INUVIK - Elna Magno likes to buy local and until last week she lamented the fact that she had to travel south to do most of her high-end clothing shopping.

She got a little help in that area when Trends Clothiers opened its doors in Inuvik on the Dec. 4 weekend.

Trends Clothiers owner David MacDonald stands among a selection of clothing on display at his shop located at Capital Suites. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

The shop, which is currently being run out of Capital Suites, features a selection of men's and women's clothing that ranges from Calvin Klein jeans (and underwear), Ralph Lauren rugby shirts and women's wear designed by Loko Sport.

Magno bought $400 worth of merchandise during her visit there last Saturday.

"I was very impressed," she said. "There were a lot of very nice clothes on display. The prices weren't that bad. It's hard to find good quality clothing here and the prices are very expensive."

David MacDonald is a partner in the locally-owned business and he also manages the outlet. He said people have been very supportive of the store and sales, he said, have been good.

He said he came up with the idea of opening a higher-end clothing shop about six months ago. MacDonald said he has always been frustrated that so many people buy their clothes in the south, even though a lot of those people would rather spend locally.

"A nasty leakage is online shopping, too," he said. "Every penny leaves the community. And what happens if the clothing you buy don't fit?"

To get a feel for what kind of clothing people wanted in town, he did a market survey a few months ago aiming at a wide age group from 15 to 65.

When he realized there was a demand for a higher-end clothing store, he got the wheels in motion, getting his finances in order and establishing distributors.

MacDonald's paying the shipping costs, which means the prices are comparable to clothing prices in the south.

"They can spend that money here or elsewhere in the community. It's a win-win for everyone," he said.

Currently he's focusing his energies on finding a downtown location for the store and bringing in more clothing stock with a greater range of sizes.

On Dec. 9, MacDonald was waiting on a new shipment of clothing due to arrive Dec. 11. He's hoping the support will continue and he says suggestions from residents are always welcome.

"It's been a learning curve, but I like the challenge," he said. "How do you decide what sizes you want, what people you'll fit, what market you are aiming for? That will take time."