The Fashion Editor's Guide to Navigating Montréal

Montréal has always been on my must-visit list, so when I had the chance to check out city's Fashion & Design Festival, I jumped at the chance to check out everything the city has to offer. One super-fast plane ride later (Montréal is about an hour away from NYC), I arrived, ready to hit the ground running, checking out the city's coolest shops and tasting the local fare (though I wasn't brave enough to try poutine). 

Montréal's ties to the fashion world run deep: Street style darling Caroline Issa was born there, and brands like Want Les Essentiels have earned major buzz globally, not just in Canada. So, it should come as no surprise that doing a little shopping was an easy (and pleasant feat), especially since many of the city's coolest shops are located in the stunning Old Montréal.

Read on for a few of my must-visit spots from my trip, and then shop pieces inspired by the trip! 

The designers behind covetable bag brand Want Les Essentiels have a must-visit store, Want Apothecary, in their hometown. Anyone who covets Acne Studios and Filippa K as much as I do should definitely stop by. 

I can't start the day without a little bit of coffee, so I'm always on the hunt for cool spots to grab a cup. My top choice: the highly Instagrammable Tommy in Old Montréal. 

Designer Rad Hourani may show his unisex collection at Paris Couture Week, but tucked away in Old Montréal, you can visit his sleek store to check out his pieces in person. Hourani's space also houses rotating art exhibitions—how's that for cool?

When I needed to stop for a snack after shopping, this spot in Old Montréal was my go-to. They have avocado toast and poké bowls, so what's not to love?

I'm constantly checking out the latest on retailer Ssense's site, so when I learned that its one and only flagship store was in Montréal, I knew I had to go. While no photos are allowed inside, the offering of drool-worthy Gucci pieces alone made it worth the visit. 

Shop pieces inspired by my trip: