Style setter. Taste maker. Muse. Model. Here in Ottawa, we don’t always talk in these terms. That is unless; you’re referring to Justyna Baraniecki. Anyone who knows fashion in OTown knows of Justyna and her amazing eye for style. This girlaboutOtown would even go so far as to say she may even be the best dressed up-and-comer this town has seen in quite some time.
Co-founder and creative director of cutting edge e-mag The Dinner Jacket (no longer in publication), the beauty and brains behind the very popular personal style blog chichichic, and contributing style writer at the Ottawa Citizen, Justyna is a truly talented stylist, writer and vintage clothing collector. In just a few short years, she has carved out a creative, collaborative and fashion forward life right here in her adopted hometown, and is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. Recently, she added entrepreneur/shop owner to her list of credits with the launch of chicshop.ca, a beautifully curated online vintage clothing boutique, complete with a professionally shot Look Book.
Well this girlaboutOtown could barely contain her excitement! Not only am I a sucker for stories of courageous creative new businesses, I love to see someone from Ottawa take us all one step closer to a permanent place on the style map. And, there is my own minor obsession with vintage fashion, of course.
To congratulate Justyna on her new endeavour, to celebrate, and to help spread the word, I sent her a message immediately upon seeing her new store. Graciously, she agreed to answer a few of my questions. Here is some of what I learned:
Are you from Ottawa originally? If not, what brought you here? I was born in Poland, grew up in Germany, and then moved to London, ON. I went to high school there, and then to Carleton University after that. I suppose school brought me here, but friends and family have me calling it home now.
You have been involved in Ottawa’s fashion scene for awhile. In your view, how has it changed? More people are getting involved. Which is so nice to see! I’m noticing more and more people experimenting with fashion photography, more people becoming conscious of their wardrobes, more interest in self-expression through fashion. It’s so nice to see a scene evolve.
Did you always love fashion or did you pursue other things growing up? Do you remember the first time you came to the undeniable realization that you were fashionista? Tell us more! I’ve always loved fashion! When I was very young, I lived on a tiny little farm in Poland with my grandmother. She used to sew clothes for my dolls out of old rags and I loved them so much, I remember one day, I tried to put on one of my dolls dresses. Needless to say, it was MUCH too small, it got stuck around my head, and I ended up running around (like a chicken with its head cut off) crying and trying to find my grandmother to cut the dress off me. After that, she started sewing matching outfits for me and the dolls. I also ransacked both her and my mother’s closet any chance I could get. You could not keep me away from clothes or dress up hour!
Who were your most significant style influences as a child? I would say both mom and grandma. The two strongest women in my life, both have such fiery personalities, and a strong eye, you can’t help but be influenced. My mother was always (and still remains) such a lady. Whether she’s wearing a high end designer or a thrift store find, she always wears it with grace. She defines lady-like elegance to me.
You clearly love vintage, and have a flair for mixing it with modern pieces. How long have you been shopping vintage and where did you learn to work it so well? I’ve always loved it! When my family first moved to Canada, we weren’t exactly rolling in money, so thrift stores and vintage were much more of a necessity than a style statement. I remember my mother bought me this beautiful aquamarine tiered skirt and matching top, and I was over the moon for it. I was in the 4th grade at the time, barely in Canada for 6 months. When some kids in my grade made fun of it, asking if I bought it at Goodwill, not understanding I was being bullied, I said YES! How did you know? It’s probably better the joke went over my head! Anyway, it was a monthly treat that my mom would take me to either Value Village or some other thrift store and I could go nuts with $30. It taught me to look at what I saw in magazines, and re-interpret the look for myself with vintage. To make a long answer short, I learned out of need, and now I just love mixing old with new, high with low.
Fashion is such a huge subject, and often dismissed unfairly as frivolous. Obviously, I don’t agree. Where did you learn about fashion? What do you still want to learn? I remember the first time I picked up a Vogue. I was finished a babysitting shift, and I decided to go the drugstore with my pay. I saw the September Issue 1999 with Gwynneth Paltrow (she’s wearing a stunning Cerulean blue Ralph Lauren dress, with a one shoulder spaghetti strap) and I was in awe that there was so much information in one magazine. From then, I haven’t missed a single issue. As a teenager, I used to cut out pictures and create inspiration boards in my room. It was a giant diorama dedicated to all the wonderful beautiful things I couldn’t yet afford, but dreamed of finding in vintage stores. Fashion is never ending. Learning is never ending. Style evolves, there is still so much I’d like to learn to communicate through clothes, so many photo shoots I’d like to direct, so many images I’d like to help create. It never ends!
