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What I call Queen’s end was  once a tony neighborhood called Sunnyside. Here’s Queen’s end’s corner in the 1930’s. We are looking east-north.

© unknown

By the late 1970’s the area had fallen from grace. It had fallen down, way down,  down into the  gutter’s gutter.

Sunnyside had degenerated into a festering wallow of drug addicts, whores and pimps; and not just any pimps, but stereotype polyester pimps.

Stella Luna was one of the very first positive changes at Queen’s end.

In the late 1990’s I discovered Stella Luna when I was scrounging for Vintage clothes for a period film I was working on.

The film’s story ran the gambit from 1950 to 1969. There was like, 50 script days. I needed a lot of clothes.

Juul Haalymeyer, the Costume Designer from “SCTV” now had a thriving Costume Rentals place Called Homemade Tarts.  index.htmlIt was just off Spadina Avenue in Toronto’s old garment district..

Do you remember “SCTV”, or have you seen the reruns? It was a comedy series that ran from 1976-1984.

I love Juul, and so did “SCTV”.  They hysterically included him and The Juul Haalmeyer Dancers in some of their comedy pieces. Here’s one for a laugh. It’s old so the quality is low.

♡

“SCTV” also sparked the career of the late, great John Candy, nm0001006

Homemade Tarts has the best period clothing in Canada.

Nonetheless, no matter how much clothing Juul could supply, I was still seeking special pieces for my leads. Juul was kind enough to tell me about Stella Luna. I drove to Queen’s end and found Stella Luna. I scored big time.

It was a good 5 years before I moved here.

As I walked into the shop, I could immediately tell that Crispian, the owner of Stella Luna, had a sharp eye for collecting.

The main thing I liked and still do about Stella Luna is that it’s laid out like a “Boutique”.

Yes it’s jam packed, and that’s okay by me.

Of note is Crispian’s collection of accessories. I close in on the display case, and find a magpie’s delight.

Over the years I’ve dressed the likes of  Helen Mirren, Julie Delpy, Holly Hunter, Sissy Spacek and many others in pieces from this place.

However, times have changed. Where I once found a dizzying selection of frocks from the 1950’s, tons of hip 60’s pieces and a Polyester Parthenon of early 1970’s fashions, I now find the late 70’s and 1980’s. Unnervingly the 90’s are making their debut.

However, Crispian does her best. Today when I went in there were two 1930’s bias cut nighties,  one 50’s cotton sundress,  and a large armload of indestructible polyester pieces from the early 1970’s.

Crispian has been hanging in the hood for a lot of years now. Cheers Crispian! Your Vintage still rocks Queen’s end.

Stella Luna is not just a great Vintage Boutique, it also operates in a Vintage mode. There is no web site.