Quartier Mode is a fresh new face on St. Laurent recommended our way by the ladies of Citizen Vintage. Owner Tiffany Elton is a passionate indie designer working hard to feature others in her storefront and online, so I was delighted to find out her answers to a few of my favorite questions. Turns out we hit a goldmine this week: the lady and her gent are some savvy fashionable foodies with delicious tips!

"My name is Tiffany Elton, I am a local Montreal fashion designer and owner of Quartier Mode Boutique at 4276 Boulevard St-Laurent. I moved here 11 years ago, all by my lonesome, a scared young thing from Newfoundland chasing a dream. I have been carving it out ever since. September 2011 it all came together with the opening of Quartier Mode Boutique and the web store's launch.

I think of Quartier Mode more as a fashion community than a store. We sell local Montreal designers made in Montreal and independent designers from across Canada. The idea is a "fashion neighborhood" - a place to unleash emerging designers and to celebrate local talent. I am inspired everyday by the designers we carry here, their stories, their work and that pushes me. I love it!"

So... What's new chez vous?

New spring items have started coming in! Atelier b.'s new Spring collection with smart, classic eco-conscious items, pieced together tees from Preloved of Toronto are coming in. Birds of North America will be introducing plus sizes to her normal size range for Spring here!! Great for the curvy vintage inspired gals. One of our big fashion finds this year, Remy & Mercy will be coming out with new mini collections every month all Spring for the store... We also have new local designers popping up in store all the time.

I am launching my new collection Dawy & Ella in May. Think Marianne Faithful in the 50s. It is all about perfectly flattering fits and vintage inspiration. I am also launching a basics line, perfect to wear with leggings, tops that scoop down and cover your bum with an elegant neck and long ballerina tank tops. Coming in March: All about functionality and fashion. I spend a lot of time in the store with the customers, so I listen to what they want and I am acting on it. I take notes all day long and am equally inspired by my customers as by the designers.

Lots of surprises planned! We started with 19 locally made in Montreal designers in September, are now at 29 and have new ones joining in on the fun reguarly. Best bet is to follow our blog or follow us on facebook to get the news first hand. We have lots of events coming, collection launches and fun neighborhood collaborations.

For a local love bonus, I asked Tiffany about her most memorable recent Montreal meal and shopping experiences, and also asked her who else she'd like to see featured here:

Meal?: My BF is a talented chef, so I have lots of those memorable meal moments in Montreal... Le Chien Fumant, the calamari with tons of fresh herbs and the ginger drinks and I love their antic mixed and matched dishes. Biarritz, the chestnut rissoto will wow you and so will their beautiful waitress at the bar, Jasmine. Au pied du cochon is chef bf's favorite. The squid ink poutine was epic, it had calamari on it too! And their cheese cake that I picture a sweet grandma making in the back somewhere in a floral apron. I have to say the service in all these places is an experience in itself, so old-school charming and attentive, how it should be. Oh yes, Binky of Fuchsia on Duluth catered an event for us, we had an epic thai style noodle dish with fresh herbs and appetizers that I could have cried over they were so full of flavor! Her home made dry spice rubs were a part of that mix for sure!

Shopping?: I don't get to go out and about shopping much anymore, I used to do the whole neighborhood circuit regularly: Citizen Vintage, Lustre, Arterie, General 54...

I had great success at our recent end of season rack-it sale the last 4 days of January, (we will do it again next year). We invited 15 extra designers we do not normally carry to take part: Betina Lou, Les Enfants Sauvages, Genevieve Savard, Cluc Couture, Merecedes Morin were some of our guests... I got a Deborah Adams made from a leather jacket purse, a carry-all kinda bag that I love.... and a Le Chat hand dyed bell tank, a Rififi long witchy gold necklace with a turquoise stone and a Betina Lou black flared high waited skirt, very business meets school girl classy. I fell in love with so many more items but I had to contain myself.

Who else?: Every single talented local designer! You will be helping a movement.

It makes so much sense to me to support the local designers in any way: By promoting them or buying from them. It stimuates our local economy. People may not realize it, but each local designer employs a large number of other local businesses to produce their items; Cutters, Sewers, fabric suppliers, freelance pattern makers, button suppliers, the small mom and pop shop that makes tags, so many small details, done by so many people, the models, photographers, make up artists, PR firms.... so many people.

By supporting local designers you support the whole chain and are building local businesses, local jobs and making Montreal more affluent in the global industry, making you a saint in my eyes. There is so much talent around us!

Photo 1 by Camille McOuat, photo 2 by Elsa Jabre.

What's New Chez Vous is an interview series by Risa Dickens, Yelp Montreal Community Manager and co-founder of Indyish.com. Each column will spotlight new fashions, styles and trends in town and the places local boutique owners love. If you'd like to see your shop/designs featured here, reach out and touch at risa@midnightpoutine.ca