Shopping in Mississauga

Aquarius Men’s Wear offers off-the-rack, high-quality menswear, made in the store's onsite factory. Aquarius's apparel is custom tailored seam by seam and stitch by stitch to your size and stature for a celebrity-worthy fit from the same duds-makers who've outfitted such stars as Kiefer Sutherland, Robin Williams, and P. Diddy. Entice materialistic moths with pristine bespoke pants ($295–$395), sheath your silhouette in a custom-measured suit ($995–$1,495), or get the bespoke dress shirt ($225–$325) that best brings out the colour of the eyes of your soul. A number of ready-to-wear items are available as well. Clients can buy two Groupons and stack them together toward one of Aquarius Men’s Wear's higher-end high-end items. Make an appointment for a measurement at Aquarius Men’s Wear, and release the suave fashion plate you've been hiding from the world behind stained tunics and leather tuxedos.

Boa, rated one of the Best Places to Shop in Toronto by Toronto Life Magazine, is the fashionable brainchild of twin sisters Daphne and Ofra Nassani, geared toward chic-minded gals on a budget. Curating a collection of versatile day-to-night pieces, the sisters stock an inventory ranging from sparkling evening dresses to comfortable sweaters and bamboo leggings. In addition to keeping a close watch on the fashion world, the sisters pride themselves on being socially and environmentally conscious. They host in-store fundraisers and clothing drives to benefit Free-Them—a volunteer-run organization working to combat human trafficking—and make efforts to reduce their carbon footprint by sending their customers home with their new duds in paper bags, rather than plastic bags or in the hands of coal-powered personal bag-carrying robots.

In 2004, Spier & Mackay's founders discovered that men's fashion was at an impasse—there was no middle-ground between individually tailored shirts from small, family run shops and the mass-produced, overpriced sheaths of branded designers. Spurred by this realization, they were inspired to build a clothing company that would act as the needed bridge.

Spier & Mackay is dedicated to handcrafting affordable, high-quality men's fashions in their own production facility using the time-honoured techniques of London's Jermyn Street tailors. Their classic, contemporary, and casual button-down shirts, which are made of 100% Egyptian Giza cotton, swaddle men in tasteful pinstripes, solids, and plaids in a wide variety of colours. Besides their collection of more than 400 shirts, the tailors at Spier & Mackay will hand-sew customized suits and shirts to any man's measurements, and their accent pieces, such as handmade silk ties and unique cufflinks, smartly class up any ensemble or black-tie snowman.

Purba Vision began as the dream of Jai Jassal, who founded the company in 2006. In a few short years, the original lone optical boutique blossomed into five separate locations where licensed optometrists perform thorough eye exams, checking for ocular issues such as glaucoma and colour blindness. Clients can also browse each location’s selection of hand-picked frames from around the world—a collection that includes work by Prada, Ralph Lauren, and Hugo Boss.

Dedicated to upholding the celebrated customs of Indian craftsmanship and culture while keeping abreast of current trends, Vanita Kollections outfits patrons in chic apparel that celebrates India’s rich heritage. Amid the shop’s stock of boldly hued garments laden with ornate embroidery, clothiers help shoppers try on traditional items including saris forged from materials such as crepe, chiffon, and georgette. Champions of dressing women for all manner of occasions, staffers keep shelves stocked with celebratory garb ranging from glittering bridal wear to sleek suits. To ensure that each customer looks her best, the store’s tailors’ fingers fly as they perform in-house alterations, creating a sleek fit, lengthening hems, and shortening pant legs in the event of a reverse growth spurt.

In 1980, Paul Montgomery's ski shop—along with everything in it—burned to the ground. All of his hopes and dreams, reduced to ash. As a teenager, Paul had tuned skis in a neighbourhood ski shop. After earning a degree in computer science, he decided to forego the fast-paced lifestyle of the tech industry—with its outsized salaries and lascivious solicitations from Ms. Pac-Man—and open a 900-square-foot ski shop adjacent to a ski lodge. And that's when he lost everything. But just four days after the fire, he decided he would continue to sell skis out of his home. As it turned out, many of the ski-club members had lost their gear when the lodge burned down, and they flocked to his home in droves. In one weekend, he'd sold more skis than he had in the previous year.

In the decades that followed, Paul struggled through financial difficulties and recurring nightmares about teaching dinosaurs to ski, but continued to expand the business he had once nearly lost. Today, Skiis & Biikes boasts five locations across the country and more than 50,000 square feet of skiing, snowboarding, and cycling necessities. More than 100 dedicated staff members channel their love of outdoor recreation into the kind of dedicated salesmanship that has earned the shop its hard-won success.