Main St boutique Body Politic for the tony eco-citizen

Body Politic owner Nicole Ritchie-Oseen is committed to eco-friendly designs.

 

Main Street, Vancouver boutique lives up to its promise of “sustainable design—limitless style”

 

I kept catching the cute window displays out of the corner of my eye when zooming driving past on W 12th Avenue and making a mental note to check out the store, but it took months before I finally stepped inside body politic.

 

I wish I hadn’t waited that long!

 

Tucked away (though easily accessible) from the hubbub of Main Street, this warm and welcoming boutique may not have the most eye-catching location, but its polished collections—with touches of the sexy, the edgy, the playful and the luxurious—are designed to make heads turn.

 

Once my eyes stopped darting around in a rush of excitement, I settled down to browse through the racks in earnest. Vancouver designers are well represented: Nicole Bridger, Lav & Kush, Elroy, Nixxi, Noir bonbon, Dotted Loop and Me & You. Then there’s Toronto’s Snoflake and Dagg and Stacey, Calgary’s Lara Presber, Montreal’s S(eco)nd denim (who makes those super comfortable yoga jeans) and New York’s Feral Childe, just to name a few.

 

A wide range of stylish pieces to savour, to be sure, but there is one crowning factor that unites them all: body politic is all about eco-friendly designs, which, thank goodness, are finally shedding the “burlap sack” stigma.

 

“We wanted to get away from the typical ideas of ecofashion—really casual, or activewear,” says owner Nicole Ritchie-Oseen, who has seen to it that her small boutique becomes a gateway to a wealth of North American ecofashion. Everything you find in the store is not only big on style, but is ethically produced from natural, sustainable and renewable fabrics such as organic cotton, tencel, bamboo voile, modal and reclaimed materials.

 

VIDEO: Main Street boutique Body Politic

Check out the video we shot recently at the store. I interviewed Nicole about Main Street, her inspiration for the store and who her favourite designers are at the moment.

 

Created by Hilary Henegar with Davinia Yip, 2010
Music by Kellarissa, “Tiny Things,” 2008

 

WIN: Eco Shops for a Cause

To celebrate Vancouver Eco Fashion Week coming up in September, body politic is hosting Eco Shops for a Cause, a fun night of wine-sipping, cupcake-noshing and of course, shopping. Partial proceeds will benefit the David Suzuki Foundation.

 

And if that’s not enough of a reason already, here’s an added incentive: Granville Online and Aveda Canada have partnered up to give away an eco makeover! The winner will be annouced at the event (oh yes, you have to be there to win!). Enter the contest now! >

 

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Davinia Yip enjoys discovering new things, especially ones that she can eat or wear. She feels lucky to be living in Vancouver, and even luckier to be able to write about it from time to time. Twitter