A Victoria-based clothing shop has seen a spike in sales 鈥� despite closing last week due to COVID-19 concerns 鈥� after Alberta鈥檚 chief medical officer wore one of its dresses during a COVID-19 briefing.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw wore a grey periodic table dress on TV last week, an item which has been a top seller at Victoria鈥檚 The Smoking Lily Boutique for seven years.
The zero-waste, local clothing store is based out of its 1713 Government St. location in Victoria, with an additional retail location in Vancouver.
鈥淪he鈥檚 actually a longtime customer of ours, so she鈥檚 been wearing four or five of our pieces this week,鈥� explained The Smoking Lily owner Trish Tacoma. 鈥淏ut the periodic table dress is the item where everyone is like 鈥榯hat鈥檚 the one.鈥欌��
Patrons have been sending screenshots all week, and the shop鈥檚 inbox has been 鈥渢eeming鈥� with requests for orders, since the dress was discontinued six months ago.
鈥淲e checked to see if it鈥檚 possible to make some more, and found enough material from our suppliers to make about 100 dresses,鈥� Tacoma said. 鈥淲e put 100 online, and as of 1 p.m. [on Tuesday] 85 per cent were sold.鈥�
Tacoma says the printer, cutter and seamstress can all do their jobs in isolation from one another, but that means it will take a few weeks for the dresses to make their way to customers.
鈥淚t鈥檒l take a little bit of time to make them, but people have been understanding, 鈥� she said. 鈥淏esides, if you were planning on wearing the dress to an event anywhere, it鈥檚 probably been cancelled.鈥�
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- With files from the Canadian Press
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