What inspired you to launch chicshop.ca? I was pretty tired of working for others and not calling the shots. I had so many ideas, but when you are at the bottom of a totem pole, it’s hard to influence the top. With the help of my fiancée, I decided it was time to stop wasting time, and finally put my money where my mouth is. I’ve been talking for so long about owning something, creating something, and when I lost my job in September, I had all the time in the world to put my heart and soul into starting a business. I love vintage clothes and love that I get to share that with others.
You’ve modeled, published an online magazine, and photo styled. In addition to your blog, you have been writing for the Ottawa Citizen as well. When did you have time to set up a gorgeous online vintage clothing boutique? To be honest with you? I haven’t left the house in 2 months. November has melted away and October seems like a foggy dream. I have no social life. At least the last two months I haven’t. But - it doesn’t feel like work when you do what you love.
Where do you source your pieces? All over! I travel to the west coast once or twice a year, vintage markets, estate sales, anywhere and everywhere. We just went on a fabulous trip up to Northern Ontario and brought back some beautiful winter coats, perfect for the Ottawa chill.
Tell us about your collaboration with Mauricio Ortiz for the chicshop.ca Fall Look Book. A total dream to work with! He contacted me to collaborate on some editorials, and we decided to make the Look Book a trial run. He scouted the amazing location, and I brought the clothes. Our inspiration was a woman lost in this forest, kind of like Gretel, only no Hansel. Plus she looks kinda fab in 6 inch booties (at least we think so).
What advice would you offer to other aesthetes, vintage clothing connoisseurs and aspiring creative entrepreneurs in the Ottawa area? To coin an 80′s slogan: “Just do it”. Your dreams aren’t going to create themselves. Stop talking and start doing! It’s the only way you’ll live the life you really want.
Now the fun stuff! Who are your favourite contemporary fashion designers? Haider Ackerman. I want to live in his world.
Other than chicshop.ca, where else do you shop in Ottawa? The Ottawa Antique Market, I love that Victoire on Dalhousie carries Lustre (my fave Canadian designer, Yasmine Wasfy from Montreal), and I sneak a peek into Roadtrip as often as I can.
What are your favourite magazines & fashion books?
For magazines: Numero & Paris Vogue (W isn’t bad either) but I absolutely adore men’s fashion magazines. I’m addicted to GQ and I don’t mind the odd bit of Esquire. I think I may love a well-dressed man more than vintage itself. Where are the Cary Grants these days??
For Books: (I don’t really read fashion books, maybe I should?) But I’m a big collector of cookbooks and travel books. I received a beautiful cookbook for my birthday called “French Feasts”, and am just dying to make every single recipe!
Where are the best places to eat in Ottawa?
What are we supposed to do about Ottawa’s dismal shoe store situation? I know, right??? Chicshop.ca is working on it! (But seriously, I know, right?)
What are your go to sources for visual inspiration? The Glamorai, Karla’s Closet, Jane from Sea of Shoes, my friend Julie, old films (how much do I love Funny Face? or Charade? I don’t know… I can’t count the ways!)
Fashion and interior design are often closely associated. Does this resonate for you? Are you at all interested in interior design? Funny you should mention, but yes! It’s really hard because my fiancé is a total minimalist. And I am, what would I call myself… an ornate baroque bohemian? When it comes to design? I love big gold gaudy statues, I love every single inch of the wall to be covered in “art” (and that’s a loose term, sometimes I buy art at galleries, sometimes it finds me on the side of the road….to my fiancé ‘s horror), I love trinkets and wild colors and bold drama and eighties maximalism. We’re currently working on a compromise.
One last question. Where do you want to go (to travel or to live)? I need to go to Buenos Aires. I can’t stress that enough. No, scratch that. I want to see everything. And I mean that. I want to see the Galapagos Islands, and Spain and Iceland, and Australia, and the Yukon. I want to see everything. I don’t mind Ottawa as a home base, but there’s a beautiful world out there to explore.
All photos courtesy of Justyna @ chichichic
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