Coconuda

High fashion, especially for women, tends to have an even higher price tag attached to it. It’s what the market will bear, but it doesn’t mean it has to be the case everywhere. At Coconuda, owner Shana Mahjour and her son, Matthew, have kept prices affordable without ever sacrificing on quality. “All my collections are directly from designers,” she explains, “so there is no agent involved. That’s why the prices are very low, like 60, 70% lower than what you see in other places.”

It’s a simple technique, but one that’s served the mother and son duo well since Coconuda opened in 1988. Shana wants to change the concept of stylish women’s clothing being synonymous with high prices and she’s done it one silk tunic at a time. She’s managed to secure exclusive pieces from designers by dealing with them directly, which speaks to her friendly personality and ability to connect with others. It also helps that she and Matthew go to Italy four times a year to scout out fashions, maintaining face-to-face contact that’s so important in the fashion industry, and putting in a list of what she’d like to see in Toronto. “Everything is imported direct from Italy,” she stresses, “so it’s not like it’s designed in Italy and made elsewhere. It’s really original Italian.”