Fashion, in Montreal
Ève studies fashion at Cégep Marie-Victorin.
The owner
Ève Turgeon
Ève studied fashion at Cégep Marie-Victorin, then spent nine years as a buyer for a national chain. She left tired of eight-collection-a-year cycles and clothes that don't survive a winter.
Ombelle opened in 2021 in a former shoe repair shop. Her buying rule is simple: she only brings in a piece if she'd wear it herself for three years. She'll also tell you, bluntly, when something doesn't suit you — that's why people come back.
Two advisors work with her: Naïma (plus sizes, styling) and Simon (menswear, denim).
Four rules for every piece
What decides what you'll find on the hangers, and what you never will.
01
Three years or nothing
A piece only comes into the shop if Ève would wear it herself for three years. No eight-collections-a-year cycle.
02
Made close to home
Two thirds of our brands are made in Quebec or Canada: Atelier B, Bleu Nordet, Maille Grise, Denim Ferland and nine others.
03
Less waste
No plastic bags, reused hangers, and your old clothes accepted for donation or repair.
04
Honesty
If a piece doesn't suit you, we'll tell you straight. That's why people come back.
Three people, one bar counter
Owner and buyer
Ève Turgeon
Nine years as a buyer for a national chain before opening Ombelle. She picks every piece one by one, from each designer.
Advisor
Naïma
Plus sizes and flattering fits: she finds the cut that sits just right, from XS to 3XL.
Advisor
Simon
Menswear and denim. He knows every Denim Ferland cut and takes your measurements for the hem.
From buyer to neighbourhood shop
How a big-chain buyer came to choose her clothes one by one.
Buyer
For a national chain, until she grew tired of collections that don't last a winter.
Rue Saint-Jean
Ombelle opens in a former shoemaker's shop.
Fourteen designers
A second-hand corner restocked every Friday, and customers who come back season after season.