Up in Style is all about urban fashion
This new urban clothing store strives to bring exclusive styles to the Hub City
"I'm trying to bring a new culture to fashion in Moncton," says Paul Conneh, "My goal is for my store to be exclusive and to offer lines of urban clothing and accessories that are one-of-a-kind."
Originally from Montreal, Paul came to Moncton for personal reasons and decided the area needed a store that offered urban clothing, suitable to the hip hop culture. So last December, he opened Up in Style at 351 St. George Street.
"Urban clothing is casual streetwear in nice colors that have a flashy look," says Paul. "The hip hop culture is more present now than ever before."
Paul has a background in retail, has worked for agencies in the fashion business, and has attended fashion shows in Las Vegas.
He's traveled to Asia to buy clothing and has been an importer for a long time. Clothing lines and accessories for Up in Style come from Montreal, Toronto, New York City and Japan.
"I want to make sure we keep providing exclusive styles. It's really about that," says Paul. "We want to give people one-of-a-kind clothing and have them come back. Satisfying our customers is very important to us."
Up in Style targets youth in the 18-35 age range, both males and females. There's a good selection of eye-catching clothing such as shorts, jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, hats, dresses, swimwear and footwear.
"There's only one of each size and sizes range from 30 to 42," says Paul. "There's something for everyone." The store also carries a wide array of hip hop accessories including belts, watches, earrings, sunglasses, purses, and wallets. Other items include CDs and mixed tapes.
One of Up in Style's biggest challenges is getting people out of the mall and to their St. George Street location.
"It's unorthodox to have a fashion store on St. George Street," says Paul. "But I believe this is an area poised for transformation. We're an urban store, so we're located in the downtown area of Moncton. I want to be as far as possible from the mall."
Paul's marketing strategy has included participation in fashion shows and distributing flyers. He's grateful for support from the local clubs.
The store itself is bright and spacious with clothing and accessories well-displayed. It's open seven days a week, except during the summer, when it's closed on Sundays. In addition to Paul, there is one full-time employee and one part-time employee.
"There have been a few hip hop stores that have opened here, but they didn't make it," says Paul. "We're going to stay."
Paul says he's had a good response from other St. George Street businesses.
"Another hip hop store opened about a month after we did, but it closed after a month or two," says Paul.
"We're still here. Our customers appreciate what we have to offer, so we'll stay strong and keep on going."
His future plans for Up in Style include bringing in new clothing brands and the possible introduction of his own clothing line that will be exclusive to this store. Paul is looking at bringing in even more accessories and possibly creating a separate section in the store for them.
"I envision expanding my idea and hope to open a store in another location in New Brunswick," he says.
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