A new boutique in south Guelph is bringing the glitter of India to Guelph.
With rich and vibrant colours and imaginative designs and patterns, Gunit Kaur is thrilled to share her passion for traditional Indian clothing, as well as western wear, with local residents.
Gunit’s Boutique at 987 Gordon St. held it’s official opening on Oct. 22.
“My aim is to make my designs and creativity come to life,” Kaur said.
“People come to me and tell me that they would like. They have a choice of fabric, colours and embroidery. There are so many possibilities. I incorporate everything according to what they have in mind, and then I bring it to life.”
Gunit's Boutique offers party wear, prom dresses, bridal wear, style assessments, designing, customized stitching, ready to wear apparel, running fabric materials and alterations.
“We offer more than 25 different categories of clothing line products. This includes, Indo western, ethnic wear, sweaters, outer wear, tops, and of course, saree’s,” said Kaur’s husband, Kirpal Singh.
“My wife designs dresses. This is what she did in India. People can tell us the occasion, and she will design the dress,” Singh said.
“You have the option to choose something already here from India, or have something designed. And we can also have anything altered.”
Gunit’s Boutique looks forward to launching online in the next few weeks.
“We are excited to develop our e-commerce business and to spread our wings,” Singh said.
From a variety of vibrant colours to choose from, to the intricately designed beadwork, Singh says each dress is a masterpiece.
“This is my wife’s passion. It’s her dream come true. Of course, I can’t do the designing, sewing altering or stitching, and I don’t really know all that much about fabric. But she knows it all. It’s in her genes,” Singh said.
“Sometimes, I get amazed at how much she knows about fabric, and she has such in depth knowledge when it comes to designing and alterations.”
Each design does take time.
"At first, it just comes into my mind. I think about how to go about it and how will I do it. That goes quickly in my mind. However, making it, that is what takes the time. But that what designing is all about," Kaur said.
Singh and Kaur arrived in Canada from India on May 22.
They say they're grateful to receive a warm welcome from their new Guelph community.
“I just want to settle down and be part of the family. I am enjoying the people and getting to know everyone,” Kaur said. “For me, it is about creating relationships, creating a family here.”
Ward 6 city councillor, Dominique O’Rourke, continues to show her support for small local businesses including Gunit’s Boutique.
“I do try and put a focus on our small businesses in our ward. There are so many little gems, and in this little plaza, if you haven’t gone in, you have no idea, in terms of all of the shops that are there. And Gunit’s Boutique is the latest one in that plaza,” O’Rourke said.
“Gunit and Kirpal are a lovely couple I met them at the Diwali Disco in the fall. And then they walked me through their shop. Seeing the western clothes, Indian clothes, the alterations, and the fabrics in there, it is just extraordinary."
Singh says, since childhood, his wife would create.
“Our sign says, ‘we sell fashion’. We don’t want to sell just clothes. It's all about the fashion,” Singh said.
“This clothing business has been in my wife's family for generations,” Singh said.
From a very young age, Kaur has had a fascination with colour.
“Since this was in my family for so many years, I began to create, and in between, I became a teacher also,” Kaur said.
In New Delhi, once her children were older, Kaur decided to quit teaching, returning to her roots in clothing design.
“I can now dedicate myself to this full-time,” she said.
Kaur and her husband of 28 years, have two boys.
