Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (June 07/02) - Inuvik's fashion followers have a new choice for clothing, with the opening of a new boutique here.

The Index Collection, in the Boreal Book building, opened its doors Friday night.

Born in Lebanon, the shop's owner, Khalid, trained as a chef and later went to fashion school in Montreal, where he studied design and marketing.

Before settling in Inuvik he lived in Yellowknife, but prefers the culture and business atmosphere of Inuvik.

"I noticed there is nothing like this here," Khalid said. "There should be, because the economy is so good."

The shop offers men's and women's clothing and accessories.

Khalid says he plans to bring in a variety of quality clothing on a rotating basis to test the market.

"It's very hard at first, because I don't know what the people here want," he said.

The merchandise comes from connections he's made from the fashion industry while in school.

"It's a wholesale company owned by some friends in Montreal, who bring in a line of quality merchandise," he said.

He hopes to offer something for everyone at the new shop.

"I'm geared to all age groups, but you need a lot of money to do everything at once -- I'm not competing with anyone, just bringing this idea to Inuvik," he said. "Everybody has different tastes, so it's not easy at first."

"I hear people saying, 'Oh, I can't wear this here, they wear that in Edmonton,'" he says. "I hear that a lot."

As well as providing people an option for clothing, he hopes to establish an atmosphere where people will just drop by for a visit and provide their input on what they'd like to wear.

"It's a place they can come and just look around, if you don't want to buy anything, just chill, hangout and listen to music," Khalid said. "It's a friendly place for fashion and if you don't see something you like, just ask and I'll get it for you."

Following his grand opening, he said the town's young people showed a huge interest in the shop and volunteered to help out -- for free.

"Boys and girls came by here after school and said they wanted to work here -- not for money they just wanted to be here for the experience," he said.

He has travelled all over the world, but says people are basically the same everywhere -- looking good makes them feel good.

"This is not like food, where you have to buy it because you're hungry -- this is for pleasure," he said. "When you wear something sharp, you feel good."

Khalid has a simple business philosophy that will allow him to make a modest profit and still provide quality, affordable goods to his customers.

"When you do good to others, good things will come back to you every single day."