Designs New World

New World Designs is a hip clothing shop that reflects the eclectic mix on display in the Gastown neighbourhood of Vancouver. Shoppers can snap up unique finds that harken back to vintage days with classic silhouettes and a retro vibe, along with accessories, makeup and lingerie. Mannequins with rainbow-coloured hair contribute to the nostalgic yet modern flair.

Every woman will find something to wear at New World Designs, as there are collections for all shapes and sizes, and owner Heidi Schmidt will perform custom alternations on all the clothes she sells thanks to her impressive sewing skills.

Heidi studied fashion at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario, before moving to Vancouver with just a pair of skis and a backpack, originally intending a short vacation. She fell in love with Vancouver and soon began sewing club clothing in the early 1980s, acknowledging that her creations were “always theatrical.” After the success of her designs, Heidi developed an entire line and eventually opened her own shop off Granville Street.

“I opened the store with $500 in my pocket and a big dream,” Heidi says with a smile. She decorated with light fixtures she found in the alley and trash, spray painting them to match her unique brand. “I had nothing to lose,” she says of her financial thriftiness, to which she attributes her current success and more than 28 years in business.