background as a Coptic Egyptian, the shop’s name “Souk” is a reference to the Arabic name for a market, an aesthetic that manifests itself throughout her store via a collection of vases and Middle Eastern motifs. “It reminds me of markets back in Egypt or in Morocco,” she says.
“I try to bring human connection and community into the store. As a minority Egyptian person, I want to build that community with other North African, Middle Eastern people, because we need each other right now,” she adds. “A huge part of why [I opened this space] is because I really wanted to put that out into the world, and make this a safe space for us and for people who love us.”
In the same manner as many vintage connoisseurs who begin selling vintage, Sarkis started when she realized that she’d collected more than she could wear herself. In 2015, she began selling a curation of pieces on Etsy and vending at markets, while working a full-time corporate job. It became her creative outlet.
In 2021, after the birth of her child, Sarkis decided to take the leap to leave the corporate world, nurturing her vintage business while growing her new family. It was 2024 when an opportunity presented itself to temporarily inhabit a brick and mortar space at 789 Dundas St. W., via a pop-up with her friends Tell Them It’s Vintage, and Nahnushe. While there, Tell Them It’s Vintage owner Elizabeth Lima learned of a space for rent down the street, opened her own shop, and invited the other two vintage brands to pop up there for a longer stretch.
Now Sarkis is back at 789 Dundas St. W., calling it her own after hearing of an empty space for rent there through Instagram. As it turned out, the timing was perfect. “It’s a full circle moment because it literally started here,” Sarkis says.
Her curation primarily features garments from the 90s and 2000s, and a range of masculine and feminine pieces, with the average item priced around $80. “It’s just what speaks to me,” she says, “I don’t believe in gender binaries in fashion. I believe that people should wear whatever the hell they want.” In her own wardrobe, she loves duality, often mixing pretty dresses with broad–shouldered blazers.
While she also curates a range of sizes, she’s hoping to expand the options and integrate a plus size pop-up into the store. In the future, she’d also like to feature non–clothing items designed by other Arab creatives, such as pottery and natural wellness products like tea and tinctures.
You can visit Souk and Silk Vintage at 789 Dundas St. W. daily from 12–6 p.m.
