Mods: A Style Profile. Dominic Chevrier (or "This Charming Man").

from now on, toward the end of each month, i'll be featuring a stylish montrealer and posting their answers to a series of questions, along with some photos of them in their everyday garb.

i thought it would be fun to start with a mod, given the theme of the current series but also to kick this trend off with a profile of a man. 

this particular man not only dresses sharply, has a sweet ride and has great taste in music but he would invite his girlfriend to a dinner for six if he could invite anyone at all, dead or alive, and knows well enough to not recommend the tiki restuarant on sherbrooke east. read on...

Name: DOMINIC CHEVRIER

Birthday: AUGUST 17/ 1974

Occupation: SALES MANAGER FOR LACOSTE FOOTWEAR

What, to you, embodies the essence of the mod and do you think this has changed between the time the movement started and now? 

It is simply related to music, clothes and how you feel it every day.

When did you first start relating to the mod lifestyle? How old were you and what do you think sparked it? 

It will be funny to mention that but I’m really into the movement since 3 years. I met a guy in England who became one of my best mates and when he started talking about it, I related to it right away. Since I was very young I was attracted to scooters, dressing well (loafers, parkas, clean stuff…) All without knowing what it was really was. I was always saying, "Like those guys in England."

How long have you been riding a scooter? For enthusiasts out there, tell us about your current ride: 

My first scooter was at age 15. I wasn't a mod at the time but I enjoyed it so much. 2 years ago I was able to effort a vintage one. I own now a Rally 180 / 1972 and will soon purchase a Lambretta 65 150 Special.

What’s the best show you’ve ever been to? 

Even if I love Northern Soul and Brit stuff I have to admit that I’m not only into that. I like world music like Henri Salvador. I'm also into stuff like Joy Division, The Smiths, The stone Roses, The Jam, The Kinks and of course, Oasis, my favourite band.

One of the best concerts I've been to was Ina Brown in Manchester, in December 2010. This is when I met my mate from Nottingham and the crowd was just crazy. Show started at 1h30am and was just insane to see all those people singing and just smiling at each other. We had the time of our lives.

Fashion

How do you feel about all the spring/summer 2013 lines that are clearly influenced by mod style?

There is no Mod brand but some that really have influence on it. Personally I like new stuff mixed with vintage. In London last fall I had a chance to find a nice 3 button jacket from the 60’s that I will fit with tailored trousers.

I have to admit that I’m a big Pretty Green fan. The brand has some nice paisley prints, Kaftans and boating jackets. I like his 60’s and 70’s music influence.

I guess it is not just about what you wear but how it look on you. I like making my own proper style. I don’t care about what people will say.

I think it should comeback more to the roots : Tailor and create your own style. Don’t copy anybody.

What are your three favourite pieces of clothing? 

Boating jacket, kaftans and a my # one is a Parka.

Travel

What is the best place you've traveled to and why do you say it is so? 

London : When I’m there I feel like I want to put a foot back in time and live there for a moment. It came naturally.

Do you find that other cities have more of a mod scene? Which ones have surprised you, if any? Nottingham has a good mod scene. It is North; Northern soul .

What if…

What if you ended up shipwrecked on a deserted island for several years and this island, magically, has a record/cd player and a sound system. You can only listen to five records or cds while you are there. Which ones do you bring?

Oasis : What’s the story morning glory

The Smiths : The Queen is dead

Stones roses : Stone roses

Henri Salvador : chamber avec vue

Northern soul compilation that included : Frank Wilson / Do I love you

You could get a trip in a time machine but just to attend one concert. You can choose anyone in the history of concerts. Who do you see, when and where?

Oasis in  Knebworth in 1996 . There was 250,000 people and it is describe as phenomenal

You’re hosting a dinner party and you can invite five people, living or dead, famous or not. What does your guest list look like?

Liam Gallagher

Jonny Marr

Henri Salvador

I will put all my mates name in a pot and pick one.

The 5^th person will be my girl friend of course…

La Métropole

What are your favourite local bands? 

I don’t really listen to local bands but I like :

Kid Sentiment

Les Separatwist

Le Chelsea Beat

If a mod from out of town came to visit, where would you recommend he shop for clothing and go out at night?

