Lenny Entwhistle has owned her fair share of vintage dresses and had many occasions to wear them while growing up in Newcastle, England. In her teens, Lenny loved to don outfits like the ones worn by the glamorous actress Audrey Hepburn. In fact, she doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t attracted to the romantic era that ushered in sleek, slender, elegant clothing and accessories.
“In England, a wedding invitation meant you were going shopping for a hat or fascinator,” says Lenny.
When she immigrated to Canada in 1979, her enthusiasm for collecting vintage clothing, hats and jewellery never waned. In 2004, she opened her hair salon, Lenny’s Beauty Parlour in Steveston. Not surprisingly, the fashionista adorned the walls with vintage dresses, earrings and necklaces, shelves with collectible antique blow dryers and memorabilia, in addition to salon chairs.
“When clients started asking me if they could borrow pieces, I realized that there was a need in Steveston for a shop that I had envisioned in my head for years. So, I started looking for storefronts.”
In 2013, with her vintage-inspired collection taking over storage in both her home and salon, opportunity knocked. A shop in Richmond’s historic village became available and Lenny snapped it up.
