ANI + WREN TORONTO’S LIFESTYLE BOUTIQUE
ANI + WREN is an attentively concepted lifestyle boutique located in Toronto's Rossdale area, providing future mum's-to-be with an exclusive assortment of maternity brands.
What is the vision of your store that makes you so different?
Ani + Wren is a lifestyle boutique that caters to expectant mums - we do so by bringing in a mix of great maternity brands (like Slack's & Co.!) as well as coveted contemporary brands (such as DVF, Joie, Rebecca Taylor, etc.) that are designed to be worn before, during and after pregnancy - so women who are expecting don't feel relegated to invest in a full maternity wardrobe for those 9 months.
As two sisters-in-law it´s quite unusual to go into business together - how did the opportunity arise?
We met through Lani's brother (Lauren's husband) and we just really clicked! We had always talked about doing something together. During Lauren's first pregnancy she really struggled to find great, chic clothes- with Lani's background in fashion we came up with the concept for Ani + Wren and the rest is history!
What were you doing career wise before you opened Ani + Wren?
Lauren has a background in marketing and media sales, and Lani was working on the wholesale side in the fashion industry - for brands such as Max Mara, MiH Jeans and Mackage. Our skills are very complimentary so the partnership works really well.
Ani and Wren is by far one of the most trendy maternity boutiques, do you have any advice for mums to be how to stay fashionable during pregnancy?
Stay true to your style and don't feel like you have to compromise your personal aesthetic while you are expecting. There are so many ways to stay on trend during those 9 months - it's all about having fun and embracing the bump!
What are the key trends for spring/summer 2014 and must-haves for all mothers-to-be?
Must haves for mothers-to-be for spring/summer would be a few great sundresses topped with a cute little denim jacket. Colourful and textured jeans are a good investment as well - there are so many great brands that are doing amazing denim for spring (we LOVE Slack's & Co. light blue moto denim!)
The concept of your store - Ani + Wren is so successful, are you planning further expansion (online or new projects)?
We are definitely looking at next steps for expanding Ani + Wren - e-commerce and a second location are all in discussion. There are also some potential exciting partnerships in the works with complimentary brands ... stay tuned!!
