Daysha Loppie –
At the Timeless Collective vintage store, canine Lucky will probably greet you before owner Lala gets the chance.
Timeless Collective moved to 574 Parliament Street just south of Wellesley Street on February 1. Its first version opened a block south in January 2020 – just a couple of months before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
Lala braved lockdown after lockdown, and eventually moved into the Menagerie Pet Shop, when it left the Cabbagetown neighbourhood after 50 years in business after the building was sold. Timeless Collective had to move as well, and for six months Lala was mostly doing personal sales, until she found the current location.
“I had no previous experience owning a store, and then there was the pandemic,” says Lala. “I opened my business with no business plan. No loans. It was all cash-money.”
It probably wasn’t the best bet for her bank account, but Lala’s business is about more than making a buck.
“I wanted to teach people about my culture through the store,” says Lala.
Lala and Lucky. Photo: Daysha Loppie
“I wanted to bring a little bit of modern Africa, mixed with old-school Africa.” She explains that often with Afro-ware, there’s often a stereotype about older African women selling clothes that sometimes deters people, and sometimes people in Black communities link second-hand clothing with dirtiness, or spiritual superstitions.
Lala hopes to help change those narratives with her store. She says she also “flirts” with cultures as someone who has lived in a ton of different places, including New York City, Atlanta and Montreal.
With Timeless Collective, she hopes to inspire appreciation for vintage and second-hand clothing in Black communities. She’s also intentional about supporting Black vendors.
“Most of the pop-up shops are very white, so sometimes it intimidates [Afro-diasporic creators],” says Lala. “Or they just feel people are not going to be interested.”
Part of doing that was creating opportunities for Afro-diasporic creators and designers to sell their pieces in the store. While beauty and style is important, Timeless Collective is really all about community.
“I like being on Parliament,” says Lala. “I want that human connection — when people come to me like it’s not a store, it’s a house. Like shopping in a friend’s closet.”
