When Seddy Ibrahim, owner of Gastown’s new boutique, was a young teenager living in Kenya, his father’s friend, whom he describes with a happy nostalgia as an all-Italian gentleman, passed along to Seddy his lifelong inspiration in saying one day, “You can always tell the beauty of a woman by the color that she wears.” Seddy took this to heart, and throughout his subsequent travels with his Diplomat father throughout Europe, he gained a deep love for the various fashions of each country, for the spectrum of textile colors, and for shoes,” To me, fashion is art.”

Since he moved to Vancouver, Seddy has opened two shoe stores throughout the Lower Mainland, and his third store in Gastown is an evolution from his previous shops. JTS & CO carries a collection of fine leather shoes, but Seddy also supplies a hand selection of women’s clothing - primarily statement tops, rompers, and dresses. His shoe collection is focused on comfort and quality, without a compromise in the beauty of the shoe. In shop now are items from Portugese DKODE, Miz Mooz, a New York-based shoe brand designed in Italy and Spanish Hispanitas, to name a few.

Trends? Seddy doesn’t really believe in following them. Rather, JTS & CO.’s aim is to focus on timeless style for any age or demographic, and clothes and shoes that travel easily from day to night. “The lifestyle here allows people to wear a certain piece throughout the seasons – the weather and people’s attitude allows for that,” says Seddy, “Unless of course it rains.”

JTS & CO. will soon be having an official opening with an in-store fashion show coordinated with Mary Kay.

words + photos by Kate Brown