Racks of clothing in a vivid rainbow gradient line the walls at Esmé & Evee, the newest vintage boutique tucked into the heart of Halifax’s North End. Located at 2674 Agricola St., the store greets customers with curated vintage treasures dating as far back as 1970, all hand-selected and quality-checked by owner Madeleine Villa.
“I look for all sorts of pieces as long as they’re in good wearable condition,” said Villa.
The space feels more like an artist’s studio than a retail shop—each corner filled with whimsical knick-knacks, curated artwork, and custom posters bearing the shop’s name, created by queer-owned business Anisa Francoeur. It’s both a reflection of Villa’s personal history and a celebration of queer, creative identity.
Villa, a queer Italian-Canadian entrepreneur and longtime sustainable fashion advocate, opened the doors to Esmé & Evee on July 5.
With her first month of operations aligning with Pride Month, Villa decided to donate a portion of her profits to local causes. So far she’s donated over $4,000, including a recent $500 donation to the Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia.
“It’s a portion of our profits, but I always say ‘we’ donated this money, because it’s really a community effort,” said Villa. “From day one, giving back has been a core value.”
The boutique is named after her middle name, as well as her beloved dog Evee. Evee can often be found walking around working a shift at the store. Esmé & Evee began as an online venture during while Villa was working full-time in marketing. “I had been thrifting forever, and I’d post what I found online. Friends would ask me to keep an eye out for them, and eventually I started selling mini drops on Instagram,” she said.
As pandemic restrictions lifted, Villa began selling at local vintage markets towards the end of 2020. In 2024, she purchased the South End Vintage Market when its founders relocated to British Columbia. She would host her drops as a recurring monthly event, all while planning for a more permanent space.
Renovation of Esmé & Evee began on June 5, and within a month, the boutique was open. Every item that enters the store is hand-picked by Villa. “Even if someone’s downsizing and wants to sell me pieces, I go through everything. I touch every piece. I quality-check every piece. I want the best of the best on these racks,” she said.
Fashion, for Villa, is more than just business—it’s personal. “My grandmothers were seamstresses. I remember making clothes for my dolls with them. It feels full circle,” she said. “As a queer individual, fashion was how I first began expressing my identity. It was a way for me to communicate who I was.”
Through her stores and markets, Villa has built a reputation not only for offering high-quality vintage, but for prioritizing inclusion and advocacy. Early donations went to Adsum House for Women and Children, then the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project, and now, toward refugee support for queer newcomers.
“Nova Scotia Rainbow Refugees helps people find a space where they can be themselves,” said Villa. “That matters to me, and to this community.”
Villa doesn’t plan to slow down. Up next is Esmé & Evee’s debut runway showcase at Halifax Fashion Week, where Villa is also set to serve as one of the sustainable spokesmodels with lead spokesmodel Ava Hunter. In August, she’s planning a queer-only night market, featuring “glass fruit for the fruity cuties”—a cheeky vintage-inspired event where guests can build their own fruit bowls made from her collection of vintage glass fruit.
And while the store’s July 5 opening was a celebration in itself, Villa said a more formal grand opening party is in the works. “All proceeds from drink sales that day will go straight to Nova Scotia Rainbow Refugees,” she said. “It’ll be a party, but one with purpose.”
For now, the boutique remains a one-woman show. “I am the team,” said Villa. “Everything you see in this space, every hanger, every poster hung up and picked out, is my blood, sweat, and tears.“
Villa says she is excited for what the future has in store, but she is certain about one thing, “it’s always going to be about community.”
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2025.