For shopping : no where cause we've got nothing to show.

Restaurant : NOT to the Tiki restaurant on Sherbrooke . I will refer go to les Héritiers on Mt-Royal. One of my favourite French restaurant. After will go at the Mod Club. Crowd is very young and not Mod but at least some are supporting the scene and the DJs, who are also friends of mine, are doing their best to make it happen.

Where do you go to get your hair cut so that it’s just right?

I got my own hairdresser since more than 10 years. Roberto at coiffure sublime. I bring him a picture and he does what I want.

What is your favourite thing about Montréal?  

I’m free to be whatever I…

In your opinion, how do Mod Clubs in other cities compare to ours? 

No comment. Lol. The scene is too small to compare with the rest of the world. We show up with our scooter dress with jackets and kids ask us why we ride scooters? Are you going to a wedding? It is a subculture that no many know about it. It is very limited because what makes it different from the other culture is that when you part of this movement, you don’t decide to attempt to a group. It is because you feel it inside, in your soul and it is part of you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s a way of living…

What would like to see next, if anything, for Montréal’s mod scene?

I would like to see that movement grow or at least that the people who are influenced by the 60’s came more often. There is cool stuff to do instead of watching tv on a Friday or Saturday night.

My mate, Patrick Foisy, is doing a good job with his blog : Parka Avenue

He's also started a monthly event. Check it out on Facebook.

***

i've been following the aforementioned blog on tumblr for about a year now but, if you're into this scene, check out the full blog here.

***

all photos courtesy of dominic chevrier. 

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25 Days of Etsy Christmas Gifts. Day Eighteen: Ontario

today's list features gift ideas from ontari-ari-ari-ari-oh! (my dad and his siblings used to sing that out loud every time they drove over the ontarian border, when they were young, and my brother and i did the same when we were little guys). 

i was born in montreal but moved to ontario for a year when i was seven. i returned for a few years, when i was sixteen, living in ottawa and then toronto, until i was almost twenty. my three best friends are in toronto and i love visiting both the t-dot (i actually get annoyed when people say that so i have no idea why i just did) and ottawa on a regular basis so i'm thrilled to share these ten ontarian etsy shops with you!

1. for classic contemporary home decor gifts, i recommend studio liscious, a shop based in toronto. 

2. meg mithcell, who runs priscilla mae, offers up what she calls "an artful celebration of women" and i absolutely love her cushions and totes. be sure to check out her toronto-based shop!

3. anista designs, also from toronto, offers over four-hundred-and-fifty fun, vintage-inspired items.

4. based in keswick, ontario, geek things is a shop you must visit if you have a geek and/or gamer on your list. i'd spotted this shop when i made a list just for this type of gift but decided to save it for today. 

5. we're back in toronto for vera viridis, a small but wonderful shop. i look forward to seeing what else vera comes up with!

6. also from toronto, we have meagan dibb jewellery. i know this would have fit wonderfully into my geek list but i wanted to support as many canadian shops as possible in this series and so here we are!  if you have a gamer on your list and you want to surprise them with lovely, wearable art, then this is for you!
*** please note that this seller does have four negative feedback ratings but they are all related to the amount of time it takes for items to arrive. a)keep that in mind if ordering and b)i know that buyers can sometimes exaggerate and have very unrealistic expectations with regards to how much time it takes for items to make it to other countries. i often had to remind american buyers that, even if we're neighbours, we're still another country and items need to clear american customs. buyers from elsewhere also don't understand that we don't automatically get tracking numbers. canadian sellers would have to charge american buyers too much for shipping in order to get a tracking number. communication is usually all it takes to clear that up, though...

7. in-bloom is based in london, ontario, and offers  over three-hundred original and beautifully handcrafted pieces.

8. back in toronto, we have the art and designs of ron & indy. be sure to check out their special offers!

9. if you live in the greater toronto area and you've got a holiday party to attend and you want to impress the heck out of your host and/or hostess, gucci's goodies dessert house has what you need, including some dairy and gluten-free options. check it out!

10. i really like soap star canada, based in cobourg, ontario. be sure to check out their seasonal scents-- mmm!

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